Owned and directed by Brian Young, Sweatshop is an audition-only, pre-professional dance studio in Denver, CO aspiring to train versatile young dancers with a strong desire for success. The Sweatshop faculty offers world class training in all major dance styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and tap. Offering dance classes for ages 6 through continuing professional, there isn’t a more diverse program anywhere in Colorado!
The Vision
Assemble a world class faculty capable of training professional dancers, design a comprehensive pre-professional dance training program, provide state of the art training facilities, and create a financially accessible, nurturing and supportive atmosphere with which to train and foster well-balanced professional dancers and successful individuals.
Along with the highest level of training available, the students of Sweatshop will be provided with a variety of performance opportunities as well as opportunities to attend outside performances. It is our mission and responsibility that the students experience a broader understanding of the world of dance, use their dance training to enhance their own lives as well as the lives of the less fortunate through community services, and further the visibility of dance as an art form in their local and national communities.
Along with the highest level of training available, the students of Sweatshop will be provided with a variety of performance opportunities as well as opportunities to attend outside performances. It is our mission and responsibility that the students experience a broader understanding of the world of dance, use their dance training to enhance their own lives as well as the lives of the less fortunate through community services, and further the visibility of dance as an art form in their local and national communities.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Our training program IS the most comprehensive in Colorado - truly preprofessional level training in nearly ALL genres
- All of Sweatshop's incredible faculty have been, or are, professional dancers - who better to help your dancers achieve their dreams than those who are living their own?
- Bi-seasonal (Fall and Spring) ballet exams, including written evaluations, are offered to all dancers
- For dancers with college aspirations? Absolutely! 92% (and 100% of those whom apply) of our total alumni have been/are attending Top 10 college dance programs...and a good number of the remaining 8% are enjoying early dance careers or have used their dance experience to supplement their applications to Ivy League schools.
- Home to one of the nation's top preprofessional competition companies!
- Sweatshop's 21,000 square foot urban-setting facility, complete with sprung-floor systems throughout, provides the dancers with both the space and professional environment they need to become brilliant movement artists. Dancers need a nice big space to explore their fullest potential in a safety-conscious way. Not only does our slow and thoughtful training program keep the dancers strong and injury-free, our facility contributes greatly to our lack of injured dancers - even when they are working to and beyond their full physical potential.
- So much more!
MEET THE FACULTY
The Sweatshop team brings with it a wealth of knowledge, experience, and diversity unparalleled anywhere in the region. Hailing from around the globe, the faculty includes dancers, teachers, and choreographers from Las Vegas, Broadway, Los Angeles, professional sports dance teams, as well as professional ballet, modern, and jazz companies, giving students access and insight into virtually every professional dance niche there is! Please view the impressive facutly bios listed below.
Featured Guest Artist: Pattie Obey
Pattie Obey is a committed professional bringing her experience, creativity, passion, and humor to the teaching profession. A Chicago native and the daughter of a dancer, Pattie began her professional career touring internationally with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago. Her performance credits both in the USA and abroad includes Broadway musicals, films and television. Her personal style is greatly influenced by her mentor Gus Giordano, former Hubbard Street artistic director Lou Conte, jazz master Matt Mattox and her own elegant and powerful femininity. Pattie credits her extensive classical background to her training with ex-Royal ballet soloists Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay. Currently, Obey makes her home in Delray Beach, Florida after living in Europe for the past 28 years. She has been a guest teacher at Harid Conservatory and on faculty at Boca Ballet Theatre in Boca Raton, Florida. She has also mentored for “1st Step” an outreach program serving the Boca Raton community. Pattie has been on the faculty of numerous dance festivals in Germany, Austria, Finland and Mexico. She is a master teacher for both Dance Educators of America and Dance Masters of America. For 8 years she has been a guest artist at the University of Performing Arts in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Pattie has taught for colleges, universities, dance companies and eminent dance studios in 36 states and 16 countries. She has choreographed works for LaJazDanz, Ormao Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Jazz Dance Theatre, Boca Ballet Theatre, Illusionists’ Ted and Marion Outerbridge, The Playhouse Dance Company at Point Park University and Pori Dance Company in Pori, Finland to name a few. Dance Magazine proclaims Obey as being “Dance Teacher Extraordinaire” and, most recently, Dance Studio Life Magazine as “The Leading Lady in Jazz.” In 1992, she was the first woman to teach at the Jazz Dance World Congress and has been on the roster of master teachers ever since. She is also the recipient of the “2000 Jazz Dance World Congress Award” in recognition of her considerable contribution to the world of jazz dance. Brian Young, Sweatshop owner/director/teacher/choreographer, couldn't be more excited to welcome Pattie into the studio. It is a complete dream come true to be able to give your very own students the opportunity to train with YOUR teacher. "WELCOME, MS. PATTIE!!!!"
