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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 InstructorDonna Warwick

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

Donna Warwick 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 McCabe 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.