Up
Adult Programs
Adventure
Athletics
Beach
Camps
Creative Arts
Dance Academy
Early Childhood Education
Fitness
Ice Skating
Karate
Kinderhaven
Parties & Workshops
Racquetball
Sailing
Special Events
Squash
Tennis
Tumbling & Gymnastics

DANCE ACADEMY

The Lake Forest Dance Academy is proud to celebrate 33 years of dance!

The Academy offers a variety of classes including Dance Play, Creative Dance, Ballet, Modern, Jazz/ Hip-Hop, Tap, Irish Step, Belly Dance, Swing Dance and Choreography. We offer challenging programs designed for the serious dance student who plans to continue in the field. We also provide classes for children, teens and adults who simply love to dance or just want to experience the rewards that this artistic discipline can bring to one’s life!

Everyone and anyone should and can dance!

Professional dance instruction will be offered year round in Creative Dance, Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Modern Dance for three year olds through adults. Classes will be scheduled at a variety of times in the dance studio and at other sites. Special workshops will also be offered throughout the year. A formal dance recital is held in May to showcase the dancers' progress. Hurry get your registrations in now!  Download this Registration Form. (21k - 2 pages)

Fall Brochure Dance Academy (218k - 4 pages)
Spring / Summer Brochure Dance Academy (164k - 5 pages)

Company Auditions

CONGRATULATIONS!

Over 100 dancers auditioned for one or more of our companies! Everyone deserves praise for auditioning. The decisions were difficult because each dancer exhibited such great effort, talent and enthusiasm. We are please to announce the dancers selected to be Lake Forest Dance Academy performing company members for the 2008-2009 Season:

ETE Audition Member List (25k - 1 page)
PDT Audition Member List (23k - 1 page)
TTPE Audition Member List (23k - 1 page)

Refund Policy

The Lake Forest Parks & Recreation instituted a new refund policy with our Spring and Summer 2008 programs. We have also adjusted the Dance Academy refund policy. Please read the policy carefully.

Semester Classes (Pre School, Adult, etc.): These will follow the regular Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department policy.
For withdrawal requests received in writing no later than 7 days prior to the beginning of the class, a credit equal to 90% of the class fee will be placed on your account. If you indicate that you would like a refund, an additional fee of $10 per course code/session will be charged.

From 6 days prior to the start of class until before the 2nd meeting of the class, a credit equal to 80% of the class fee will be placed on your account. If you indicate that you would like a refund, an additional fee of $10 per course code/session will be charged.

No refunds will be given after the 2nd meeting except in the case of documented medical reasons or moving out of the local area.

Full Year Classes (Recital eligible classes, Jazz, Jumps & Turns, Company, etc.):
Withdrawal requests received in writing no later than 7 days prior to the beginning of the class will receive a credit for the class fee paid less 10% of the full class fee. If you indicate that you would like a refund, an additional fee of $10 per course code/session will be charged.

Withdrawal requests received from 6 days prior to the beginning of the class until before the 2nd meeting of the class will receive a credit for the class fee paid less 20% of the full class fee. If you indicate that you would like a refund, an additional fee of $10 per course code/session will be charged.

Withdrawal requests received after the first class meeting, but before December 15 will receive a credit for the second semester. If you indicate that you would like a refund, an additional fee of $10 per course code/session will be charged.

No refunds will be given after December 15 except in the case of documented medical reasons or moving out of the local area.

RECITAL FEES: The Dance Academy staff must be notified in writing of a dancer’s intention to not be in the recital by November 1 to receive a credit for the Recital Fee.

If a dancer is withdrawn from a class due to an instructor recommendation or if the class is cancelled, a full refund for all classes remaining will be given.

LAKE FOREST DANCE ACADEMY REQUIREMENTS:

New students wishing to register for classes requiring Placement Recommendations must attend an audition placement class. To schedule auditions, please call the Dance office at 847-615-4385.

Class progression and advancement is determined by the LFDA faculty. Evaluations and placement will be mailed to returning students with the Fall brochure. The Dance Academy reserves the right to determine class re-assignments for students who are not registered in the appropriate level class. This promotes progress and minimizes the risk of physical strain.

The decision to perform in the Spring Recital is entirely optional, but must be confirmed by November 1, 2008. Only written notification prior to this date will entitle the dancer to a full refund of the recital fee!

The dance office must be informed in advance of all absences. Three (3) absences, excused or unexcused will result in probation, which could prevent a student from further participation in class and/or the recital; this will be at the instructor’s prerogative. Excused absences are illness, injury, bereavement, or required religious and school commitments. These missed classes may be made up, after notifying the dance office, during the same session at the same or lower class level.

