“My working definition for a teacher is...Someone who believes you can do better...*and* can show you how...”

Capital City Dance Center 2010 Summer Intensive Guest Faculty:

Levine worked with choreographer Donald Byrd on the collaboration with Ramsey Lewis, To Know Her, and in the creation of Motown Suite; both for the Joffrey. Away from the Joffrey, Levine was involved in the creation of Lauri Stalling's full evening work Eidelon and performed in some of her other works, including Bacchus Vessel, In the Belly of Grace and Sprawling Orchid. While at American Ballet Theater, Levine had the pleasure of appearing in James Kudelka's Cruel World, Kevin McKenzie's Transcendental Etudes and Lar Lubovich's world premier of Othello and A Brahms Symphony. Michael Levine has received recognition for his technical ability and classical line as well as for his excellent character portrayal. From the LA Times, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Washington Post, and in between, he has been favorably reviewed across the country. Levine has taught, coached, and helped lead workshops throughout the country including: The Joffrey Ballet, Lou Conte Dance Center, Point Park University Pittsburgh PA, University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, and Eastern Connecticut Ballet. Michael Levines photography captures moments from his unique, experienced dancer perspective... ...And, here's a picture of him and his wife from the Evansville Courier&Press.

Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ballet teacher and choreographer, Andrew Parker, recently joined the dance faculty at Southern Methodist University, Meadows School of the Arts, after teaching for six years on the full-time faculty of Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) in Toronto. In 2000, Andrew received his teaching diploma with distinction from NBS’s Teacher Training Program for Professional Dancers. He was trained as a dancer at Cambridge School of Ballet with Carol Jordan, followed by Boston Ballet School, where he later returned to teach on the faculty and serve as Artistic Principal of Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education’s CITYDANCE Outreach Program, founded by Bruce Marks.

Andrew began his performance career with the Milwaukee Ballet, under directors Ted Kivitt and Basil Thompson. In 1987, Andrew joined Tulsa Ballet Theatre where he danced soloist and principal roles. After five seasons of touring nationally with TBT, Andrew joined Konstantin Uralsky’s Ballet Iowa as a principal dancer, where he danced many new ballets by Mr. Uralsky, as well as classics from the Bolshoi Ballet repertoire. To complement his work as a dance educator, Andrew has choreographed ballets for Canada’s National Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pioneer Valley Ballet, Walnut Hill School, American Academy of Ballet, George Brown College Dance Ensemble and Milwaukee Ballet School. In 2004, he created choreography for Harvest Sky, a new Canadian opera by composer Douglas Rice and in 2005, Andrew was commissioned by Toronto’s International Dance Festival to create his pas de deux, 2 = 1, for soloists from The National Ballet of Canada and Toronto Dance Theatre. In 2006, Andrew collaborated as choreographer with Canadian ballerina, Veronica Tennant, on Song of Survival with Toronto’s Orianna Women’s Choir. Andrew Parker is a regular guest teacher at Texas Ballet Theater, Rochester City Ballet, Eastern Connecticut Ballet, The Rock School in Philadelphia and Canada’s National Ballet School.

Robert Gardner, Artistic Director Minnesota Ballet

A native Virginian, Mr. Gardner began his studies with Mavis Ray of the Royal Ballet. After subsequent scholarships to the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York, he was asked to join the Joffrey II dancers. With Joffrey II, he toured throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Orient, performing ballets by Antony Tudor, Sir Frederick Ashton, Robert Joffrey and Choo-San Goh.

Mr. Gardner then danced with the Joffrey Ballet, touring both the east and west coasts. He then joined the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, where he danced soloist and principal roles in the works of George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Lar Lubovitch, David Lichine, José Limón, Léonide Massine, Dennis Nahat and many others.

For the Minnesota Ballet, Mr. Gardner has danced such principal roles as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake Act II and the embodiment of Love in Allen Fields’ The Passions, plus creating such memorable roles as a “playful, magical” Herr Drosselmeyer.

In addition to staging the major classical ballets and pas de deux, he has choreographed such acclaimed pieces as Suite Italienne, to Stravinsky music, which the Duluth News Tribune praised for a “signature style of satisfyingly developing movement themes so that audiences could see a journey in the choreography from start to finish”; and the steamy jazz piece One Night, pronounced “vintage Gardner—theatrical, accessible, and fun.”

For his original choreography of Sleeping Beauty, the News Tribune declared that the new story ballet “further entrenches the Minnesota Ballet as a national source for repertory that is faithful to tradition.”

He has also taught master classes at the University of Minnesota, UMD, Ball State University and at Yale University for A Different Drum Dance Company. He has choreographed for the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet; for the Columbus Youth Ballet, who presented his works three times at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City; and for Ball State Dance Theatre, who presented his work at the American College Dance Festival, among other venues.

