SHELBY TILMANN IS A 2016 GRADUATE OF GRAND VALLEY UNIVERSITY WHERE SHE EARNED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN DANCE. DURING HER TIME AT GVSU, SHELBY TRAINED IN TECHNICAL COURSES INCLUDING, BALLET, MODERN, JAZZ, CONTEMPORARY, DANCE HISTORY, DANCE COSTUMING, PEDAGOGY, AND CHOREOGRAPHY/IMPROVISATION. SHE ALSO PERFORMED WITH GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY DANCE COMPANY, AS WELL AS GVSU MOMENTUM DANCE CLUB.

SHELBY’S TEACHING & CHOREOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE INCLUDES: GVSU DANCE COMPANY, GVSU CHILDREN’S ENRICHMENT CENTER, THE DANCE CENTER, ROCKFORD SCHOOL OF DANCE, THE DANCE ASYLUM, DUHADWAY DANCE DIMENSIONS, FLAT RIVER DANCE COMPANY, AND EVOLVE DANCE STUDIO. SHE RECEIVED HER FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING AT DUHADWAY DANCE DIMENSIONS INCLUDING BALLET, POINTE, CECCHETTI, JAZZ, LYRICAL, CONTEMPORARY, TAP AND HIP HOP.

SHELBY’S FAVORITE PART OF TEACHING AND CHOREOGRAPHING IS SEEING HER STUDENTS POUR THEIR LOVE INTO SOMETHING SHE HAS HELPED CREATE.

EMILY STALL BEGAN HER DANCE CAREER AT THE AGE OF THREE. THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, SHE TRAINED AT DUHADWAY DANCE DIMENSIONS AS WELL AS THE SAGINAW ARTS AND SCIENCES ACADEMY, STUDYING BALLET, POINTE, CECCHETTI, JAZZ, LYRICAL, TAP, HIP HOP, MUSICAL THEATER, AND MORE.

EMILY CONTINUED DANCING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, EARNING A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION AND DANCE, AS WELL AS A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA. WHILE DANCING ON THE ROCK DANCE TEAM AND WORKING WITH ENVISION BLIND SPORTS, EMILY REFINED HER ADAPTIVE TEACHING SKILLS TO SERVE DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY DANCER FEELS ACCEPTED AND VALUED.

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AURORA BEGAN HER DANCE JOURNEY AT THE AGE OF 19 WHILE ATTENDING CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY. SHE TRAINED IN A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL STYLES, INCLUDING MODERN, JAZZ, BALLET, HIP HOP, BHARATANATYAM, AND TAP. AURORA HAS DANCED WITH NUMEROUS ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, PARTICIPATING AS A GUEST TO IMMERSE HERSELF IN THEIR CULTURES AND MOVEMENT STYLES.

SHE WENT ON TO PERFORM WITH THE CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THEATRE DANCE COMPANY, WHERE SHE GAINED EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY IN PROFESSIONAL DANCE BUT ALSO IN THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCING A DANCE CONCERT.

WHILE AT CMU, AURORA EARNED A BACHELOR OF APPLIED ARTS IN DANCE STUDIES AND A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING A SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND CREATIVE SPACE WHERE ALL STUDENTS CAN GROW AND THRIVE ON THEIR DANCE JOURNEYS.

KENNEDI GREW UP IN ADA, MI, AND TRAINED IN KENTWOOD, WHERE SHE BEGAN HER DANCE JOURNEY OVER 18 YEARS AGO. SHE SPECIALIZES IN TAP, HIP HOP, AND CONTEMPORARY, AND DISCOVERED HER PASSION FOR TEACHING AND CHOREOGRAPHY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

KENNEDI CURRENTLY CHOREOGRAPHS FOR THE LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE PROGRAM AND HAS PREVIOUSLY CHOREOGRAPHED FOR THE VAN SINGEL FINE ARTS CENTER, HELPING BRING STORIES TO LIFE ON STAGE. ONE OF HER PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS WINNING NATIONALS IN MYRTLE BEACH IN 2021 WITH A CONTEMPORARY PIECE.

SHE BELIEVES DANCE HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SHAPING WHO SHE IS TODAY, AND SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING A POSITIVE, CREATIVE, AND SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR HER STUDENTS TO GROW. KENNEDI IS THRILLED TO BE PART OF THE EVOLVE TEAM AND LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO INSPIRE DANCERS THROUGH MOVEMENT AND EXPRESSION.

