Oswegoland Park District dance instructors have extensive training in many forms of dance. Some have been a part of A Step Above Dance Company and have voluntarily assisted dance classes before becoming lead instructors.
Gianna Falcone is a dance assistant. She began dancing at the Park District at age 2 and then continued her dance education at various studios, including Gold Star Academy of Dance, Storm Dance Alliance, and Virtues in Motion. Gianna was also on the varsity dance team at Yorkville High School for 4 years. She has experience in the following styles: hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, musical theater, jazz funk, ballroom, and ballet. While competing, Gianna received several scholarships from various conventions and has been crowned dancer of the year at several competitions. Her favorite styles are contemporary and hip-hop. Gianna wants to inspire young dancers to love dance as much as she does. She wants them to reach their goals and be the best they can be.
Carina Forbes is a dance instructor and A Step Above Dance Company coach. She is a former collegiate dancer at Columbia College Chicago where she studied for a year as a dance major. She has been dancing for 12 years and is trained in the following dance styles: ballet, modern, west african, jazz, lyrical, poms, and hip hop. She was captain of her high school dance team for 2 years and was voted Most Valuable Dancer and Toughest Dancer. She was an IHSA State Qualifier in 2018 and 2020 and also has attended several NDA Dance Camps, JFK intensives, and went to Florida Nationals in 2018. While attending Columbia College Chicago, she was a member of the CCC Renegades Hip Hop Dance team. Her goal is to not only teach her students to be more skillful dancers but to store and display confidence, dedication, passion, teamwork, and individuality within them. She is prepared to put forth her best efforts to create a fun, challenging, and passionate learning experience for her dancers.
Heather Fowler has a passion for both dance and storytelling, and has been shaping and inspiring dancers of all ages for four years. Whether working with kids, teens, or adults, Heather fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where every dancer feels valued and empowered to exceed their own expectations. Throughout her career, Heather has received numerous accolades for showmanship and storytelling for solos, duos and group dances. She began her choreography journey in high school, co-choreographing a duet that placed in overalls and earned recognition for its emotional depth with the “Poetry in Motion” judges award. Above all, Heather is committed to helping dancers discover the power of movement as a tool for personal growth and artistic expression, while making dance fun and uplifting.
Brielle Goehring is a dance assistant. She’s been dancing since she was three, studying ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. She is currently a member of A Step Above Dance Company’s Inspire group and the varsity dance team at Oswego High School. Brielle’s goal is to help her dancers grow their dance skills while always keeping a positive mindset.
Ally Gorecki is a dance instructor teaching all ages at both recreational and competitive levels. While she has trained in jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, and poms throughout her dance career, tap and musical theater have always been her passions. She attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, and was a core choreographer for Dance Inc. Marquette. She currently works in education in the Chicagoland area, teaching fourth and fifth grade students. Additionally, Miss Ally is a proud founding member of Oswegoland Park District’s own A Step Above Dance Company. She has coached both Dream and Believe, and has won numerous awards, including divisional champions during our last competitive season. She aims to provide students with a safe space to curate their own passion for self-expression through movement. Her goal is to not only teach her students technical skills but to also learn how to appreciate and care for their bodies in order to allow each and every student to express themselves through dance for as long as they’d like.
Sofie Heidrich is an assistant dance instructor for the A Step Above Dance Company’s Strive group as well as recreational classes. She has studied ballet, pointe, contemporary, lyrical, hip-hop, and jazz through the Oswegoland Park District, and just recently graduated from A Step Above Dance Company. Sofie wants to help others grow to their full potential and have a positive experience while doing so.
Emma Johnson is a dance instructor who teaches a variety of styles and ages. This is her 16th year of dance, and in that time, she was trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical at Gold Star Academy of Dance. She was also a member of the Oswego High School Dance Team all four years of high school, where she was an IHSA State Qualifier in 2017 and an IHSA All-Conference Dancer in 2019. Now, she attends North Central College majoring in Elementary Education, minoring in Dance, and competing for their nationally-ranked dance team. Her goals as an educator include creating a safe place that allows her students to grow into a strong dancer and an even stronger human being.
Kayla Laciak is a dance instructor teaching various styles and ages. Kayla began dancing at three years old and has continued dancing throughout high school through Orchesis and at Xtreme Dance Force. She was a part of Xtreme Dance Force for about eight years and practiced all styles from jazz, contemporary, lyrical, tap, and hip-hop. She assisted with the younger levels of the company for three years. Kayla loves working with kids and watching their love for dance come to life. She has a true passion for this art form and her goal is to show others the beauty of dance.
