illumina e Staff
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Deena Bryan LaPerna
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Deena was born and raised in Tecumseh, Michigan and began her dance training at the age of 3 at Tecumseh Dance Workshop. She was one of the first Caravan Kids to tour with Hoctors Dance Caravan in 1993, where she met and assisted hip hop great Devora Cooper Howard.
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She received a dance scholarship to Oakland University where she studied all forms of dance including kinesiology, choreography and dance history. Through her years at Oakland University, she was a member of Oakland Dance Theatre Repertory Company under the direction of Laurie Eisenhower and Gregory Patterson. While at Oakland, she was chosen to perform 'The Hundreds' with Twyla Tharpe.
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She has received numerous scholarships to Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in Los Angeles, California. She received the honor of being a forever guest choreographer for Cathy Roes Dance Spectacular. She was invited to be a part of Jayson Michaels Energy Source Dance Association in 2011 at his National Company Performance as a choreographer and teacher and quickly became a full time staff member and Energy Source Kids Director teaching all genres of dance in studios all around the country.​ She has taught at Tecumseh Dance Workshop, The Dance Centre, Metropolitan Dance Centre and was the Executive Director of Tecumseh Dance Theatre Company. She is well versed in all forms of dance and has taught for over 20 years. Through those years, her dances have won numerous choreography and technique awards.
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Deena believes in the art of dance, the integrity and discipline of the art and also the creativity and expression of the person. Through her unique choreography and connection with her students, she is able to convey her passion and inspire new generations of artists and performers.
Lindsey Knoodle
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Ms. Lindsey is formerly from Tecumseh, Michigan and now lives in Chelsea. She graduated from Milford High School in 2009 and since then has been a dance educator and choreographer at Tecumseh Dance Workshop. She established her education in the genres of tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, modern, and lyrical under Deena Bryan. Not only did she learn dance from Deena, she learned passion, patience, and creativity that all contributed to the type of instructor and dancer she is today.
She began her dance journey in 6th grade at the age of 11 and in the time, she spent at TDW she invited to join the Tecumseh Dance Theater Company competition team where she competed all throughout high school. She discovered that her calling was dance and everything its encompasses so she decided to pursue it as her full-time career.
Last summer, Ms. Lindsey dedicated her summer to an internship with Jayson Michaels Energy Source Dance Association, now known as Energy Source Dance Experience that furthered herself as a teacher, dancer and educator. Her internship gave her new inspiration for the classroom setting.
Ms. Lindsey believes that dancing instills confidence and offers an outlet for expressing oneself. She brings more than just dance moves to her students, things such as building friendships with peers and helps direct commitment and passion into young dancers that will last a lifetime.
Amanda Lopez
Amanda began her dance training at the age of 6 at Tecumseh Dance Workshop. During her years there, she studied ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop and modern. She began training with Deena when she was 13.
During her senior year of high school, Amanda traveled to Buffalo, New York to study with the prestigious Dance Masters of America. She received her Grade 1 teaching certification. After high school, Amanda began working for Britton-Macon Public Schools as a dance educator for the after school program. During her time there, she taught jazz.
Amanda also began teaching free/creative movement and music classes at the Hope Community Center in Adrian for adults with special needs. This line of work is what Amanda continues to do on a daily basis and something she is truly passionate about. Currently, she works for Renaissance Community Homes as an assistant manager.
In 2018, Amanda received her Acrobatic Arts Level 1 certification. She currently teaches acro, jazz and pre ballet at illuminaTe. Amanda is also the office manager for illuminaTe Dance and Arts Center.
Amanda wants dance to be a safe place for all the dancers to grow and express themselves as artists and people. Her hope is that through the art of dance, her students will gain self confidence, musicality and discipline.
Jaicee Partridge
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Jaicee, native to Detroit, has trained intensely in various styles of dance, drama, and music over the past 14 years. His love of the arts showed as a toddler and expanded when he began acting, violin, french horn and vocal training starting in elementary school and only grew more when he joined Anita’s Theatre of Dance and Performing Arts in Sterling Heights, Michigan. There he participated in many stage productions each year, acting/filmwork classes, studying various dance styles under the guidance of owners Anita Giza and Anita Schmidt. He eventually began dancing competitively with their competition teams intensifying his love and dedication to the craft.
Jaicee attended various masterclasses and workshops, one being with Valery Lantratov, former principal dancer with the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet and Kremlin Ballet and general director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation. Another being with JMESDA under the guidance of Jayson Michaels, Deena Bryan, and Angela Harris in which he was offered to be an original ES Kid with the company. He toured the United States dancing with various guest artists in the industry and with JMESDA his understanding of dance performance and technique truly blossomed. His training continued at Deborah’s Stage Door Centre of the Performing Arts in Rochester Hills, Michigan where he joined their Repertory Dance Company and theatre company performing at the America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Comerica Park Stadium, multiple theatre productions, and trained intensely with many choreographers in the industry through convention/workshops, multiple being masterclasses with L.A. Dance Magic staff members.
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Jaicee’s love for creating and teaching grew immensely as he assisted and led various dance classes with an special interest in musical theatre, lyrical, contemporary, and modern. While attending Wayne State University he has taken many dance classes both in lecture and studio. His focus is based on expression, awareness, movement exploration, and mindfulness/ Psychology (which his BA degree is in). In 2015, he began teaching classes and workshops to local dance teams and studios in the Detroit and Metro Detroit earning a residency with Broadway Bound Again Dance and Fitness Studio in New Baltimore, Michigan where he taught various dance classes in musical theatre, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, and hip hop classes from ages 4 to adult.
Jaicee continues cultivating his own movement while sharing his experiences/philosophies with fellow creatives in hopes of providing open dialog and a safe, accepting, and warm space for all artists.
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Meggan Wanke-Hammond
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Meggan is a dedicated early childhood special educator with over 20 years of experience working with young children. She holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Meggan is passionate about promoting a holistic approach to health and fitness, integrating her expertise in both education and physical training. Currently, she teaches mobility and conditioning classes at IlluminaTe Dance and Arts Center, where she also supports her child, an IlluminaTe Company dancer.
Hanna Webb
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Hanna Webb is from Britton, MI and currently resides in Canton, MI. She is trained in all forms of dance and began her career by learning and dancing for Owner and Director, Deena Bryan.
Ms. Hanna began her secondary education in 2014 at Saginaw Valley State University where she majored in Athletic Training with a business minor. She has spent over 500 hours working with athletes of all disciplines. At SVSU she was President of the National Society of Leadership and Success for two years working with 800+ students, Manager of the Women’s Basketball team, and a member of the Pre-Physical Therapy, Exercise Science, and Athletic Training clubs. Ms. Hanna was also an integral part of the committee to develop and implement the first and only all-inclusive recreational group for all styles of dance, Assemble Cardinal Dance. She volunteered annually at SVSU with the Special Olympics, Relay for Life, Play!60, and worked the medical tent at various 5k runs and events within the community.
Ms. Hanna was trained by Deena Bryan for 6 years prior to being offered an internship for the late Mr. Jayson’s company, Jayson Michaels’ Energy Source Dance Association. Ms. Deena continued on his legacy by beginning the Energy Source Dance Experience. Her many roles over the years have brought her to this amazing opportunity, being appointed Assistant Director of the Energy Source Dance Experience. Ms. Hanna is also in charge of all social media and internship operations, and proud to have gained opportunity in this field through Deena’s guidance.