Your Dance Training Matters.
Meet Our TEaching Staff
Emily Schumacher
Artistic Director | Instructor
Emily graduated with a Dance Performance degree from Illinois State University in 2017. Emily graduated with a Dance Performance degree from Illinois State University in 2017. While at ISU she performed as a company member of the Illinois State Dance Theater. She also set several choreographic works for Dance Association, one of which performed at the American College Dance Association annual conference. Emily has trained with choreographers such as Jennifer Harge, Stephanie Pizzo (with Eisenhower Dance in Detroit), Michael Richman, and the MamLuft and Co. dancers (Cincinnati, OH). Emily served as the co-director for Bloomington Ballet Company located in Bloomington, IL for three years. Emily has recently created studio-wide comprehensive dance curriculums and currently writes dance-related articles for Construction Beauty Magazine.
Ashton Gresham
Hip Hop Director | Instructor
Ashton started his dance career in hip hop, which is his biggest strength and passion. He has since trained in other styles such as ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, and modern. He has been training for over 10 years locally and up in the Chicago circuit. Ashton has taken from some notable dance artists such as the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Ian Eastwood, and Les Twins. His performance experience includes work with Urban Movement (pre-professional dance crew based out of ISU), Urban Generation (an episodic hip hop dance project located in Orlando) and as a member KĀOS crew dancing in a show in LA. Ashton has been teaching hip hop in the Central Illinois area and is the founder of C.I.T.Y. (Continuously Inspiring The Youth) located in Peoria. C.I.T.Y. is a dance program aimed to create a community among kids in the Peoria area through dance.
Kristina Gillis
Acro Director | Instructor
Kristina has trained in hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, and ballet since the age of 3. She graduated from Bradley University in 2018 with a degree in Television Arts along with double minors in Creative Writing and Social Media Marketing. While at Bradley, she was a part of the Orchesis Dance Company, choreographing pieces in a variety of styles ranging from solos, trios, small groups, and full company pieces. Kristina works full-time at Five Points in Washington as the Marketing Assistant and loves coming to the studio to help students reach their dance goals. Kristina is the acrobatic director at Captivation Dance.
Alaina Rice
Coach | Instructor
Alaina Rice received a degree in Dance Education from Illinois State University in 2018. At ISU, she was a company member of Illinois State Dance Theatre where she worked with various artists. She was also a member of an academic student organization called Dance Association, and served as the President for one year. After she graduated, she went on to become the Dance Teacher/Director at Peoria High School. She currently teaches dance full time at PHS, and is the PHS Dance Team Coach. She is excited to teach the next generation and to teach alongside the people she has danced with in the past!
alex schrama
Instructor
Alex has been dancing since she was six years old. Alex began training in Hip Hop dance technique and quickly grew to love all styles of dance and became a member of the Captivation Dance by Kaleigh competitive dance team. Since the age of 10, Alex has been in award winning competitive dances. Alex is now joining the Captivation staff after graduating from Morton High School in May of 2023. Alex will be working with our recreational classes and assisting with pre competitive through level 2 competitive dancers.
meet our SUBS AND TEACHing assistant
Sophia kaufmann
Substitue Teacher
Sophia has been with Captivation since its inception in 2015. She has trained in numerous styles from a young age. She was a member of the Morton High School dance team as well a senior captain. Sophia competed with Captivation’s team in both junior high and high school and join the staff after her graduation in 2021. She recently received her certification as a respiratory therapist assistant from ICC. Sophia will also be helping with the competition teams this year choreographing a few solos!
bailey brown
Substitue Teacher
Bailey comes to us as a previous dancer with Captivation. She joined the staff after her graduation in 2021. Bailey has been training in various styles of dance from a young age coming to Captivation in its first year in 2015. Bailey has many years experience in competitive ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical as well as hip hop. She was a member of the Morton High School dance team all four years and was a Captain her senior year. Bailey will be a substitute teacher this season!
Alivia Byers
Instructor
Alivia has many years of diverse dance experience, specializing in ballet and pointe. She has participated in numerous ballet and recitals, as well as choreographed for various performances. Alivia will continue to be overseeing all of our pointe ballet dancers this season!
Heather Dowl
Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Caitlin Dillard
Instructor
Caitlin comes to us with experience in both dance and gymnastics having been training since she was 6 years old. She has competed in both areas all the way up the collegiate level. She has almost 20 years experience in ballet, jazz, and tap. Caitlin will be teaching the recreational ballet, tap, jazz, and acro classes this season!
liz rice
Teaching Assistant
Hi! My name is Liz Rice. I have been dancing since I was 5 years old! I went to ICC for 2 years and studied Child Development, and I worked in their daycare. My other jobs include Culver’s and TCRC in Tremont. Dancing with the kids makes me joyful! I like being part of the Captivation staff.
Meet Our office Staff
Michelle White
Owner
Michelle took ownership of Captivation Dance in 2020 after three years of assisting with the original studio owner. She has over 15 years of customer service and office management experience. Michelle also has 8 years experience in many different areas of art performance from marching and jazz band to show choir and musical theater. She has 4 years experience coaching junior high and high school colorguard. Her daughter, Kylee, has danced at Captivation for eight years now and is a member of both competitive teams. Outside of Captivation, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to warm weather and reading a great book!
Linda Simmons
Studio Manager
Linda is new to to the staff but has helped for the past two seasons behind the scenes at the studio. Linda brings 10+ years of management experience as well as several years of event planning and organization. Outside of the studio, Linda is a nanny and works part time with Elevate Church in Morton. She volunteers extensively with the church and does many events in the community. Linda resides in Morton with her husband Tyler. We are excited to have her with us this season!
Stephanie Pittenger
Administration
Stephanie has been with Captivation Dance for two years now, working as the Office Assistant and Front Desk. Until her retirement in 2016 she had always worked in the areas of Customer Service, Administrative Assistant and Human Resources, which have all come in very handy in her retirement endeavors of working at the dance studio. Stephane also spends her springs working at Kinner’s Springtime Flowers in Morton. Her real enjoyment is the interaction with the dance instructors and young dancers, but her time working with her daughters Michelle, Owner of Captivation, Linda, Studio Manager; along with granddaughter Kylee who is dancer at the studio makes it all the more enjoyable. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys traveling with her husband, watching the grandchildren participate in their activities, watching her favorite sports teams and reading a good book.