Our Dance Instructors

Taylor Boothby has been a dancer since the age of three and is a student of ballet, jazz, hip hop, and modern/lyrical. She has competed with Oswego High School’s Commotion show choir and has danced in/choreographed shows with both her high school and the Park District. 

Shannon Fauble has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Western Michigan University where she studied Vaganova Ballet, Hawkins Modern, and jazz. While in school she performed with the University's Dance Theater and the Kalamazoo Ballet Company. She has also taught at and performed with various dance studios in Michigan and Illinois.

Dena Maniates has been dancing since the age of three and teaching for 22 years. She performed in her college's Dance Repertory Company, Harper College's Performing Company, and taught dance for park districts and dance studios. Dena owned and operated her own dance studio in the for 15 years before moving to Oswego. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern and lyrical.

Kristen Mogilinski began dancing at the age of two. She attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts and studied at Columbia College before deciding to become a Licensed Massage Therapist. Formerly a dancer of DanceWest Ballet Company and the Martha Graham School in New York City where she studied under Pearl Lang, Kristen is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, and lyrical.

Tiffany Stallman has been training and dancing since the age of three when she began taking ballet lessons at the Oswegoland Park District. Through the years Tiffany has also studied tap, jazz, and hip hop at various dance studios. During high school Tiffany was a member of the poms team where she was involved in choreography and was a co-captain her senior year.

Melissa Shoemaker has a Bachelor's degree in Art from Aurora University. She studied various forms of dance for fifteen years at the Fox Valley Park District, where she also taught ballet, tap, and jazz for three years.  Melissa was a four-year member and captain of the West Aurora Dance Team and the Aurora University Cheer and Dance team.

Donna Suchy graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.A. in Communication Studies. She is an experienced dance instructor and has taught at local park districts and the Peltonen School of Dance. She began her training when she was six years old and continued her studies beyond college. Donna has extensive training in ballet, lyrical, jazz, pointe, and tap.

Alexandra Watts began her training at the age of three in ballet and tap and is trained in disciplines including, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and poms. She is currently a member of the Oswego High School Varsity Pom and Dance Team and was previously captain of the Junior Varsity Team that placed first in Hip Hop at the Team Dance Illinois JV Championship. 

Ashley Wright has been dancing since the age of 4 and teaching since she was 15. She has studied tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical and hip hop and was a member of her high school's Varsity Poms team. In addition to dance Ashley has coached and choreographed for youth cheerleading.