2025 NewDANCEfest Faculty

GUEST FACULTY

  • Andi Salazar is a Chilean Choreographer, Dance Educator, Performer, and Sociologist. She received her BA degree in Sociology at UC of Chile, the same place where she founded Kazé Dance, a Contemporary dance company where she was the Artistic Director and Choreographer for eight years. In 2017, Andi relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and obtained her MFA in Dance and Choreography from Mills College. There, she also had the opportunity to perform for choreographers such as Joe Landini and Molissa Fenley, and showed her work along with her Dance Company “A Pulso Dance Project" at many festivals around the State. During her years in the Bay, Andi also worked as a faculty member at the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, Shawl Anderson Dance Center, and as a Teaching Artist for the Community program at Alonzo King Lines Ballet Dance Center. In 2023, she relocated to New York to continue her studies and joined the Master’s degree “Teaching Dance in the Profession: ABT Ballet Pedagogy” at New York University.

  • Bailey Broccardo is an aerialist and contortionist based in Detroit.  She started her artistic journey with ballet, studying the Vaganova style and competing throughout the U.S. and Canada, most notably in the Youth America Grand Prix, and World Ballet Arts Competition.  She has studied contemporary dance, jazz, and hip hop as well, performing throughout the last decade.  Bailey now teaches aerial @detroitflyhouse and loves a good challenge. Aerial is a fantastic blend of athleticism, artistry, and technique.  Watching people realize their full potential and aiding them throughout that process is one of Bailey’s greatest motivations.

  • 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.

  • Kelsey Paschich is a versatile dance artist whose work integrates traditional dance with emerging technologies, blending physicality with digital innovation to explore new performance modes. Holding an MFA from the University of New Mexico and a BFA from Point Park University, Paschich is also a certified Countertechnique® teacher and serves as Assistant Professor of Innovation in Dance at Western Michigan University. Her 20-year international performance career spans collaborations with The Moscow State Classical Ballet, DCDC2, Thodos Dance Chicago, River North Chicago Dance Company, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among others. As a choreographer, she delves into the synergy of dance with AI, motion capture, and film, presenting her interdisciplinary works globally at festivals in Asia, Canada, Europe, and the U.S. Her innovative contributions have earned her the WMU Presidential Innovation Professorship Award, invitations to the Choreographic Coding Lab in Cologne and as an international “Distant Digital Dance Maker” for Tanz mit dem Tiger in Ulm, Germany, as well as the Creative Living for Dancers Award in Brussels and the Dancing Lab: Art Speaks 2.0 Residency in Akron. Her multimedia live solo “Trio of Duality” premiered at the Seoul International Dance Festival in Tank in Seoul, Korea. Additionally, she has received the National Dizzy Feet Foundation Gene Kelly Legacy Scholarship and shared her insights at conferences in Bandung, Indonesia, and Seoul, Korea.

  • Shelby Stamenkovic received her bachelors in Biology with high honors from Madonna University, her PTA degree from Professional Skills Institute and is also a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher. Shelby has been a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant for over 11 years and has worked mainly in outpatient orthopedics. She has taken numerous continuing education courses and has experience in various techniques including: McKenzie Method, cupping for myofascial decompression, kinesio taping, and vestibular rehab. Shelby’s love for movement led her to Pilates which is now her main career focus. She recently completed her Perinatal Pilates Specialist certification and has launched a program geared towards pregnant and postpartum moms. Shelby teaches privates, duets and small group classes at Movement Pilates in Garden City, Michigan. 

    Class Description: 

    Mat Pilates:  Be ready to strengthen, lengthen and tone your entire body in this Mat Pilates class. This class will focus on using your breath for proper core engagement while working on  strengthening and stability of all of the surrounding muscle groups. Pilates is a great form of cross training for athletes and dancers and will work the body from head to toe. Class will begin with a mobility warm up followed by a full body flow and ending with a stretch.

  • Rachel “Rae” Dudek is a movement artist based in metro Detroit. This journey began with Polish folk dance at the age of 6 and grew to multiple forms of dance, taking her to competitions and then to the dance program at Eastern Michigan University. After a few years, Rae relocated to Los Angeles where she received a BFA in commercial dance. L.A. is where she discovered aerial and upon moving back to Detroit, she found @detroitflyhouse. Rae is now a coach for Detroit Flyhouse and performs with Detroit Circus. Her journey with movement keeps taking her to new places and introducing her to many wonderful people. Rae is also the Co-Founder of @cloudmoondance and dance with @danceuprising. Community and common goals are so important to her and watching people who have passion for something she also has passion for is so beautiful. Rae is grateful to be a part of the aerial community and to be able to create beautiful movements as well. 

  • Erin Julianna helps high-achieving women embrace rest and recovery as a pathway to sustainable success and radiant well-being. Through her signature Rest & Restore framework, she blends guided meditation, mindful movement, nervous system regulation, breathwork, journaling, and intentional rituals to teach women that slowing down is the key to glowing up — mind, body, and spirit.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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, I create a safe space for exploration, calmness, and healing. As a yoga student, full time yoga teacher, and yoga studio owner, I am grateful to share my passion for yoga as we take time together at this year's NewDANCEfest 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.