Mr. Gardner received a 1998 Artist Fellowship and a 1999 Career Opportunity Grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, in addition to a 1999 Video Documentation Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and served on the State Arts Board Panel for the Arts in Education Roster of Artists.

Permanent CCDC Faculty:

Melissa Uyehara brings a wealth of professional, performing and teaching experience to the Capital City Dance Center. She performed principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles with Ballet Omaha and Ballet Iowa. Some of her favorite roles include: Witch in Konstantin Uralsky's Macbeth, Ensemble in George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Uralsky's Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #1, Michael Uthoff's Tom Dula, Robin Welch's Les Patineurs, the revival of August Bournonville's Konservatoriet and Peter Anastos' Forgotten Memories.

Missy currently serves as Ballet Mistress for Capital City Dance Theater and since its founding has been responsible for helping rehearse, teach and coach the company dancers. She served in a similar capacity for Iowa Dance Theatre, Ballet Theater Des Moines and other local dance troupes.

Missy's been teaching since she was a student assistant at her local studio in Ankeny, Iowa. She's been on the faculty or has taught at many local studios including: the School of Ballet Iowa/Des Moines Ballet School, School of Classical Ballet and Dance, Robert Thomas DanCenter, Central Iowa Dance, Vine Street Ballet School, Westside Dance, Dance Avenue and Dance Unlimited.

Missy's dance training includes stints with such noted teachers as Ballet Long Island's Konstantin and Irina Uralsky, American Ballet Theater's Lupe Serrano, Ballet Hamburg Ballet Master Charles Mudry, Larry Long of Chicago's Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance, Ballet Iowa's Kennet Oberly, Ballet Metropolitan's Gerard Charles, Des Moines Ballet's Lynn Andlauer and Milwaukee Ballet/University of Iowa's Basil Thompson. She's been on scholarship with the Des Moines Ballet School and the Milwaukee Ballet's Summer Program.

Besides ballet and pointe, Missy is an accomplished tap dancer and instructor. She's won or placed at a number of tap competitions, including: the Bill Riley Talent Search, Dance Masters of America and the Show Biz Dance Competition.

Missy prides herself in creating a nurturing, yet challenging, environment for every student she teaches. She also strongly believes a solid foundation of impeccable technique serves as the springboard to fullfill artistic expression.

"...I could see how much you love dance and how special you made the girls feel. I think you are the teacher for us."—E-mail excerpt from prospective student's mother.

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“...your *Mom* thinks you can dance better...but, she can't show you how...”

Emery's had guest appearances with Nebraska's Ballet Midwest, San Francisco's Joe Montoya Dancers and Maria Tallchief's Chicago Ballet Workshop. He's choreographed, performed and/or taught for City Ballet Theater of Milwaukee, the Honolulu Acrobatic Troupe, Des Moines' Chamber Dancers, Iowa Dance Theatre and Ballet Theater Des Moines. He also starred in and co-choreographed the Arabian Prince role in the 2002 and 2003 C.Y.Stephen's production of The Nutcracker.

Emery's favorite roles include: George Balanchine's Pas de Dix from Raymonda, the Cavalier from Nutcracker, Prince Florimund from Sleeping Beauty, Kennet Oberley's Russian Trepak from Nutcracker, Jane Cassel's Bette Davis Eyes, Joe Montoya's Al Jarreau Suite, Paul Brown's Tarentella and his own choreography for the Arabian Slave from Nutcracker.

Emery's dance teaching career spans three decades. He began at the Honolulu City Dance Center and continued at the University of Hawaii, Duluth Ballet School, Chicago City Ballet Workshop, School of Ballet Iowa, Robert Thomas DanCenter and other Iowa schools.

Emery is also a former instructor of the martial arts: including Okinawan Judo, Black Panther and Seven Brothers Son Shi Kung-Fu. He's also a tournament winning and former volunteer assistant coach in folk-style wrestling. He was three-year varsity letterman and tri-captain of his high-school team when it won its first conference championship.

Emery's professional performing career also includes gigs as a stand-up comic and as an award-winning journalist, personality and talk-show host with WHO, KGU and KQMQ. He's currently a syndicated radio news anchor and former reporter and producer for WHO-TV and hosted the Iowa Radio Network's monthly "Call The Governor" show.

"...(Emery) excelled in verbally conveying physical movement and abstract feelings. He had a wealth of performance experience and technical training to pass on to both my company dancers and my young, aspiring dancers."—Marjorie Yoshida, Milwaukee City Ballet Theater

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“...that's why I am your dance teacher...”

