Event Calendar
Marguerite Luksik
Artistic Director
Marguerite Luksik, a native of Johnstown, PA, is the founding Artistic Director of Central Midwest Ballet Academy in Middleton. Ms. Luksik danced professionally with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin, Chicago Ballet, Peoria Ballet, and Madison Ballet. She performed works by choreographers such as Stanton Welch, Thaddeus Davis, Paul Gibson, Ben Stevenson, Steven Mills and Terrence Orr as well as dancing lead roles in Balanchine’s Who Cares, W. Earle Smiths’s Dracula and Nutcracker, and Peter Anastos’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has served on faculty with the UW Madison's Dance Department, Madison Ballet, and Children's Dance Theater of Rochester, MN. Ms. Luksik worked with the Overture Center of the Arts in both their Arts Integration and Jerry Award programs, managed Education and Outreach for Madison Ballet, and guest teaches with other local and regional dance academies. She has choreographed classical and contemporary ballets including co-creating Pineapple Poll, a one- act comedic ballet with Michael Knight.
Kendra
Thompson
Director of Operations
Native Madisonian and University of Wisconsin - Madison graduate Kendra Thompson moonlights as a middle school playwright and drama director. She has also directed for Upstart Crows Productions, Madison Shakespeare Company and Falconbridge Players. Dry-twig flexible and graceful as a three-legged, two-humped camel, she can’t explain what it means to have a sickled foot. That said, Kendra’s years spent as a bank manager and mortgage lender trained her well for running CMBA’s books. Furthermore, her years as mom to a pre-professional ballet daughter taught her how to navigate parenting a ballerina. So, reach out to Kendra at kthompson@cmballet.org if you ever have billing or ballet-mom questions.
Elise
Jessup
Elise Woloshin, from Cambridge, Wisconsin, began her training at Studio 3-D under the direction of Debbie Otteson-Griggas. She continued her training with Madison Ballet where she became a trainee, performing in works such as W. Earle Smith’s “Nutcracker”, “Expressions”, and “Cinderella” as well as “Non e Normale” by Jacqueline Stewart and Stephanie Martinez, a piece originally created for the Joffrey Ballet. Ms. Woloshin attended summer intensive and training programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet Chicago, Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco and others. Elise has been an instructor at UW Whitewater, Monona Academy of Dance, Madison Ballet, Tutu School Sun Prairie, Tutu School Chicago, Kehl School of Dance, and Variations Studio. She has taught and helped create outreach programs for Madison Ballet including their performances at Kids in the Rotunda at the Overture Center for the Arts as well as at local libraries and schools. She is excited about continuing her teaching journey and sharing her love of ballet at Central Midwest Ballet.
Celia
Pierquet Flores
Celia grew up in Monona, WI and started dancing at the age of three at Monona Academy of Dance. She studied summers on scholarship at Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Midwest, Orlando Ballet, and Ballet Hispanico. She danced professionally with the Milwaukee Ballet performing in several of Michael Pink's works including Dracula, Swan Lake, Scheherazade, and Nutcracker and also with The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC). She has been teaching for over 14 years and has taught at Monona Academy of Dance, the Milwaukee Ballet School, in the Milwaukee Area Public Schools, in a demo-video in the Milwaukee Children's Museum, MSCR Programs, at DCDC Dance School, in the Dayton Public Schools, and Dance Academy LTD in Elm Grove, WI. She has also hosted a Summer Dance Camp at Cambridge High School choreographing for their dance team; as well as choreographed for the non-profit Dance Wisconsin. She graduated from Edgewood College with a B.S. in Business in 2010 and with an MBA in 2013. Currently, Celia works with data governance and analytics during the day, and teaches ballet, pointe, modern, character, PBT, private lessons, pas and much more. She is very excited to be part of the CMBA Dance family to share her love of dance and teaching
Cindy
Stefanek
Cindy Stefanek, a Middleton, WI native, holds a B.S. Degree in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an additional major in Health Promotion & Health Equity. She has performed in multiple music-and-dance collaboration festivals and concerts, including the 2022 UW Faculty Concert; where she was cast in Christopher Walker’s and Kate Corby’s pieces. Her own work was featured in the 2023 H’Doubler Concert. At UW-Madison, she studied under numerous professors, including Collette Stewart, Kate Corby, and Marlene Skog. Additionally, she has certificates in Pilates and Sports Nutrition and teaches locally at Spring: Pilates for Life and EJ Movement as a Pilates instructor. Additionally, she is the resident choreographer for the Wisconsin Heights High School Theatre Department, where she has choreographed musicals such as James and the Giant Peach. Cindy trained at Madison Ballet under W.E. Smith, where she performed the role of Young Clara in The Nutcracker and at Central Midwest Ballet Academy under Marguerite Luksik, performing roles such as Myrta in Giselle, Soloist in Paquita, and Odalisque in Le Corsair.
