Carissa Bracken is an interdisciplinary artist with a Bachelors of Arts degree in dance from Columbia College Chicago. While minoring in fashion styling, she has developed an understanding of color story and social trends over the years in America. Prior to attending college she worked with the company Liberate Artists as a dance captain and apprentice in their annual New York event called Phoenix Fire. During her time at Columbia she performed works in the Student Performance Night show and the Capstone concert.

Carissa grew up in the northwest suburb of Chicago, Crystal Lake. She fell in love with dance at the age of five years old and never stopped. Once she reached high school she started teaching her own classes at her dance studio and continues to teach more sporadically throughout her time in school and post graduation.

In the near future she is interested in furthering her education in graduate school focusing on expanding her research on the science behind movement and rehabilitation process for dancers and other athletes.

Jayme Crabtree began her training at Dance Theatre Studio. As a youngster, Jayme passed her Cecchetti exams, attended the Bates Dance Festival Professional Training Program and the Rockette Summer Intensive. Jayme went on to earn a B.S. in Contemporary Dance with a Fitness Minor from Indiana University. As a part of the dance program Jayme took different kinesiology classes, which had a great impact on her dancing and teaching. Additionally while at IU she had the opportunity to perform choreography by Martha Graham, David Parsons and Anna Sokolow. Jayme is ACE Personal Training, ACE Group Exercise and Pilates certified. ​

Kenny Crabtree holds a Bachelors of Science in Physical Education with a focus in strength and conditioning from Eastern Michigan University. Kenny has been an ACE certified personal trainer since 2008. He holds additional certifications as a TRX Instructor, TRX Level 2 Sports medicine/musculoskeletal injury and prevention, Cancer Exercise Specialist, and Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program Instructor. Kenny is also First Aid, CPR and AED certified through the American Red Cross. ​​

Sophia started dancing at the age of 3. She has experience in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Argentine Tango. Sophia has B.A. in Theatre from Hope College and is also a certified personal trainer. Sophia still loves to perform and share her passion for dance with all ages.

Rileigh Goldsmith is a choreographer and performer based in Los Angeles, California. A student at the University of Michigan, Rileigh is double majoring in Dance and BCN (Biopsychology, Cognition & Neuroscience). She has trained in jazz, contemporary, hip hop, modern and ballet for the past 18 years. Her professional dance credits include: Youtube Originals, The Encore Musical Theatre Company, NBA performances, TedX Talks, and most recently she performed and taught at the Shanghai Theatre Academy in China. Rileigh also served as Executive Director Dance 2XS Michigan, a pre-professional hip-hop group on campus.

Kyla Hyatt started dancing when she was three and began training at Dance Theatre Studio at age five. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and ballroom, and is certified in Cecchetti through Grade Three. She joined DTS’ Youth Company in fifth grade and performed with them through high school, then began teaching in 2018. Kyla graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 earning a B.A. in Spanish with minors in Dance and Community Action & Social Change. At U of M, she had the pleasure of working with faculty members including Shannon Gillen (Vim Vigor) and Missy Beck, and learning the Giordano jazz technique from Jillian Hopper. Also during her undergrad years, she performed with and co-directed U of M’s RhythM Tap Ensemble. She is First Aid and CPR/AED certified through the American Safety & Health Institute. Kyla loves working with all ages and levels of dancers to build community around our shared passion.

Dammy Ikwe started dancing at a young age studying contemporary and modern. While studying psychology at the University of Michigan he danced with a branch of the International dance company Dance 2XS, eventually becoming one of the branches Co-Artistic Directors. This year he became the Creative Director of Next Level Dance Company, a youth and adult hip-hop dance company based in Detroit. Level Up competes across the mid-west region and took 3rd place at Word of Dance Chicago, earning an invitation to compete at World of Dance International Finals L.A. in 2015. Dammy loves working with both adults and children and is always looking to push dancers to think outside of their box and find their personal style. ​

Maxwell Kanyanga is originally from Zambia and grew up in a family that loves the fellowship of dance. He took his passion for dancing more seriously at the age of 12, forming a dance team called Spiritual Assets where he started developing his skills in dance choreography, teaching, and mentorship. He is a self-taught street dancer, with the background influence of dancehall, Krump, hip hop, and Afro-fusion (a collective of different African dance styles). Maxwell Kanyanga began his professional dance career in the dance fitness industry in 2015 with a company known as ZOCA, hosting several local dance classes and a few international tours. Due to the lack of dance schools in Zambia, Maxwell was compelled to start tutoring kids from 3 years old to teenagers and college students around his community, inspiring them and giving them the dance opportunities he never had growing up. Since coming to the US, Max wants to continue to share his passion for dance and introduce new styles of dance, including Afro-fusion.

Kate (she/her) began her dance journey at age 4 at Jeannie Zimbalatti’s School of Dance in her hometown of Dearborn Heights, MI and has been groovin ever since. She danced in styles of ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical and contemporary recreationally and later competitively on their Company team. This is also where she first began teaching ballet, jazz and tap as a substitute teacher. She is currently pursuing majors in Theater Arts - Performing Arts Management- and Organizational Studies with a minor in Dance from University of Michigan with hopes of working in the field of arts administration. In her free time she is a student leader in student organizations Pure Dance (lyrical & jazz dance) and MUSKET (musical theater). She is dedicated to building community and empowering dancers to make connections within themselves, their bodies and others within the classroom.

Sophie Lete-Straka is studying at the University of Michigan with a minor in Dance, and is a part of U of M’s Vibrance Dance Company. She started dancing when she was twelve at Dance Theatre Studio. She has trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and modern, and is certified in Cecchetti Grade One. She joined DTS’ Youth Company in seventh grade and performed with them through high school, then began assistant teaching in 2021. Sophie is excited to start teaching young dancers and becoming more involved in the DTS community!

Megan has been dancing since the age of 5 and has studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, musical theatre dance, and contemporary throughout the years, with a focus on jazz and hip hop. She has danced recreationally, competitively, and in a performance dance group. Megan fell in love with teaching dance when she began assisting dance classes as a sophomore in high school at her hometown studio, Rochester Avon Recreation Authority (RARA), in Rochester Hills, MI! Her passion for teaching and choreographing has only grown from there! Megan has continued assisting at RARA, another studio in her hometown, and most recently DTS. Also, she has taught a range of ages, styles and skill levels at RARA as well as at DTS. Megan is currently attending the University of Michigan as an Elementary Education major with a minor in Education for Empowerment. She is devoted to helping children learn and grow in any capacity, and is very excited for the future at DTS!

Carrie Malone started dancing at age 4 at Wendy Setter’s The Dance Studio in her hometown of Bellingham, WA. She trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater, and hip hop. She has traveled with her studio’s touring company “United We Dance,” performing in Australia, Finland, and Japan. She began teaching in her sophomore year of high school and fell in love with sharing her passion for movement and choreography. Carrie has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Spanish from Pacific University in Oregon and a Master’s in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. She moved to Ann Arbor in October to start her work at the City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovation, and she is thrilled to have found such a great dance community here!

Originally from Milwaukee, Veronica Dittman Stanich holds a BFA in Dance and a PhD in Dance Studies from the Ohio State University. She has taught ballet and contemporary dance to children, teens, and adults, from beginners to professionals, at the Mark Morris Dance Center and at Spoke the Hub Re:creation Center in Brooklyn, and at Ohio State. She danced with the St. Louis Ballet and for choreographers including D. Chase Angier, Matthew Brookoff, Joe Alter, and Jordan Fuchs.