Melinda Baker has spent 30 years performing and teaching throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her training includes The Baker School, Washington School of the Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.
She has appeared with Chicago Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Eglevsky Ballet, Ballet Met/Columbus, Deutche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, and is a founding member of Columbus Dance Theatre.
She appeared in the role of "Coquette", in the Ruth Page production of "Die Fledermaus," filmed for PBS. She has taught for the pre-professional programs at Ballet Met and Columbus Dance Theatre, at Kenyon College and Farleigh Dickinson University, and was the Ballet Mistress for Garden State Ballet.
Melinda founded the Lancaster Ballet in 1986, and Melinda Baker and Company in 1993. Her choreographic work has been presented each year at the nationally recognized Lancaster Festival. Her performance work now includes dance with spoken text, incorporating her own writing, which has appeared in numerous journals including The Midwest Quarterly, and the Dunes Review.
In addition to nurturing the Ballet Program at Dance Arts Academy, Melinda co-founded the Michigan Dance Collective, Northern Michigan’s only professional dance company.

Melissa Ray has her Associates Degree from Northwestern Michigan College. She received her early training in Ludington, and later at Dance Arts Academy.
She danced professionally in Chicago, and as trained at the Lou Conte Dance Center in Chicago, as well as Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. This is her 9th year teaching at Dance Arts Academy.
She is also the Associate Director of Company Dance Traverse. Her choreography has won the highest honor in several competitions - "Critics Choice", as well as other honors. Melissa has completed the STOTT PILATES Intensive Mat Plus and Advanced Mat Plus courses and will soon be a Level 2 certified STOTT PILATES instructor.
She is a former CDT dancer of the year, Northern Michigan Dance Council Scholarship Winner, and DAA Distinguished Student Scholarship Winner. Melissa is the first dancer to be inducted into the Company Dance Traverse Hall of Fame.

Sahra Singer is a native of Australia where she was a serious ballet student for 16 years. Sahra performed with the Australian Ballet Company before moving to Northern Michigan.
In addition to her training in Australia, Sahra has also studied with Susan Heinz, Betsy Carr, and Melinda Baker. She has been teaching at DAA for 9 years. Sahra serves as a Rehearsal Director for Company Dance Traverse, and our Nutcracker Performances.
Everyone at DAA values her attention to detail in her student’s early training. Sahra’s students are known for their lovely training, and fun, yet disciplined work ethic. We are thrilled with all that Sahra has to offer our dancers!

We are thrilled to have Marjorie Randazzo on our teaching faculty. After a successful performing career in New York City, Marjorie has been teaching for the past several decades.
She has trained countless Professional Ballet dancers, including Anthony Randazzo, former Principal with San Francisco Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada, current Ballet Master at Boston Ballet, Elizabeth Olds, former Principal with Royal Winnipeg Ballet, currently on the artistic staff at The Alberta Ballet, as well as DAA co-owners Susan Heinz and Betsy Carr, among others.
Mrs. Randazzo has been the President of the Cecchetti Council of America, and is an Executive Board Member, and an examiner in that organization. She has spent the last several years training and coaching ballet teachers and advanced dancers throughout Lower Michigan. Her relocation to this area has enabled us to send our talented ballet students through their Cecchetti Ballet Examinations. We are very fortunate to have her on our faculty.

Rachel James is a Graduate of The National Ballet School of Canada with a degree in Teaching. Rachel performed with the National Ballet School, as well as the Zhang Company in Toronto.
In Seattle, she danced with the Deborah Birrane and Unexpected Guests and the ARC Company. Before moving to Traverse City, she was a member of the faculty at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington and Ballet Mistress for the Evergreen City Ballet Company.
She has completed the STOTT PILATES Intensive Mat Plus and Advanced Mat Plus courses and will soon be a Level 2 certified STOTT PILATES instructor. Rachel currently teaches at Interlochen Arts Academy and summer camp and has been a faculty member at DAA for 5 years. Her knowledge and use of anatomy, Pilates, and floor barre has played a vital part in the success of our dancers.

