In addition to being Education Coordinator for the Schauer Arts Center, Melissa has twelve years of experience working as an instructor within our dance, theater, and visual art programs. She has taught dance for over twenty years and is a member of The Dance Masters of Wisconsin. Melissa has always preferred the behind-the-scenes side of putting together performances, and has done choreography
work for the Musical Masquers, Kettle Moraine Players, and North Shore Academy of the Arts, as well as costuming and prop work for various dance productions. She holds a BFA (Illustration) from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and has completed master’s work in art education (with teaching certification) through Concordia University. Outside of the creative arts, Melissa spent twelve years in special education working as an instructional aide for the public school system. Her teaching is driven by the desire to support people in the many ways in which they connect to and communicate with the world around them.
Anna has been dancing since the age of 3, and started dancing at the Schauer Center in 2010. She’s concurrently pursued further dance education from Academy of Dance Arts, Danceworks, Valley Academy for the Arts, and Milwaukee Ballet. She’s taken an intensive course in the systematic teachings of Vaganova, Anatomy, Kinesiology and developmental movement in children through Valley Academy
for the Arts. Performing in countless dance productions with Schauer Center, Storybrook Dance, Dance Alive National Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Valley Academy for the Arts, and Dance of Wisconsin has been a highlight for Anna. She has taken master classes from Patrik Kasper of Storybook Dance Theater, Andre Valladon and Kim Tuttle of Dance Alive National Ballet, Karl Van Rabeneau and Jennifer Miller, as well as attended Dance Masters of Wisconsin workshops and Milwaukee Ballet’s 6-week pre-professional summer intensive. Anna has been professionally trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary and modern, with varying exposure in tap, funk, Irish, ballroom, African, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, and Latin dance. Anna was a teacher assistant at the Schauer Center for 3 years, served a dance internship through their Sycamore Tree location, and began teaching in 2015. She has taught 6 levels of ballet as well as all levels of contemporary. She currently also teaches ballet for Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy. She’s assisted and choreographed modern and contemporary group and solo pieces, dances for a school play, the Schauer’s 2016 showcase “The Toy Shop”, 2017 showcase “Dance of the Swans”, and 2018 showcase “A Story Through our Shoes”. She is excited to continue teaching at the Schauer Center for the fourth year, and is looking forward to helping your children develop into the best dancers and individuals possible.
Hannah has been dancing competitively for over 15 years. She has performed professionally and actively competes at the international level. Some of her accomplishments include training a junior 8-person mixed ceili team to win 5th overall at the Midwest Regional Championships, taking first place at the Midwest Championships in the set dance category and ranking top 10 in the solo championship
category at the Midwest Championships. She is currently understudying for the TCRG exams (international Irish Dance teaching certification) and enjoying the position of Troupe director with the Schauer's first semi-professional performing Irish Dance Troupe. If you wish to enjoy a great Celtic Christmas, St. Patrick's Day performance or other show, workshop, or combination, please make arrangements by email. To contact Hannah regarding Troupe performances and workshops, email at reelceltic@gmail.com
Celeste started her dancing career with Cashel Dennehy where she very quickly found herself on many competitive solo and team trips around the country and abroad. After many years with Cashel Dennehy, Celeste moved to Kinsella Academy where she spent a few more years dancing until life moved her around the country. After two very serious dancing injuries, Celeste's competitive career was over
and her dancing was put on hold. While rehabilitating, she was able to use her experience to teach dance and tutor young dancers in their careers. While living in South Korea, Celeste was the ambassador for the Cambodian National Dance Team and traveled with them on tour before returning back to the states. After moving back to Wisconsin, she joined The Milwaukee Irish Dance Company and has been performing with them for three years. Celeste is currently studying for her TCRG (International Irish Dance Certification), which provides an international, standardized teacher certification for Irish dance teachers.
Thecla moved to the West Bend area in the summer of 2018 after 23 years in New York City. While in New York, Thecla was Artistic Director of PS Broadway® of Rosie's Theater Kids (RTKids), an arts education program providing nearly 1,500 students annually with musical theater training. Thecla still serves as a consultant for RTKids.
Ms. Harris trained professionally
with the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet and Dayton Ballet II, and was a guest performer with numerous companies. She received a BA from the University of Akron and has been teaching dance in New York City public schools since 1995, including Ballet Tech, Steps, Broadway Dance Center and 8 years with the National Dance Institute. Thecla has also served as an artistic consultant for arts education programs in Ohio, Long Island, NY and Pennsylvania and is an American Ballet Theater (ABT®) Certified Instructor.
Lori graduated magna cum laude from UW-Platteville with a degree in general music and secondary choral education. She currently teaches general music and is the Director of Choirs at Central Middle School in Hartford. Before moving to the area, Lori taught K-12 music at Cuba City Schools for several years and was an assistant director with the Platteville Children's
Choir. She has also been very active on and off the stage as a director and performer. Some of her favorite roles have included Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense and Nunsense II, Marian in The Music Man, Princess Winifred in Once Upon a Mattress, and a wife in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Lori currently lives in Milwaukee with her husband John, daughter Olivia, and step-son Aiden. She enjoys camping, spending time with her family, reading, cleaning, and being outside.
