Dance Staff

Dance Program Coordinator
tlawrence@mcfetridgesportscenter.net
Classes: Ballet, Jazz, Acrobatics, Tap

Tiffani is the coordinator for the McFetridge Dance Studio, as well as a ballet, jazz, tap, and acrobatics instructor. She started dancing when she was 3 years old, started teaching when she was 12, and hasn’t looked back since then! She received Bachelor’s degrees in both Dance and Education from Kansas State University. She was the first dance instructor hired at McFetridge and has seen and helped the program grow immensely in a short period of time. Tiffani has experience teaching ballet, acrobatics, jazz, musical theater, hip-hop, and modern to dancers both young and old. She believes in the power of dance to improve students both physically and mentally, and she hopes to fuse her dance experience, education experience, and a deep care for every student into her program.

Classes: Ballet

Always a curious individual, Alexa started dancing at a young age, when she initially crashed her older sister's ballet class. She started broad - studying ballet, tap, and jazz. Alexa ultimately focused on ballet and had the opportunity to study with professional companies - The Fresno Ballet and Singapore Dance Theater. While an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, she was a founding member of Ballet Club at Berkeley. Though she loves ballet, she has had the opportunity to explore other forms of dance and is an adult student of hip hop, commercial jazz, and salsa. Originally from California, Alexa has lived in Grand Cayman, Singapore, and the Philippines - all places where she had opportunities to  learn and teach dance. Through her years as a dancer, she believes that dance is a way for people to express emotions without words, and a way for young dancers to develop the skills of discipline, dedication, and determination. She hopes to share her love of dance with others through being an instructor with McFetridge. 

Classes: Ballet, Jazz

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Gretchen Plinke studied at Loyola University Chicago to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Dance in Anthropology. Gretchen has studied ballet, Humphrey, Graham, and contemporary techniques under Loyola faculty and now dances professionally with Venetia Stifler and Concert Dance Inc. Prioritizing bringing a humanistic, holistic approach to teaching and performing, Gretchen values rigorous individual artistic exploration. Gretchen believes dance is for everyone and can provide a vehicle for personal growth and connection to others. She loves teaching children’s dance throughout Chicago and is excited to continue to learn and grow with the young dancers at McFetridge!

Classes: Musical Theater, Hip Hop

B is a Chicago native who grew up training in jazz, tap, and musical theater. She performed in and co-choreographed musicals all throughout high school and did 2 years as a Musical Theater major and dance minor in college. After covid she started pursuing dance professionally and now performs and trains primarily in hip hop and commercial dance styles, as well as continues to sing and train in musical theater. She is currently assisting choreographer and mentor Domé Lorusso, a dance captain and choreographer for Judith Priest, and rehearsal director for Met Down. In her non-dance time you can catch her practicing yoga or watching sports.

Classes: Ballet

Originally from Providence, RI, Mikaela Dalton trained in the pre-professional ballet program at Festival Ballet Providence (now Ballet RI) before going on to earn her BFA in dance from Jacksonville University in 2020. While at university, she was fortunate enough to work with choreographers such as Jennifer Archibald, Antonio Brown, and Amy Miller. After graduating, she returned to Festival Ballet as a trainee and a teacher. After two years teaching a variety of classes ranging from ballet for 3-4 year olds to adult open classes, she moved to Chicago in 2022 to continue to develop her career as a dance teacher and choreographer. She currently teaches in multiple studios around the city as well as  working freelance in choreography. Mikaela is so excited to join the staff at McFetridge and continue to share her experience and knowledge with the community!

Classes: Ballet, Tap

Mary-Rose Campos is an emerging professional dancer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She grew up as a competitive dancer and became a competition coach in 2018 choreographing various winning numbers. She attended Southern Methodist University where she received a BFA in dance performance with double minors in musical theatre and arts entrepreneurship in May 2023. Throughout her time there she performed various genre works from guest artists such as Matthew Neenan, Pascal Rioult, Michelle Gibson, and Brandi Coleman, Pat Taylor, and Mark Burrell. She also choreographed three master works, two of which were presented at SMU for their family weekend showing for Meadows School of the Arts and for Pride Visibility Day, an on campus pride festival showcasing performances from various queer artists on campus. She is currently in Boom Crack! Dance Company in Chicago, IL and is an intern grant writer/understudy for Boykin Dance Project. 

Classes: Salsa, Bachata, and Samba

Michelle is a Brazilian Ballroom Dance Instructor with 20 years of experience in Latin Styles (Salsa, Bachata, Samba, Samba de Gafieira, Forro, Brazilian Funk, Zouk, and others) plus 4 years experience of American Ballroom Dancing. 

Michelle moved to Chicago from her beautiful country 8 years ago, dancing since 5 years old beginning with Ballet and Capoeira classes, and proud of having danced in Carnaval events in Rio de Janeiro and Chicago; she is a performer and teacher who is passionate about developing talent in students, and is super excited to share her knowledge and culture with us.

Classes: Tap

Allie Buchweitz received a BFA in Dance and a Minor in History from the University of Arizona. While at school, she performed works by faculty members including Susan Quinn, Michael Williams, and James Clouser. She also had the opportunity to learn and perform Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco. During her senior year she performed as a dancer with the Arizona Opera in their production of Beauty and the Beast, and also taught dance for an after school enrichment program in the Tucson Unified School District. Since graduation, she has performed in Chicago as a company member with Joel Hall Dancers II, RASA Dance Chicago, and Corpo Dance Company in addition to working with numerous choreographers to perform in Dance Chicago, Chicago Freelance Dance, and the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival.  She also spent 6 seasons performing as a company member with Esoteric Dance Project. Allie has been sharing her love of dance with her students for over 16 years.

Classes: Tap

Audrey Smith-Phillips is a recent graduate of Millikin University where she got her BFA in Acting with a dance minor. During her time at Millikin she was head choreographer/cast for a university dance group for two years. She also got the chance to perform in dance ensemble and choreograph a piece for the MainStage dance concert “solstice.” Her recent play credits at Millikin include “A Doll’s House Part II”, “Fairview”, “The Moor’s”, and “The Learned Ladies”. Since she grew up dancing, it has continued to be something she pursues and shares. She has always loved many styles and places of dance and is excited to learn more with McFetridge.