Shannon Pennington Beery arrived in Traverse City from her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Shannon studied with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, in Calgary and joined the company full-time as a dancer in 1999. In her three years with them, she studied and performed alongside such jazz and tap greats as Matt Mattox, Billy Siegenfeld, Buster Brown, Heather Cornell, and Josh Hilberman.
Shannon has performed and choreographed for several other Calgary-based community dance collectives, and with the University of Calgary's Program of Dance. Shannon has been teaching dancers of all ages in jazz and tap for 14 years.
Shannon is also certified as an instructor of The Fitness Table method, a core strengthening /rehabilitative program and taught at their Calgary location for two years. She's thrilled to have the opportunity to share her passion for tap and jazz with the students of Dance Arts Academy.

Jessica Brutlag has her Associate's Degree in Dance Education from Lansing Community College. She received her early training at the Bohaty's School, was a regional and national competition winner, and has also trained with the Milwaukee Ballet.
She has taught at various studios in Wisconsin and Michigan for the past 6 years. She is an Associate Director of Company Dance Traverse and is known for her wonderful award winning choreography and delightful classes for all ages.

Lauren Adams has been guest teaching and choreographing for Dance Arts Academy for the past six years. She was featured in the original musical, "Falco", in Vienna Austria. In addition, she has been a member of Dee Caspary's IV Dance Company, and Jason Parsons' Parsons Dance Project, with which she performed in the New York/Seoul International Dance Festival in Korea.
Her choreography was showcased in "Terpsichoreal" in Los Angeles, as well as in Prague, and most recently Tropea, Italy. Lauren's choreography has also been seen at the Jazz Dance World Congress performed by Melissa Hough of Boston Ballet.
She has worked extensively with Danny Tidwell of American Ballet Theatre who has performed Lauren's choreography for many events, and recently at the Jackson International Ballet Competition's 25th Anniversary Gala.
In NYC, Lauren has taught at Steps on Broadway, and Broadway Dance Center, as well as for the New York City Dance Alliance Workshops. She has produced her own evening length work, “Moving Still”, performed in New York City.

Michael Phillips currently dances professionally in New York City with the Pascal Rioult Dance Company. He has toured all of Europe and the US with this company.
In addition, Michael does commercial work (most recently for Adidas), and video dance choreography. Michael received his early training from Betsy Carr, and was a principal dancer with her former company in Howell, Performing Arts Dance Theater. He won numerous scholarships to Interlochen, Tremaine in Hollywood, and The University of Michigan.
He graduated from the University of Michigan Dance Program, and danced professionally in Ann Arbor with the Dance Gallery Company. He has spent part of the past 6 summers teaching a DAA, and we are excited to welcome him back!

An internationally recognized master teacher and choreographer, Suzi Taylor has been training professional and aspiring young dancers for the past 20 years.
Combining her talents as dancer, teacher, and choreographer, she has been invited to teach, perform, and adjudicate at 5 National dance festivals in Rio De Janiero, at ABT star Julio Bocca's school for Ballet Argentina in Buenos Aires, in numerous workshops throughout Italy, Japan, France and Canada, and has set works on companies in Scotland, Israel, Italy, and Brazil.
She has been a faculty member at 4 of the biggest NYC studios, currently and for the past 20 years at Steps on Broadway. She is sought after to teach and lecture at universities, schools, and organizations across the U.S., has been teaching with the New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) since its inception.
Suzi has been teaching workshops and setting choreography on Company Dance Traverse for the past three years.

Kristi has a degree in Dance from Oklahoma City University, a highly acclaimed dance program strong in Musical Theater, Tap, and Jazz.  After graduation, Kristi was hired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and spent time performing all over the Caribbean.  
Kristi also served as the Dance Captain on the ship.  Her early training was in Minneapolis, where she spent a year competing with the National Champion Larkin Studio, as well as training at her home studio, Victoria’s.
She most recently ran a dance program in the Outer Banks in North Carolina.  Kristi’s talent and enthusiasm, as well as her versatility as a dancer will inspire and challenge all of our students!

Jennifer is a Professional Ballet Dancer and Teacher from New York City. She is on the faculty at Ballet Academy East, and spent the past semester as the Guest Artist for the San Angelo Civic Ballet Company. She received her early training in NYC, and was on scholarship at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts.
Her summer program study included SAB, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Boston Ballet. Jennifer danced professionally with Miami City Ballet, and Ballet Austin, performing such diverse Ballets including: Napoli, Tarantella, Five Concerti, Serenade, Balobile, Raymonda Variations, Stars and Stripes, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Emeralds from Jewels, Twinkliana, and The Magic Flute. Jennifer is also a certified Pilates Instructor. We are looking forward to having Jennifer with us this summer. 