Terese has been teaching private music, directing and performing in productions, and coaching speech and debate for dozens of years at Hartford Union High School and other venues in SE Wisconsin. She studied music, theater, and education at Northern Michigan University and Concordia University Wisconsin. A homeschool mom of four, Terese is especially adept at managing different age groups
and learning styles. Her passion for teaching music and all kinds of communication has enriched her life! In addition to being an avid organic gardener and working backstage at the Schauer Center, Terese is a volunteer with several organizations, and she holds a variety of responsibilities at Hartford Bible Church where her husband, Dan, is pastor.
Lisa is a violin/viola instructor from Jackson. She runs Heartstrings Violins and has offered lessons for 20+ years. She attended UW-¬Milwaukee where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts - Music Performance (violin). After moving to Jackson 14 years ago, Mrs. Kitzke coached UW-WC's Washington County Youth Orchestra in West Bend. In 2011, Lisa joined Kettle Moraine Symphony
as a first violinist and is presently a member. From 2013-2016 she taught individual and group lessons as well as assisted in leading sectional rehearsals at Hartford Union High School. Beginning in the fall of 2016, Lisa begins a new position as String Instructor for Silverbrook Intermediate and West Bend High Schools.
Therese has been a children's theater instructor at the Schauer Arts Center for eight years and is the director of our Schauer Rising Star productions. She has directed countless plays and taught a wide variety of drama classes for the past 30 years. This is Therese’s 23rd Season as Artistic Director for the Milwaukee Youth Theatre. Since she moved to Oshkosh
18 years ago, she has also been very active directing and stage managing shows for Fond du Lac Community Theatre. Therese has been instrumental in starting up three theater groups, Fond du Lac Area Homeschool Drama Troupe, Oshkosh Home School Players, and Oshkosh Playin' Round.
Questioning her future as a ballerina, Rachel was first introduced to unicycling at the age of six at the suggestion of her dance instructors at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Illinois. After her first unicycle class she abruptly stopped following in her older sister’s footsteps and found the confidence to proudly “march to the beat of a different drummer” as her
mother always said she did. Rachel attended her first National Unicycle Meet at the age of eight and in 1987 won the World Unicycle Queen title at International Competitions in Edogawa, Japan. She has performed with Chicago’s Windy City Circus, Triton Trouper Circus, Circus Kingdom, and has traveled with The Flying Valentines where she performed aerial cradle and flying trapeze. Performing on The Bozo Show and providing opening entertainment for the Bruce Springsteen Concert at Soldier Field have been highlights for her. Outside of the Circus Arts, Rachel’s career brought her into the banking world where she found her niche in talent development. It’s no surprise that creating a culture of learning and supporting others in their professional growth and pursuit of their passions has her walking into work with a smile each day! Over the years, Rachel has become involved with the youth of the communities she serves through volunteer activities with several not-for-profit organizations with a shared interest in financial literacy and economic education. Additionally she discovered the Milwaukee writing community which further fueled her creativity. As a result of sharing her stories from childhood with these audiences, her desire to pass on the life skills she learned through the Circus Arts has been reignited. Whether it was fate or coincidence, she also found - and was found - by new and old influencers. The pursuit of people with shared interests resulted in the support of her dream by the American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO). In 2018 she attended her first American Circus Educators Conference (ACE) which made her realize the only thing standing in her way was…nothing. Rachel is happy to report that she is right where she needs to be to make her dream of helping youth shine brighter by providing a safe place for the exploration of self through the Circus Arts a reality.
In addition to being Education Coordinator for the Schauer Arts Center, Melissa has twelve years of experience working as an instructor within our dance, theater, and visual art programs. She has taught dance for over twenty years and is a member of The Dance Masters of Wisconsin. Melissa has always preferred the behind-the-scenes side of putting together performances, and has done choreography
work for the Musical Masquers, Kettle Moraine Players, and North Shore Academy of the Arts, as well as costuming and prop work for various dance productions. She holds a BFA (Illustration) from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and has completed master’s work in art education (with teaching certification) through Concordia University. Outside of the creative arts, Melissa spent twelve years in special education working as an instructional aide for the public school system. Her teaching is driven by the desire to support people in the many ways in which they connect to and communicate with the world around them.
Tricia loves to teach art and has been doing so since 2015. Graduating with a degree in Art Therapy from Mount Mary University, Tricia loves to work with students from all ages and backgrounds. On top of teaching art classes, Tricia does choreography for the Hartford Players, Ltd, which is the resident performing group here at the Schauer Arts Center. From that role, Tricia has won two Outstanding
Choreography Footlight Awards (2018 and 2019) for her work. When not teaching or choreographing, you can find Tricia in graduate school at Marquette University studying Student Affairs in Higher Education.
