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Angelina Dickinson graduated from Spring Arbor University in 2013 with a Bachelors of Science in Fine Art and a Minor in Visual Art. Angelina started dancing at age 2, she found a love for Irish Step Dance in middle school and has continued to study ballet, ballroom, folk dance and Irish around the globe for many years. She started teaching at JSA in 2013.
In 2018, she traveled to Dublin, Ireland and received a teaching certificate in Progressing Ballet Technique from renowned teacher Marie Walter-Mahon. Angelina has participated in various dramatic performing groups from a very young age, debuting in a university play at the age of 12. She has performed and provided costumes for numerous plays at Spring Arbor University, where she is currently employed as costumer.
Her studies in theatre included directing, theatre history, stage-combat, costuming, script-writing, lighting and sound design, stage craft, as well as stage hair/make-up & effects (such as prosthetic creation and application.) Angelina began teaching theatre in 2012 and has since branched out to direct her own performing group, Schemata Theatre, as well as consult, direct and perform at several community theatres in the Spring Arbor area. She enjoys guest teaching theatre classes for Ballet 5:8 in Chicago; including cooperative efforts with Pilar Garcia of Gelsey Kirkland Academy. Angelina loves the creative processes wherever it can be found, and continually strives to better herself as both an artist and a teacher.
Dustin was born in Jackson, Michigan and began performing in theatre productions with Center Stage of Jackson at 13. In these productions he found a love for dance, so he started attending the Academy of the Arts at 15, under the direction of Lori Ladwig and then Kate Price.
At the Academy he was trained in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Broadway and was fortunate enough to compete in competitions such as Tremaine and Nuvo, winning a Breakout Artist scholarship. Also guest performing for Wendi Dubois with Ballet Chelsea in productions of the Nutcracker and Swan Lake.
Dustin continued his passion by going to Grand Valley State University and graduating with a B.A in Dance. While in college, he trained under incredible Ballet teachers such as Samantha Shelton (American Ballet Theatre), Brian McSween (Joffrey Ballet & Ballet Memphis), and Calin Radulescu (Opera Națională București) as Ballet professors. At GVSU he discovered his love of Modern dance, being inspired by Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, and Pina Bausch.
Some of his past performances include working with the Children’s Ballet Theatre of Lansing in Don Quixote, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and multiple Nutcrackers. While also guest performing for Ballet 5:8 Chicago and Caledonia Dance & Music Center in the productions of the Nutcracker. Additionally in Modern productions choreographed by Carrie Bruck Morris, Shawn T. Bible, Eddie O’Campo, Mike Esperanza, Bryn Cohn, Lauren Blaine, and Ann Sofie Clemmensen.
As a teacher Dustin focuses on providing a safe, judgement-free learning environment for students to explore their creative imagination without fear of rejection during movement discovery. Another main focus for him is working with his students on proper body alignment and placement in all techniques to help prevent injury.
Nadyia Smith Norman for several years has taken advanced dance classes because she likes to be challenged and learn at a higher level. She likes to be pushed to be a better learner and at the same time build her confidence and help children do the same; to teach children to reach their best potential with expressing themselves through dance. She has been dancing since she was 4 years old at the Jackson School of the Arts and has danced in multiple genres such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, acro and contortion. In the last year while attending JSA, she has been an assistant teacher in ballet, tap, and acro. She is also a gymnastics teacher assistant for the Boos Center in Jackson for the last six years.
With JSA she has also had the opportunity to volunteer her time throughout the community. She really enjoys teaching the children of Jackson not just for the joy it brings her but for bringing the joy of dance to children. She loves seeing their faces when they learn something new or just for the sheer fun of it. This gives her a sense of accomplishment as a teacher.
Eleanor Kaye Johnson is a committed dance professional, arts advocate, human service, and certified community health worker who facilitates movement therapy, Afro Modern, Ballet, WestAfrican, and Jazz/Tap. Producer of artistic programming that collaborates with artists to bring creative enrichment to all people to promote self-worth, finding purpose, and enhance physical and mental well being.
Eleanor has studied many art forms such as music, fine arts, dance, and theater in Detroit, Boston, New York, North Carolina, Florida, and Atlanta. Her work has been influenced by Katherine Dunham, Beverli Varner, Ali Abdullah, Marjorie Hassard, Eleo Pomare, Shirley Phillips-Horne.
