THE Dee hillier legacy class
By teachers who trained with Dee Hillier in classic jazz techniques, carrying on Dee’s Thursday morning collaborative and educational environment for all!
Join us Thursday mornings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, for an exhilarating class led by a different distinguished guest dance instructor each week who trained with Dee Hillier in classic jazz techniques. This class is designed to cater to the needs of dance educators seeking new warm up concepts, refined technique exercises, and a host of fresh movement ideas to infuse innovation into their teaching for the betterment of dance and to help our students grow to uplift the entire Cleveland dance community together!
We also extend a warm invitation to the entire dance community (non-teachers too!) - come partake in this enriching, all-encompassing experience to learn from the area's best seasoned instructors in a collaborative, supportive atmosphere.
See below for teacher/bio/style.
Classes are $12 each, open to ages 16+
12/5 john gavin thompson
John Thompson is originally from the Cleveland area and began his dance training with the famous Dee Hiller. He has been working in the entertainment world for over 20 years as a professional dancer, actor, choreographer, and director. John has worked with several Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Winners such as Tommy Tune, Tabitha & Napolean, Patti Colombo, and John Charron. He has traveled the world teaching Master classes in Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Heels, and audition classes. For 15 years, John worked for Stiletto Entertainment based out of Los Angeles. While working for Stiletto, he worked in the Cruise Ship division as well as with many artists that Stiletto managed, working on stage shows as well as PBS specials. John also choreographs for RWS & Associates out of New York. Choreographing shows in New York City and England. He has also been a part of the Winter Guard world as either a performer or as a movement and equipment instructor.
12/12 -kathie nejman
Kathie Nejman loves being a part of the fantastical emjaez family celebrating Season 20! Kathie has been at emjaez Dance Studio since its opening and couldn’t be more proud of her dancers and our amazing dance family. Kathie grew up dancing and performing in the Greater Cleveland area and is proud to call it home to her dancing career. Kathie has been truly privileged to grow up studying under the renowned teacher and choreographer, Dee Hillier and was a proud member of the Dee Hillier Dancers, where she was instilled with a love of performance and an education of the dance legends. Her dance training also includes a ballroom background where she competed as a professional dancer and instructor. Kathie continues her dance education with an annual trip to NYC to take classes at the renowned Broadway Dance Center to bring her students the latest and greatest in teaching techniques and choreography. Her teaching career spans over 30+ years and she is honored to teach and choreograph for numerous dance studios, performance teams, dance teams and musicals throughout Northeast Ohio. Kathie has also had the honor of being a Teaching Artist for Playhouse Square’s Community Engagement and Education Department since 2006. In 2019, Kathie was also brought on to the teaching staff of Playhouse Square’s Broadway Summer Camp, teaching along side the national touring company of “Come From Away” In 2024, Kathie is excited to be a teaching artist for the Dazzle Audition Workshops. In 2010, Kathie was a Choreographer and Director/Stager for Norwegian Cruise Lines, based in Florida where she assisted in the installation of entertainment casts on various ships. Her choreography has been performed throughout their fleet of ships. Kathie is most proud of being the founder of “Dancing For A Miracle”, a local performance fundraiser that invited Cleveland dancers to come together to help a child or family in need within our dance community. Over the years, “Dancing For A Miracle” had raised over $50,000, and has helped lighten the burden for some very special families. “We dance today, to give hope for tomorrow.” Kathie hopes to always inspire and challenge every dancer she meets along the way with becoming their best self, to enjoy the journey and to share their gifts with the world with love and kindness at the forefront.
12/19- lisa stanziale
Lisa has been dancing her whole life, training in Jazz, Tap, & Ballet. Her training has brought her coast to coast, from Broadway Dance Center in NYC to Edge Performing Arts in LA. Lisa trained extensively with Dee Hillier and was a member of Dee's dance company. As a member of the company Lisa performed in several dance shows and traveled to Australia to perform in the World's Fair. Throughout her performance career, Lisa found her passion in teaching, opening her first studio at the age of 18. From her first class, Lisa was praised for her positive attitude and ability to connect with young dancers. Her studio grew quickly and as her students excelled in their training, Lisa developed a competitive performance program. In 2010 the studio went through a name change and The Dance Stop was created. Lisa has built The Dance Stop on the foundation of positivity, balanced with disciplined training. As a choreographer, Lisa has created several award winning routines and been recognized for her outstanding choreography. Lisa's students have been awarded scholarships, national titles, and sought out by talent agencies. Many of her students have gone on to have successful careers in dance, from Broadway to TV & film. Lisa continues to have supportive relationships with her students and many of the professional dancing alumni come back and guest teach at the studio throughout the year. Lisa still finds her greatest joy in developing young dancers and cultivating their passion for dance. Her bright and energetic personality is present in everything she does and truly creates a welcoming studio environment. Lisa loves teaching and is excited to continue creating a space for all students to find joy through dance!