Strict attention to class attire is essential for good dance discipline and will be adhered to in all classes! 

Dance Class Attire

Lake Forest Dance Academy Commission

The Dance Commission is made up of parents of our dance students from every discipline and program. The purpose of this Commission is to establish and secure good communication between the dance participants and the Parks & Recreation Department and to supplement and support the activities of the Dance Academy. Meetings are held once a month. Please consider supporting your dance community by serving as a Commission member. Call the dance office (847-615-4385) for more information.

Meet Our Professional Staff

SANDY GOETZ RAGSDALE  (Director) began her early dance training with Anida Sedala, former Lake Forest Dance Academy Director, and with Gus Giordano. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College and her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Michigan. She was on the faculty of University of Michigan’s Dance Department for two years. She has performed, taught, and choreographed in Paris, France, Geneva, Switzerland and New York City as well as in the Chicago area. Sandy choreographs for CenterStage in Lake Forest and Lake Forest High School. She is past President of the Lake Shore Chapter of the Sacred Dance Guild of America. Sandy holds her Associate IV Teaching certificate from the Cecchetti Council of America. For the past eleven years she has co-directed the Dance Academy with Connie Davis. This will be Sandy’s fifth year as a full time Parks and Recreation Department Staff Supervisor and as the Lake Forest Dance Academy’s Artistic Director. This will be Sandy’s 24th year with Lake Forest Dance Academy.

CONNIE DAVIS (Ballet Mistress & Co-Director) was a member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for five seasons, during which she toured the U.S., Japan, Brazil and Europe. She also served as Scholarship Program Director. She has appeared as a guest artist for Ballet Entre Nous, Winnetka, IL and Balletto Italia Associazione with whom she toured Italy (also teaching classes in ballet, tap, and jazz.) Connie danced and choreographed for Festival Chorus at Harper College, Palatine, IL and was Artistic Director for Lake Shore Dance Theatre. Television appearances include Star Search (1990 season), Oprah Winfrey (dancer/model), Bo-May Film, Inc. and Kansai Television in Osaka, Japan. Connie was Ballet Director for the Center for Performing Arts in Maryland and received scholarships from the National Ballet and Washington School of Ballet in DC. Her teaching experience has included: Gus Giordano Dance Centre, Maryland School of Ballet, Northwestern University, George Mason University(VA- master class), Joy of Motion (DC), Jackson School of the Arts (Bermuda - master class), and the Dance Factory in Mundelein. Connie is a Fellow Member of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) and holds her Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate (Grade VII). She is principal for the Midwest Committee of CCA and is also a member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM). She is certified by CNADM in ballet, tap and jazz. This will be Connie’s 11th year at LFDA as Co-Director and Ballet Mistress.

Mary Cromer began her training at The Larkin Dance Studio in Maplewood, Minnesota. She studied in New York with Jo Jo Smith and later found herself in Chicago at the Giordano Dance Center. Mary was a member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for five seasons during which she toured Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. Mary has appeared on Star Search and has danced in LA Anthony’s Phantom of the Super Stars at Drury Lane South. Her industrial experiences include a video for All State Insurance and Trane. Mary has been teaching for thirty years; her experience has included Giordano Dance Center and The Dance Factory, where she choreographed and rehearsed works for competitions, Jem Studios, All The Right Moves and Geneva Dance Center. Mary is currently working towards a B.A. in English Secondary Education at Northeastern University. Mary is looking forward to working with the students at Lake Forest Dance Academy.

Holly Curtis Hartman grew up in New York City with a love for dance. She pursued gymnastics and dance in High School where she competed on the Chapin Gymnastics Team in NYC and won a dance award at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Mass. Holly graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in Psychology. She Competed on the NU Gymnastics team and was a Big 10 Cheerleader. Currently Holly is our Birthday Party Guru as well as teaching in our Toddler and Pre-School Programs. She has been with us for four years.

LIZZIE DAVIS is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance in London & holds a Master of Arts Degree in Ballet Studies from Surrey University U.K. For 8 years she performed as principal & soloist with the Chelsea Ballet London where her roles included the title role in Act II pas de deux from Giselle, Dawn in Coppelia and the Pas de Trois from Swan Lake as well as many roles in Nutcracker. She also had the role of Marie Taglioni recreated on her by the director and former soloist of Rambert Ballet when Chelsea Ballet restaged the romantic ballet, Pas de Quatre. Lizzie has danced with groups in Europe and Africa and has taught in Africa, the US and Europe, the Education Department of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Barat Conservatory of Dance and College of Lake County amongst other North Shore schools. As well as ballet, Lizzie lectures on dance history and dance & worship in the Judeo/Christian world. She considers teaching a great way to give back to the profession she loves and is excited about starting her third year with LFDA.

