Faculty Members
 Autumn Eckman
Tiffiny Flaim
William Gill
Mike Gosney
Angelina Grima
Martel Jackson
Lizzie MacKenzie
Peff Modelski
Todd Rhoades
Evelyn Rice
Michael Rioux
Sarah Robinson
Joanna Rosenthal
Ricky Ruiz
Trae Turner
Laura Wade
Visceral Master Teachers |
Nick Pupillo
Founder, Director
After an extensive career as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, Nick Pupillo decided that his main priority would be to nurture young talent by establishing Visceral Studio Company. In 2007, Nick founded Visceral Dance Center to provide the Chicago community with a new venue for artistic and technical growth. This fall, Visceral Dance Chicago will begin, in its infancy stages, as a new professional company here in Chicago. Nick has devoted himself wholeheartedly to each of these projects, because he has the determination to make his vision a reality.
Nick attended Indiana University on full scholarship, where he studied with Jacques and Virginia Cesbron, as well as Leslie Peck and Violette Verdy. He graduated with a B.S. in ballet, concentrating in teaching and choreography. A former member of Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Nick toured with the company throughout the United States and internationally for three years. He has worked with many esteemed choreographers, including Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Ron DeJesus, Randy Duncan, Mark Godden, Jon Lehrer, Eddy Ocampo, Tony Powell, and Davis Robertson. Additional performance credits include various roles with the Ruth Page Foundation Nutcracker, Brass Theater featuring the Star of Indiana, Dance Chicago, Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Stars of Dance Chicago, and Dance for Life.
Nick has worked with the Pride of Cincinnati, a world class winter guard, and The Cavaliers, an award-winning DCI champion drum corps, as a choreographer and instructor. He has set pieces for Inaside Chicago Dance, Terpsichore Dance Company, Webster University, University of North Carolina, Greenville, The Chicago Academy of the Arts, and numerous Chicago area high schools. He has received various awards for his choreography, including a Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreography Award in 2005. Nick teaches across the country, providing master classes for companies, institutions, and universities. He has also taught for the Chicago Dance Connection and the Jazz Dance World Congress. In the summer of 2007, Nick co-founded INTENSITY dance workshop with Lizzie Mackenzie and Eddy Ocampo. He is currently a continuing artist in residence at Culver Military Academy.
Nick has a strong connection with his students and dancers who, in turn, are dedicated to him and to the discipline of dance. This dynamic, along with Nick's drive and innovative vision for the future of Visceral creates an exciting atmosphere of growth and artistic excellence.
|
|
| |
 |
Autumn Eckman
Modern
Autumn Eckman, originally from Atlanta, GA received her classical ballet training from Susan Bebee and Tom Pazik of the Atlanta Ballet, and from the Houston Ballet Academy under Steve Brulee and Clara Cravey. At age 14, she made her professional debut in the Atlanta Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet as one of Juliet’s six friends. From 1996 to 2000, she danced in the Kris Cangelosi Dance Project, a contemporary modern and jazz company. In 2000, upon receiving an apprenticeship to Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Autumn moved to Chicago. She joined the main company one year later. Autumn has also danced with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, State Street Ballet (Santa Barbara) as a principal, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and Lucky Plush Productions.
Autumn has worked with many Chicagoland companies choreographically including: Instruments of Movement, Inaside Chicago Dance, Northwest Ballet Ensemble, Terpsichore Dance Company, Indiana Ballet Theater, and Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, where she also dances regularly as a guest artist. Other works include pieces for Hubbard Street’s “Inside/Out”, Duets For My Valentine, and State Street Evenings. She has presented several pieces at the Regional Dance Festival in both the emerging artist and professional divisions.
|
| |
 |
Tiffiny Flaim
BeMoved®
Tiffiny is happy to find balance with BeMoved®. She is a graduate of the Harid Conservatory and has performed the classics with Lone Star Ballet and Fort Worth City Ballet. Tiffiny spent nine years with River North Chicago Dance Company as a founding member. She is infatuated with any form of social dance; favorites include Salsa, Tango, and West Coast Swing. Tiffiny was on faculty at Lou Conte Dance Studio and has taught workshops across the country from swing - ballet to students of all ages. She danced with the Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony, Light Opera Works and other various projects. She walked the cat walk for Design Industry Foundation Fighting Aids (DIFFA) Red Dress Tour and for two years was the Associate Producer of Dance for Life. Tiffiny has traveled internationally performing in industrials and trade shows. Her credits for television & film include: The Producers, Road to Perdition, Kahlua, Sara Lee, Reality of a Dreamer, and River North Rising. After retiring from dance, Tiffiny became the broker owner of Avanti Real Estate and entered the world of residential development. This led to the creation of Biofoam Inc., an energy conservation company specializing in the building envelope. Tiffiny is thrilled to be back in the studio with the Mature Dance Project, and is looking forward to sharing her first love of dance with the students of BeMoved.