Capital City Dance Center is thrilled to retain Jill E. Andrews on the studio's faculty. Jill is the founder of the studio that eventually became CCDC, "Dance Unlimited, Inc". Her performing experience includes six seasons with the Bermuda Civic Ballet where she performed corps and soloist roles in La Sylphide, Les Sylphides, Giselle, La Peri, Sylvia, Symphonic Dreams and Memories. She's also performed with the University of Iowa Dance Company and Limbs Dance Ensemble.

A gifted choreographer and teacher, Jill has created many new full-length children's ballets, including: Deliver Us, Fairy Wings, The Dancing Princesses, Coppelia, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Rainbow Fish set to Handel’s Water Music. She's also the director/choreographer for Alleluia Ballet, a sacred dance youth company based out of CCDC.

Jill has trained at the Joffrey II Summer Workshop and with the University of Iowa's Francoise Martinet, Alicia Brown, Linda Crist and Lan Lan King. Her modern dance training includes former head of the UI Dance Department, David Berkey.

Jill is always open to expanding her teaching knowledge. She's trained in teacher workshops or forums with Ballet Magnificat and at Canada's National Ballet School in Toronto. Her teaching experience includes instructing legally blind, blind, hearing impaired, Down's Syndrome and severely learning disabled students as well as talented and gifted students.

Jill graduated with high distinction with Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Accounting and Dance from the University of Iowa.

As a teen, Jill was crowned Miss Drill/Dance Team Iowa. She represented the state in national championships at the Los Angeles Sports Coliseum. She placed 16th in the country. Her senior year, she danced as a member of the All-American Drill Team in Dallas, Texas at a Dallas Mavericks basketball game. Jill was crowned Best Girl Overall two years in a row at summer dance camps at Kansas University run by Kilgore Rangerette dancers.

Jill's teaching philosophy is to encourage dancing "from the heart". She says, "Technique is important, but dancing from the heart on top of good technique makes the movement a lot more meaningful, interesting and enjoyable for the audience...and the dancer too!."

"...I feel like Jill (Andrews) is one of those really incredible gems that only come around once in a blue moon..."

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“...I *know* you can do better *and* I will show you how...work with me here!”

Alissa Hamer gets to combine her love of children with her love of dance with every class she teaches at CCDC. She earned her dance degree with honors from the University of Iowa after training there and at the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Her eclectic background in many forms of dance, as well as acting, yoga and Pilates, allow her to bring a technical focus as well as a performing emphasis to her modern dance classes.

Some of Alissa's favorite roles include Meghan Beresford's Little Gods and Maggie Rupprecht's I'm Here from the University of Iowa's Undergraduate Dance Concert series and Tracy Vacura's When You Look at Me, Do You See Me? from the Advanced Choreographic Design Concert Series. She's also choreographed or appeared in several musicals, including Fiddler on the Roof and Singin' in the Rain and participated in cheerleading, danceline and drill team competitions.

Alissa's group and solo choreography at the University of Iowa includes: Mirage, The Absurdity of the Cell Phone, Busy Daydreamer and Tenshun.

Alissa's modern dance training springs from diverse sources. She incorporates principles from various contemporary and post-contemporary dance forms, including Limon, Currier, Cunningham, Horton and Falco. She introduces and guides her students through fall and recovery, shape, suspension and to a musicality grounded in strength and flexibility.

Alissa says, "...athleticism, musicality, intellect and knowledge of the moving body are the important concepts I stress in the classroom. These concepts not only allow my dancers to be more effective movers, but also help them to dance safely while learning... the art of modern dance."

She continues, "...my class demands a dancer who is both athletic and intellectual. The very nature of dance requires the presence of both body and mind in class at all times. I expect my dancers to be able to think with their mind as well as to feel with their body."

"...I started my formal training with in the Stott method with certified instructor Kandee Bishop at Prairie Life Fitness.  I have been teaching mat classes since 2004 and just started teaching reformer classes in November 2007.

 

Hurley & Dancers History:

Started dancing with the company in June 2005

Performances-

Cancer Memorial for Johnston Hospice - May 2007

East Village Art Coalition presents "Art Stop" - September 2008

Des Moines Diversity Chorus presents Winter Solstice Concert - December 2008

Westminster Fine Arts Series presents Poppy's Dancing Puppets - March 2009
 

05.22.2009: Hamer STILL Hitz Homerz!

"...I have been officially admitted to the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Mercy College of Health Sciences. I will be starting in the fall. I'm very excited about it and am looking forward to continuing my pursuit of knowledge about the body. I have a feeling I will have many volunteers and test subjects from the studio! I will be finishing my physics pre-requisite class this summer through DMACC (good thing (Lindy VanderEmmen) is going to be around for study dates). I think this will be an amazing opportunity for me. Not to worry, I will still be teaching classes at CCDC while I am in school. As if I could ever give that up!

Alissa..."

“Corrections are compliments. If we didn't think you could do better...we wouldn't bother.”

