Ms. Goss began dancing at Bohaty’s School of Dance in Michigan and was also a member of the Children’s Ballet Theatre of Michigan. She later became a member of the senior trainee division of the Grand Rapids Ballet through high school, working under Laura Schwenk-Berman and Gordon Pierce-Schmidt. As a student she was accepted into Pacific Northwest, Boston Ballet, and Joffrey Midwest summer intensives on full scholarship. After four years in Grand Rapids, Ericka was accepted into Atlanta Ballet’s Pre-Professional Division on full scholarship.  Promoted to the company as a Fellowship dancer, she danced as a Fellowship for two years under Sharon Story and John McFall. In the summer of 2011 she  attended the LINES Ballet Summer Intensive in San Francisco under full scholarship.  After 3 seasons with The Atlanta Ballet, Ericka was hired into the Saint Louis Ballet in St. Louis, MO.  She danced with SLB for 7 seasons performing soloist roles and had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Christopher D'Amboise, Emery LeCrone, Twyla Tharp repeteur Matthew Dibble, Francis Patrelle, Kevin Jenkins,  Pam Tanowitz, Gregory Dolbashian, and Michael Uthoff. She danced roles in Balanchine's Western Symphony, Serenade, and was a tall girl in Who Cares? as well as performing soloist roles in Gen Horiuchi's The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Giselle. She is also a founding member of Deos Contemporary Ballet in Grand Rapids, MI.

Ericka is PBT and Pointe Safe certified and has been teaching for 16 years, both with Atlanta Ballet and Saint Louis Ballet School, as well as at the Belleville School of Ballet, Academy of Performing Arts, and Turning Pointe School of Dance. 

Artistic Coordinator & Ballet Master at Grand Rapids Ballet.

Dawnell retired from dancing with Grand Rapids Ballet in 2017 after 16 seasons. She then transitioned to Artistic Coordinator and Ballet Mistress at Grand Rapids Ballet.  Previously dancing with Cincinnati Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Dayton Ballet and Metropolitan Ballet Theatre of Detroit, Dawnell enjoyed a long, rewarding career with a repertoire spanning the classics to contemporary masterpieces, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Paquita, Dracula, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Firebird, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Jack The Ripper, Red Angels, Fingerprints, Black and White, Sync, Jewels, Allegro Brilliante, Who Cares, Serenade, Four Temperaments, Divertimento No. 15, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Concerto Barocco, Nine Sinatra Songs, Where the Wild Things Are, Celts, Rapture, Il Distratto, Con Amore, The Sofa, This Is Not A Raincoat, and The Gift of the Magi.

Having the opportunity to work with esteemed choreographers and teachers from around the world such as Lila York, Nils Christe, Fredrick Franklin, Suzanne Farrell, Kirk Peterson, Val Caniporoli, Peter Boal, Septime Webre, Raymond Lukens, Mario Radakovsky, and Stanton Welch helped shape her artistry.  Having new roles crafted for her and mastering the classics were her happy place as a dancer.  Performing live in concert with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and the John Jorgenson Quintet were outstanding stage experiences.

Additionally, Dawnell took over as the owner and Artistic Director of Academy of Dance Arts in Comstock Park, Michigan, six years ago and enjoys fostering an environment where the students can grow in all the different disciplines of dance, as well as staging and creating new works.  She holds a professional membership with Dance Masters of America and the Cecchetti Council of America and enjoys guest teaching, dancing and judging around the country.

Ms. Dryja is married to Bryce Black and has a daughter Tevyn who is the light of her life.

Tatiana Kalistratova grew up in Michigan and received her early ballet training here before being accepted to the famed Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.

There, she studied for 2 years with legendary teachers such as; Marina Vasilieva, Anastasia Vasilieva, Zhanna Ayupova, Yulia Makhalina, Vadim Desnitsky, and Alexander Stepin. She graduated with honors and was among the few foreigners to be given the honor to dance soloist roles at the Mariinsky Theater. Ms. Olson has a vast knowledge of classical repertoire and has rehearsed and performed soloist roles from ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Corsaire, Giselle, Carmen, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Paquita. Mrs. Kalistratova also extensively studied character dance under the famed Russian character dancer Irina Gensler. Together they rehearsed a large character repertoire from many famous ballets and operas. Ms. Olson is a prize winner of the international ballet competition Youth American Grand Prix and has participated in numerous international ballet festivals and masterclasses to further her education. She has also received additional education with world renowned ballet stars from The Royal Ballet, Het National Ballet, Bolshoi Theater, American Ballet Theater and Mariinsky Theater. After her dancing career, Ms. Tatiana started teaching and has since brought students to some of the most famous schools and programs in the world. Under her instruction, students have gone on to be accepted to schools such as;

Joffrey Ballet School, Ellison Ballet School, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Russian Masters Ballet Program, Colorado Ballet Academy, and Atlanta Ballet. Her students have also won prizes at numerous international ballet competitions such as World Ballet Art Competition, ADC|IBC, and World Ballet Competition. Ms. Tatiana has a firm approach to the classroom and gives the closest curriculum to Vaganova Academy as she is the only teacher in Michigan to have graduated from the prestigious school.

