2026 NewDANCEfest Faculty

GUEST FACULTY

  • Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Briana Ashley Stuart is a multidisciplinary performing artist, dancer, choreographer, and dance entrepreneur based in Brussels, Belgium. A 2013 graduate of the University of Michigan, she holds a BFA in Dance and a BA in Sociology. Briana has built an international career as both an independent artist and collaborator, working with companies and artists including StepAfrika!, SJEwing & Dancers, ZIKIT, 4Hoog Kindertheater, Lila Magnin, Alexis Blake, and Gorges Ocloo.


    Returning to Michigan to teach, Briana brings a global perspective shaped by years of performance, research, and creation across the U.S. and Europe. Her work explores philosophy, our humanity and the potential of the human body as an instrument of rhythm, movement and expression. In 2023, she premiered Moving Meditations at KVS Brussels, a multidisciplinary work on healing that launched her continued research into percussive dance and the relationship between movement and sound in space.


    Her artistic voice also extends to lecture performance, including Stepping: Freedom in Form at BOZAR and her TEDxBrussels talk, How to Unveil the Secret Power of Movement and Sound to Create. Briana is the founder of STU Arts Dance and KB Dance Hub—the only Black- and Brown-women-owned dance space in Brussels. Her work has been featured in Together Magazine, BRUZZ, Le Soir, and BX1 Media. Learn more at briana-ashley-stuart.com.

  • Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Univeristy of Arizona, and upon graduation, became an artist with the Houston Ballet. After Caleb's nine year tenure in the Houston Ballet, he received his Masters of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of California, Irvine. Shortly after, Caleb served as Assistant Professor of Dance at Belhaven University (Jackson, Mississippi) and then Associate Professor at Santa Monica Community College (Santa Monica, California).  Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Florida State University School of Dance in Tallahassee, Florida.

  • Catera Burgess is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University, and has received a BFA in dance. During her time there she was cast in works including BAIRA, Kate Skarpetowska, Jennifer Archibald and Mike Esperanza. She was a member of Western Dance Project, under the direction of Whitney Moncrief, and performed at the American College Dance Association in 2018-2020 in works by Alyssa Brutlag and Monique Haley. Catera was a member of the Institute of Dancers for 2 seasons under the direction of Glenn Douglas Packard. She also completed 2 seasons as a guest artist with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Catera has had the pleasure of working with artists like Bebe Rehxa, Anike, and KaMillion and has performed in live shows such as the Detroit Thanksgiving Halftime Show and The Dove Awards.

  • Christa Smutek is the Artistic Director of Artistic Edge Dance Centre, Director of The Collective Movement, and Founder of her project based dance company, Smutek Dance.  Christa studied at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and received her B.S. in Movement Science from the School of Kinesiology graduating with distinction and University Honors.  Christa continued on to perform professionally with various companies throughout the midwest and has been teaching and choreographing for the past 16 years.  

    Christa was honored to be selected for the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship 2023 at Jacob’s Pillow, under the direction of Risa Steinberg and Dianne McIntyre.  She recently completed her residency with Western Michigan University after winning their National Choreography Competition 2024.  She was also the winner of the International Dance Exchange Award at Detroit Dance City Festival 2024 and has been invited to present work in Daejeon, South Korea in 2025.  Her choreography has been showcased at numerous festivals and events throughout the country.  Her dance film, Unchained, was awarded Festival Favorite, Newbie Filmmaker, in Opine Dance Film Festival 2020.  She has also presented films at Screendance International, Dancentric, and Cinedanza Italy.  Christa continues to set award winning competitive dance pieces as well as teach masterclasses across the country.  She is the proud mother of Eli Smutek, born January 27, 2018.

  • Seyong Kim, Associate Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) and International Visiting Professor at Sung-shin Women's University (Seoul, South Korea), holds an MA in Dance Education from New York University. He is a CMA (Certified Movement Analyst), a RSDE (Registered Somatic Dance Educator), a PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) Certified Teacher, and an ABT® Certified Teacher (Primary through Level 7 of the American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum). Furthermore, he earned the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. Seyong has taught for the University of Georgia, Rutgers University, Randolph College, American College Dance Association (ACDA), Alabama Dance Festival, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet 5:8 Chicago, and Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Seyong has danced with the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center, Albania National Ballet Theatre, Traverse City Dance Project, TAKE Dance, and Oakland Ballet Company. His choreographic works have been presented at Landestheater Coburg in Germany, JueDai Taipei International Dance Festival, International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City, ProArteDanza in Canada, Battery Dance Festival, Palm Desert Choreography Festival, American Dance Guild Festival, Cleveland Dance Festival, Washington International Dance Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, Orlando Contemporary Dance Choreography Festival, CrossCurrent Asian American Dance Festival, and Movement Research at the Judson Church. Currently, Seyong is a resident choreographer with Wise Ballet Theater in Seoul, South Korea.