Roberta Cassidy-DuMong worked professionally with the legendary master teacher Richard Arve and with Margaret Lynn DiCanni. In training and on scholarship she became a company member of “The Arve Connection Dance Company” and was asked to become the Rehearsal Mistress for “The Arve Quartet”. She continued her study at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival with James Truitte and the amazing Judith Jamison. Her independent teaching credentials have taken her to choreograph works for Denise Sabala, DAL’s Terpsichore Dance Company and their Summer Intensives with concerts at the Cuneo Museum, Joel Hall’s 1511 Youth Dance Company, William Rainey Harper College, and Giordano Dance Center’s New Choreography Showcase. She has taught and choreographed for numerous Orchesis Dance and Colorguard Programs. Roberta created a Children & Adult Community Dance Program for mothers and daughters and became Director of the Youth Dance Program at the Irving Park YMCA. She has also worked with Claudette Soltis, Artistic Director of the Joliet Ballet Society and Evon Freund, Master Ballet instructor of Studio B. Roberta has taught ARVE Master Classes for the Joel Hall Jazz Camp and has taught with the Chicago Dance Connection since the 2000 season. Roberta has had the wonderful opportunity to share her artistic endeavors and shared her gift of freedom of movement and expression throughout the Chicagoland area and is now thrilled to be returning to Lake Forest Dance Academy’s faculty for the second year.

HEATHER GOODRICH received her B.A. in Communications with a minor in Business & Theater from Barat College of DePaul. She was an intern on the WGN Morning Show where she not only reported but performed song and dance numbers. Heather’s dance training includes Dance Center North and Terpsichore Company in Libertyville; tap workshops in New York, Disney Dance Workshops, Orlando, FL. and LA Dance Force Workshops. She is currently director of the Libertyville Park District Dance Program. Heather will be teaching for us for the sixth year and is thrilled to be directing our classes in Musical Theater again this season! Heather believes every child has the gift of music and dance within them and that it is her gift to bring that out and help her students shine. She directs our musical theater performing group, “Triple Threat Troupe”.

Peter Hammer started dancing at the age of 14 in his home state of Montana. After only four years of training, he was accepted into the dance program at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While a student, Peter performed as a member of Insync Dance Theatre, and at the same time became a member of Chicago Tap Theatre, continually commuting back and forth from Michigan. Now firmly planted in Chicago, he continues to enjoy a professional career with CTT while teaching throughout Chicagoland and occasionally setting choreography for companies such as the Euphony Tap Ensemble last season. Peter is also trained in other various movement forms such as; Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Hawkins modern, non-traditional partnering and Capoeira.

KHAZANA KHALIL holds an Associate Degree in Performing Arts from Lansing Community College in Michigan. At an early age dance became her passion and her studies included jazz and modern, tap and hip hop as well as ballet. When a homework assignment in college led her back to her Lebanese roots, she started taking Egyptian Oriental dance (belly dance) lessons and within two years was dancing professionally in Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan. Khazana now lives in Chicago where she performs weekly as well as teaching at Rast Ballet Studio, Danza Viva in Oak Park and giving private lessons from her home. She has studied Turkish Karshelama with Artemis in Washington and Raks Sharki with Sadiya in Chicago. She is also studying child development at Truman College and has experience teaching young children creative movement and ballet. We are excited to have Khazana back with us for a third year!

Hilliary Murphy started dancing at the age of three in Madison, Wisconsin and continued her training with the Milwaukee Ballet and the Kirov Academy of Ballet. She furthered her training and education at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, where she received a B.A in dance. Upon moving to Chicago she joined Thodos Dance Chicago, where she has been a performer, choreographer and educator for the past four years. She has been a guest artist with Rasa Dance Chicago and for numerous Nutcraker productions. Her interest in choreography has allowed her to set works on many high schools and colleges. She is also the choreographer for the annual Diabetes Foundation Fundraiser. Hilliary has worked with choreographers such as Ann Reinking, Lar Lubovich, Eddy O’campo, Brian Jeffery, and David Berkey. She has been teaching throughout the Chicagoland area and is very excited to begin her first year with Lake Forest Dance Academy.

