To The Pointe Performing Arts Faculty and Staff
Nina Gaydos-Fedak Director
Ms. Gaydos-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 and performed with Marie Abels, Heinz Poll at the University of Akron and Dennis Nahat at Cleveland Ballet School, and locally with Doris Von der Hoff and Esther Moody. She is the founder and director of To The Pointe Performing Arts.
Passionate about dance and the arts, Nina serves on numerous arts-based boards and donates time and talent to area schools and organizations. Well versed in many styles of dance, ballet, musical theatre, character, and folk dance are her special areas of interest. She is committed to teaching dance as an art form, showing dancers not just how to dance, but where the movement comes from physically and historically. A lifelong goal is to integrate dance in the core curricula of every school, helping to develop creative and divergent thinkers
Ms. Fedak has been accepted as a member in the National Dance Educators Organization (NDEO) and ascribes to the PTSDA (Professional Teaching Standards in Dance Arts) while working toward her CiD (Certificate in Dance). She is also a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Arts Alliance of Waukesha County, Pewaukee Area Arts Council, and Wisconsin Dance Council. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Lake Country Dance Theatre and has established three performance groups within To The Pointe.
To The Pointe has been awarded a Chapter in the National Honors Society in Dance Arts and can offer its students all the benefits of the organization.
Sally Pfeiffer Office Manager
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.
Dance Department
Lori Heckel Assistant Director of Dance
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 Von der Hoff 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.
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.
Emma Grabarczyk
Emma Grabarczyk is a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University. She graduated with a degree in Dance Studio Management which provided her with training that balanced technical, performing and composition skills with teaching methods and business knowledge. While at Eastern she performed in numerous faculty and guest artist pieces as well as many student choreography shows. She has teaching experience in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary. She also continues to expand her own education through workshops and classes whenever she can.
On top of teaching dance, Emma is a trained and enthusiastic Zumba instructor. She loves being able to work out and have fun, and mostly just stay active.
Annette Grefig
Annette Grefig is currently a senior working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography. While in school, she has performed in works by world-renowned artists such as Garth Fagan, Mark Morris, Arnie Zane, and Gerald Casel. She has studied ballet, modern, pointe, jazz, and tap and teaches at DanceWorks and area studios. She is currently a company member of Elizabeth Johnson’s, Your Mother Dances, and Danceworks on Tap.
Michaela McElwee
Michaela McElwee is a 2009 graduate of the UW-Milwaukee Dance Department. She has since worked in Cleveland, OH as a high school dance teacher and competitive hip-hop dance team coach. During the summer Michaela is the Dance Director at Camp Starlight in Starlight, PA, teaching hip-hop, jazz and contemporary. She moved to New York City August of 2011 where she was teaching hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, and jazz funk at multiple locations in Manhattan. She was also choreographing a number of different shows in New York City including off Broadway show "Garbage" and the touring production of "GleeNation". In April of 2012 Michaela accepted a job with Sports World China to teach dance and choreograph for kids and adults in Shanghai China in the expat community. There she was also dancing with a professional Hip Hop dance Company called Soul Dance and was featured in many different shows in Shanghai including China's Got Talent. Michaela has worked with dance artists in the past two years such as Jamal Sims, Shane Sparks, Luam, Bev Brown, Lil C, Brian Friedman, and Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo.
Theatre Department
Christopher Orth
Christopher graduated with a degree in Theatre from Concordia University in 2010 and has extensive experience in theatre as an actor, a director, and stage management. During his years at Concordia he received the Irene Ryan Nomination as well as the Theatre Leader of the Year Award, and spent much of his free time developing a youth theatre organization for the college which traveled around the southeastern Wisconsin area performing for various schools, churches, and after school programs.
He has worked with Above the Clouds, Inc. as a theatre and ballroom teacher to Milwaukee’s underprivileged youth, as well as appearing at Summerfest as an actor in their children’s area. Mr. Orth has also directed several shows at Martin Luther High School in Greendale, and has worked with several community theatres and programs in the greater Milwaukee area.
He will be developing the theatre program at To The Pointe as well as directing the new Pointe Players Youth Theatre Troupe. Mr. Orth will also be working closely with the director and faculty to help create a fusion of performing arts opportunities for the students of To The Pointe.
Mr. Orth is very excited to be joining the exquisite staff of To The Pointe Performing Arts and is looking forward to enhancing and developing the theatre program and the new theatre troupe. Mr. Orth has a true passion for theatre and the performing arts that he hopes to pass on to all the students.
Music Department
Lindsey Adams
Lindsey Adams, mezzo-soprano, has been praised for her "bell-like purity" and her stylish and expressive interpretation. Ms. Adams has a very full performance schedule in addition to teaching private voice and piano lessons. She is the principal vocalist for Musik Ekklesia with whom she recorded the Grammy Nominated CD Vanishing Nordic Chorale in 2011 for Sono Luminous. Lindsey is frequently a featured soloist with Bella Voce (formerly His Majestie's Clerkes) and The Oriana Singers. Other performances include appearances with the San Francisco Monteverdi Ensemble and the International Chamber Artists.
Lindsey has been a vocal coach for Musical Theatre and classical singers in NYC and Chicago. As a pianist, she has accompanied at DePauw University, NYC Musical Theatre Audition Workshops and was the staff accompanist at Bret Adams Talent Agency. Lindsey holds a degree in Vocal Performance from DePauw University and has studied voice with Gabriel Crouch and Pamela Coburn.
Lindsey is thrilled to be joining To The Pointe Performing Arts Academy teaching Group Voice Classes, Individual Lessons and Coachings and Group Music Courses.
Substitutes
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.
Jenny currently fills in as a sub for TTP teachers when needed and actively participates in TTP Teacher "play dates", where TTP teachers meet to share their expertises in dance and excercise dance creativity.
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 curently fills in as a sub for TTP teachers when needed.
Gina has a Bachelor’s Degree in business from Carroll College and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
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. Her passion for sharing dance with her students is so strong that she still subs for teachers when needed. Shawn is also a mother to a 3½ year old son and she is glad to be sharing her passion of dance with him.
Shawn holds a BFA in Dance from UW Milwaukee and 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.
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