  • Bio coming soon.

  • Kyle Halford received his BFA from the University of Arizona in 2021 and earned the Creative Achievement Award during his time there. Halford spent two seasons as a company member with Eisenhower Dance Detroit prior to moving to New York City. He began working with Twyla Tharp Dance in 2023 and joined her 60th Anniversary Tour in 2025. Halford is a member of PARA.MAR DanceTheatre and has appeared as a guest artist with LA Dance Project and Mark Morris Dance Group. Other highlights include dancing in the ensemble of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and appearing on Amazon Prime’s “Etoile” choreographed by Marguerite Derricks. 

  • Shannon Gillen is the founder and artistic director of New York’s visionary new dance company VIM VIGOR. Gillen is one of NYC’s most sought after choreographers with an established and passionate audience following and commissions at prestigious national and international venues. Through a prolific body of work that galvanizes the body’s potential to express intellectual and emotional concepts, Gillen has pioneered a recognizable artistic language that possesses heroic physicality, electric emotional life, and cinematic imagery that illuminates and heightens the narrative imagination. She was recently championed by Deborah Jowitt as ‘vastly gifted’ and VOGUE Magazine called her work ‘mesmerizing’. Recent creations and educational commissions for Gillen include the B12 Workshops in Berlin, the Ruvuelo International Festival in Chile, with New Dialect in Nashville, the Lines Training Program in San Francisco, the University of Michigan, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Springboard Danse Montreal, Manhattanville College and VIM VIGOR’s summer program in August. This past year she created a new work for Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project and at the b12 Festival in Berlin. She is currently a choreographer in residence at Princeton University.

    Gillen danced with the Johannes Wieland Company at the Staatstheater Kassel, Germany as a full time company member. She danced in 56 international performances and was singled out in the press for being ‘in top form, a feat of strength’ (HNA, German News). While dancing in Germany, Gillen burst into the choreographic scene receiving 3rd Prize at the International Solo-Tanz Competition in Stuttgart and commissions at the Mainfranken Theater Würzburg and the TIF Theater in Kassel. She was also selected as a THINK BIG choreographer in residence with the Staatsoper in Hannover, creating a piece that premiered at the TANZ Theater International Festival. In Fall 2014 she returned to the United States to found VIM VIGOR and has since toured the world with the company.

    An insatiable creator, Gillen has choreographed 40 new works since 2010 with notable commissions as the recipient of the International Commissioning Project for Hubbard Street, with Treffpunkt-Rotebuehlplatz, Springboard Danse Festival, Dance Theater Workshop, Dance New Amsterdam, HERE Arts Center, Judson Church, Tangente Theater with the Montreal Fringe Festival, PULSE Art Fair as part of Art Basel in Miami, with LMCC’s Sitelines Series as part of NYC’s River to River Festival, Bryant Park Presents, Festival Oltre Passo in Italy, BEACH SESSIONS and Steps Repertory Company for the The Joyce Theater and Jacob’s Pillow, among others.

  • Harnessing the power of breath and mindful movement, I guide others on their journey to find balance and tranquility both on and off the mat. With a passion for diverse yoga styles, specializing in Trauma Sensitive Yoga,  I create a safe space for exploration, calmness, and healing. As a yoga student and meditation practitioner for over 20 years, full time yoga teacher of 9 years, and yoga studio owner, I am grateful to share my passion for yoga as we take time together at this year's DANCEFEST to practice yoga as a coping skill to improve nervous system regulation, reduce stress and anxiety, and observe ourselves with mindfulness, love, and kindness.

  • Kara Roseborough is a multi-disciplinary artist specializing in dance, creative writing, and theatre. She holds an MFA in Dance and a Certificate in World Performance Studies from the University of Michigan as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Utah. She holds teaching certifications in Grades I-V of the Cecchetti Ballet method. Currently, Kara is a Lecturer at the University of Michigan while also working as a freelance dancer and choreographer. From 2018 to 2022, Kara was on the artistic leadership team of the Evanston Dance Ensemble, and in the 2021/2022 season she served as the Interim Artistic Director of EDE2. Kara has performed with dance companies and theatres including Charleston City Ballet, The Ruth Page Civic Ballet of Chicago, South Chicago Dance Theatre, New Dances, Pittsburgh Public Theatre and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre. Her choreography has been presented across the United States and internationally, including with the Dutch National Ballet.