|
| |
 |
William Gill
Modern/Horton
William Gill, a Chicago native has danced and taught professionally through out the nation and internationally for the last 12 years.He started his Career with the Joel Hall Dancers and The Bryant Ballet where he was a principle dancer. He recently moved back to Chicago after touring with the Dallas Black Dance Theater for the past 8years. While at Dallas Black he worked with many dance legends such as Donald Bryd, Alonzo King, Donald McKayle and Milton Myers, and Chuck Davis, just to name a few. He was proud to be chosen to teach and perform at The Austrian Dance Festival in 2006, in Vienna, Austria where he performed the legendary solo"Ostrich" choreographed by Asadata Dafora.
Although he has an extensive concert background, he had the opportunity to work with Hollywood choreographers Otis Sallid and Niesha Folks on the Movie "Hoodlums" with Lawrence Fishburne, Queen Latifah and Cicely Tyson in 1999. He can also be seen in the television show "The Untouchables". Recently(2010) He was proud to return to Europe in Liverpool, England with The Joel Hall dancers where he was a guest artist at the Leap International Dance Festival.
William is in demand through out the Chicagoland area and across the nation for his modern classes(Horton style), which have said to be "high energy" and "intense".He is on staff full time in Chicago at Chicago Multi-cultural Dance Center and The Joel Hall Dance Center, where is is glad to working again with his mentors Homer Bryant and Joel Hall. He also teaches Master classes at many Colleges,studios and dance conventions across the nation.
|
| |
 |
Mike Gosney
Ballet
Mike Gosney is the founder and Artistic Director of Elements Contemporary Ballet and has been teaching and privately coaching ballet for 20 years. His students are accepted into prestigious companies, programs and schools such as the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, Millwaukee Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, LINES Ballet, Tisch School of the Arts, The Juilliard School and many others.
His work has appeared in Elements Contemporary Ballet’s concerts, Dance Chicago, Around the Coyote Arts Festival, Looptopia, Joel Hall's Dances from the Halls,Evanston Arts Week, productions with the Evanston Dance Ensemble and Evanston Symphony, and in many other Chicago area festivals and dance performances. In addition to his work with Elements, Mike currently teaches ballet at Visceral Dance Center and Dance Center Evanston, and has previously taught at Lou Conte Dance Center, Joel Hall Dance Center, Gus Giordano Dance Center, DancenterNorth, Eastern Illinois University, and College of Lake County. Mr. Gosney has orchestrated events for Evanston Arts Week and DanceArt Outreach Program, and formerly served as Artistic Director of Koslynn Dance Academy and SASS Productions. Prior to founding Elements, he studied many other local master teachers from a young age. He performed with companies such as Instruments of Movement, Tyego Dance Project, and The Chicago Ballet. Most recently, Mr. Gosney's choreography was selected to compete in the Joyce Theatre's The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010, presented at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago.
|
| |
 |
Angelina Grima
Contemporary and Hip Hop
Angelina Grima, is the current Co-Artistic Director of Design Dance Company located in Chicago, IL. Design Dance Company has been honored with many major awards including Prelude Midwest Dance Competition Champions and placed top ten at the U.S. Hip Hop Championships hosted by Hip Hop International. Prior to her recent success, Angelina attended Western Michigan University’s Department of Dance from 2004-2008. During her stay, Angelina participated in many performance opportunities having worked with artists such as George Faison (original choreographer for The Wiz on Broadway), Robert Battle (current Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey), Willie Shives (a director of the Joffrey Ballet) and of course the credited faculty. Angelina participated as a member and choreographer for Hip-Hop ConnXion Michigan and the downtown Chicago branch. It was there that she discovered her true passion for hip hop. In the summer of 2008 she was featured at the B96 Summer Bash, performing behind DJ Flipside of B96 Chicago, featuring artists such as Jesse McCartney, Danity Kane, and T-Pain. In Fall 2009, Angelina had the privilege of performing alongside the Black Eyed Peas at Oprah’s 24th Season Kickoff Party where she assisted to teach 21,000 people, the largest flash mob in history. She is heavily influenced by the fusion of her classical background and her passion for street styles and considers herself a student of this ever-evolving art.
