Meet the Instructors
Lisa Hall Mckee, Director
A graduate of the University of Tennessee within the College of Communications, Lisa studied classical ballet, jazz and modern dance while performing with the New Repertory Dance Company. As a former member of the Sidewalk Dance Theater, Lisa toured the southeastern United State, performing concerts and lecture demonstrations at universities, theatres, and schools. Lisa performed with the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet for four years, dancing the lead character role in “Coppelia”, the Snow Queen and the Spanish dancer in the “Nutcracker”, and was principal dancer for the ballet “Cinderella”. Lisa’s main focus of study has been Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) under the instruction of Cristian Addams, formerly of the London Festival Ballet. Since opening her school in 1991, Lisa has had numerous students accepted by audition to prestigious dance programs such as New York University, North Carolina School of the Arts, American Ballet Theatre Summer Program, Joffrey Ballet, and Tennessee Governor’s School of the Arts. Each year several students of Studio Arts are awarded dance scholarships to major universities. Lisa is a recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award given by the Tennessee Governor’s School of the Arts. She is the artistic director of Go! Contemporary Dance Works, a contemporary ballet and modern dance ensemble.
Laura Leitner Shields
Graduated from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music with a B.F.A. in dance and a Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. Laura has studied classical ballet from Cristian Addams, formerly of the London Festival of Ballet, Oleg Sabline, formerly a soloist with Paris Opera Ballet, and Suzette Boyer, Donna Grisez, and David Blackburn of the Cincinnati Ballet. Laura also studied the Lester Horton Modern Dance Technique under James Truitte, a former dancer with the Lester Horton dance theatre and Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. Laura has performed with the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Dance Ensemble and Opera, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Contemporary Dance Company II and the Contemporary Dance Theatre. A native of Norris, Tennessee, Laura has been teaching ballet and modern dance at Studio Arts for eleven years.
Denise Njuguna
Denise has performed with the University of Tennessee Dance Company and has performed numerous solos roles in The Knoxville Metropolitan Dance Company. In addition to her performing she has choreographed dances for many inner city youth groups and choirs and has taught for the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Outreach Program. Denise has studied under Maurice Curry (Choreographer for Alvin Ailey), Missy Zimmer (CATS), nationally acclaimed choreographer Randy Duncan, Marcus Alford, and Ron Kellum (CHICAGO on tour) In 2002, she attended the Gus Giordano workshop in Chicago where she studies with Mia Michaels, Randy Duncan, Nan and Gus Giordano, Eddie O’Campo and John Leher. Denise has choreographed for GO! Contemporary Dance Works since its inception.
Lynn Loomis
Lynn has trained with David & Anna Marie Holmes for five years. Other important teachers and coaches to him were Barbara Legault, Margo Marshall, Victoria Vittom, Dennis Marshall, Fernando Schaffenburg and Kirt Hathaway. Lynn has worked under seasonal contract with Tennessee Festival Ballet, Berkshire Ballet, Nevada Dance Theatre, Theatre West Virginia, San Antonio Ballet and Lexington Ballet. He returned to Berkshire Ballet, Lexington Ballet and San Antonio Ballet as a guest artist to perform Le Corsair Pas de duex and other contemporary works. He has performed with numerous regional companies across the southeast and southwest in classical, neoclassical, contemporary and modern ballets. Lynn will be working with our mid and upper level ballet students this year.
Colleen Moore
Born and raised in Michigan, Colleen began studying dance at the age of eight. While growing up, she performed with Studio Dance Theatre in various classical ballets including principal roles in Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker. Colleen also spent summers training with the Bolshoi Ballet and the Milwaukee Ballet. Colleen graduated with a BA in Dance from Western Michigan University with an emphasis on Classical Ballet. While at Western, Colleen performed various roles to include “Little Russian” in Balanchine’s Serenade, “First Regiment Captain” in Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes and soloist roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, and various contemporary ballets. Colleen has also performed as a solo guest artist with Go! Contemporary Dance Works in February, 2007. She has taught Adult Ballet and various levels of ballet for the past several years at Studio Arts for dancers.Leah Jacqueline Pinder
Graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida. While attending USF she received many talent grants and the Henry F. Parish Scholarship of Excellence in Performance. In 2002, Leah represented USF at the International Festival of Music and Art in Castano, Italy. After graduating, Leah served as adjunct faculty for USF teaching modern dance and was also a guest instructor and choreographer at St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Leah has also performed and choreographed for Moving Current Dance Collective, Anoikis, and Circle Modern Dance. She is a founding member, dancer, and choreographer of Momentum Dance Lab and was co-Artistic Director of Art Moves 2009. Leah currently teaches modern dance technique at the University of Tennessee as well as Studio Arts for dancers.
Michelle Steedley
The majority of Michelle’s training was under Ron Jones of the Columbia County Ballet, former principal male dancer for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet and Augusta Ballet. She has also studied under Mary Geiger of Michigan Classic Ballet, Helen Starr of The Louisville Ballet, Tammy Adams of Augusta Ballet as well as Kathryn McBeth, Carol Erkes, Andrew Kuharsky, Renee Toole and Zanne Beaufort. Michelle has held corps positions, principal and supporting roles in original ballets, contemporary pieces and story ballets. Michelle performed various roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Giselle as well as several pieces by the late Tom Pazic such as Pas De Cinq in Concerto and lead roles in A Portrait of a Ball. She has taught for The Ron Jones Academy of Ballet, Savannah Dance Theatre, Vail Valley Academy of Dance and the Vail Youth Ballet Company. Michelle has her degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Occupational Therapy and is currently employed as a pediatric Occupational Therapist.
Michal Lynn Tweedie
Graduated from the University of Tennessee with B.A. in Psychology and dance minor. She began her training at Ginger Brown’s Academy in Chattanooga studying ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, and hip-hop. Michal Lynn has competed in regional and national dance competitions and has won national titles in jazz, lyrical, and tap. In 2003, she was cast by Brian Friedman to perform in a national taping of his piece, “Work”. Michal Lynn has also worked with esteemed choreographers, Gregg Russell Brenda Buffalino, Darrin Henson, Tyce Diorio, Wayles Haynes and Frank Chaves. Michal Lynn has recently performed with the University of Tennessee Dance Company and Go! Contemporary Dance Works. She has choreographed for companies at Center for Creative Arts and Ringgold High School in Chattanooga and the musical theater class at West High School. Michal Lynn brings a high energy teaching approach to her classes. This is her third year at Studio Arts where she teaches pre-ballet, tap, and jazz.
Rachel Wahlert
As a former student of Studio Arts for Dancers, Rachel has studies ballet, modern, improvisation and jazz. She has also studied and performed with Mark Lamb, former director of Circle Modern Dance, Jill Frere, Eldar Valiev, and Angela Hill. Rachel was assistant teacher for Lisa McKee, director, for four years and is currently rehearsal mistress for Go! Contemporary Dance Works, where she has been a Senior Company member for six years. Rachel will be teaching the lower level modern classes, integrating improvisation and creative movement into her classes.