  • Jordyn Kahler, LPC, R-DMT, RYT, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Dance/Movement Therapist, and Registered Yoga Teacher with a deep commitment to holistic healing. Drawing from a rich background in dance, movement, somatic psychotherapy, creative expression, and embodied mindfulness, Jordyn supports individuals in reconnecting with themselves through movement, breath, and presence. Her clinical work integrates traditional therapeutic approaches with somatic and expressive arts practices, creating space for healing that honors both mind and body. Jordyn has experience working across clinical, educational, and community settings, and she is passionate about making mental health care more accessible and embodied. Jordyn is thrilled for the opportunity to bring her knowledge & background to her home studio at EDD to facilitate dancers through embodied somatic based practices.

  • Jessica Zacharias is the founder of Seaworth Wholeness Sanctuary, a private movement and ritual studio devoted to embodied healing and self-return. As a Shamanic Movement Practitioner, writer, and teacher, she blends dance, intuitive listening, and reflective writing to support people in reconnecting with their bodies as sources of wisdom, safety, and truth.

    Born with a rare birth defect and shaped by a long path of medical care, Jessica learned early on that the body speaks in many languages; sensation, movement, rhythm, and rest. This lived experience informs her belief that healing is not linear, performance-based, or something to be achieved, but something to be listened to and embodied over time.

    In her work, Jessica offers movement as medicine, a way to process emotion, cultivate self-trust, and deepen presence both on and off the floor. Through guided movement, intuitive exploration, and intentional words, she creates spaces where you are invited to move beyond perfection and into authenticity, wholeness, and honest expression.

    Jessica’s work honors the body as a storyteller and dance as a sacred language, one that allows us to feel, integrate, and come home to ourselves.


  • We got a dance that belongs to us in Detroit and a lot of people don’t know about it…”-Michael Smith, founder of Jit Masters

    Michael Smith is a native Detroiter who was born to dance. From imitating Michael Jackson moves as a toddler to studying dance in high school and college, dancing has always been a key part of his life. As a teenager growing up on the eastside of Detroit, Michael believes that dancing, specifically the Jit, saved his life. It kept him and his friends off of the streets and out of trouble.

    Michael majored in dance at the Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts and studied business at Wayne State University. He performed extensively inside and outside of school. He even choreographed a video for Michael Bivens’ group Biv 10. After taking a hiatus from dance, Michael felt the pull to return to his craft. Actually, it was more of a calling than a pull. He acknowledges that God has gifted him to dance and he wants to share this gift with others. It was out of this calling that Jit Masters was born.

    Jit Masters is a movement designed to make the Detroit Jit known worldwide. It consists of an experienced dance crew, private one-on-one dance lessons, dance workshops, and more. The Jit has been around for a while and now it’s time for the world to experience this piece of Detroit culture.

    Jit Masters founder, Michael "Jit Master Mike" Smith, is a dance teacher at Motor City Dance Factory, a 2021 Detroit Choice Award winner for Detroit's Favorite Jitter, and a 2024 Kresge Fellow for Dance, He resides in Detroit, Michigan with his wife, Orma, and daughters, Hailey and Jasmine. Jit Master Mike invites you to "Get Your Jit On!" and experience the magic of Detroit's own dance legacy.

  • Caitlin Sloan, founder & CEO of The Brainy Ballerina, is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri. Caitlin danced professionally with companies including Ballet Tucson and Mareck Dance (formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet). She served as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and on faculty of Central Indiana Academy of Dance and the School of Madison Ballet. In 2019, Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Through 1-1 career mentorship, workshops and digital resources, dancers gain the skills necessary to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry.


  • Michael Arellano is a dancer, performance artist, and choreographer hailing from Rochester, Michigan. He is an alumnus of Western Michigan University and spent a year in London, England training at Roehampton University and attending the Ballteboyz Dancer’s Course. Upon graduating, Michael has been a company artist and collaborator with Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance, GroundWorks DanceTheater, NVA & Guests, , ISHIDA Dance, LED Boise, OpenSpace Dance, BocaTuya, and KDV Performance Group. He has had the privilege of performing works by choreographers such as Rauf ‘Rubberlegz’ Yasit, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham, Bret Easterling, Joseph Hernandez, Ihsan Rustem, Emilie Leriche, Rena Butler, Kristian Lever, and many others. As a maker, Michael has presented work at Dock11 Eden in Berlin, Germany, XO Seattle, and CO-Seattle.