SOPHIA VANDERWEIDE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED DANCER WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF RIGOROUS TRAINING AND COMPETITIVE EXPERIENCE. SHE HAS PERFORMED WITH ESTEEMED COMPANIES SUCH AS THE DIFFERENCE DANCE COMPANY, DANCE DIMENSIONS, VDW DANCE COMPANY, AND THE CHICAGO SCHOOL OF BALLET. HER DIVERSE TRAINING SPANS BALLET, EN POINTE, CONTEMPORARY, TAP, JAZZ, MODERN, AND LYRICAL.

SOPHIA HAS STUDIED EN POINTE PRIVATELY WITH PROMINENT INSTRUCTORS INCLUDING STEVEN NORMAN (CHICAGO SCHOOL OF BALLET), LAURA BERMAN (ADA DANCE ACADEMY), RACHEL JAMES (INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS), AND CASSIDY ISAACSON (GRAND RAPIDS BALLET). SHE HAS FURTHER ADVANCED HER CRAFT THROUGH SUMMER BALLET INTENSIVES AT BOTH GRAND RAPIDS BALLET AND THE CHICAGO SCHOOL OF BALLET, AS WELL AS A SUMMER CONTEMPORARY INTENSIVE AT THE DIFFERENCE DANCE COMPANY IN CHICAGO. HER CONTEMPORARY ARTISTRY HAS BEEN SHAPED BY INFLUENTIAL MENTORS SUCH AS CHRISTA SMUTEK, JENNA BARTHOLME, NINA POLLZZIE, VERONICA WOODS AND MELISSA LOBES.

HER TALENT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED ON COMPETITIVE STAGES, EARNING HER MULTIPLE TOP 12 PLACEMENTS AT YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP) CHICAGO, AS WELL AS CONSISTENT TOP 5 PLACEMENTS IN THE ADVANCED CATEGORY AT NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND COMPETITIONS. SOPHIA ALSO PERFORMED 2 LEADING EN POINTE ROLES IN WEST MICHIGAN YOUTH BALLET NUTCRACKER. IN ADDITION TO HER STUDIO WORK, SOPHIA WAS A MEMBER OF HER HIGH SCHOOL’S VARSITY DANCE TEAM AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY CONTEMPORARY CLUB – MOMENTUM. AS AN EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHER, SHE HAS CREATED AWARD-WINNING CONTEMPORARY SOLOS FEATURED AT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL DANCE EVENTS.

SOPHIA IS CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY. SHE SHARES HER PASSION FOR DANCE THROUGH HER WORK WITH THE TALENTED DANCERS AT EVOLVE DANCE STUDIO, INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION WITH HER EXPERTISE AND DEEP LOVE FOR THE ART FORM.

HAILEY VANDERWEIDE IS A DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE DANCER WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN COMPETITIVE DANCE. SHE HAS PERFORMED NATIONALLY WITH HIGHLY REVERED COMPANIES INCLUDING DANCE DIMENSIONS AND VDW DANCE COMPANY, SHOWCASING HER SKILLS IN A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES INCLUDING BALLET, EN POINTE, CONTEMPORARY, TAP, JAZZ, MODERN, AND LYRICAL.

HAILEY HAS STUDIED PRIVATELY WITH ESTEEMED BALLET INSTRUCTOR CASSIDY ISAACSON OF GRAND RAPIDS BALLET AND FROM DISTINGUISHED CHOREOGRAPHERS INCLUDING CHRISTA SMUTEK, MELISSA LOBES, SELENA MOLTER WILLIAMS, JENNA BARTHOLME, RACHEL SIEGEL ANDNINA POLLZZIE. HER STRONG TECHNICAL FOUNDATION AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE HAVE EARNED HER CONSISTENT TOP 5 PLACEMENTS IN THE ADVANCED CATEGORY AT NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS AND CONVENTIONS. IN ADDITION TO HER YEAR-ROUND TRAINING, HAILEY ATTENDED SUMMER BALLET INTENSIVES AT GRAND RAPIDS BALLET AND DANCED ON HER HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY DANCE TEAM, FURTHER REFINING HER CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE AND ARTISTRY.

CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, HAILEY IS PURSUING A DEGREE IN BUSINESS AND MARKETING. SHE BRINGS HER LOVE OF DANCE INTO THE STUDIO AS AN INSTRUCTOR AND MENTOR, FINDING JOY IN GUIDING EVOLVE STUDENTS AND WATCHING THEM GROW IN BOTH SKILL AND CONFIDENCE.