Dance Arts Academy is thrilled to have ERIN PECK as a new addition to our faculty! Erin has taught Musical Theatre Dance at Interlochen Arts Camp for the past nine years. She has also taught Jazz and Musical Theatre Dance for many years and has choreographed theme park shows for American Entertainment Productions. Erin has also choreographed and assistant directed dozens of musicals and shows seen at the State Theatre, Traverse City West and Central High Schools, and Leland High School. Erin is currently the Artistic Director, choreographer, and lighting designer for Miracle Productions which produces summer stock type musicals at NMC’s Milliken Auditorium. Some of her favorite recent Miracle Production shows are Phantom, WIZ, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and Godspell. Several DAA graduates have performed professionally with Miracle Productions. This summer she will be assistant directing and choreographing Light in the Piazza and The Buddy Holly Story.

Erin trained at Point Park Conservatory of Dance in Pittsburg where she also worked for Brockett Productions performing in industrials as well as the Majestic Cruise Line Shows. She has been seen on stage at The Mark II Equity Theater in Orlando, Florida, as well as Capone’s Dinner Theater in Orlando, where she played the lead and served as dance captain. She has also danced professionally with Michigan Ensemble Theater. She spent a year performing with Michigan State Repertory Dance Company. In college she spent her summers performing at theme parks around the country working for Showbiz International Productions.

Her favorite “production” however, is dancing at home in her kitchen with her three daughters, Miriam, Veronika, and Valerie. Miriam and Veronika love dancing at DAA.

We are thrilled to welcome Maria West to our faculty. Maria has her BFA Summa Cum-Laude in Dance Performance and Choreography with a minor in Dance Education from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.
Maria received more training as a scholarship student and teaching assistant at NYC’s Broadway Dance Center, and as student at the Paul Taylor School in New York. As a gifted performer, Maria danced professionally throughout the US, and Japan, as well as for Carnival Cruise Lines.
She has been teaching in New York City, and on Long Island for the past several years. She has also choreographed for several high school musical productions, and Long Island studios. Maria is a certified personal trainer specializing in core strength and flexibility coaching, as well as a licensed Zumba teacher. Maria is looking forward to sharing her love of dance with all of our students at DAA.

We are thrilled to welcome FELICIA PHILLIPS back to Dance Arts Academy! She will be working with many of our advanced dancers and you will also see her choreography during our Spring Concert, or meet her in Diva Dancewear! Felicia has been intensively trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, hip hop and tap. Her training began at Dance Arts Academy where she earned many honors as a young dancer including several “Outstanding Dancer” Titles with New York City Dance Alliance, as well as “Dancer of the Year” & “Hall of Fame” honors with Company Dance Traverse. Her training then continued to Los Angeles when she was awarded a yearlong dance scholarship to the world-renowned EDGE Performing Arts Center, located in the heart of Hollywood. During this course of intensive training, she had the opportunity to work with Randy Allaire, Terry Beeman, Eddie Garcia, Tabatha and Napolean D’umo, JT Hornstein, Malaya, Denise Leitner, Dave Scott, Helen Phillips and more. Felicia has performed in numerous live shows, modeled for Stage Couture costume company and has been a performer in both short film and music video. Felicia has taught at numerous dance studios and High Schools in the San Diego and Phoenix area along with performing with and assisting for LA Dance Force Conventions, Bittersweet Dance Company, Dulce Dance Company, and JBE Entertainment Inc. She enjoys the excitement of continuous growth as an artist, performer and teacher.

Guest Teacher Andy Pellick originally hails from Pittsburgh, PA, but has called New York his home for well over a decade. Currently performing Off-Broadway in "Fuerzabruta”, he has also danced in the original Broadway casts of "Wicked”, "Tarzan”, "La Cage aux Folles” (first revival), and "Dance of the Vampires”. He's also performed Off-Broadway in "De la Guarda”. He was featured in the films "The Polar Express" and "Show Business”. He has appeared on “The David Letterman Show”, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the “VH1 Vogue Fashion Award”, “Broadway: The Golden Age”, and”The Tony Awards”. Before moving to New York, Andy's first job was to be the understudy for Tommy Tune in “EFX” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he was also a featured dancer. When not performing, Andy fills his time teaching and choreographing across the country. He feels blessed to work with the upcoming generation of dancers, and loves being a part of such an incredible community. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to train with a very inspiring teacher! Andy Pellick will guest teach.