    Michael is passionate about harnessing dance as a powerful connective force—one that bridges communities, deepens empathy, and expands our shared experience.

  • Tara Charvat is originally from Schaumburg, IL, where she grew up training at Rise Dance Center in various genres, including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, acro, tap and hip-hop. She graduated summa cum laude from Western Michigan University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Tara attended summer programs with New Dialect, chuthis., BODYTRAFFIC LA, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Big Muddy Dance Company and DanceWorks Chicago. In 2019, Tara joined the NewDances company, a choreographic and performance collaboration between Thodos Dance Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago. She joined Eisenhower Dance Detroit for the 2019-2020 season and completed her sixth season with the company in the spring of 2025. With EDD, Tara worked closely with choreographers such as Micaela Taylor, Tamisha A. Guy, Maxine Doyle, Tess Voelker, Norbert de la Cruz III, Maleek Washington, Hope Boykin, Marc Brew, and James Gregg, amongst others. She also performed in "FRIDA" and "Rinaldo" with Detroit Opera, where she earned the role of Dance Captain. In Detroit, Tara found her love for teaching and dance mentorship, proudly serving as the Assistant Director of EDD’s Youth Ensemble for four years, while also presenting choreography annually at Youth America Grand Prix. Since stepping away from EDD, Tara has relocated to the Chicago area where she is exploring freelance work and pursuing her passion for musical theatre. She recently performed in a production of "Spectacular Spectacular 2" with theatre company [producingbody] and continues to train in both Chicago and New York City in dance technique as well as vocally. Recently, Tara participated in the Verdon Fosse Legacy Training Program on a scholarship. She is also on staff at Sunshine Dance, where she choreographs for the Sunshine Dance Company and teaches contemporary, ballet and acro.

  • Shauna Oliverio is a STOTT Pilates trained instructor as well as a professional dancer and choreographer. She was introduced to Pilates throughout her dance career and believes it is the reason her body has stayed healthy and strong during all her years of dancing. While completing her degree at Oakland University she also launched her professional dance career. Shauna has worked commercially in LA, she worked on production shows in Canada, she spent a year dancing on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship, performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and has worked with many world- renowned choreographers. She has performed in the musicals Chicago, Cabaret and Cats. Shauna danced with Odyssey Dance Theatre under the direction of Darryl Yeager and completed five European tours. She also spent a few years dancing for Ron De Jesus Dance under the direction of Ron De Jesus. Her love for teaching lead her to starting Rapture Dance Intensive, which she travels and teaches with. Shauna also opened a wellness space called EVLV Training where she holds private sessions for children and adults in Pilates. Shauna is passionate about teaching, choreographing and wellness and is inspired by any opportunity she has to exercise her favorite things!


  • Kennedy Phelps is a dancer, choreographer and teacher in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University class of 2021, and has received a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Dance. While at Western Kennedy has performed in works by Paul Taylor, Yin Yue, Kate Skarpetowska, Jennifer Archibald, Mike Esperanza, BAIRA, Monique Haley, and Brendan Duggan, and was a member of Western Dance Project under the direction of Whitney Moncrief. In 2022 Kennedy worked as a guest artist with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. In the summer of 2022, Kennedy was featured on the cover of ROC magazine’s Issue 03: Embodied. In 2023 Kennedy became the founder and director of K Company Dance, LLC located in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where she can continue to share her knowledge and love for dance with the youth of today. Her choreography has been awarded multiple 1st place and choreography awards at dance competitions across Michigan. Kennedy’s work “Presence Practice” was selected to perform at National HS Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2025. Kennedy’s choreography and social media platforms have led her to teach at Dance with Jax in Jacksonville, Florida. In October of 2025, Kennedy has choreographed for Harvard University’s Dance Team in Cambridge, Massachusetts for their UDA National Competition. Kennedy is now a competition judge for Hall of Fame Dance Challenge for the 2025/2026 season.