|
| |
 |
Martel Jackson
Hip Hop
Martel Jackson has been dancing his whole life. He first took tap, jazz and tumbling lessons at D/D Productions in Peoria, IL for 13 years. In 2003, he joined Dance2xs as part of the University of Illinois hip hop (UIUC) and Latin (Caliente) bases. In 2005, he was able to perform in the first International Dance2xs Urbanite Showcase in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2007, he was nominated and casted in Monsters of Hip Hop showcase Inspirations that was held at the El Portal Theater in Los Angeles, California. Jackson has taught Dance2xs classes at several universities, as well as in Tallinn, Estonia. In November 2010 he performed with Sweetymotion in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia for their Number One show. Jackson has also been a part of Hipnotiq (Bradley University) and currently dances with ReDefinition (Chicago, IL).
|
| |
 |
Lizzie MacKenzie
Ballet, Pointe and Jazz
Lizzie MacKenzie is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen Michigan where she graduated with “High Honors in Dance”. Since graduating she has danced for and toured internationally with such companies as Rivernorth Chicago Dance Company, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Dance Chicago touring company (“Stars Of Dance Chicago”), Lehrer Dance, the Boston Youth Ballet, and the Michigan Classic Ballet. She has worked with many of todays biggest names in choreography including, Randy Duncan, Ron De Jesus, Mia Michaels, Liz Imperio, Davis Robertson, Tony Powell, Frank Chavez, Laurie Stalllings, Keving Iega Jeff, Lynn Taylor Corbit and Harrison Mceldowny. In August of 2002 she was featured on the cover of DANCE magazine and has since been featured in various magazines as a model for Leo’s Dancewear, Illinois Theatrical and various other organizations. Lizzie spends most of her free time teaching and choreographing all over the U.S and her jazz class has been listed in Dancespirit magazine as one of the top 3 dance classes to take in Chicago. She has been given various awards for her choreography, including the “New Voice” honor from Dance Chicago in 2006. Always on the move, Lizzie has recently taken her love of teaching to another level and founded Extensions Dance Company, a Chicago based, Not For Profit dance company for young people dedicated to creating well rounded, free thinking artists, She has also recently co-founded INTENSITY dance workshop with her colleagues and very close friends, Eddy Ocampo and Nick Pupillo in the summer of 2007.
|
| |
 |
Peff Modelski
Ballet
Peff Modelski was a former professional dancer with the Royal Ballet, Berlin Opera Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet and Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Mme Modelski has Broadway performance credits which include the original company of Fiddler On The Roof, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and Camelot. She is now a Master Teacher of Classical Ballet. As a Nationally Registered Dance Educator and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner (Feldenkrais Method ®), she teaches professional performers in pure classical ballet technique and style and conducts Teacher Trainings, and public Awareness Through Movement workshops. She taught ballet at Steps NYC for 30 years. Recently relocating to Chicago she has been at Visceral for two years. Peff is a published author on Pointe work and ballet teaching, and will be the Teacher Trainer at the 2010 International Ballet Competition including competitors daily class. As author of teaching materials on teaching pointe work, Mme Modelski, in association with David Howard has written a series of notebooks entitled PeffPointe to accompany her CDs for Roper records. www.movementprocessforliving.com
|
| |
 |
Todd Rhoades
Yoga
Todd received his BFA in Dance at Point Park University while also studying psychology
and pedagogy. His study of movement began while he was dancing 16 years ago -
studying classical ballet, modern and jazz, while needing to cross-train and prevent
injury he was introduced to yoga and pilates. Todd has danced professionally with
ballet, modern and jazz dance companies; as well as opera, symphony and musical
theater companies. His interest in movement intensified and he began an intense study
and completed a certification in Yoga in 2000 and finished teacher training in pilates the
same year. He has continued his movement studies in Feldenkrais, Alexander
Technique, Tai (Massage) Yoga, and Cardiolates. Todd has studied various styles of
yoga and pilates from many teachers to develop his own approach that continues to
develop through his own continuos training and re-certifications. He has worked
alongside physical therapists and chiropractors to assist in rehabilitation from injury,
surgery and chronic illnesses. Todd has also worked in the opposite spectrum helping
to improve professional athleteʼs muscle function and dexterity.
