JUDI HOLLAND - OWNER/BALLET ARTS
Judi began dancing in Grand Rapids at the Phil Oosterhouse Studio. She studied the Cecchetti method of ballet and has taken student exams and has her fourth teachers certificate in the method. Judi previously served as co-chair of the Western Michigan Committee. She has also attended the Russian Ballet Seminars and the David Howard Dance Intensive at Western Michigan University.
Her dancing continued in college and later as a member of Ballet Arts Ensemble as well as a former member of the board of directors. Judi also performed with the Oosterhouse company. She began teaching at Ballet Arts in 1977 and became co-owner in 1991. Her primary interest and expertise is in pre-ballet.
She has participated in the MAGIK (Making Arts Grow in Kalamazoo) Program and in other dance related programs in area public schools. Judi also coached Freshman, JV, and Varsity Cheerleading at Mattawan High School for eight years. Judi is presently a MHSAA, Michigan High School Athletic Association competitive cheer judge.
She currently resides in Kalamazoo with her husband, Steve, and they have two daughters, Janelle and Katie.
CATHLEEN HULING - OWNER/BALLET ARTS,
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/BALLET ARTS ENSEMBLE
Cathleen began her ballet training in Grand Rapids, Michigan with Sally Seven, principal ballerina with the Ballet Russe and founder of the Grand Rapids Ballet. She has studied dance at Western Michigan University and has performed with the university dancers. She is a 7-year participant of the Russian Seminars held at WMU and was interviewed in a video made for those seminars. Cathleen continues her education at various seminars held throughout the country.
Cathleen has been teaching ballet and character dance at Ballet Arts since 1982 and became co-owner of the studio in 1991. Dancers from her school perform regularly throughout the Kalamazoo community at such events as: Kiwanis, Festival of Trees, Hispanic Festival, Russian Festival, various county fairs and arts festivals.
In addition to a strong background in classical dance, Cathleen has years of experience in musical theater. She performed with the Grand Rapids Civic Theater as well as summer stock at Circle Theater. Cathleen has also choreographed area high school musicals and summer theater in Parchment.
In 2001, Cathleen became Artistic Director of Ballet Arts Ensemble, a non-profit youth ballet company. She has choreographed and produced such ballets as: La Boutique Fantastique, Aladdin’s Magic Lamp, Peter and the Wolf, Cafe Parisien, The Red Shoes, Cinderella and the full length Nutcracker Ballet. Her dancers and choreography have been selected for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and the Kalamazoo Symphony’s Youth Concert Series.
In addition to her directorship of the Ballet Arts School and Ballet Arts Ensemble, Cathleen has worked in the public schools, teaching basic dance concepts, providing performing opportunities, and educating students on different ethnic styles of dance and dance history.
Cathleen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and English and received her secondary education certification. She is currently a member of Dance Masters of America, Dance Masters of Michigan, Partners in Dance, and the Michigan Dance Council.
Cathleen lives in Kalamazoo with her husband, Dan. They have 4 wonderful daughters, 3 terrific sons-in-law and 6 perfect grandchildren.
DEBBY NORTON
Debby Norton (Ballet, Pointe, Cecchetti, Character, Jazz, Tap, Adult) is a native of Muskegon where she studied the Cecchetti method of ballet along with tap, jazz, modern, gymnastics, baton, and ice skating. While in Muskegon she danced in local theater productions, including musicals with the Muskegon Civic Theater. Currently a member of Ballet Arts Ensemble, her past performing credits include the Muskegon Community College Modern Jazz Company and Western Michigan University Ballet Theatre.
Debby holds a Bachelor of Science degree from WMU in retailing with a minor in Dance. Summer studies have included the CCA Summer School, Russian Ballet Seminars, and David Howard Intensives. Five years ago Debby began weekly training in the Alexander Technique which she continues to pursue.
Professionally, Debby has passed student exams and holds three teaching certificates in the Cecchetti method and is an active member of the Cecchetti Council of America, previously serving as co-chair of its Western Michigan Committee. Debby has been a board member of Ballet Arts Ensemble for the past nine years where she currently serves as treasurer. She holds a position as ballet instructor at WMU and teaches creative dance in Kalamazoo Schools as part of the Education for the Arts program.
