Instructors
Chelsie Jackson has been a professional choreographer, dance educator, and performer for over a decade. She first started her dance training near Detroit, Michigan at the age of three. While growing up she participated in many conventions, master classes, performances, and competitions in all idioms of dance.
Chelsie graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Dance from Western Michigan University. During college she trained with faculty members as well as guest artists including Derrick Evans, Eddy Ocampo, Willy Shives, and Ron De Jesus.
She has also taken her training to various parts of the country such as The Edge Performing Arts Center, The Paul Taylor Dance Intensive, ACDF, Dance Masters of America's Teacher's Training School, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Visceral Dance Center, and Detroit Dance Collective.
Chelsie has danced professionally for Chevrolet, Nabisco, Lisa Lamarre and Dancers, Tapestry Dance Company, and A. Deran Dance as well as many independent artists and choreographers.
Her passion for teaching and inspiring the next generation of dancers has landed her many teaching positions throughout the Midwest. It has also given her opportunities to be on faculty at the Illinois High School Dance Festival and Raw Energy Dance Competition. Her students have gone on to prestigious higher education facilities, dance professionally, and are strong educators in dance throughout the United States.
Chelsie is certified in Acrobatic Arts, Progressing Ballet Technique, Zumba, and ABT's National Training Curriculum in Pre-Primary through Level 3. She continues growing and sharing her love of dance with constant ongoing education.
Jessica Sawyer has been a dance educator for over twenty years and is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance and has choreographed a variety of groups including dance studios, theaters, dance teams, and show choirs. She holds her B.A. from North Park University.
Her choreography has received numerous accolades including top score at various dance competitions and national titles.
Jessica is an active member of the Illinois Dance Educators Organization and National Dance Educators Organization and has served on the national honor's society adjudication board.
She is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and Alixa Flexibility. She holds her teaching certification through Dance Teacher University in conjunction with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jessica currently teaches in the Chicagoland area, sharing her love of dance with students.
She loves the freedom and expression that dance provides and strives to make her classes an experience that will bring out the best in each individual dancer.
Amanda Anderson trained extensively in dance from a young age, beginning in her hometown of Grayslake, and started teaching at just 15 years old. She is well-versed in Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Jazz, and Hip Hop, with a strong foundation in both technique and performance. She continued her pre-professional training in Libertyville, where she performed throughout the United States and internationally in Europe as a member of a performance company for seven years.
Throughout her career, Amanda has participated in a wide range of master classes, conventions, intensives, and competitions, earning scholarships and recognition for her work. She also performed with a competitive hip hop team, Forum Squad, for several years and now serves as its Assistant Director.
Amanda is deeply committed to dance education, with a passion for choreography and student development. Her teaching philosophy focuses on cultivating well-rounded dancers while fostering discipline, artistry, and confidence. She strives to create a positive, inclusive environment where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired.
Guest Instructor
Mikka Jacobson is a ballroom dance specialist who teaches Beginner and Advanced Ballroom Dance at Liatris Dance Studio. She believes that anyone can dance, for as long as they are willing to learn, practice and make mistakes.
She has been a dance educator for five years and has taught the fundamentals, technique and choreography for numerous Ballroom, Rhythm, Latin and Social Dances. In addition to these one-on-one and group classes, she has instructed lessons and choreographed Wedding Dances such as couple’s first dances, mother-son and father-daughter dances.
Mikka has won first place in two ballroom dance competitions held in her university and has placed in Arthur Murray Pro competitions. She has been a key dance specialist and administrator in the opening of a new dance studio in Whitefish Bay, WI, teaching thousands of lessons, performing around the area and furthering her dance and teacher training. She has trained with traveling consultants and professional competitors like Snow Urbin and Ron Christie.
She is Certified Full Bronze through Arthur Murray Dance Studios for dances such as the Waltz, Foxtrot, (American) Tango, Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, Hustle, Salsa, Bachata and Merengue.
Mikka graduated from the University of the Philippines with an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and was a TESL instructor and children’s art teacher in the summer. She grew up dancing ballet, hip hop and ballroom in the Philippines and has continued pursuing her dance after moving to the United States. She is also certified in Barre, Zumba and Werq Fitness.
In her free time, Mikka loves reading, drawing illustrations inspired by her new life as a mother and her homeland, as well as spending time in nature.
