STAFF
Marie Robertson - Director & Co-Owner, Tap & Jazz
Marie, Owner/Director of Dancearts, graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for 8 years and toured with the "Mid-America" and "Harriette Ann Gray" Dance Companies. She returned to Columbia in the early 80's to begin teaching at Dancearts. She became part owner in the early 90's and became the main owner in 2000 along with her co-owners Maggie Dethrow and Marisa Robertson. She teaches primarily tap and jazz at Dancearts and choreographs award winning numbers for the competition team. Her incredible tap teaching skills has earned her the title of the "Tap Queen!"
Marie, Owner/Director of Dancearts, graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for 8 years and toured with the "Mid-America" and "Harriette Ann Gray" Dance Companies. She returned to Columbia in the early 80's to begin teaching at Dancearts. She became part owner in the early 90's and became the main owner in 2000 along with her co-owners Maggie Dethrow and Marisa Robertson. She teaches primarily tap and jazz at Dancearts and choreographs award winning numbers for the competition team. Her incredible tap teaching skills has earned her the title of the "Tap Queen!"
Maggie Dethrow - Co-Owner, Modern, Jazz & Tap
Maggie graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She has been a member of the dance faculty at Stephens College for 12 years. She has taught and performed at Perry-Mansfield in Colorado and has taught for Stephens Theatre Institute for many years. Maggie has been a teacher for over 20 years and is currently teaching modern for the Stephens College Dance Department and continues to teach all the modern classes at Dancearts.
Marisa Shoemaker - Co-Owner is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer who some would say was born into the dance world from her mother, Marie Robertson who has been teaching for over 40years. Marisa started dancing at the age of 5 and began teaching at the age of 15. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern,lyrical,and musical theater at Dancearts of Columbia in Columbia, Mo. She was awarded Young Choreographer of the Year for 5 consecutive years as a teenager for Dance America and has choreographed numerous award winning State and National routines for many different Cheer and Dance Teams in Missouri. She has taught Master Classes across the Mid-West, in NYC, and at Stephens College in Jazz and Hip Hop. She worked at Broadway Dance Center in NYC, and was a teacher for The Edge Performing Arts Center in NYC. She was a traveling choreographer assistant for Sara Jo Fazio and was a performer on tour with Neil Young on the Greendale Tour. Currently she is an instructor, choreographer, and part owner of her home studio Dancearts of Columbia in Columbia, Mo along with her mother Marie Robertson and her aunt Maggie Dethrow. Marisa is known for her innovative and polished choreography as well as her teaching ability. Dance is Marisa's heart and soul and hopes to continually be inspired and to inspire others to do what she
Ken Braso - Ballet
Ken started his professional dance career with Walt Disney World and Southern Ballet Theatre, now called the Orlando Ballet. Ken then danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin and the Louisville Ballet. He was featured in over one hundred works, including ballets created by Louisville Ballet director Alun Jones, George Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Anthony Tudor, William Soleau, Stephen Mills and David Parsons. During his tenure in the Louisville Ballet Company, Ken also performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Derby Dinner Playhouse and the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati where Ken would later co-direct their production of Walt Disney's "Cinderella." After retiring from the Louisville Ballet in '02 as a Principal Dancer, Ken founded Step One Dance and joined the Louisville Ballet School as a faculty member. Ken has been teaching Ballet for Dancearts since 2008.
Ken started his professional dance career with Walt Disney World and Southern Ballet Theatre, now called the Orlando Ballet. Ken then danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin and the Louisville Ballet. He was featured in over one hundred works, including ballets created by Louisville Ballet director Alun Jones, George Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Anthony Tudor, William Soleau, Stephen Mills and David Parsons. During his tenure in the Louisville Ballet Company, Ken also performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Derby Dinner Playhouse and the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati where Ken would later co-direct their production of Walt Disney's "Cinderella." After retiring from the Louisville Ballet in '02 as a Principal Dancer, Ken founded Step One Dance and joined the Louisville Ballet School as a faculty member. Ken has been teaching Ballet for Dancearts since 2008.
Hallie Rainwater - Preschool, Jazz, Tap and Musical Theatre
Hallie began dancing at the young age of five. She grew up in St. Louis and performed in various musical theatre productions. She joined the Dancearts staff in 1992. Hallie has performed regionally in various professional musical theatre productions, including Chicago, Cabaret, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. Some of her favorite choreography credits include 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Music Man, and Seussical the Musical. Currently Hallie is not only an instructor at Dancearts of Columbia, but she teachers dance and drama at Lee Expressive Arts Elementary School, is a guest director and choreographer for TRYPS Children's Theatre, and is a guest choreographer for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Jes Saylor - Preschool and Ballet
Jes began dancing at the age of two in Omaha, Nebraska, with a primary focus in ballet. She spent the majority of her high school and collegiate careers involved with the Omaha Ballet Company and Community Theatre, as well as being involved in her high school productions and dance teams. After attending Stephens College as a part of the dance program, Jes returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2006. While she is trained in and enjoys all aspects of the dance and theater world, she loves teaching ballet to young students to provide the foundation and fundamentals on which they can build all other forms of dance, and find the movement within the music. Jes joined the Dancearts staff in 2016.
Abby Rainwater - Beginning Musical Theatre, Beginning Lyrical, and Private Lessons
Abby has been dancing with Dancearts since the age of three and joined the Dancearts Competition Team in 2015. She plans to pursue musical theatre and has performed with numerous theatres throughout Missouri, including TRYPS Institute at Stephens College, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, and the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Hallie began dancing at the young age of five. She grew up in St. Louis and performed in various musical theatre productions. She joined the Dancearts staff in 1992. Hallie has performed regionally in various professional musical theatre productions, including Chicago, Cabaret, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. Some of her favorite choreography credits include 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Music Man, and Seussical the Musical. Currently Hallie is not only an instructor at Dancearts of Columbia, but she teachers dance and drama at Lee Expressive Arts Elementary School, is a guest director and choreographer for TRYPS Children's Theatre, and is a guest choreographer for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Jes Saylor - Preschool and Ballet
Jes began dancing at the age of two in Omaha, Nebraska, with a primary focus in ballet. She spent the majority of her high school and collegiate careers involved with the Omaha Ballet Company and Community Theatre, as well as being involved in her high school productions and dance teams. After attending Stephens College as a part of the dance program, Jes returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2006. While she is trained in and enjoys all aspects of the dance and theater world, she loves teaching ballet to young students to provide the foundation and fundamentals on which they can build all other forms of dance, and find the movement within the music. Jes joined the Dancearts staff in 2016.
Abby Rainwater - Beginning Musical Theatre, Beginning Lyrical, and Private Lessons
Abby has been dancing with Dancearts since the age of three and joined the Dancearts Competition Team in 2015. She plans to pursue musical theatre and has performed with numerous theatres throughout Missouri, including TRYPS Institute at Stephens College, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, and the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
DESK STAFF:
Manager: Michelle McCoy
Libby Cleavinger
Hannah Halwel
Hallie McCoy
Shanley Silvey