Andrew Kaczmarek, Assistant Director of Michigan Ballet Theatre, trained with Cornelia Sampson at the Rochester School of Dance and was a principal dancer of Michigan Ballet Theatre, Rochester School of Dance’s resident ballet company. Andrew has been featured in soloist and principal roles in MBT’s Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia and contemporary works choreographed by Michael Hicks and Deborah Dawn. Andrew was asked to participate with National City’s Stars of Ballet and Broadway with Meg Paul and Ron DeJesus and in 2008 was awarded 3rd place at Youth America Grand Prix Semi-finals in Chicago, Illinois performing Nutcracker Snow Pas de Deux. He later studied on full scholarship with American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and School of American Ballet. Andrew was accepted into Boston Ballet in 2009 as a trainee. In 2010, he joined GKA in New York City as a studio company member. Andrew guested with Cincinnati Ballet and finished his career dancing with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Andrew teaches ballet, variations, pas de deux and men’s class.

Artistic Director of Michigan Ballet Theatre, and Rochester School of Dance ballet instructor, began her journey in dance at the young age of four with the Rochester School of Dance and at the age of 12, was accepted into Michigan Ballet Theatre under the direction of Cornelia Sampson. During her six-year tenure, Jennifer performed numerous soloist roles in full length ballets including Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire, Paquita and The Nutcracker Ballet. Ms. Ristoski also received additional training at summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and NCDT. After graduation, Jennifer continued her professional career at North Carolina Dance Theatre working directly with artistic director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride and Mark Diamond. Jennifer has been on faculty at the Rochester School of Dance for the past 14 years, is a certified teacher with American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum and is currently the Artistic Director of Michigan Ballet Theatre.  Ms. Ristoski has choreographed several original works that have competed at YAGP and local competitions, receiving great accreditation and multiple overall wins. Under her coaching, students have placed Top 24 and Top 12 at YAGP regional competitions, high placings at World Ballet Artistic Competitions, Hope Awards and scholarships to prestigious summer intensives.

Andi is a Chilean Choreographer, Dance Educator, Performer, and Sociologist. She got her BA degree in Sociology at UC of Chile, the same place where she founded Kazé Dance, a Contemporary dance company where she was the Artistic Director and Choreographer for eight years. In 2017, Andi relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and obtained her MFA in Dance and Choreography from Mills College. There, she also had the opportunity to perform for choreographers such as Joe Landini and Molissa Fenley and showed her work with her Dance Company “A Pulso Dance Project" at many festivals around the State. During her years in the Bay, Andi also worked as a faculty member at the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, Shawl Anderson Dance Center, and as a Teaching Artist at Alonzo King Lines Ballet Dance Center. In 2023, she relocated to New York to keep her studies and joined the Master’s degree “Teaching Dance in the Profession: ABT Ballet Pedagogy” at New York University while working as a Teaching Artist for ABT and as an assistant at the ABT JKO School. During her time in NYC, she also did an internship at Peridance Contemporary Dance Company with Igal Perry as an administrative assistant and worked as a Contemporary faculty member for Maria Kowroski’s New Jersey Ballet Summer Intensive. In 2024, she moved to Michigan and currently works as a lecturer for the University of Michigan Dance Department, as a Visitor Assistant Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University, as a Contemporary Faculty member at Grand Rapids Ballet, as a choreographer for Eastern Michigan University and as a Ballet and Modern faculty member for Fenton Ballet Theater.

Caitlin Sloan, founder & CEO of The Brainy Ballerina, is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.

Caitlin danced professionally with companies including Ballet Tucson and Mareck Dance (formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet). She served as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and on faculty of Central Indiana Academy of Dance and the School of Madison Ballet. In 2019, Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Through 1-1 career mentorship, workshops and digital resources, dancers gain the skills necessary to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry.

Brooke Holvick began her classical ballet training at the age of nine at the Brighton School of Ballet.  Ms. Holvick continued her classical training under the direction of ballet master Thomas Morris at Alma College where she received her BFA in Theatre and Dance as well as departmental honors for her work in the dance department.  As an Alma College Dance Company member, dancing on scholarship, she was given performance opportunities in numerous classical pieces as a soloist.  Her repertoire includes The Nutcracker, Swan Lake Act II, Aurora’s Wedding from The Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Quatre, Les Sylphides, Les Patineurs, Pas de Dix, La Bayadere, among many others.  Upon graduation, she returned to Brighton School of Ballet where she remained on staff until 2017.  Her lifelong love of the arts and passion for ballet led to the formation of Fenton Ballet Theatre.  

Ms. Holvick is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor for Level 1 Matwork, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels.  Ms. Holvick has also completed her certification in Progressing Ballet Technique, a revolutionary training program designed to enhance ballet technique and the overall strength of a dancer. Her goal is to bring the timeless beauty of ballet to Fenton and its surrounding areas, providing exceptional training in a professional environment.

Grace was raised in Michigan and has been studying the art and sport of dance since 2000. She attended the University of Michigan where she studied dance and business and graduated with a Bachelor's of Business Administration. Her training includes ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, lyrical, composition, and improvisation. Grace has been teaching dance since 2012, and before that was a teacher’s assistant at her studio. Her background is rooted in classical ballet, studying with the American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and the Rock School for Dance Education.

As the founder of the 501(c)3 non-profit The Army of Survivors, Grace is a globally recognized advocate, consultant, and speaker for athlete rights and trauma-informed coaching. She serves as an Advisory Board member for International Safe Sport, International Safeguards for Children in Sport, and has served on expert advisory committees for the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, and Apple. Grace is one of the recipients of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2018 ESPYs, a 2018 Glamour Women of the Year awardee, and a 2021 and 2022 Liberty Bell Awardee from the Michigan Bar Association for her work in athlete rights.

Grace is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.