To The Pointe Faculty and Staff
Nina Gaydos-Fedak
Ms. Fedak began her dance studies in tap and ethnic dance at the age of four in Cleveland, Ohio and discovered classical ballet when she was seven. She studied with Marie Abels, Heinz Poll at the University of Akron and Dennis Nahat at Cleveland Ballet School. She also attended master classes in New York, Michigan and Ohio.
Ms. Fedak performed with Marie Abels’ pre-professional troupe, Cathedral Folk Dancers, workshop concerts, Southwest Cultural Arts and Community Players. Locally, Ms. Fedak studied with Doris Von Der Hoff and Esther Moody. She has extensive choreographic experience, including Lake Country Players, Lake Country Children’s Theater, area schools and community groups.
Ms. Fedak is a member of the National Dance Association, Dance Masters of Wisconsin, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Arts Alliance of Waukesha County and Wisconsin Dance Council. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Lake Country Dance Theatre.
Sally Pfeiffer
Ms. Sally began dancing when she was four in a community variety show and has danced ever since. She has been involved in many talent shows, contests, variety shows and high school and community theatre productions in which she served as both performer and choreographer. A staff member since 1989, Ms. Sally has over twenty-five years experience as a choreographer and instructor. She is a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin.
Lori Heckel
Lori Heckel began her dance training at the age of 5 at Lehman Studios in Raleigh, NC under the direction of John & Terry Lehman. While in North Carolina, Lori danced in many children’s works with the Ballet Theatre Company of Raleigh. After 7 years of study in NC, Lori’s family moved west to Oconomowoc, WI where she continued her dance training at many reputable ballet schools, such as Esther Moody School of Dance and Doris VonderHoff School of Dance. Upon completing high school, she ventured to UW- Stevens Point, where she declared a major in Theatre Arts/Dance.
While at the university she performed in many student and faculty productions of After Images and Danstage. She also had the privilege of dancing with Kelly Roth and Dancers. This group took a dance piece to ACDFA (American College’s of Dance Festival Association) in Columbus, OH where judicators asked the ‘top performances pieces’ to perform in the festival’s Gala. Lori participated in one of Kelly Roth’s pieces which was considered ‘top’ and was delighted with the opportunity posed to her and the group. In May 1991, Lori received her BA in Theatre Arts/Dance and a minor in Psychology. Other opportunities, that Lori partook in while in Stevens Point was choreographer for the university’s annual Madrigal Dinner during her senior year in college.
Lori has always loved teaching and working with people. She loves to share her passion of dance with everyone. Over the years, Lori has had numerous experiences working in her field of passion. She has been teaching for the past 15 plus years and continues to grow as a teacher and dancer by taking workshops and classes from master teachers. She is a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin. She currently has been working at To The Pointe for the past 10 years, teaching ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, poms/cheer and occasionally dabbles in tap.p
Abby Klang
Abby has student taught and conducted at several area schools. She was the music director for Madison School Community and Recreation where she taught music classes and has several years experience teaching private voice and piano lessons at Ward-Brodt in Madison and White House of Music in Watertown. In 2006, Abby organized and developed the UW-Whitewater's first Fine Arts Camp.
Abby has participated in numerous competitions had has received 2nd place at National Association of Teachers of Singing, 1st place Wisconsin Music Teachers Association and 1st place at Milwaukee Music Teachers Association. She has also received the following recognitions: guest performer for MMTA recitals, Oconomowoc Music Club Scholarship Recipient, SBC Scholastic Excellence Scholarship Recipient, Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts Scholarship Recipient, The Greenhill Excellence in the Arts Award, Guest performer for McKenna Studio Recital, McMonagle Studio Scholarship Recipient, UWW Foundation Academic Excellence Scholarship, National Choral Directors Award Recipient. Abby has performed at various venues, including the Chicago Symphony Center , Miller park, County Stadium, Bradley Center (for Milwaukee Wave, Bucks and Admirals), Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Young Auditorium, Summerfest, and the Charles Allis Museum to name a few.
