Wendy Harris
Owner and director of Spotlight, Wendy has over 21 years experience teaching dance to all ages. She trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap and Jazz and competed in regional and national dance competitions. Her formal training was with Iacob Lascu at the Lascu School of Ballet. Ballet performances include "The Sleeping Beauty" and Detroit Symphony Orchestra's "Nutcracker." Wendy also taught the Clarkston Youth Enrichment Dance program for 3 years. Her competitive students have trained regionally and nationally with many well-known choreographers and performers, have been well-recognized at conventions/competitions and have won numerous overall awards and choreography awards. She is certified to teach by examination through Dance Masters of Michigan and Dance Masters of America, of which she is an active member.
Kristen Rasegan
Kristen is in her 11th year teaching at Spotlight Dance Center. She is also director of Spotlight's Senior Competitive Company. Kristen has over 28 years of experience in the dance field, training in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Hip-Hop and Musical Theater. She has studied under many top LA, Las Vegas, New York and Detroit instructors. At 14, she was chosen to travel and perform with the Dance Caravan Company as a "Caravan Kid." She has won numerous scholarships and awards at regional and national competitive levels. Kristen was a member of the Michigan State University Repertory Dance Company performing under the direction of Dr. Dixie Durr. She has worked for Universal Dance Association as a performer, instructor and judge. She has guest instructed for Springfield Plains Elementary and judged for "Dream Girls" Pageant Systems. Kristen has also taught for Rochester Avon Recreation Authority and Juliart Dance Studio in Troy. She is a former coach for the Waterford Mott Varsity Pom Team. In 1996 she was awarded a $500 college scholarship at The Waterford Jr. Miss Competition. She has choreographed for Clarkston High School's musicals, including South Pacific, Footloose and Grease. Kristen is currently certified to teach by examination through Dance Masters of Michigan and Dance Masters of America.
Stephanie Giegler
Stephanie has over 21 years dance experience in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz and lyrical. She has experience as a competitive dancer and has attended many dance workshops and conventions. Stephanie has also studied and completed grades one through four in Cechetti method. She is the director of the Jr. Competitive Company and Performance Teams at Spotlight and her students and choreography have been well recognized in many regional competitions . This is her 11th year at Spotlight Dance Center.
Adria Donnelly
Adria started dancing at age 6 and has continued through high school and college. She has experience in ballet, jazz, tap, kick line, lyrical, pom and hip-hop, and was on her high school dance team. Although she graduated from Oakland University with a degree in Industrial Engineering, whenever there was room in her schedule, she managed to squeeze in university dance classes. She started teaching young ballet classes in 2003. She has taught ballet at the Lakeland Ice Arena for the Jr. Team Du Coeur ice skating team for 2 years. She was also the JV dance coach at Waterford Mott High School. Adria is thrilled to teach at Spotlight this year. No matter where life takes her, she can't seem to stop dancing.
Elizabeth Kaarlela
Elizabeth received her early training of Russian technique of Ballet beginning at age four, under the direction of Phyllis Pickett. She also studied Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical with Katie Holland and Raquel Pickett. Her performances include annual recitals, community festivals, and Midwest Dance Theater's "Nutcracker." She began to teach and choreograph her own works by age seventeen. In pursuit of a career in Dance education, Elizabeth studied and completed Cechetti grades one through four, attends Dance Masters of Michigan's annual convention every year, and plans to complete her DMA certificate. Elizabeth began teaching at Spotlight in 2002 and teaches ballet, lyrical and jazz.
Raquel Pickett
Raquel has over 30 years dance experience in ballet, jazz and tap. She has been teaching for the past 24 years. She is a certified Cechetti instructor and has also studied the Russian style of ballet. She has performed for the Flint Ballet Theater and has taken top places in many competitions on both the regional and national levels. Loving the art of dance in all of its forms, it is Raquel's desire to inspire that love in her students. Why walk when you can dance?
Megan White
Megan has over 17 years of dance experience in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary and Pointe. She received her early Vaganova ballet training with Denise Paavola at Paavola School of Dance and Young Peoples' Ballet Theatre, along with Spotlight Dance Center under the direction of Wendy Harris and Kristen Rasegan. She continued her training with Cornelia Sampson, Michael Anderson, Debra Dawn and Michael Hicks at Rochester School of Dance and the Michigan Ballet Theatre. While with MBT, she competed at the national level in the Youth American Grand Prix. She has has private training with Jon Benoit. Broadening her dance repertory she moved to Miami to work with the Miami City Ballet to study the Balanchine style at a professional level under the direction of Alexander Carter, Geta Constantinescu, Rafi Maldonado-Lopez, Liz Malm, and Edward Villella. While in Miami she performed Balanchine's The Nutcracker, Four Ts, Western Symphony, Valse Fantasy, in addition to Raymonda, Open Barre, Carnival of the Animals, Tarentella and Lounge 2200. She has had the honor of working and performing with major dance companies including American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Minnesota Ballet and Miami City Ballet.
Josh Cantine
Josh Cantine has been dancing for over 11 years. His styles have ranged from classical ballet to hip-hop and modern. He has trained, worked and performed with world renowned companies: Pacific Northwest, School of American Ballet, Joffrey, BDC, and Steps on Broadway. He has competed nationally multiple times at Youth American Grande Prix. He danced professionally throughout the country. He has taught throughout Michigan and Washington State. He has had TV debuts on MTV, and So You Think You Can Dance. His choreography has been recognized nationally and throughout Canada. "I love sharing my passion of dance with others and to help them achieve their dreams one day as I have. Without dance I can't breathe; no matter what form of dance it is, it's communication between the heart and our souls."