EISENHOWER DANCE DETROIT FACULTY

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Artistic Director

    Eisenhower Dance Detroit Artistic Director, Stephanie Pizzo, joined the company as a founding member in 1991. At various points in her dance career with EDD, she served as Resident Choreographer, Associate Artistic Director, and Co-Artistic Director. Ms. Pizzo now leads the company into her 7th season as Artistic Director. She focuses on collaborating with the highest quality national and international artists and creating strong ties within the metro Detroit community through the art of dance. Her dance for film work, The Five Tangos, inspired by the music of Astor Piazzolla and created in collaboration with the Detroit Institute of Art and Zazu Creative Studio, was selected as the winner of BEST EXPERIMENTAL film, 2022 Dancecentric Film Festival (Florida); semi-finalist, 2022 Inspired Dance Film Festival (Australia); and featured online in Dance Magazine’s “Friday Film Break.”

    Ms. Pizzo also believes in educational programming and youth mentorship as key tools to develop community connection. She works to use the art of contemporary dance both as a means to present beautiful, athletic, and engaging repertory and as a vehicle to reflect on and explore issues of social significance. She has set her choreography at Illinois State University, Texas A & M University, Texas Christian University and Wesleyan University, along with having staged numerous works by Laurie Eisenhower on companies and universities throughout the United States. Her work has been presented in Tel Aviv as part of Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s production of The Light Show, at international dance festivals in Poland, and the Inside/Out Stage at Jacob’s Pillow. A native of Clinton Township, Michigan, Ms. Pizzo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Oakland University. In 2009, she received a Distinguished Alumni or “MaTilDa” award from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. She served as a special lecturer in dance at Oakland University for 12 years.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Bella was born and raised in Howell Michigan. Through high school she trained with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet School, and the BRIDGE, where she worked with choreographers Roger Van Der Poel, Peter Chu, Jermaine Spivey, and Bosmat Nossan. She has also performed with Grand Rapids Ballet as Clara in their nutcracker and in Romeo and Juliet. She has attended summer programs through Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Joffrey Chicago, Lines ballet, the Protege Movement, and Hubbard Street Dance. Bella also is a Pilates instructor, personal trainer, and teaches at local studios. 

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Assistant Artistic Director and Former Company Member

    Andrew Cribbett, originally from Thomasboro, Illinois, received a full scholarship to The Washington Ballet in Washington D.C. He then attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts to finish his senior year of high school. He joined Eisenhower Dance Detroit in 2011 and retired as a company dancer and Rehearsal Director in 2021. While dancing with the company, Mr. Cribbett toured nationally and internationally both teaching and performing in venues as far as Tel Aviv, Israel. He also had the great pleasure of performing original works by Nicolo Fonte, Gina Patterson, Darrell Grand Moutrie, Edgar Zendejas, Joshua Peugh, Ron De Jesus, among many others. His choreography has received recognition for Top 12 placement at YAGP for solos, small groups, and ensembles. Over the years, Mr. Cribbett has taught and choreographed for several local studios including The School of Eisenhower Dance Detroitand also trains elite level figure skaters in Junior Ice Dance. He is also pursuing a degree in Nursing concurrent with his role of Assistant Artistic Director. 

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Cole Sears (he/him) began his competitive dance career at age 8 and since then he has furthered his education and earned his BFA in dance with a concentration in modern at Point Park University with a minor in business management. During his collegiate time, he had the opportunity to perform works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Penny Saunders, Bridget Moore, Kevin and Marcel Wilson, and Staycee Pearl. He also had the opportunity to perform notable works such as Bob Fosse’s “Rich Man’s Frug,” Robyn Miko-William’s “Cloudline,” and Twyla Tharp’s “Sweet Fields”. Cole had the opportunity to attend Whim W’Him Winter Intensive under artistic direction of Olivier Wevers and Karl Watson.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Originally from Miami, FL, Meagan Cubides began her formal training at the Miami City Ballet School and later New World School of the Arts High School. In 2019, she graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. Over the course of her training, she has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Francesca Harper, Jamar Roberts, Adam Barruch and Sidra Bell among others. During her time in college, she danced professionally with Ballet Hispanico Dos for their 2017/18 season. She also studied at various summer programs such as Arts Umbrella Dance, Bodytraffic, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Ballet Austin. Ms. Cubides most recently danced for four seasons with Visceral Dance Chicago. In addition, she was a guest artist with Symbiosis Arts andFreckled Sky Inc. This is her second season with Eisenhower Dance Detroit.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Emily “EmM” Moreira is originally from Richmond, Virginia and a graduate of James Madison University, where she earned her degree in Dance. During her time at JMU, she held various leadership roles and worked with numerous renowned artists and companies including, Lucinda Childs, Norbert De La Cruz III, DanceWorks Chicago, Ballet Hispánico, and Eisenhower Dance Detroit. EmM also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, where she performed a work by Rubén Graciani at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. She has trained at various workshops and intensives with organizations such as L.A. Contemporary Dance Company, Houston Contemporary Dance Company, Whirlwind Dance, National High School Dance Festival, American College Dance Association, and Eisenhower Dance Detroit.