Abby was a member of the UWW Concert choir and UWW Chamber Singers for three years. She sang at the Symphony Center in Chicago with the Paderewski Symphony Orchestra for Kilar's Exodus and Angelus, she was a vocal soloist for UW-Whitewater's Voice Gala event and was also the featured soloist in several of UW-Whitewater's opera scenes. Abby was also a soloist at the UW-Whitewater's Women's Fair and sang with UW-Whitewater's Symphonic Wind Ensemble for the performance of Polovtsian Dances. In 2005 and 2006, Abby was also selected to participate in the Wisconsin All State Collegiate Choir.
Jim Beasley
’Mr. B’ has been teaching tap at To The Pointe since 2003. His lifelong love for and study of tap began at age 8 in Detroit where he studied privately with stage veterans Harry Hicks, Henry Mehlberg and Jeff Richardeau.
Known professionally as “Jack Lee,” Jim has more than 50 years experience in broadcasting as a performer, general manager and consultant. He has appeared on stage as actor/singer with most of Milwaukee’s professional theater companies since 1982. He holds a degree in speech from Albion College, was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Mass Media Department for three years and is a member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Shawn Motley
Shawn Motley has been employed at To The Pointe in one way or another since it’s doors opened in 1987. She has danced in, or choreographed for, every recital TTP has produced. Shawn used to be the assistant director of TTP but family obligations required her to resign from that position in 2006 to take an 8-5 job outside of the studio. Her passion for sharing dance with her students is so strong that she still comes in to teach one night a week. If there were more hours in the day, she would be here more! Shawn also a mother to a 3½ year old son who is starting his dance experience at TTP this year. His discoveries and wonder at life thrill and challenge her every day. She is glad to be sharing her passion of dance with him.
Shawn holds a BFA in Dance from UW Milwaukee and, though she has let it lapse, she graduated with a certificate to teach dance in the public schools PreK-12. Shawn is also a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin. She has studied dance at Esther Moody Ballet Studios, To The Pointe, and UWM faculty: including Ed Burgess, Marcia Parsons, Janet Lily, and Ferne Yangyeitie Caulker-Bronson.
Gina Moretti
Gina Moretti began dancing at the age of 10. She studied Ballet, Tap and Jazz at a local studio in Indiana where she grew up and also served as an instructor for several years. While in Indiana she attended many workshops and summer programs, including Jordan College Academy of Dance summer classes in Indianapolis and the Tremaine and Dance Olympus conventions in St. Louis. Gina has continued to study Ballet for over 10 years by attending classes at the Milwaukee Ballet School and Dance Works. She has taught at To The Pointe for over ten years and taught at the New Berlin Recreation Department prior to joining TTP.
Gina has a Bachelor’s Degree in business from Carroll College and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Sarah Wolf
Born and raised in southern Wisconsin, Sarah Nesler attended Belhaven College in Jackson, MS, for two years working on her BFA in dance. She studied Vaganova method ballet and a variety of modern styles including Graham technique. For four summers she attended Milwaukee Ballet School’s summer intensive, working with a variety of instructors and choreographers including Rolando Yanes, Nadia Thompson, and Mireille Faverel.
Sarah spent this past summer at the Alvin Ailey School’s intensive, and also took classes at various studios around New York City including Paul Taylor and the Limon Institute. The past four semesters, Sarah has been attending UW-Milwaukee, and will complete her BFA in dance this December.
While at UWM, Sarah has worked with instructors and choreographers including Simone Ferro, Ed Burgess, Janet Lily, Andre Tyson, and Luc Vanier. She has also begun her own explorations as a choreographer while at UWM. Sarah is excited to have the opportunity to put her experience and passion to use as she begins the exciting challenge of imparting dance to another generation at To the Pointe.
Jenny Leake
Jenny Leake began dancing when she was five years old. She studied ballet exclusively until she was introduced to modern dance in high school, which she instantly fell in love with. A native of Utah, Jenny attended Brigham Young University and received her bachelor's degree in dance education in April 2007. While in college, Jenny took classes in modern, ballet, jazz, and ballroom. She had the opportunity to work with artists from Alvin Ailey, BodyVox, Paul Taylor, and many other dance artists across the country. Since graduating, Jenny has taught at To The Pointe for three years and has also worked with many area schools bringing dance into the school setting. Jenny's love is in teaching dance, inspiring creativity, and sharing the excitement of movement.