Stephanie Paul is a native New Yorker who has proudly called Chicago her home since 2002. While working towards a B.S. in Communication Studies at Northwestern University, she discovered her passion for rhythm and dance as a member of Boomshaka, NU’s percussion/dance/rhythm ensemble and as a student of Billy Siegenfeld, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project’s Artistic Director. After co-directing Boomshaka for two years, Stephanie graduated from Northwestern in 2006 with an undeniable need to continue creating, performing and educating. In July 2006 she co-founded Be the Groove, “a Chicago-based rhythmic performance/education ensemble and she also serves as the group’s Artistic Director”. Her choreography has been showcased in numerous shows including Danceworks 2007 at Northwestern University and Dance Chicago 2006’s New Moves and World Rhythms & Dance Festival. Stephanie currently works as a teacher/choreographer in the Chicago area and is thrilled to return to LFDA for her 2nd year!

Danielle Schager graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Akron where she received the Partners in Excellence award, the Dance Department Scholarship award and the Women in Higher Education Award. While attending Akron Danielle created works for the University shows “Spring Into Dance” and Choreographers’ Workshop Concerts. Danielle has taught jazz, modern and hip hop at Dance Academy South and ballet and pointe at Diann’s Dance Center, both prestigious dance institutions in Ohio. Danielle is excited to perform this year as a first time LuvaBull (Chicago Bulls) and of course to teach for Lake Forest Dance Academy.

MARINA TOLPIN was trained in Classical Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Los Angeles, CA. She danced as a soloist with the Pacific Festival Ballet Company and studied the Vaganova Method of teaching throughout her dance career. She is currently studing the Cecchetti Method of Ballet with Connie Davis and has achieved her grade two teacher certification. Marina has taught Classical Ballet to children and adults in Los Angeles, CA, Washington, D.C., and is currently teaching in the Chicago area. Marina has also studied various forms of Swing Dance such as, Smooth Style Lindy Hop, and Balboa. She has taught and performed Swing Dance all over the United States, England, and Sweden as well as choreographed for various performance troupes in Santa Barbara, CA and London, England. We are happy to have Marina teach for LFDA for her third year.

LESLIE TREECE holds her B.A. in Dance with a minor in psychology from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has performed at the Athenaeum Theater, Northwestern University, and Columbia College. Leslie holds her Associate III Teaching certificate from the CCA and will be teaching at LFDA for her tenth year.

JENNA WAGNER graduated from The University of Akron in 2006 with a BA in Dance and a minor in Business Administration. She performed with The University of Akron Dance Company and also choreographed several tap pieces for student performances. Still an avid dancer, she has trained at studios such as Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Luigi Jazz Center, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, Giordano Dance Center, Lou Conte Dance Studio, and is currently studying on scholarship at Joel Hall Dance Center. She has taught at studios in both Ohio and Chicago, and has also served as an assistant teacher for The Rockette Experience. Jenna is excited to begin her first year at Lake Forest Dance Academy.

The Anita Sedala Memorial Merit Award

The Lake Forest Dance Academy has established a merit award in memory of Anida Sedala (nee Raili Anita Siren), former Director of the Academy (1974 -1995). Anida moved to the United States from Nokia, Finland in 1949 and opened a Ballet studio in Lake Forest. She was also on the faculty of the Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston for over 30 years. Anida was founder and Artistic Director of Lake Shore Dance Theatre and became a well respected mentor for many professional dancers. She was a devoted advocate of the Cecchetti Method of teaching classical ballet. In 1956 Anida and her sister Pirkko founded the Cecchetti Council of America’s Midwest Committee. Anida coached many area teachers and became a nationally recognized Cecchetti Method adjudicator. Anida passed away in August 2001. We will remember her spirit, love of life and love of ballet always. The recipient of this award is chosen by the Ballet faculty as a student exhibiting dedication, potential and love of dance. The annual award consists of tuition for one Ballet class for one full season (Sept.-May). Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund may contact Dan Deuel at (847) 283-8541.

Congratulations to Maria Theodore, 2008 Anida Sedala Memorial Merit Award Recipient!

"Raising the Barre" Award is presented to the dance student who has shown extraordinary leadership and dedication to Lake Forest Dance Academy as well as technical achievement and performance skills in the dance disciplines including Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap.  Nominated by the entire faculty and directors, this award consists of tuition for one dance class for one full season (September-May)

Congratulation to Sarah Hayes, 2008 Raising the Barre Award Recipient!