    After graduating, EmM began her professional dance career learning and performing original works by Stephanie Martinez, Norbert De La Cruz III, and Yusha Sorzano. Most recently, she appeared as a dancer in Carmen with the Charlottesville Opera. A former ImmersEDD Intern, EmM is incredibly excited to be joining Eisenhower Dance Detroit for her first season! 

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Isabella Varon is a professional dancer and dance educator based in Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in 2020, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, with a concentration in ballet. Since joining Eisenhower Dance Detroit as a company member in 2023, she has worked closely with and performed works by Stephanie Pizzo, Tess Voelker, Joshua Peugh, Christian Denice, Tamisha A. Guy, Rauf Yasit and James Gregg, and Norbert De La Cruz III.

    In addition to performance, Isabella has a deep passion for dance teaching and mentorship to young artists. She regularly trains pre-professional dancers in ballet and contemporary forms across various dance programs in Metro Detroit. Additionally, she offers college preparation and guidance for students aspiring to pursue dance. Isabella's teaching experience extends to colleges, intensives, and festivals nationwide. Alongside teaching, she serves as the Associate Artistic Director of Young Dancers Initiative and the Off-Ice Program Director at the Detroit Skating Club.


  • NDF Youth Coordinator

    Lisa Johns began her dance training at age 3. She received her early training from Joanne Zavisa at Joanne’s Dance Extension in Canton, MI. After graduating high school Lisa continued her dance training at Oakland University. While studying at OU, Lisa had the privilege of working with many respected choreographers including Meg Paul, Laurie Eisenhower, Stephanie Pizzo, Ali Woerner and Thayer Jonutz. Lisa was the first student to produce her own independent dance concert, and received her BFA in 2014 after receiving the MaTilDa award in outstanding choreography. After graduation Lisa spent time touring with NUVO Dance convention and has since continued to teach dance throughout all of Metro Detroit, being sought out for her specific teaching skills in acrobatics. She is currently working toward her Master’s of Arts from University of Michigan in nonprofit management.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    LejlaRaven Martin was born and raised in Utica, NY. She furthered her dance training at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts under the direction of Michael Owen, with many performance opportunities, including The Nutcracker, spring performances at The Joyce Theatre, and student-choreographed works. After high school, she attended Point Park University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2024, earning her BFA in dance. LejlaRaven’s time at Point Park included working with and performing works by Martha Graham, Christopher Huggins, Jess Hendricks, Candace Brown, Julia Erickson, and others.

    LejlaRaven is thrilled to enter her third season with Eisenhower Dance Detroit as a company member. In her time with the company, she performed and works by Maxine Doyle, Joshua Peugh, Stephanie Pizzo, BAIRA, Yoshito Sakuraba, and Laurie Eisenhower. Along with performing, she also teaches at the School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit, as well as other studios in Michigan and Upstate New York, where she is expanding her work in choreography.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Lillie Hamilton was raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan and graduated cum laude from Oakland University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She took part in choreographic processes with Loni Landon, Stephanie Martinez, Stefanie Batten Bland, Mario Bermudez Gil, and Laurie Eisenhower to name a few. While at OU, she received the Outstanding Dance Performance MaTilDa award and had the privilege of studying dance abroad in Berlin, Germany at the Tanzfabrik and the Freie Universität. During her senior year at university, Lillie began as an apprentice with Eisenhower Dance Detroit under the direction of Stephanie Pizzo. Lillie’s favorite memory so far with EDD was their 5-week tour through Alaska in the fall of 2022. Throughout her time with the company, she has performed in repertory works by many acclaimed choreographers including but not limited to: Micaela Taylor, Tess Voelker, Tamisha Guy, Christian Denice, Norbert De La Cruz, Maleek Washington, Joshua Peugh, and WeWolf works. Lillie is looking forward to spending her 9th season with Eisenhower Dance Detroit.