Deanna Doty,
Director
Deanna opened Champaign Ballet Academy in 1998
to provide children, youth and aspiring dancers with professional
quality training in
ballet. Her students are accepted into internationally recognized
professional training programs where directors praise the superior
quality of training gained at Champaign Ballet Academy. Deanna
is founder and artistic director of the Champaign
Urbana Ballet,
which gives dancers an opportunity to present their talent and
training in professionally choreographed productions.
Deanna trained at the Evanston School of Ballet, Ellis-Du Boulay
and with Kirsten Simone of the Royal Danish Ballet. She completed
her training with Harvey Hysell and joined Ballet New Orleans,
dancing corps through principal roles. She has danced with the
Robert Ivy Ballet in Charleston, South Carolina and the Lexington
Ballet in Kentucky, and as a guest artist with Ballet Alaska,
Piccolo Spoleto Festival and Ballet Mississippi.
Deanna has staged several full ballets, including The Nutcracker
which is presented annually at Krannert Center for the Performing
Arts. Her choreography and teaching are lauded by the Illinois
Arts Council and dance professionals fortunate to work with
her and her students.
Donna Warwick, Young Children's Instructor
Donna
has taught children’s arts programs in Central
Illinois since 1994, and created the Artsfusion program
for early childhood
education combining music, movement and art appreciation.
Donna is a certified elementary teacher with over
18 years of dance
experience. Parents particularly appreciate Donna's
energetic approach to instructing
toddlers and young children and her concern for developing
respect and creativity in the classroom.
Michelle Ziegler, Assistant
Dance Instructor
Michelle trained in ballet at Champaign Ballet Academy and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an especially patient instructor for young children and experienced in passing along her knowledge for good ballet technique. She holds several years of experience as a ballet instructor and choreographer. Michelle is the company manager and ballet mistress for Champaign Urbana Ballet, responsible for staging children’s dances for The Nutcracker and other productions in which she often dances featured roles.
Tracy McCabe, Adult Instructor
Tracy has over 20 years of ballet training, most recently with Fury Gold in Chicago, IL and previously with Delores Lipinski of Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance, Grace Lutrell Nanavati of Springfield Ballet Company, and Robert DiCello and Philip Johnston of the University of Illinois, among others. He is an assistant dean for the College of Business at UIUC and is a board member and producer for Champaign Urbana Ballet.
Susan Heatter, Assistant Dance Instructor
Susan trained extensively with the Ruth Page School
of Dance in Chicago and with Champaign Ballet Academy.
She
has danced
featured
and soloist roles with CU Ballet for over six seasons,
and especially enjoys working with young dancers.
In addition to her ballet
interests, Susan holds a BS in animal sciences and
is a second
year student
in the UIUC College of Veterinary Medicine.
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