Highlights in Eleanor‘s career include corp member of Detroit City Ballet/certified Chechetti, Instructor at Elma Lewis School of the Arts in Boston, owner/founder of DansArtery Alternative Performance Space and Programming in downtown Detroit for 8 years, intern at Jacob’s Pillow, instructor for Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, integrated dance and science for Morehouse School of Medicine’s Ben Carson Science Academy Summer Camp, lectured on Dance “The Art of Dance” What’s Hidden in the Figures” at Duke University’s Black Dance Joy: Global Affirmations and Defiance Conference.
Throughout her entire life she has applied dance interdisciplinary to a wide spectrum of social services, community enrichment, and rehabilitation. Her work has generated grant funding and awards from Detroit Arts Council, Skillman Foundation, North Carolina Cultural Affairs/Arts Council of Wilson, NC., and many more
Aimie Smith began dancing at the age of three. She attributes her love of dance and Al Gilbert to her first dance instructor, Connie Wolin. Aimie danced in college under Heather Vaughn-Southard (Albion College), as well as Martha Petry (Jackson College).
She would go on to work as adjunct faculty for the dance program periodically for Jackson College, as needed. She also taught at Susan Vaughn’s School of Dance for seven years.
Most recently, her choreography was seen on the stage with Center Stage Jackson, both with main stage and youth theater productions. Aimie specializes in tap, but has trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and ballroom.
Natalee Sabo was born and raised in Jackson, where she started her dance training at the age of four at Jackson School of the Arts. She continued training at JSA for the next 13 dance seasons in all kinds of dance including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop. While at JSA Natalee competed in nationwide dance competitions with Encore and KAR Dance Competitions as part of a team as well as a solo dancer. Natalee has also spent many years doing community outreach events to promote Jackson School of the Arts dance programs while performing with the JSA Performance Company including events at Bright Walls, Parma Days, and Ella Sharp Museum.
Seven years ago, Natalee was asked to become a dance teacher’s assistant and she was hooked! This will be her 5-year anniversary of teaching her “littles” and this is what truly makes her happy. Natalee continues to be excited about teaching her “littles” so she may share her love for dance with them. Since starting at a young age herself, she knows how important it is to make each class entertaining while still teaching basic positions and terminology to her students. She is committed to helping Jackson School of the Arts continue to build their dance program and hopes that she can inspire some “littles” to follow in their footsteps by becoming future Assistants and Teachers themselves in the years to come.
Jaimie Thomson is so excited to begin teaching and bringing Sculpt to the community here! She is a 200 hour RYT who trained through Core Power Yoga in Chicago. She loves how Sculpt combines the mindfulness of a traditional yoga practice and pairs it with weights, sequencing, and upbeat music to create a fun and challenging workout.
Isabella fell in love with ballet at the young age of four right here at the Jackson School of the Arts. During Isabella’s years studying ballet at JSA she has enjoyed master classes, private lessons, summer intensives with Grand Rapids Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet. She loves improving her talent and perfecting her art of dancing. In addition to ballet, Isabella has enjoyed taking lyrical jazz, and competing as a solo dancer at state wide competitions. Isabella is also a company member at Children’s Ballet Theater in Lansing, Michigan where she dances in a production of the Nutcracker as well as other various ballet productions.
This is Isabella’s fourth year teaching dance here at JSA and she adores teaching the younger students all about ballet and sharing their joy and excitement of being in the dance studio with their ballet shoes and tutus.
Jahmon has done competitive dance for over three years. He has competed in multiple competitions and has won several awards for his solo performance. He has loved doing dance and has assisted many classes beforehand. Jahmon has assisted many Hip Hop and Acro classes and previous years and enjoys doing so. He loves teaching children and wants them to grow and share the same passion for dance that he has himself. Jackson School of the Arts gave Jahmon the chance to continue doing what he loved by sharing his love of dance with children. Jahmon loves giving back to the community and he believes that the program that JSA has is the perfect way for him.
Chris is born and raised in Jackson, MI. He took his first clogging class while in 3rd grade and has been hooked ever since. Chris grew up performing with a local clogging group at different events in and around Jackson county. He’s traveled all around the States and Canada teaching and participating in workshops. Currently, Chris leads a group of amazing dancers that love to show perform and dance together.
Jode Piotrowski, Art Program Coordinator has a business degree in Graphic Communications from Baker College. She also has a Child Development Associate from Jackson Community College. She owned and operated her own preschool, Happy Hearts Children’s Center for six years where she worked as the director and lead teacher in the classroom and she has worked at Northwest Preschool and in visual merchandising at Elder Beerman Stores. She has taught various art classes for Jackson School of the Arts, including on-site classes, summer art camps, as well as the After School Art Programs and is also the Director of Kids Create, an immersive preschool experience in the arts.