  • Kelsey Lewinski is a former Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company member, dancing with the company from 2018-2021. Kelsey grew up dancing in Metro-Detroit and received her BFA in Dance from Wayne State University. While in college and dancing professionally, Kelsey worked with artists such as Faye Driscoll, Meg Paul, Shannon Gilles, Michaela Taylor, Christian Denice, Nicolo Fonte and more. Upon retiring from performing, Kelsey was teaching STOTT Pilates full time and opened her own Pilates studio called Studio Kore in the fall of 2024. 

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 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 Senior Company Member

    Senior Company Member, Tara Charvat, graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University. While attending WMU, Tara performed works by renowned choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Anthony Tudor, Lew Christensen, Frank Chavez and Brian Enos. She attended summer programs with New Dialect, chuthis., BODYTRAFFIC LA, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Big Muddy Dance Company and DanceWorks Chicago. In 2018, she received a scholarship to the Lou Conte Dance Studio where she attended weekly class with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago artists and presented her own choreography. In 2019, Tara joined NewDances, a collaboration between Thodos Dance Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago. For the 2019-2020 season, she apprenticed with Eisenhower Dance Detroit and in the Fall of 2020 was promoted to company member. Throughout her time with Eisenhower, Tara has worked directly with choreographers such as Tess Voelker, Micaela Taylor, Tamisha A. Guy, Norbert de la Cruz III, Maleek Washington, Joshua Peugh, James Gregg, Rauf “Rubberlegz” Yasit, Hope Boykin, and Marc Brew. Tara is also a teaching artist for the School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit as well as other studios in the Metro-Detroit area. She proudly serves as the Assistant Artistic Director of Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s Youth Ensemble, as well as the director of EDDYE’s annual performance concert, Dance Mosaics. Tara choreographs around the Metro-Detroit area and presents solo choreography each year at the Youth America Grand Prix competition.

  • 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 Senior Company Member

    Lillie Hamilton grew up in Kalamazoo, MI and graduated cum laude from Oakland University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. 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. She performed works by acclaimed choreographers such as Loni Landon, Stephanie Martinez, Stefanie Batten Bland, and Laurie Eisenhower. During her senior year at university, Lillie began as an apprentice with Eisenhower Dance Detroit under the direction of Stephanie Pizzo. She also trained with various professional companies at their workshops including DIAVOLO LA, Thodos Dance Chicago, Strictly Seattle, and National Choreographers Initiative. Lillie was the recipient of the Monticello Choreography Award from Regional Dance America for her work titled “River” performed by Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s Youth Ensemble in 2019. She has presented her work at Youth America Grand Prix along with various other competitions and intensives. Lillie had the opportunity to choreograph a trio on the EDD professional company in 2021 titled “Have You Had Enough?” Her favorite memory so far with EDD was their 5-week tour through Alaska in the fall of 2022. Lillie is entering into her 8th season with Eisenhower Dance Detroit.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Senior Company Member

    Alex Hlavaty graduated with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University in May, 2015. He studied in New York City with Gibney Dance and in Montréal with O Vertigo and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal before joining Eisenhower Dance Detroit. He is currently in his tenth season dancing with EDD, where he has performed and taught master classes nationally and internationally. He has set excerpts of EDD repertory on high school and university students at summer intensives, workshops, and master classes. Mr. Hlavaty is also an avid choreographer and writer. His choreography has been performed in festivals, intensives, and competitions. He has also created two works on EDD’s professional company. His poetry has been published in the literary journal The Laureate, 14th Edition, and he has written for DancePlug online as a resource for dance students, professionals, and educators. He is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) Junior, Senior, and Advanced program, and strives to bring elements of various cross-training techniques to his performing and teaching philosophy.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Nirvan Singh attended Western Michigan University on a full ride academic scholarship as a Medallion Scholar. He graduated in 2021 with the privilege of performing in works created by choreographers Paul Taylor, Aszure Barton, and George Balanchine, as well as Justin Peck and Edward Liang during his summer at BalletMet Company Rep Week. Following graduation, Mr. Singh danced as a guest artist with Wellspring Cori/Terry & Dancers as well as dancing for two seasons with Eisenhower Dance Detroit where he is currently a company member.

    Throughout Eisenhower's two seasons, Nirvan has had the opportunity to perform and tour in works by choreographers Norbert De La Cruz III, Maleek Washington, Tess Voelker, WeWolf (Rauf “Rubberlegz” Yasit & James Gregg), Joshua Peugh, Stephanie Pizzo, and Laurie Eisenhower. Nirvan is also a teaching artist at the School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit as well as other studios in the Metro Detroit area. In addition to teaching and dancing, he enjoys choreographing for projects when the opportunity is available. Nirvan’s work has been showcased at Western Michigan University, Detroit School of Arts, NewDANCEFest, and various Youth America Grand Prix competitions.

  • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Company Member

    A veteran of numerous competitive TV dance shows, Brandon Talbott studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he appeared in work by choreographers Doug Varone, Ashley Lindsey, Juel D. Lane, and Stephanie Martinez, and in the school’s annual production of The Nutcracker. Talbott joined Visceral Dance Chicago in 2021 and began freelance work with AJA Talent, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, The Candlelight Series, Zikr Dance Ensemble, Freckled Sky, and Symbiosis Arts. In 2023, he moved to Los Angeles to continue training and joined The Klein Collective as well as expanded his teaching horizons and taught weekly classes at Millenium Dance Complex. He now looks forward to this brand-new chapter in Detroit!

  • 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.