Artistic Staff

Gail is a member of the Executive Board of the Cecchetti Council of America, a national organization which trains, examines, and offers certification. She is a Principal Examiner and travels the United States and Canada examining ballet students and teachers. She is also the business administrator of the CCA. Gail received the prestigious Sylvia Hamer/Margaret Marsh Scholarship to study abroad. She has studied in both England and Canada with world renown instructors. She holds the prestigious Enrico Diploma Fellow Certification from the CCA presented under the direction of Marjorie Randazzo. She has sponsored successful teacher and student candidates from Grade I through the Diploma level and has trained students who have danced in professional ballet companies, such as Miami City Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Charlottesville Ballet, Ballet Papillon, North Carolina Ballet. Her students have studied at year-round pre-professional schools including School of American Ballet in New York City, Virginia School of the Arts, and Pittsburgh Ballet. Many of her former students have majored in dance at prestigious universities and are now successfully employed in the dance field including Dance Magazine and the Joyce Theater. Gail teaches classical ballet classes at the RRDA and is the founding member of the River Raisin Ballet Company. The company has produced classical and original ballets over the past twenty years including Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Coppelia, Cinderella, and the annual Nutcracker which has reached thousands of audience members in the downriver and Monroe areas. Away from the RRCA, she is a frequent guest teacher for student workshops and teacher seminars across the United States and has been a guest faculty member for Dance Masters of America.

Melissa was a dance scholarship student and graduated with a BA in dance at Western Michigan University. While at WSU, she danced soloist roles in Giselle and in George Balanchine's Who Cares? Melissa was also a scholarship student at the University of Michigan where she studied modern dance with Peter Sparling and Sandra Torijano. After graduating, she performed with the Ballet Concerto of Fort Worth performing in the ballets Carmen and Raymonda and contemporary works at the La Femme Dance Concert in Louisville, Kentucky. Melissa is a Fellow member of the Cecchetti Council of America and holds the Advanced Professional Certificate. She currently serves on the national executive board of the CCA and has trained and prepared successful students through the examination system from the Grades I through the professional level VI. Melissa also holds the Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) teacher certification and is certified as a personal trainer. She has been a member of the Michigan Council for the Arts since 2021. Her early training was with Gail Choate-Pettit who presented her for the Cecchetti student exams through the Professional Advanced level. Her additional studies include the Kirov Ballet Academy, Cleveland Ballet School, the Milwaukee Ballet as well as studies in Chichester, England and Copenhagen, Denmark. She danced with the Monroe Ballet Company dancing soloist roles in Nutcracker, Cinderella, Le Sylphide, Coppelia and Graduation Ball. She was also a part of the River Raisin Repertory Company dancing in 42nd Street, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Chicago. Currently Melissa is the Director of the River Raisin Dance Academy. She is also Associate Director and principal choreographer for the River Raisin Ballet Company.

Karen, DFCCA, is an examiner and executive board member of the CCA. She is the assistant national registrar and organizer of the International Summer School. Karen is a frequent guest teacher at ballet workshops, teacher refresher courses, and the International Seminar. Her training was with Pamela Rutledge, Lee Ann King, and Marjorie Randazzo. Karen has earned her Fellowship with the CCA and holds the Maestro Enrico Cecchetti Diploma. She has studied with guest teachers in England where she was awarded the Rita Emerson Shield in 2002 by the Cecchetti Society of England. She also studied in Canada with Murray. Currently Karen is on faculty of the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, teaching primary through advanced. She has successfully presented students for examinations in the graded and professional levels. As the Assistant Director of the River Raisin Ballet Company, Karen is instrumental in many areas of the productions. She makes guest appearances on the stage, and behind the scenes she works as the stage manager, prop designer, and sewing assistant.

Isabella is from Monroe, Michigan. She began dancing in 2002 and trained at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, studying ballet, jazz and tap. In May of 2013 she graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance. While in the University of Michigan's Dance Program and she performed in pieces by Sandra Torijano (La Luna Nueva), Melissa Beck (Towards a Sudden Silence), Jessica Fogel (Mapping the River II), Robin Wilson (Lightmotifs), Amy Chavasse (Headless Woman), Dianne McIntyre (The Summit), Sidra Bell (MATADOR) and understudied Paul Taylor's (Le Sacre de Printemps) and Lucinda Childs (DANCE #1). After moving to New York City in 2013, she studied with the Merce Cunningham Trust at the New York City Center. She was a part of the workshops restaging: Canfield (1969), Rebus (1975) & BIPED (1999). After returning to Michigan in 2015, she danced professionally in Detroit with ArtLab J for multiple seasons. Isabella currently on faculty at the River Raisin Center for the Arts, where she teaches Contemporary, Creative Movement, and Pilates Based Conditioning classes.

Sam holds a B.A.C. from Bowling Green State University with a specialization in musical theatre. She trained in New York at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in musical theatre jazz and commercial jazz.

Natalia is an Argentinian American choreographer, teacher, and dancer from Toledo, Ohio. In 2019, she graduated from Eastern Michigan University Cum Laude majoring in dance where they had the opportunity of working with Evik Abbott-Main, Levi Marsman, Joori Jung, Kathy King, Wendi DuBois, Jeremy Blaire, and many others.

Elora was recently crowned Miss Monroe in August 2024, a testament to her dedication and poise. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Eastern Michigan University, where she also showcases her passion for dance as a member of the university's Dance Team.

Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts from Oakland University. While at OU, she was a dancer with the Oakland Dance Theatre, played Rosie in Cabaret, and studied voice with Pamela Schiffer and Barbara Bland.