 |
Maria Usher (Studio Owner):
is
an owner and director of Maria’s School of Dance. She began dancing
when she was two and a half. Instructors and studios that she has
studied under include: LaRainne Jones of Fowlerville, Sisters Dance
Studio, Glenn's School of Dance and Cheryl's School of Dance in
Howell, Tina Marie's School of Dance in Warren, Roxy & Co. in
Fowlerville, Lansing Community College, and Michigan State
University. She began teaching dance in the fall of 1986 for
Fowlerville Community Education with only 5 students. She opened her
studio in the summer of 1995 and has watched it continue to grow.
Maria has been preparing students for competition since 1989
receiving many awards throughout the years.
Maria continues to train professionally studying at New York studios
Broadway Dance Center
and Steps on Broadway. She has also studied dance at
Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio and The Edge in Las Angeles
and at Giordiano Dance Center in Chicago.
In
addition to dancing at the studio, Maria has choreographed
Brigadoon and Anything Goes for Hartland High School.
Shows she has choreographed for Howell Community Theater include
Anne of Green Gables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat
fall of 2000 (2 numbers) and fall of 2002, Cinderella,
Singin’ In The Rain, Fiddler On The Roof (co-choreographed), and
King And I. Maria was the co-director and choreographer for
the Spring 2003 musical HONK!.
On
the side, Maria teaches mathematics part time at Lansing Community
College. |
 |
Kellie Beam:
started dancing when she was four at Dance Expressions in Howell,
MI. After her first year of dance she enrolled at Glenn’s School of
Dance and continued there for three years. Since then, Kellie has
been studying at Maria's School of Dance (9 years). Kellie has been
teaching at Maria’s since the Fall of 2000. In 1997 Kellie danced in
the Florida Citrus Bowl and in 2001 she went to California on a
scholarship to Debbie Reynolds School of Dance. Kellie auditioned
and was selected for Hoctor’s Caravan Kids and Dance Olympus’ VIP.
She has taken classes from professional dance instructors at the
Broadway Dance Center in New York, Debbie Reynolds School of Dance
and The Edge in California, and at Gus Giordano Dance Center in
Chicago. Kellie attended Eastern Michigan University for one year,
and then enrolled in Douglas J Academy. She graduated in August
2005 and is now working at Douglas J Academy as an instructor in
East Lansing, Michigan. She began choreographing for Dance Express
in 2002. Her dances have received a number of awards including: 2nd
Place Regional Grand Champion at Dance Caravan in Cincinnati, OH
(July 2001), Top Score at Dupree Dance Expo in Southfield Michigan
(April 2003), and 2nd Overall High Score at Stars of
Tomorrow, March 2006. |
 |
Kim Chapman:
began dancing at the age of 3. She has
danced at The Westland Community Center, Fowlerville Community
Education and Maria’s
School of
Dance
. Kim was a member of Dance Express, earning many awards and
scholarships, including various Regional Grand Championships. She
has received numerous scholarships from conventions such as Dupree
Dance Expo and Dance Olympus. She has received two scholarships and
participated in choreography videos for the professional staff of
Jammnation, a
New York
based convention. Kim has also studied at LCC performing in various
choreography videos, performance showcases, and appeared on a
Lansing
based public television show. Kim continues to study dance by
attending classes at studios such as
Broadway
Dance
Center
and Steps on Broadway (on scholarship) in
New York City
, and
Gus
Giordano
Dance
Center
in
Chicago
. She has danced under the instruction of many renowned teachers
such as; Savion Glover, Al Gilbert, and Finis Young.
Kim began teaching
at Maria’s
School of
Dance
in 1998. She teaches various styles of dance. Kim has also been
choreographing/instructing for the Dance Express Dance Team since
1999. Her dances have received various awards and honors. |
 |
Jennifer
Krueger: began dancing at the age of nine when she enrolled in a Livonia Public Schools Community Education dance class. With each class, her love for dance grew and developed into a life long passion for teaching and learning the art of dance.
In her high school years, she was selected to learn and perform in the Livonia Creative and Performing Arts program where she decided to teaching dance as a career. With her goals set, she advance to Wayne State University and enrolled as a Dance major and English minor. She joined the Wayne State dance company and proceeded to dance, choreograph, and advance her knowledge of the dance world. She won various awards including the Copperfoot Choreography Award. She left Wayne State University with a Bachelors of Science degree and a Michigan Teaching Certification.
After college, her time has been spent teaching gymnastics, working at a private Michigan school where she developed a creative movement program for pre-kindergarten through eighth graders, choreographing for high school musicals, working at local dance studios teaching and choreographing all types of dance, and raising her children.
For the past 18 years she has been teaching and choreographing jazz, modern, lyrical and ballet dances for soloists and groups. For the past four years, she has been a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and Dance Masters of America.