12/26 anna Cerveny
Anna Cerveny began her dance training under Joanne Morscher at the Royal School of Ballet at the age of 7. During her childhood, she also had the pleasure of training at Bengbu Ballet, BalletMet, and Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. She received her BS in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Columbia University, with a focus on Performing Arts Rehabilitation. During her 7 years of school, she spent much of her time dancing, choreographing, and directing her university's respective dance organizations and taking dance classes at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and Broadway Dance Center. After graduating in 2013, Anna spent a year traveling the US, Canada, and Japan as the physical therapist for the Tony-winning Broadway play, "WarHorse", and taking dance classes around the world. Currently she works at University Hospitals as a senior physical therapist/clinical specialist and the founder of UH's dance rehabilitation program, where she works with dancers from around the greater Cleveland area, including Cleveland Ballet and the Case Western dance program. In 2017, Anna founded Cleveland Dance Project (CDP), an all-level dance community that provides training, choreography, and performance opportunities to adults from the beginner to the professional. In 2019, the dance & wellness professional company, CDP Company 501c3, organically came to be to fill a community need for health education fused with movement, and dancer injury prevention services. Anna continues to train, perform, and choreograph with both CDP and CDP Company, as well as serves as the Executive Director and physical therapist for the nonprofit organization. This summer, she is opening a space that will house CDP Company, and CDP’s dance & fitness classes, as well as provide holistic health education and services, and a gathering place for these wellness-focused communities.
1/2 Bridget munsterman
Bridget Munsterman grew up in the Cleveland area training under the direction of Dee Hillier and the late Charlotte Braun. Bridget has continued her dance education by traveling to both New York and California to continue training under the direction of the late Frank Hatchett, Michelle Barber, Sheila Barker, Tracie Stanfield, and Heather Rigg. Bridget also continues to attend nationally renowned dance conventions as well as online dance training program with CLI Studios. Bridget is the owner of Dance Dance Dance in Parma, OH.
tbd - hilary kimmich
Hilary started dancing at the age of three and was a competitive dancer elementary through high school. After graduation, she immersed herself into becoming a dance teacher and choreographer. This led her to meet the one and only Dee Hillier. From there she trained, performed and taught with the Dee Hillier Dance Company. This experience had her traveling to New York to take classes with some of the best teachers at Broadway Dance Center, and performing at many local events around Cleveland. Hilary continued to teach at many different studios, choreographed numerous competition pieces and became a well-known and respected teacher and mentor in the Cleveland area. She was married in 2001 to her Husband Matt and has two children Victoria 19 and Charlie 17. Hilary has been teaching at Miss Kristin’s Dance Studio in Avon Lake for the past 17 years. She has definitely found a home at MKDS! She also has a very successful private lesson side hustle that she has been able to use her years of technical dance training in a different way. Hilary has a special way of teaching and communicating that she has mastered over the years. Working with these individual students, has made her an absolute success. Not only with the dancers reaching the goals they have set for themselves, Hilary believes that having a healthy and positive outlook on life is the tool to achieving anything!
tbd- karen colabianchi
Karen Colabianchi has been in the dance field for over 50 years. She started dancing professionally at the age of 11 and by the age of 15 she was a member of a New York City dance company. She has performed in famous dance clubs, theatres, stadiums, and syndicated television shows.She was fortunate enough to train under dance legends Alvin Ailey, Debbie Allen, Hinton Battle, Phil Black, Ron Ferella, Frank Hatchet, Betsy Haug, David Howard, Charles Kelley, Henry LeTang, Luigi, JoJo Smith, and of course, Dee Hillier. Along with performing, Karen has worked professionally as a dance instructor, choreographer, designer, and director for over 40 years. In addition, Karen has choreographed modeling and bodybuilding shows, gymnastics and skating productions, musicals, show choirs, dance teams, bands, and winterguards. Some of her choreography has been performed nationwide and internationally. Presently, Karen teaches at her dance studio Uptempo Dance in Middleburg Heights, and she continues to perform and choreograph throughout the Greater Cleveland Area. Karen is honored to be part of Cleveland Dance Project’s Summer Master Class Series.
tbd -Tori McKinney
Tori McKinney grew up in Cleveland and has been dancing for 27 years training in various styles. After high school she attended Slippery Rock University where she earned her BA in Dance. Since being back in Cleveland Tori has taught dance all over the Cleveland area and performed with multiple companies and choreographers while continuing her training under many instructors including Dee Hillier. Tori also discovered aerial dance after college and has earned 2 medals at the Pole Sport Organization Central Pole Championships in 2018 and 2019. She was a part of Cleveland Dance Project as a choreographer and dancer during its first season back in 2017, choreographed for season 5 and was a company apprentice in 2019. Alongside performing, Tori enjoys choreographing for local studios, dance teams, and high school musicals. Currently, Tori is on staff at Creative Movement Center, teaching pole fitness and Barre at Be Fitness and is a Teaching Artist with Dancing Classrooms Northeast Ohio and is thrilled to have been a CDP Company member since 2021!