The Dance Company is a long-standing family-run studio that has been serving Frankfort and the surrounding communities for over 20 years. We offer a variety of programs to serve all types of dancers.
Faith began dancing at the age of 8 and quickly fell in love with the artistry and athleticism of dance. She went on to receive her Bachelor of the Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Upon graduating in 2014 she moved back to the Chicago land area and began teaching dance. In 2015 Faith joined Noumenon Dance Ensemble, a Chicago based Contemporary dance company. With NDE she has grown her artistic and technical skills and has performed works by numerous choreographers. Since joining, she has advanced to a Senior Company Member as well as the Company’s first Rehearsal Director. Faith enjoys the opportunity to perform in venues around the city for a company that promotes diversity and inclusivity. Her professional career also includes choreography set on Noumenon Dance Ensemble as well as for Simantikos Dance Chicago’s 2nd annual choreography kick-off. Faith strives not only to teach the technical forms of dance to her students but also the artistic and emotional aspects. Her goal for each class is to create a healthy and positive environment for her students that allows them to learn to admire each style while growing as artists themselves.
Ford began his serious ballet training with Colorado Ballet Society under the direction of Patricia Hoffman. In 2019 he moved to Illinois to train with Ballet 5:8, where he now dances with the professional company. Ford has extensive experience as a musical theater actor and has toured with Tin Roof Productions to England and New Zealand. As he teaches ballet, ballroom, and tap he is always looking for ways to inspire, educate, and encourage his students in their technical and personal growth.
Northern Illinois University Education/Dance Pedagogy
Artistic director and teacher, received her Associates in Arts degree from Moraine Valley Community College and Bachelors of Science in Education with a dance emphasis from Nothern Illinois University. At Northern, Mrs. Smith choreographed for and perfomed as a soloist with Northern Dance Theater II and Orchesis groups. She has also been seen choreographing and performing locally with several theater groups. Her fondest roll was playing Victoria in Cats. Other credits include soloist and featured dancer with Shallow Cliff Dance Company. Virginia has been with TDC since its opening in 1998.
University Of Illinois at Chicago Kinesiology
Began Dancing as a child at age 5. Years at The Dance Company: Student from 1999-2009, Instructor since 2007 Education Lincoln Way East High School, graduated in 2009 University of Illinois at Chicago, undergraduate Kinesiology degree in process with the intent of attending graduate school to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Dance Experience -During her high school years, she participated in numerous high school and community theatre productions as a dancer, singer, and assistant choreographer. -At the college level, she had been a member and captain of the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Dancing Flames dance team. Her accomplishments there include placing 2nd in the nation at the Universal Dance Association Competition in Orlando, Florida, performing at the UIC Flames basketball games, and dancing and volunteering for charitable events and opening nights. Other Training Although Kelsey does not have a formal degree in dance, her lifetime training, exposure to audiences, performing on stage and her dedication and passion for the art have provided her with the knowledge and ability to share what she has learned with her students. Performances Curtain call Community Theatre’s (CCCT) Beauty and the Beast as featured dancer CCCT’s Peter Pan as featured dancer CCCT’s Music Man as Zaneeta CCCT’s Children’s Camp assistant director It’s a Big Big World Lincoln Way East’s production (LWE) Merrily We Roll Along as featured dancer LWE’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown as featured dancer LWE’s Songs for a New World as featured dancer and assistant choreographer
Graduate of American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York
Liz Yerkovich is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Liz studied at the renowned Broadway Dance Center and has performed in numerous shows in New York including Noises Off, Baby, and Pippin. Upon moving to Chicago in 2002, Liz performed in musicals such as Chicago, A Chorus Line, and Anything Goes and has directed and choreographed productions of BIG the musical, A Chorus Line and RENT. Liz found her passion for children in Chicago teaching at the Glenview and Skokie Park District, Soul 2 Soul Dance in Highland Park and served as the director of dance at The Entertainment Project, a theater conservatory for children located in the heart of the city. She has taught ballet, tap, jazz, modern, poms, hip-hop and musical theater to children ranging in age from three to eighteen. Liz thrives on teaching proper technique to young dancers while focusing on keeping dance the way is is meant to be… FUN!
Western Michigan University Dance
Mandy Spiess started dancing at The Dance Company at the age of 4 and continued throughout high school. Graduating from Western Michigan University in 2019 with a BA in Dance, she trained in ballet, jazz, and modern while also having the opportunity to collaborate with choreographers and videographers to create works of her own. Throughout her time at WMU, she performed a restaging of works by Katarzyna Skarpetowska, original works by WMU faculty members Monique Haley, Jeremy Blair, and Carolyn Pavlik, and numerous student choreographed pieces. She was a member of Western Dance Project, the touring ensemble of WMU’s Dance Department under the direction of Whitney Moncrief, and has performed at Michigan Dance Festival, Oakland Dance Festival, and ACDA East-Central Region Conference. Aside from her training at WMU, she has also taken part in DanceWorks Chicago’s summer intensive, numerous master classes, and is currently an ACE certified personal trainer.
Born and raised in Tinley Park, IL Melissa studied dance under the direction of Stage Door Dance Academy where she competed in competitions such as Tremaine, LA Dance Force, Dancemakers and more. After high school, she went on to study Musical Theatre and Entertainment Management at Columbia College Chicago. Shortly after college, Melissa moved to NYC where she continued her education and passion for dance through Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester. During her time in New York she was fortunate to have been signed with Lucille DiCampli Artist Representation, booking a number of professional dance jobs, all while being an Educational Programs Administrator for Broadway Dance Centers College Professional Semester and International Student Visa Program. Melissa has been fortunate enough to teach at a number of dance studios in the Chicagoland area and then throughout the Tristate area in New York City. She loves to share her knowledge in all genres of dance through what she has learned during career. Melissa is excited to work with and watch the students grow at The Dance Company!
We choose age appropriate costumes for all our children.
We promise to be loving and caring while proving the highest quality of dance instruction in a pressure free environment.