Debby and her husband Mike live in Kalamazoo.
CATHY KRIEG
Cathy graduated from Western Michigan University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree, which included a minor in dance. She began taking dance lessons at the age of three. Her training included ballet, tap, acrobatics, jazz, and modern dance. After graduating from W.M.U. she performed for one year with Ballet Garneau in Roswell, Georgia. After returning to Michigan she continued to take classes at W.M.U. with Eugene Mills. She continued her instructional training by attending the Little People’s Creative Workshop™ in Greenville, North Carolina.
Cathy has taught children’s church classes for preschoolers through elementary age since 1990 and has home schooled her daughters through high school. She has choreographed amateur musical productions for both children and adults in local churches, private schools and for Homeschool Performing Arts of Kalamazoo. Cathy began teaching Pre-Ballet at Ballet Arts in 2001 and Beginning Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Teen Dance at the Portage Y.M.C.A. in 2004.
Cathy lives in Kalamazoo with her husband Rob and their three daughters. All three girls have been students at Ballet Arts since 1993 and have been performing members of the Ballet Arts Ensemble.
MICHELE VANDER BEEK
Michele began her dance training at the age of three, in her hometown of Rochester, NY. Michele has studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, pointe, and creative dance. During her years in New York, she had the opportunity to work with dancers such as, Frank Hatchett, Savion Glover, and Garth Fagan. Michele was also selected to dance in Paris, France with Universal Dance Association at the age of 17.
After New York, Michele continued to dance at Hope College in Holland, MI, where she received the Distinguished Artist Award. She graduated from Hope College with a B.A. in Dance Performance/Choreography and a minor in Spanish. During college, Michele continued to perform and choreograph for both the student and faculty concerts, in addition to local dance productions. After college, she performed with local Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids dance companies. Michele also taught creative dance, jazz, tap and modern at local dance studios.
For the past eight years Michele has continued to enrich the lives of Kalamazoo students through her teaching with the Education for the Arts program. She continues her own personal dance education enrichment by continually attending professional workshops around the country.
Michele currently resides in Portage with her husband, Marc, and their two children, Alexandra and Gregory.
JANELLE HOLLAND
Janelle began her dance training at Ballet Arts where she continues to take classes. She was a member of Ballet Arts Ensemble for 4 years where she performed in the Nutcracker, Aladdin’s Magic Lamp, Café Parisien and Peter and the Wolf. As a Cecchetti student, she passed grades I, II and III of the Cecchetti method. Janelle is nationally certified to teach three to seven year olds through the Little People’s Creative Workshop.
Janelle is currently Program Director for Added Advantage Childcare at Richland Elementary School and teacher of the Mid Day program for kindergartners.
Janelle holds a Bachelors of Science in Group Social Studies from Grand Valley State University. Janelle is also a certified teacher in the state of Michigan and is currently seeking her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from Aquinas College.
WHITNEY MONCRIEF
Artist - in residence- , earned her Bachelor of Arts from Point Park College graduating cum laude. She grew up in Orlando, Florida while studying under the direction of instructors such as Edith Royal, Bruce Steivel, Judy James and Annette Dubose, along with her mother Lindsay Moncrief.
In 1999, Whitney joined Hubbard Street 2 after fulfilling a year as a scholarship student at the Lou Conte Dance Studio. In 2001, Whitney moved to San Francisco where she danced with the Oberlin Dance Collective for two seasons. She returned to Chicago in 2004 to rejoin Hubbard Street 2 for their first coast to coast tour. While with Hubbard Street 2, Whitney performed in dances by Lou Conte, Robert Battle, Harrison McEldowney, Ron DeJesus, Alex Ketley, and Brian Enos, to name a few.
She has performed throughout the United States and in Germany, South Africa, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Whitney was later invited to assist Julie Nakagawa, Hubbard Street 2’s director. Following Nakagawa’s departure, Whitney served as Hubbard Street 2’s Artistic Associate. While leading Hubbard Street 2 on tour, in rehearsals and through programs across the U.S. and Europe, Whitney also acted as the ballet mistress and master class instructor in colleges, universities and dance festivals. She also assisted choreographers such as Christian Spuck, Edward Liang, Amy Raymond, Johannes Wieland and Harrison McEldowney in their creations for Hubbard Street 2.