Carey Baumgardner studied Art and K-8 education at Adrian College. Her work is best known for her mixed-media portraits which hinge on the juxtaposition of OLD and NEW. Layer by layer she builds up a painting on top of paper relics like maps, magazines advertisements, and even gum wrappers!
She enjoys implementing her art experiences and art history background in all of her lessons and classes. She strives to create a supportive classroom nature, teaching young artists that there are NO mistakes in art. Everyone in her classroom can create an original masterpiece that they can be proud of!
An educator since 2004, Carey’s broad scope of teaching opportunities include a 7th grade classroom teacher, Middle School Math instructor, K-8 Art teacher, to the present serving as Jackson School of the Arts Drawing and Painting instructor.
In a variety of capacities, she has helped organize innovative art programs for young artists. Programs including Mural Clubs, Saturday Art Camps, Community Service Art, and Chalk Mural Competitions. Carey’s artwork has been on display in gallery space, Art634 and she was selected for the artists line-up in Bright Walls 2019. View Carey’s artwork at modernrelic.weebly.com
Rene enjoys working in a variety of mediums and believes there is a creative spirit in everyone. She studied Art History, drawing and pottery at Cedarville College, as she pursued her Bachelors of Arts in English. Just as she believes everyone has a hidden creative spirit, Rene likes to find creative uses for ordinary things. Her art, under the name Attic Rescue League, has been featured at a few local galleries. She likes to help her students tap into their artistic side and hopes to inspire everyone to give “junk” a second chance through reuse.
Aubrie is originally from Jackson and has always had an interest in Art and Education. He earned a degree in Digital Media from Kendall College of Art and Design with a focus in Comic Illustration. After graduating, he completed an internship with comic artists Comfort Love and Adam Withers, self-published his own comic, and has tabled at many comic conventions across the Midwest. In 2018, he helped run an after school program at Burton Middle School in Grand Rapids, were he loved organizing art lessons and running their weekly video game day! He has also done quite a bit of freelance work for companies like Capcom and Lions Forge Comics.
This will be his first year at Jackson School of the Arts and is really looking forward to helping the kids of Jackson bring out their inner artist!
As a young child Sara overcame many obstacles with the help of art therapy. This encouraged her to pursue her artistic abilities. After receiving Citizen of the year in Jackson county, Sara volunteered her time helping others in many charities with a large influence in the Arts. In such local events including The Tony Open, The Lumen Christi Silent Auction, Relay for Life, Make-a-Wish Foundation, and many more.
Attending Central Michigan University and Jackson College with backgrounds in Graphic design, Art history, and children’s illustration was just the start of Sara’s creative soul.
As a teacher for over 6 years Sara strives in getting to know the best qualities in her students.
She will help bring your child’s creative abilities to their full potential.
Jode Piotrowski, Art Program Coordinator has a business degree in Graphic Communications from Baker College. She also has a Child Development Associate from Jackson Community College. She owned and operated her own preschool, Happy Hearts Children’s Center for six years where she worked as the director and lead teacher in the classroom and she has worked at Northwest Preschool and in visual merchandising at Elder Beerman Stores. She has taught various art classes for Jackson School of the Arts, including on-site classes, summer art camps, as well as the After School Art Programs and is also the Director of Kids Create, an immersive preschool experience in the arts.
Carey Baumgardner studied Art and K-8 education at Adrian College. Her work is best known for her mixed-media portraits which hinge on the juxtaposition of OLD and NEW. Layer by layer she builds up a painting on top of paper relics like maps, magazines advertisements, and even gum wrappers!
She enjoys implementing her art experiences and art history background in all of her lessons and classes. She strives to create a supportive classroom nature, teaching young artists that there are NO mistakes in art. Everyone in her classroom can create an original masterpiece that they can be proud of!
An educator since 2004, Carey’s broad scope of teaching opportunities include a 7th grade classroom teacher, Middle School Math instructor, K-8 Art teacher, to the present serving as Jackson School of the Arts Drawing and Painting instructor.
In a variety of capacities, she has helped organize innovative art programs for young artists. Programs including Mural Clubs, Saturday Art Camps, Community Service Art, and Chalk Mural Competitions. Carey’s artwork has been on display in gallery space, Art634 and she was selected for the artists line-up in Bright Walls 2019. View Carey’s artwork at modernrelic.weebly.com
Brent Carpenter is a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He started in Tae Kwon Do back in 2005and have trained in Hapkido as well as Tae Kwon Do. He is a 2nd degree black belt and proficient in all techniques leading up to his current rank and many beyond. Brent teaches many students from age 5 up to students in their 50s. Brent teaches in the traditional style of discipline and improvement of the whole person instead of teaching for sports.