LAUREN VANDERWEIDE IS A SEASONED AND VERSATILE DANCER WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF TRAINING AND NATIONAL COMPETITION EXPERIENCE. SHE HAS PERFORMED WITH OUTSTANDING COMPANIES INCLUDING DANCE DIMENSIONS AND VDW DANCE COMPANY, DEVELOPING STRONG TECHNICAL FOUNDATIONS ACROSS BALLET, EN POINTE, CONTEMPORARY, TAP, JAZZ, MODERN, AND LYRICAL.

LAUREN HAS RECEIVED PRIVATE BALLET INSTRUCTION FROM THE RENOWNED CASSIDY ISAACSON (GRAND RAPIDS BALLET) AND REFINED HER CONTEMPORARY TECHNIQUE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF EXPERT CHOREOGRAPHERS INCLUDING CHRISTA SMUTEK, MELISSA LOBES, RACHEL SIEGEL, SELENA MOLTER WILLIAMS, JENNA BARTHOLME AND NINA POLLZZIE. HER ADVANCED TECHNICAL ABILITY AND EXPRESSIVE ARTISTRY HAVE EARNED HER CONSISTENT TOP 5 PLACEMENTS IN THE ADVANCED CATEGORY AT NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS AND CONVENTIONS. HER DEDICATION AND TALENT WERE RECOGNIZED WITH A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO THE SUMMER BALLET INTENSIVE AT GRAND RAPIDS BALLET, WHERE SHE DEEPENED HER CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE AND STAGE PRESENCE. IN ADDITION TO HER STUDIO ACHIEVEMENTS, LAUREN WAS ALSO A DEDICATED MEMBER OF HER HIGH SCHOOL’S VARSITY DANCE TEAM.

CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, LAUREN IS PURSUING A DEGREE IN BUSINESS AND MARKETING. SHE CONTINUES TO SHARE HER PASSION FOR DANCE THROUGH HER WORK WITH THE TALENTED DANCERS AT EVOLVE DANCE STUDIO, INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION WITH HER EXPERIENCE AND LOVE FOR THE ART FORM.

AVA BLAIN IS A BALLET DANCER AND TEACHER FROM TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. SHE HAS TRAINED WITH PRESTIGIOUS PROGRAMS AND COMPANIES ACROSS THE U.S., INCLUDING INDIANA BALLET CONSERVATORY, ELLISON BALLET, BALLET CHICAGO, AND BALLETMET. IN 2023, SHE WAS NAMED A FINALIST IN THE PROFESSIONAL DIVISION OF THE WORLD BALLET COMPETITION AND WAS ALSO A YAGP FINALIST.

AVA GRADUATED SUMMA CUM LAUDE FROM INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY, WHERE SHE RECEIVED THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE AWARD, THE HILDEGARD LEWIS DANCE AWARD, AND WAS RECOGNIZED AS A MERIT SCHOLAR. HER PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE INCLUDES LEADING ROLES SUCH AS ODETTE IN SWAN LAKE, THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY, SNOW QUEEN, AND CLARA IN THE NUTCRACKER, SATANELLA IN SATANELLA, AND MARIA IN THE FOUNTAIN OF BAKHCHISARAI.

SHE HAS TAUGHT BALLET AT DESIGN DANCE COMPANY AND STUDIO IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN, AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING HER STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.

Megan Ellison is the owner and founder of Evolve Dance Studio, a family-focused, inclusive dance space where joy, creativity, and community are at the heart of everything. With a lifelong love of dance and a passion for creating meaningful experiences for children and families, Megan opened Evolve to be more than just a dance studio—it’s a place where every dancer is valued, supported, and encouraged to grow.

Inspired by her own positive experiences with dance growing up, Megan created Evolve to foster a welcoming, fun, and nurturing environment for dancers of all ages and abilities. From recreational classes to competitive team training and sensory-friendly programs, Evolve offers something for everyone. Under Megan’s leadership, the studio has become known for its highly trained staff, uplifting atmosphere, and commitment to building confidence through movement.

As a mother herself, Megan understands the importance of balance, community, and support—values that are reflected in every part of the studio. Whether it’s the family-friendly lobby with a kid zone and viewing monitors or the personalized attention given to each dancer, Megan’s vision is clear: to create a space where dancers feel at home and leave each class excited to return.

Evolve Dance Studio is more than a place to learn dance—it’s a place to belong.