STAFF
Marie Robertson (Director & Co-Owner, Jazz, Tap)
Marie, graduated Stephens College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for eight 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, graduated Stephens College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for eight 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, Body Toning, Abs/Core)
Maggie graduated Stephens College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She has been a member of the dance faculty at Stephens College for twelve 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 twenty 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)
Marisa is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer who some would say was born into the dance world from her mother, Marie Robertson. Marisa started dancing at the age of five and began teaching at the age of fifteen. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz,
hip-hop, modern, lyrical, and musical theatre at Dancearts of Columbia. She was awarded Young Choreographer of the Year for five 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 Midwest, in New York City, and at Stephens College in jazz and hip-hop. She worked at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, 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 with Neil Young on the Greendale Tour. 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 loves to do.
Marisa is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer who some would say was born into the dance world from her mother, Marie Robertson. Marisa started dancing at the age of five and began teaching at the age of fifteen. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz,
hip-hop, modern, lyrical, and musical theatre at Dancearts of Columbia. She was awarded Young Choreographer of the Year for five 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 Midwest, in New York City, and at Stephens College in jazz and hip-hop. She worked at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, 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 with Neil Young on the Greendale Tour. 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 loves to do.
Ken Braso
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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 2002 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
Fran Patrick
Evie Labus
Hallie McCoy
Abigail Rainwater
Michael Warner
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Hallie Rainwater (Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre, Kinderdance) Hallie began dancing at the 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 recently stepped into the title of Columbia Public Schools District Dance Coordinator. She is also a guest director and choreographer for TRYPS Children's Theatre, and is a guest choreographer for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Fran Patrick (Ballet, Irish, Jazz) Jes Saylor (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 theatre 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. Amanda Renot (Creative Movement, Kinderdance, Twinkle Toes) Evie Labus (Ballet, Creative Movement) Evie has been dancing for 17 years. She danced at Wings Dance Studio for 10 years and completed the dance educator training. Additionally, she competed for 7 years attending competitions such as YAGP and CNADM. She studied Cecchetti and passed her grade IV exam. She performed in the Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker, as well as the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker. In addition to her home studio, she trained at Visceral and Giordano Dance Chicago. Her choreography has won awards at many competitions including a “Most Emotional Execution" at Precision Arts Challenge. She is currently studying special education at the University of Missouri. Destiney Lockhart (Hip-Hop) Destiney graduated from Stephens College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She is a Universal Dance Instructor and the Head Coach of the Spartan Sparklers Dance Team at Battle High School in Columbia, MO. She is a firm believer that "practice makes permanent"! Cortez Brown (Hip-Hop) Libby Cleavinger (Hip-Hop) Hallie McCoy (Jazz, Lyrical, Kinderdance 1) Hallie is twenty-one years old and a Columbia College alumni. She has been a part of the Dancearts family since 2012. Her dance teaching career began in 2016 at Dancearts and she is still happily a part of the team. She has been dancing for 18 years and danced competitively for 13 years. She enjoys teaching creative movement, kinderdance, ballet, jazz, and lyrical. Her Bachelor’s degree is in Elementary Education, and she is currently on her way to receiving a Master’s degree in Education. She aspires to be a first-grade teacher. Her wish is that dance can always be included in her life in some fashion, and Dancearts allows her to make that wish come true. Abigail Rainwater (Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Tap) Abby has been dancing with Dancearts since the age of three and was a member of the Dancearts Competition Team from 2015-2021. She has been a member of several high-scoring trios, and her Senior Contemporary solo, which she choreographed herself, received 1st Place High Point at EDGE Dance Competition. She has performed with numerous theaters throughout Missouri, including the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, and TRYPS Institute at Stephens College. Abby is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Amanda Roberts (Hip-Hop) Shanley Silvey (Jazz, SL/ST, Cardio Jazz) Shanley Silvey, a Columbia native, danced competitively at Dancearts of Columbia for seven years. Shanley has been a part of several high-scoring trios, and her Senior Jazz solo in 2020 received a Diamond score and specialty award at Hollywood Connections Dance Competition. Shanley attends the University of Missouri's School of Journalism and plans to attend law school after graduating in 2024. Shanley specializes in several genres of dance instruction including Jazz, Contemporary, Leaps and Turns, and a hybrid dance-workout class called Cardio Jazz. Shanley loves inspiring the new generation through dance and promotes diversity and inclusion in her classes. Michael Warner (Jazz, Contemporary) Unlike most dancers, Michael began his training late at age 14. For over a year, Michael taught himself how to dance by watching videos on YouTube and practicing in his living room. At age 15 he joined the dance department at his high school and from there, his dancing career began. In the Fall of 2016, Michael attended Anderson University as a dance pedagogy major. While at Anderson University, Michael spent his time training in ballet (Cecchetti), modern, jazz, hula, theory and composition, and partnering (ballet and modern). In his two years at Anderson University, he had the opportunity to work with guest artists such as Eddie Ocampo, Earl Mosley, and Ian Poulis. In Fall of 2018, Michael transferred to Lindenwood University as a BA Dance candidate with an emphasis in contemporary and graduated this Spring 2020. While at Lindenwood, Michael had the opportunity to take master classes from Nicole Whitesell of MADCO, and Nick and Zack from contemporary dance company NSQuared in New York. He also had other opportunities such as attending and performing at American College Dance Association and becoming a top 8 finalist in the RedBull Bracket Reel Contest. Mr. Michael is very excited to start his second season teaching at Dancearts! |
DESK STAFF:
Manager: Hallie McCoy
Libby Cleavinger
Evie Labus
Michelle McCoy
Abigail Rainwater
Shanley Silvey