|
| |
 |
Evelyn Rice
Hip Hop
Evelyn Rice is the founder and co-director of The Exposure
Movement, Inc., an artist development company that exposes and
educates young artists though media and performing arts. She has
been working on-scene and behind-the-scenes in the entertainment
industry for over 10 years. Evelyn has been fortunate to learn and
grow through many arrangements of multimedia events, from leading
and choreographing for UIC dance team, modeling, choreographing
and performing with the CHB Dance Company, then venturing onto
dance stages with recording artists including, Universal's Alfonso
Hunter, Twista, and native Chicago artists, such as Endiskize,
Javante Monet, Kim Keller, and Drew Sidora. Her passion is
constantly being fed from the talented people she has the honor of
training with and working alongside. She has performed at
convention centers and sports arenas nationwide. Evelyn completed
the Future Vision Tour in 2008, which was a traveling production
featuring the talents of Nick Arrojo, Kimberly Locke, and Jennifer
Holiday, along with many others. As a freelance choreographer, she
works with many studios, high schools and colleges that compete at
Regional, State, and National competitions. This past summer,
Evelyn became part of the faculty for the 2011 Chicago National
Association of Dance Masters (CNADM), as an educator for hip hop.
She is also an instructor/choreographer for the Cheer and Dance
Association (CDA). Other recent credits include: Vicious, Dance
2XS, UDA, Varsity.com, America’s Beauty Show, Pivot Point
International 2010, The Chicago Confidential, Glamour Magazine
April 2007 issue, NIKE Rockstar Workout Winner 2006, and she was
also featured in Atlantic recording artist, Bayje’s “Jealous of Your
Whip” music video. Evelyn currently coaches at Soul2Sole Dance
Studio and teaches at Visceral Dance Center.
|
| |
 |
Micahel Rioux
Int/Adv Modern
Michael Rioux (Chicago, Seattle) is a performance and visual artist. The long list of companies Michael has performed with includes River North Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Mordine & Co., Lucky Plush Productions, Same Planet Different World, Scott/Powell Performance, and Salt Horse. In 2001 Michael formed Impetus Dance Theater and served as Artistic Director until 2005 when he picked up and moved to Seattle. While in Seattle Michael received his BFA in printmaking and video from Cornish College of the Arts, and formed The Sho. The Sho is a vehicle for Michaels solo performance and dance film work. The Sho has been presented by PICA’s TBA Festival, Ten Tiny Dances Seattle, and the Northwest Film Forum. Michaels choreography has been performed by Mordine & Co., Instruments of Movement, Lehua Dance Theater, Cornish Dance Theater, Chicago Dance Crash, and Giordano’s Jazz Dance. Michael has been a faculty member at Lou Conte Dance Studio, Velocity Dance Center, and the Spectrum Dance Theater School.
|
| |
 |
Sarah Robinson
Studio Manager
Sarah Robinson began her training in Baltimore, Maryland at the Ballet Royale Institute of Maryland. She received her BA in dance and a minor in performing arts management from Columbia College Chicago. While in Chicago, she has studied on scholarship with Deeply Rooted Productions and Thodos Dance Chicago. Sarah has performed in works by Twyla Tharp, Kevin Iega Jeff, Garry Abbott, Paige Cunningham, Kirby Reed, Against the Grain Dance Project and is also a member of Winifred Haun & Dancers and NoMi LaMad Dance Inc.. She is currently studio manager at Visceral Dance Center under the direction of Nick Pupillo, fulfilling her dual love for arts administration.
|
| |
 |
Joanna Rosenthal
Modern
Joanna Rosenthal is the Artistic Director and Dancer of Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre. Performing credits include Lucky Plush Productions, Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, Hedwig Dances, The Chicago Moving Company and work with other independent choreographers. While dancing with Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, she was Associate Artistic Director and director of the Youth Dance Company. Joanna teaches at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago and has taught at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and other recently completed her MFA in choreography at the University of Iowa.
|
| |
 |
Ricky Ruiz
Jazz
Ricky Ruiz received his initial dance training in his hometown of
Miami, FL and was a graduate of Coral Reef Senior High Magnet Dance.