Christina
Dennis
Christina Dennis began her training in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Minnesota Dance Theatre. She trained at North Carolina Dance Theatre, Madison Ballet with Molly Luksik, Boston Ballet, and the Dutch National Bournonville Program with Dinna Bjørn. She was a trainee with Joffrey Ballet Chicago under Ashley Wheater where she performed in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella. She spent two years in Milwaukee Ballet’s second company where she performed in Michael Pink’s Nutcracker, Mirror Mirror, Beauty and the Beast, Swan lake and La Bohème, in Kathy Posin’s Scheherezade, August Bournonville’s La Sylphide and in contemporary pieces by Garrett Glassman and others. Once she joined the main company, she performed in Michael Pink’s Dracula and Nutcracker, Bruce Wells’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and performed in contemporary pieces by George Williamson, Kenneth Tindall, and Enrico Morelli. Ms. Dennis has choreographed work for CMBA's pre-professional Division. She is currently studying for her Masters at UW-Madison.
Katie
Wolfe
Originally from San Carlos, CA, Katie Wolfe trained locally at the Academy of American Ballet and Professional Ballet School while attending summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. Katie has a B.F.A in ballet with a minor in professional writing from the University of Oklahoma. Ms. Wolfe danced with the Oklahoma City Ballet's studio company and the Kansas City Ballet’s second company. While there, she performed with Kansas City Ballet in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Lila York’s Celts, Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker, Michael Pink’s Dracula, and Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz. Katie is currently a company member with Madison Ballet. She has taught at Kansas City Ballet's Summer Intensive, Classical Ballet Academy Norman, Professional Ballet School and is Pilates Mat certified. She is excited to be working with Central Midwest Ballet Academy again this year.
Brian
Norris
Brian Norris, originally from Grants Pass, OR, received his training with Penny King and Jefferson Performing Arts. Brian danced professionally with the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Rochester City Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet, and Les Ballets Grandiva. He has served as Rehearsal Assistant for Les Ballets Trockadero, Ballet Master for Rochester City Ballet, Co-Director and Presenter for Mid-Pointe Project and Man Dance Company, Associate Artistic Director for Springfield Ballet, and Artistic Director with Les Ballets Grandiva. He was also the Founder of Men On Pointe, an all-male pointe ballet company in New York City. Teaching credits include being on faculty at Draper Center for Dance Education, Nazareth Academy, Rochester Association of Performing Arts, 25 North Dance Academy, Springfield Ballet, Ballet U, and Madison Ballet. He has conducted master classes in New York, Connecticut, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the American College Dance Association Conference, and Missouri State University. Brian’s choreography has been seen in musicals, festivals, ballet companies, and competitions including Youth America Grand Prix, show choir productions, and premiered in some of the most prestigious theatre’s in Asia. Brian has attended the teacher training program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
Maelanie Kuzma
Junior Division Principal
Maelanie Kuzma trained with Milwaukee Ballet, Boston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet before receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, where she studied ballet and modern in the UW Dance Program. For 9 years, she owned and directed a private studio with over 500 students on Madison's east side, including a competitive performance student company. After the birth of her second child, Maelanie sold her studio and joined the faculty of Madison Ballet, teaching for the school, rehearsing the children’s parts in their annual production of the Nutcracker, as well as facilitating their outreach programs in Dane County’s Headstart Preschools. In 2009, Maelanie became a faculty member at Storybook Ballet, and in 2014 she created “The Second Story Program” for children aged 7 and up.
Livia
Konishi
Accolade Ensemble Director
Livia, originally from Brazil, started Ballet as an additional training tool for her Synchronized Swimming career. When her family had to relocate she was faced with the decision to continue her training or not. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance exams in 2006 and danced professionally until 2009.She trained under the Ballet Maitre Toshie Kobaiashi and attended summer intensives at Festival de Danca de Joinville & with the Cia de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro. Alongside her technical training Livia has also focused on attending teachers training who have improved her knowledge and supported her teaching abilities. She's passionate about teaching the love of classical dance, as well as helping her students develop lifelong important tools such as work ethic, determination and responsilibity.
Cecilia
Monroy
Office Assistant
Cecilia Monroy, a Madison native, grew up training at The School of Madison Ballet and went on to be a trainee and apprentice with the company. Her love of dance took her to the dance program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received a Bachelors of Science in Dance. There she got the opportunity to explore contemporary, modern, hip-hop, and African dance. Performing works by Kate Korby, Karen McShane-Hellenbrand, and a solo from Jose Limon’s Dances for Isadora. Cecilia has a love of dance on and off the stage and is very proud to be supporting all the teachers, and dancers behind the scenes at Central Midwest Ballet Academy. She took on the position of office assistant in 2023. Occasionally you will catch Cecilia teaching classes, or working in the costume shop when she’s not updating databases and printing attendance sheets. Please come say hi and introduce yourself during her office hours on Monday evening and Saturday mornings. Cecilia looks forward to getting to know the ever growing community at CMB!