Karen Forrester is a Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dance. Membership requires each Highland teacher to pass a comprehensive test in both knowledge of the dances and performance ability. There are currently only two active certified teachers of Highland dancing in the State of Iowa. If a dancer wishes to compete in Highland dancing, he or she must be a student of a certified teacher.

Karen started teaching as a student assistant of Maris McCullough Ryan in 1988. From 1990-1992, she taught Highland at the University of Iowa. She has been teaching in the Des Moines area for the last three years. Her students have been very successful at competitions throughout the Midwest, routinely placing in both Highland and Scottish National dances.

Karen's teaching experience has ranged from small children through adults, from students with no dance experience to those who have had years of training. Since Highland is a high impact form of exercise, she emphasizes proper technique, warm-ups and stretching to prevent injury.

“Success is exceeding expectations. ...and, you should have high expectations.”

You'll never catch Cindy Chambers without a smile...and she ALWAYS brings it with her when she teaches at CCDC! ...As well as her sparkling personality AND a degree in education from the University of Northern Iowa. Cindy has academic teaching experience as well as dance...having taught students from pre-school to sixth grade...along with acrobatics, baton and cheerleading.

Cindy started cheering in the eighth grade, continuing through her entire high school and college years. She competed and placed in collegiate cheerleading camps and competitions and has conducted, taught and judged cheerleading clinics and try-outs from pre-school to high school.

Cindy began her dance training in Ankeny and was a member of the UNI dance company for four years.

Sorry, guys! Cindy's married to HUGE former UNI Panther football lineman Jeff Chambers. And, she says she's sensitive to the concerns of all parents because of her own four kids, Chace, Chaz, Chaden and Chyla.

“Our goal is to produce...not just good dancers...but, good people!”

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   “...a little better than the last time, that's all I ask.”

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“A good teacher will never take their responsibility lightly.”

Karina Sturdevant received her classical training at Ballet Iowa (formerly Des Moines Ballet) with Martha Faesi and Kennet Oberly, specializing in the Bournonville technique, and Milwaukee Ballet with Basil Thompson. She went on to perform corps de ballet through principal roles with Ballet Iowa, Milwaukee Ballet, Wisconsin Ballet Theatre, Lexington Ballet, Illinois Ballet and Ballet Arkansas. She has performed roles such as the Blue Bird pas de deux in Sleeping Beauty, Cygnets and Neapolitan in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and Spring Fairy in Cinderella to name a few. Karina has danced professionally with the following modern companies: Milwaukee Dance Theatre, Oure Danse Kompagni of Denmark and Rosalind Newman Dancers of New York. Other accomplishments include guest artist with the Flourentine Opera and performing theatrical ballroom exhibitions with the East Towne Ballroom in Milwaukee and Chicago Dance. Karina has taught dance extensively throughout the midwest, including in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Vermont and Arkansas. She's the proud mother of Aniko.

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2009 CCDC Summer Intensive Guest Faculty

 CCDC Summer Intensive guest instructor Lynn Andlauer-Rehling is a former principal dancer with Des Moines Ballet/Ballet Iowa and served as director of the School of Ballet Iowa from 1986-1993. She founded and ran Central Iowa Dance School in 1993 until 1997. Midwest audiences have seen Lynn perform the title role in Cinderella, Esmeralda in the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sugar Plum in Nutcracker, as well as soloist and principal roles in Les Sylphides, Coppelia, Concerto Grosso and numerous other classical and contemporary works.

Lynn received her dance training at the Boston School of Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. She also danced with the Joffrey Ballet School Dancers, Georgia Dance Theatre, Felice Lesser Dance Theatre (NYC) and the Bernhardt Ballet (NYC). Lynn was resident and traveling artist educator with the Iowa Arts Council Artists in Schools and Metro Arts Alliance. She founded the New Visions Dance Program (for blind and visually impaired) for Very Special Arts Iowa for which she was honored with the Governor's Award for service to people with disabilities. Lynn has also been on the faculty or taught for the Midwest Dance Festival, Ballet Midwest, Georgia Dance Theatre and the Robert Thomas DanCenter. She's also choreographed for the Des Moines Metro Opera production of Hansel and Gretel and performed in their production of Aida.

Lynn also choreographed for the pre-professional student performing group, Ballet Iowa Too!, which presented educational performances throughout the state from 1987-1993. Original productions included Peter and the Wolf, The Four Seasons, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Stars and Stripes.

Many of Lynn's students (including CCDC Principal Ballet Instructor Melissa Uyehara) have gone on to professional careers in performing, teaching and/or dance degrees. Those companies include: Ballet Iowa, Boise Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Washington Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Omaha Ballet and Alvin Ailey II.

Lynn earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Drake University and is Montessori certified from the Montessori Center International in London. She currently teaches at Montessori Children's House in West Des Moines.

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