Katie Bressan
Katie recently graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a BA in Theatre Eductaion, K-12. Katie has taught drama classes at Elm Creative Arts School and Waterford Union High School and is a member of the UW-Milwaukee Players Guild. Katie enjoys working with young artists and is a very talented, energetic and enthusiastic teacher.
Dennise Lurtsema
Dennise is a student from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she studies Criminology and Digital forensics. She is working on her senior project on restorative justice and juvenile reform in the support of the Campaign for Youth Justice.
Elizabeth Bertke
Elizabeth Bertke started twirling when she was old enough to walk and began formal dance lessons at the age of 8. At several different dance studios in the Chicago-land area Elizabeth was able to study under the direction of Eddy Ocampo (Giordano Jazz Dance), Mark Yonally (Chicago Tap Theatre), Sinead Gilda (Impetus Dance Theater & Motions Dance Company), Amy Rose (ABT), Isabelle Elefson (Classical Ballet of Sao Paulo) and many others, gaining excellent training in ballet, jazz and tap. Elizabeth graduated with her Bachelors Degree from the University of Iowa with an emphasis in teaching ballet and modern dance. She truly enjoys choreographic work as well as volunteering. Outside of her choreographic work at the University of Iowa Elizabeth has created pieces for Sylvania Senior Center Senior Follies shows (2004, 2005, 2009) as well for Waukegan Township's That's Entertainment 2010. After having spent a year living in France Elizabeth is excited to be back in a dance studio, where her true passion lies, working with the students at To The Pointe and helping to instill in them that same passion for dance.
Judy Novotny
Judy Novotny is currently a student at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater studying public relations and a minor in dance. Since she could walk, Judy has been dancing whether it be in the studio or on the basketball court. She spent three years on her high school dance team, a year on a competition team at Accent on Dance and is now performing in the university's annual dance concert as well as attending classes at the studio. Ms. Judy has studied several different genres from ballet, lyrical, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and poms, or dance team, with her strength being in ballet. Ms. Judy teaches introductory ballet course to children 2 to 5 years of age.
Holly Hanrahan
Holly Hanrahan began dancing competitively since age four working on different varieties of styles, mainly jazz, hip hop and poms. She was on the West Allis allegro Senior Competive Dance team throughout high school where they won fourth place in the nation with their poms routine as well as ninth in the nation for hip hop. While on the senior team she also coached and choreographed the Junior Allegro Dance Team her junior and senior year of high school. She was also an instructor for six years with the West Allis, West Milwaukee recreation department teaching hip hop, poms, jazz, and lyrical. After high school she went on to dance for the West Allis Allegro Elite dance team where she continues to dance to this day. She started with To The Pointe in June and is very excited to be teaching again. She can't wait to see what the future may bring her with this company!
Becky Dettmann
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Becky Dettmann made dancing a part of her life when she was five years old. By age eight, it was her life, developing a passion for the art which still goes on today. Becky graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in December 2006 with a Bachelor's Degree in dance and a minor in business. Her passion for dance began at Arabesque Dance Studio in Milwaukee. She was there for 13 years. Later, she attended the Milwaukee Ballet School and Danceworks. By the time she was 15, she was under the spotlight with professional performances in "The Nut Tapper" at the Old Town School of Folk Music show in Chicago. A year later, she appeared in "We Are The Drum" at the Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee. Becky's range of dance is hard to match. She's an award-winning choreographer, both in solo and group performances. Her proudest accomplishment is choreographing a six-time platinum tap solo, "Dreaming of You," which was performed at the Statewide Showstoppers, Applause and Starbound competition. She's worked alongside some of the industry's performance dancers: Mandy Moore, Dee Caspery, Doug Caldwell, Mark Meismer, Kimberly Lyon, Darryl Retter, Cindy Ricalde and Jeremy Keeton to name a few. She's also worked with choreographers Darci Wutz and Andre Tyson, who's based in California. For the past eight years, her teaching experience includes Dance Tracks, Mirror Image Dance Academy and Encore. In her spare time, she likes to watch Law and Order, add spots to her Dalmatian, and spend time with friends and family. "I'm excited to share my knowledge and train the next generation of dancers at To The Pointe."