Jennifer comes to Maria’s School of Dance with high hopes and a strong desire to pass her knowledge and love for dance to each student with whom she has the honor of instructing.
|
 |
Scott Usher:
has been appearing in productions with
the Community theatre of Howell since 2001 and has been teaching
musical theatre both at the community theatre and Maria's since
2004. His past productions include South Pacific,
Prince Charming in Cinderella, Cosmo Brown in Singin' in
the Rain, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat, Ugly in Honk!, Perchik in Fiddler on the
Roof, The King in The Kind and I, Burt Jefferson in
The Man Who Came to Dinner, Captian Von Trapp in The Sound of
Music, Billy Lawler in 42nd Street, Pseudolus in A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Billy Bigelow in Carousel,
and the Emcee in Cabaret. In
addition to his on-stage appearances, Scott also was Assistant
Director for Arsenic and Old Lace, and now direct
Oliver! (2005), and The Wizard of Oz (2007). |
 |
Danielle Wireman:
has been dancing
since the age of 3. She has studied under many dance studios in the
Detroit area including Giselle School of Dance, Orchard Diane School
of Dance, and Charmaines School of dance. Danielle studied in the
areas of ballet, pointe, jazz, and tap. Danielle has been dancing
with Maria since 1989 and began teaching there when the studio
opened in 1995. In addition to teaching, and being a wonderful wife
and mother, Danielle has continued her dance education by attending
various dance conventions throughout the years. |
|
Shannon Gilroy: Shannon Gilroy: started dancing when she was three and a half at Maria’s School of Dance (MSD). The dance classes she has taken are diverse and include tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, musical theater, modern and hip-hop. She has been a member of the competitive troupe, Dance Express since she was six, earning many high level awards at dance conventions. Shannon has been a dance class demonstrator for numerous classes and an assistant dance teacher. She has broadened her dance experience by attending additional classes at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Dance Caravan in Cincinnati, OH and Master’s Dance Classes at the National Competition for Hall of Fame Dance in Orlando, FL where she took contemporary classes from Sonya Tayeh, choreographer from the hit television show, So You Think You Can Dance.
In addition to dancing at MSD, Shannon has acted and danced in productions of Cinderella, Carousel, and Cabaret at the Community Theater of Howell. She was also an assistant choreographer for Maria for the production of The Wizard of Oz.
Shannon is a junior at Fowlerville High School where she plays saxophone as a member of the FHS band, and is the Captain of the Color Guard Team. Shannon was Vice-President of her class in 2007-2008 and has been elected as the Co-President of her class for 2008-2009. She has been playing violin for 5 years and was a member of the Brighton String Orchestra for three years. |
|
Andrea McGuire: Andrea has been dancing since she was three years old. She has studied under Capital City Dance in Frankfort, Kentucky and Maria’s School of Dance. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, modern, and musical theater. She has been part of Dance Express at Maria’s since the age of eight. Andrea has demonstrated for more than eight classes over the last few years, and has taught under Maria at Voyager Elementary’s career day. She has attended over fifteen workshops and conventions including Hollywood Vibe, Dance Caravan, Showstoppers, P.D.T.A, New York City Dance Alliance, Access Broadway, Dance Xplosion, Kids Artistic Revue, Hall Of Fame and many more. She has won various awards for dances performed at competitions. She studied under Valery Lantratov who danced with the Moscow Stanislavski Ballet. Andrea is active in her studies at Fowlerville High School. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and is active in class council, student council, and P.A.L.S. |
|
Stephanie Sacker: Stephanie Sacker - has been dancing at Maria's School of Dance since age 3. She was invited to compete on the Dance Express competition
team at age 5. By the time Stephanie was 8 years old she was taking classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap Lyrical and Hip-Hop. Stephanie is now taking advanced classes in all of the above classes and has also added Musical Theater to her class load. She has helped demonstrate in several classes over the last few years. Stephanie will be in 9th grade this year at Fowlerville High school. She was on the all A honor roll and initiated into Junior National Honor Society.
Stephanie has been to New York to study dance three times, there she studied at Broadway Dance Center and Joffrey's Ballet School. She has taken ballet classes From Russian instructor Valery Lantratov. Stephanie has received many scholarships and awards: Joffrey's Ballet in New York City (2006 and 2008), HollyWood Vibe (2005-2008), and New York City Dance Alliance. Stephanie won 1st place Junior Jazz Soloist also at NYCDA. Stephanie has auditioned for and been selected to Hoctor's Caravan Kids and nominated for KAR Kids Summer Tour.
Stephanie is also involved wit CTH and was a featured dancer in Carousel and Wizard of Oz. She has also helped wit dance auditions for Cabaret. |
|