Evan Schumacher
Evan Schumacher, originally from Madison, trained locally before moving to Michigan to train at Interlochen Arts Academy. He studied classical and contemporary ballet, performing roles such as The Snow King and The Bronze Idol, Tico in Paul Taylor’s “Company B”, as well as having the opportunity to perform in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo”. Evan then studied ballet, modern, and jazz technique at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. While at SMU, Evan performed masterworks such as Dwight Rhoden’s “The Planets”, Robert Battle’s “Battlefield”, Martha Graham’s “Diversion of Angels” and George Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”. After graduating with degrees in dance performance and philosophy, Evan went on to complete a Fulbright Research Project in Stuttgart, Germany. There, he worked with The Stuttgart Ballet to create a framework for understanding the history and aesthetics values of the institution.
Juliana
Lehman
Juliana Lehman, originally from Nashville, TN, has danced professionally with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Ballet Theatre of Chicago, Alma Dance Company, The Chicago Ballet, and the Civic Ballet of Chicago, performing in such highlights as James Klauser’s, “Surprise Symphony”, “Swan Lake”, and “The Nutcracker”, among others. While at Northern Illinois University as a part of Northern Dance Theatre she was invited to perform Paquita Pas de Trois at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. Prior to her midwestern ventures, she trained and danced in Houston, Texas. As a member of the Houston Ballet, she performed in many classical full-length ballets, including “Romeo and Juliet” which the company toured abroad. While in Fort Worth Texas in concert with Ballet Concerto, she performed Luis Montero’s “Bolero”. She was awarded Miss CNADM (Chicago Association of Dance Masters), a Gus Giordano Scholarship from the Carey Rose Winski Competition and multiple scholarships at the Houston Ballet Academy. Her training includes completions of Cecchetti examinations Beginning through Advanced.
Catrina
Choate-Heretoiu
Catrina Choate-Heretoiu is a ballet teacher and somatic educator who works toward assisting students achieve excellence in a stress-free manner. She received her primary ballet training with the Cecchetti Method and later with the School of American Ballet in New York City. She danced professionally with Miami City Ballet, Carolina Ballet, and Miami Contemporary Dance Company. Ms. Heretoiu performed many Balanchine Ballets including Agon, Concerto Barocco, The Four Temperaments, Jewels, and Serenade. As a teacher, she has staged many productions such as The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Coppelia, and she has choreographed many original contemporary ballets. She has also successfully coached many students for the Youth America Grand Prix. Ms. Heretoiu holds a B.A. degree in English Literature from Florida International University and an MFA degree in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been a full-time faculty member with the UIUC Dance Department and is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais practitioner and has structured specific Awareness Through Movement lessons for dancers to help the physical rehabilitation process and to increase an understanding of body awareness. Ms. Heretoiu is the co-founder of KineOasis and the founder of SomaStudies, an in person and online school that is dedicated to helping people in pain and assisting performing artists achieve their physical goals so they may withstand their career of choice. She is also the founder of classes called Soma Ballet, Soma Floor, and an Early Childhood Dance Program called Ballet Joy. Most recently, Catrina moved to Madison with her husband and two boys and is excited to share her passion and knowledge with many wonderful students in the beautiful city of Madison!
Miye
Bishop
Miye trained classically in Sendai, Japan and Bellingham, Washington with Northwest Ballet Theatre, where she performed roles such as Cinderella, Clara in the Nutcracker, Peasant Pas in Giselle, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Ballerina Doll in Petrushka. She attended summer intensives and workshops at American Ballet Theatre, St. Petersburg Russia’s Dance Open, International Ballet Academy, and Kirov Ballet Academy. After college she danced with Bellingham Repertory Dance for four seasons. As a guest artist, Miye has performed in Ballet Bellevue's Les Sylphide, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Rodeo and Northwest Ballet Theatre's Dracula. She has been a guest choreographer and dancer for Seattle Opera and Skagit Opera. Miye has taught and choreographed at several dance schools including; Northwest Ballet Academy, NW Dance and Acro, Camano Dance Academy, Transcendence Dance Company, Dance Wisconsin, and Monona Academy of Dance. Miye has recently coached dancers in Washington and Wisconsin for Youth American Grand Prix, where her students have been placed from top 12 to first place. Miye is also a certified yoga instructor who works to strengthen and prevent injuries for dancers.
Amanda
Amador Chi
Amanda Amador-Chi grew up in Havana, Cuba. She was accepted as a full-time student at the Cuban National Ballet School under the direction of Ballet Master Ramona de Saa at the age of 9. She also received complete teacher training in the Cuban Ballet methodology and graduated as a teacher of Ballet and Historic Dances. She dancing professionally with the company for five years and joined the permanent faculty of the school. While there, Amanda mentored students, coached Pas de Deux and solo variations for national and international competitions, and juried competitive auditions and exams. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) where she studied Character Dance, Historical Ballroom, Ballet Methodology, and Teaching Pedagogy. Amanda was invited to teach at the Flamenco and Ballet Academy (PROART) in Queretaro, Mexico, where she implemented the Cuban Ballet Technique into the school’s dance curriculum. She then moved to the United States and received training as a Pilates instructor in the Balanced Body Method at the White Cloud Studio in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda has also volunteered and worked in several after-school dance programs, vocational ballet workshops, and community projects that offer dance therapy for students with special needs. She considers herself privileged to have the opportunity to touch lives through dance.