Owners' Bios
Alisa Schillinger, Co-Owner | Joanne Senior, Co-Owner
Faculty Page with Bios
Customer's Testimonials and Experiences
Dance Competition Recognition
Alisa Schillinger, Co-Owner
Pilates/Fitness Director
Assistant Dance Director
Dance Instructor, Certified Pilates Instructor
Alisa Schillinger developed a passion to pursue dance and the performing arts while attending Overton Performing Arts High School in Memphis, TN. She set out to pursue a dance and theater education at University of Memphis and later transferred to The University of Colorado in Boulder, receiving her BA in 1996. After performing extensively throughout Tennessee and Colorado, she made a natural transition into teaching and choreography.
In 1996 she became the Dance Program Director at Airborne Gymnastics and Dance in Longmont, CO. She took that program, with less than thirty students, and increased it ten-fold by 2001. The dance program went to new heights with recreational dance, competitive dance, and performing opportunities under her direction.
During that time, Alisa became an acclaimed choreographer/director for a multitude of pieces that appeared in competitions, performances, and musicals including; Beyond the Blue, Time Warp, Return to Egypt, Schoolhouse Rock Live, The Nutty Nutcracker, and more. Recognition and countless awards follow Alisa for her innovative and artistic choreography. Under her tutelage, dancers received high awards at numerous dance competitions and events.
To stay up-to-date in current dance techniques and trends, Alisa traveled to New York and participated in the Dance Teacher Summer Conference and Broadway Dance Center Teacher Workshop from 2002-2004. She’s trained with such teaching legends including; Frank Hatchett, Luigi, Cathy Roe, Bob Rizzo, and more.
Looking to expand her expertise, Alisa became a Certified Pilates Instructor in 2000 from The Core Studio in Niwot, CO. She complemented her teaching techniques by attending the Body Mind Spirit Conference, Pilates on Tour Conferences, and the Anatomy in Clay Workshop. Alisa had the priviledge of training with Pilates innovators such as: Karen Clippinger, Kathy Corey, Kathy Grant, Julian Littleford, Elizabeth Larkam, and Nora St. John.
Alisa still choreographs award winning dance routinues. However, her focus has shifted in combining both Pilates and rehabilitative techniques for her clientelle. She has been able to offer many people the opportunity to move freely, once again.
When you take a class with Alisa, prepare to be mentally and physically challenged, yet, have fun at the same time. She is a motivator and an inspiration!
Her Philosophy?
“If you have a passion for what you do in life - Work hard for it. Nurture it. Embrace it.
Only then you can make it a reality!”
Joanne Senior, Co-Owner
Dance Director
Dance Instructor, Fitness Instructor, Certified Massage Therapist
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Joanne Landrau began her dance training at the age of eight. Her mother tried to put her in every kind of sport imaginable, but Joanne never enjoyed any of them. One day Joanne's mother brought her to a ballet class at Ballet de San Juan. Joanne instantly fell in love with ballet. There she began her training in ballet and the dream of becoming a professional ballerina. Throughout her training at BSJ, she performed in ballet productions of Cinderella and Coppelia, where she danced alongside some of ballet's most notable performers, Fernando Bujones and Cynthia Gregory.
At age eleven, Joanne moved to the United States. Joanne attended Walnut School Hill for the Arts where she majored in dance. She has trained with the Chicago City Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Boston Ballet, and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, under the instruction of Maria Tallchief, Allegra Kent, Sydelle Gomberg, Anne Hebard, David Howard, Libby Komaiko, and many others. Through her dance career she has performed full-length performances in Sleeping Beauty, Through the Looking Glass, Coppelia, Nutcracker, and Graduation Ball. Additionally, she performed excerpts from Paquita, Patrouchka, Swan Lake, and Rodeo.
At age sixteen, Joanne injured herself and was prescribed Pilates training for rehabilitation and strength. While she was receiving Pilates training she realized the benefits that Pilates had on dancers and how quickly individuals recovered when they included Pilates training into their rehabilitation program. After that, Joanne became very interested in the preventative aspect of health.
At the age of nineteen, Joanne decided to put her dance career on hold to pursue a family. In 1995, her first daughter Camille was born. In 1997, her second daughter Julia was born. During that time, Joanne decided to branch out in her dance training by taking African dance classes. She realized however, that she had a passion in preventative health as well. So in 2000, Joanne underwent massage therapy certification at Stillpoint College of Massage Therapy in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She focused her therapy practice around dancers wanting preventative and rehabilitation care.
In February of 2001, Joanne moved to Colorado. She spent the first few years in Colorado focusing on being a mom as well as continuing her dance training. In the fall of 2004, Joanne realized the need to share her talent and passion for dance with others. She began teaching ballet classes at Airborne Gymnastics and Dance in Longmont, Colorado. Students gravitate to her for her passionate teaching style, her sense of humor, and her nurturing personality.
Joanne continues to practice massage therapy in the community. She will combine her love of teaching and her massage therapy training to offer students a place for growth and balance at Axis of Movement.
|