Bella Lee is a dance assistant helping teach ballet, acro, and hip hop. She was a competitive dancer for 3 years at a local studio, and trained in styles like ballet, pointe, jazz, acro, lyrical, and contemporary. She can’t wait to help teach/share her passion with others. Her favorite thing about teaching is watching everyone express themselves while making memories that’ll last forever.
Bella Mahoney is a collegiate dancer teaching various classes at the park district as well as coaching A Step Above Dance Company’s Inspire team. She has been dancing for nineteen years and is trained in various dance styles, including ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, pom, and musical theater. Isabella has been teaching dancers for seven years, and looks forward to many to come! Isabella has choreographed for multiple high school and college dance teams, and her collegiate pom and jazz choreography is nationally ranked. She has been named an ISHA All Conference Dancer in 2017, 2018, and 2019.Isabella is also a 2021 Regional Champion in her self-choreographed solo. She currently holds first place jazz and pom collegiate choreography as well. Her goal as an instructor is to get students excited about dance, learn how to dance safely to increase the longevity of their career and learn how to persevere through life both inside and outside of dance.
Rachel Moffett teaches various ages and styles. She previously assisted Believe and led Dream as a part of the A Step Above Dance Co. instructional team. Rachel attended Oakland University and Macomb Community College, where she was a member of the show choir, The Macombers. Her dance training began in elementary school and has never stopped. She has studied a variety of styles. Rachel believes that you are never too old or too young to begin to dance. To her, dance is a fun way to be active and to express yourself.
Sheila Paulino is a ballet, ballroom, swing, Latin, and wedding dance instructor teaching various ages and levels. She has been teaching at the Park District since 2014. In 2005, she received her professional certification with DVIDA in ballroom and Latin dance and re-certifies every year. Her ballroom and Latin dance students have received numerous awards in multiple competitions. Sheila enjoys taking the pressure off brides and grooms on their big day and strongly believes anyone can dance.
Christyn Robinson is a dance instructor at Oswegoland Park District teaching jazz and contemporary. She started dancing at the age of 4 on her praise team at church. She then trained at a variety of studios including TranscendanceStudios, Steps Dance Center, Virtues in Motion, Broadway Dance Center, Columbia College Chicago, and Cli Conservatory. She also was on her varsity high school poms team all four years and did musical theater growing up. A few of the styles she trained in includes modern, tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, West African, contemporary, ballroom, and musical theater. Christyn is extremely excited to share her passion and provide a fun and healthy environment for her students!
Brianne Sendaj is originally from a suburb of Chicago, IL where she had been teaching dance for over 25 years. She started her dance career by taking ballet at the age of three. Throughout her dancing years she took ballet, tap, jazz, modern, character, pointe, and Pilates. Brianne was in various local companies in the Chicagoland area and at a variety of studios, some of which include Midwest Ballet Academy, Salt Creek Ballet, and Champaign-Urbana Ballet. Although her degree is in Psychology from the University of Illinois, she took various classes in dance and performance opportunities whenever she could. Brianne loved taking Pilates during one of her summer intensives so she decided to get certified so she could teach that as well. She loves to pass on her knowledge and watch her students learn as they master new steps and grow into young dancers themselves.
Bree Thomas is a cheer and dance assistant. She has been dancing since three years old studying, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary. She is currently a member of the Inspire group of A Step Above Dance Company. In addition to dance, Bree has been a cheerleader for the past six years. She is on the Varsity cheer team at Oswego High School and participates in their side-line and competitive seasons. She has also coached for another local cheer team. Bree’s goal for her dancers and cheerleaders is to build confidence and showcase their passions.
Brooke Thomas is a dance instructor teaching various styles and ages. She began dancing at the Oswegoland Park District at age 3 and continues to take classes. She even competed with a Step Above Dance Co., the Park District’s dance company, for 5 years. She has studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, poms, hip hop and musical theatre. She attended Oswego High School and was a member of the Pantherettes dance team. She is currently a student at Iowa State University studying industrial engineering. Brooke loves teaching all different types of classes and expanding her dance knowledge. Her favorite thing about dance is the ability to express yourself with music and emotions. She hopes to inspire dancers to persevere and to push themselves to their fullest potential.
Rockie Veverka is the Recreation Supervisor who oversees the dance department for the District and currently teaches hip hop classes and choreographs for A Step Above Dance Co. She began working for the District in 2013 and has taught ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and poms to various ages and levels. In 2015 she created A Step Above Dance Co., the District’s competitive dance company. She began her dance training at La Danse Academie in Joliet, IL., and in 2007, traveled Italy to perform in various cities. Rockie received a BA in Communications from Aurora University where she was captain of the University cheer and dance team. Above all, Rockie believes that dancers should have the opportunity to learn and express themselves through dance regardless of age or experience level.