He attended the University of South Florida on academic and talent
scholarships and graduated Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance Performance
in the Spring of 2007. While in college, he was an apprentice at Ann
Reinking's Broadway Theatre Project for two consecutive summers.
Ricky has worked with such choreographers as Dan Karaty, Laurie
Stallings, Kiki Lucas and Melissa Thodos among others. He has
performed a wide variety of repertory ranging from works by Jos©
Lim³n to Bob Fosse. He's had the opportunity to perform and showcase
his choreography in numerous regional festivals. As part of a week-
long residency in 2006, he presented work in Castano Primo, Italy.
Ricky is an enthusiastic and eager instructor and travels the country
teaching and setting choreography. Among the many teams and schools
he choreographs for are FSU, GSU and OU. He is a guest teacher
throughout Florida, and works permanently at Focal Point Dance
Studios in Miami. Ricky is currently in his second season dancing
with River North Chicago.
|
| |
 |
Trae Turner
Hip Hop
Trae realized his passion for dance, choreography and teaching early in life after he began break dancing with the J-Town Breakers. Having grown up in urban America with limited hip-hop classes or instructors, Trae developed an expressive, unfiltered style that reflects his experiences and combines commercial pop with raw Hip-Hop movements such as B-Boy style and California hip hop. Trae has taken master classes from the top Hip-Hop choreographers on the West Coast such as: Theresa Espenosa (Janet Jackson), Wade Robson (‘N SYNC, Britney Spears), Super Dave, Havic, Dante, Jason Wright, Sleepy (You Got Served) and Sky Hoffman (Justin Timberlake) and trained locally with Angela Molsson, Matt Maclenden (The Collective, Lil Brat Ent.) and Lisa Torres (OSU, The Collective). As founder of and choreographer for The Collective Hip Hop, the only multi-cultural, professional, all adult crew in Chicago and the official dance crew for the Midwest chapter of the Ruff Ryders, Trae performs regularly, most recently with The Collective College Tour, The Showcase of Life and with rapper Sasolina, among other benefits, events and competitions. Trae has also performed across the nation with the interactive entertainment company Charizma and Revelation Productions, where he trained dancers and choreographed for clients. He has also taught at Jays Day Camp and Mazur Dance Studio.
|
| |
 |
Laura Wade
Ballet
Laura Wade was the Artistic Director of AKASHA Dance Company, commissioning original contemporary works from choreographers such as Claire Bataille & Ginger Farley (both of Hubbard Street), Austin Hartel (Pilobolus), Martin Kravitz (Batsheva), and Nora Reynolds (Lar Lubovitch). AKASHA toured the Midwest, England, danced at the Edinburgh Festival and performed their popular outreach programs for over 100,000 children through Urban Gateways. Ms. Wade was a soloist in Ruth Page’s The Nutcracker for fifteen years, and performed both ballet and modern works with David Dorfman, Scott Putman, Robin Lakes/ Rough Dance, Ballet Chicago, and Ballet Theatre of Chicago. Ms. Wade is on faculty at Northwestern University, the Lou Conte Dance Studio, and Visceral Dance Center; and teaches company class for River North Dance Company. For many years, she taught at the Ruth Page School of Dance and has been a frequent guest teacher of co. class for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, as well as a sought after teacher for workshops at Stephens College, University of Wisconsin-Madison and others throughout the country. As Assistant Artistic director for Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for 4 years, Ms. Wade rehearsed the co., taught co. class, and led the co. on tours of the US, Germany, & Austria. Velta Cernonok and Marie Vogt were her early teachers in Toledo, Ohio. She received a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, studying under Marina Svetlova and Nicolas Beriosov, before coming to Chicago to train with Larry Long.
|
| |
|
|
Visceral Master Teachers
 Randy Duncan
 Aleks Wojda
 Christian Denice
|
 Francisco Avina
Wes Veldink
Ray Mercer
|
Kate Jablonski
Tokyo
Jeff Hancock
|
 Eddy Ocampo
 Miguel Perez
 Sidra Bell
|
Jon Lehrer
Elijah Gibson
|
|
|
