Our Dance Instructors

Taylor Boothby has been a dancer since the age of three and is a student of ballet, jazz, hip hop, and modern/lyrical. She has competed with Oswego High School’s Commotion show choir and has danced in/choreographed shows with both her high school and the Park District. 

Shannon Fauble has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Western Michigan University where she studied Vaganova Ballet, Hawkins Modern, and jazz. While in school she performed with the University's Dance Theater and the Kalamazoo Ballet Company. She has also taught at and performed with various dance studios in Michigan and Illinois.

Dena Maniates has been dancing since the age of three and teaching for 22 years. She performed in her college's Dance Repertory Company, Harper College's Performing Company, and taught dance for park districts and dance studios. Dena owned and operated her own dance studio in the for 15 years before moving to Oswego. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern and lyrical.

Kristen Hughes began dancing at the age of two. She attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts and studied at Columbia College before deciding to become a Licensed Massage Therapist. Formerly a dancer of DanceWest Ballet Company and the Martha Graham School in New York City where she studied under Pearl Lang, Kristen is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, and lyrical.

Melissa Gray has a Bachelor's degree in Art from Aurora University. She studied various forms of dance for fifteen years at the Fox Valley Park District, where she also taught ballet, tap, and jazz for three years.  Melissa was a four-year member and captain of the West Aurora Dance Team and the Aurora University Cheer and Dance team.

Amanda Summers has had a life full of dancing since the age of three. She is trained in ballet and jazz, and is also certified in ballroom, latin, and swing instruction. Amanda has been teaching dance for ten years and owned her own dance studio for two years before joining the Oswegoland Park District dance staff.    

Alexandra Watts began her training at the age of three in ballet and tap and is trained in disciplines including, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and poms. She is currently a member of the Oswego High School Varsity Pom and Dance Team and was previously captain of the Junior Varsity Team that placed first in Hip Hop at the Team Dance Illinois JV Championship. 

Katie White has been dancing since the age of four, training in lyrical, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and ballet at local studios. Continuing her dance education, Katie has also completed courses at Columbia College in Chicago.