Pattie Obey is a committed professional bringing her experience, creativity, passion, and humor to the teaching profession. A Chicago native and the daughter of a dancer, Pattie began her professional career touring internationally with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago. Her performance credits both in the USA and abroad includes Broadway musicals, films and television. Her personal style is greatly influenced by her mentor Gus Giordano, former Hubbard Street artistic director Lou Conte, jazz master Matt Mattox and her own elegant and powerful femininity. Pattie credits her extensive classical background to her training with ex-Royal ballet soloists Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay. Currently, Obey makes her home in Delray Beach, Florida after living in Europe for the past 28 years. She has been a guest teacher at Harid Conservatory and on faculty at Boca Ballet Theatre in Boca Raton, Florida. She has also mentored for “1st Step” an outreach program serving the Boca Raton community. Pattie has been on the faculty of numerous dance festivals in Germany, Austria, Finland and Mexico. She is a master teacher for both Dance Educators of America and Dance Masters of America. For 8 years she has been a guest artist at the University of Performing Arts in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Pattie has taught for colleges, universities, dance companies and eminent dance studios in 36 states and 16 countries. She has choreographed works for LaJazDanz, Ormao Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Jazz Dance Theatre, Boca Ballet Theatre, Illusionists’ Ted and Marion Outerbridge, The Playhouse Dance Company at Point Park University and Pori Dance Company in Pori, Finland to name a few. Dance Magazine proclaims Obey as being “Dance Teacher Extraordinaire” and, most recently, Dance Studio Life Magazine as “The Leading Lady in Jazz.” In 1992, she was the first woman to teach at the Jazz Dance World Congress and has been on the roster of master teachers ever since. She is also the recipient of the “2000 Jazz Dance World Congress Award” in recognition of her considerable contribution to the world of jazz dance. Brian Young, Sweatshop owner/director/teacher/choreographer, couldn't be more excited to welcome Pattie into the studio. It is a complete dream come true to be able to give your very own students the opportunity to train with YOUR teacher. "WELCOME, MS. PATTIE!!!!"
Featured Guest Artist: Andy Pellick
Background: Andy originally hails from Pittsburgh, PA, but has called New York his home for well over a decade. Andy began dancing at age six and is still training today!
Stage Performances: Andy’s Broadway credits include the Original Broadway casts of “Wicked,” “Tarzan,” “La Cage Aux Folles” (first revival), and “Dance of the Vampires.” He has also performed Off-Broadway in “Fuerzabruta” and “De La Guarda.” Before moving to New York, Andy was the understudy for Tommy Tune in “EFX” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he was also a featured dancer.
TV/Film Performances: Andy was featured in the films “The Polar Express” and “Show Business.” He also appeared on “The David Letterman Show,” the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, “VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards,” “Broadway: The Golden Age” and “The Tony Awards.”
Background: Andy originally hails from Pittsburgh, PA, but has called New York his home for well over a decade. Andy began dancing at age six and is still training today!
Stage Performances: Andy’s Broadway credits include the Original Broadway casts of “Wicked,” “Tarzan,” “La Cage Aux Folles” (first revival), and “Dance of the Vampires.” He has also performed Off-Broadway in “Fuerzabruta” and “De La Guarda.” Before moving to New York, Andy was the understudy for Tommy Tune in “EFX” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he was also a featured dancer.
TV/Film Performances: Andy was featured in the films “The Polar Express” and “Show Business.” He also appeared on “The David Letterman Show,” the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, “VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards,” “Broadway: The Golden Age” and “The Tony Awards.”
Brian Young Owner/Director (Jazz/Lyrical/Tap/Ballet)
A Colorado native, Brian Young began singing and dancing at a very young age and quickly realized that the performing arts would become his life’s work. After graduating High School Brian moved to Las Vegas, NV to attend UNLV as a dance performance major. While in school Brian taught and performed in and around Las Vegas. Some of his performing credits include EFX, starring Tommy Tune, at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, The Bob Fosse Review at the Rio Hotel and Casino, numerous conventions and industrials, music videos, and in 1999/2000 was privileged to be a back-up vocalist for Barbra Streisand in Timeless: The Millennium Concerts at MGM Grand Garden Arena under the direction of Marvin Hamlish. Brian later moved to Chicago to further train and dance with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago where he was mentored by “The first woman of jazz dance”, Pattie Obey, as well as working with jazz dance greats including Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, Sherie Zunker-Dow, Eddie Ocampo, Debbie Tillman, Emily Yewell and many more. Brian moved from Chicago to perform with the LA Jazdanz Company and was later chosen to premier its sister company LA Jazdanz 2 as a principal dancer in San Francisco, CA. He later took a position as a dance captain with Royal Caribbean International before moving back to Colorado to plant some roots. Brian has taught master classes at over twenty Colorado dance studios, has been a guest Jazz dance teacher and choreographer at Denver School of the Arts for many seasons, and taught advanced levels of Jazz, Lyrical, and Tap class at both locations of Colorado Ballet Academy where he was also the Competition Program Director. Locally, Brian has set choreography on both David Taylor Dance Theatre and Colorado Ballet, and has choreographed numerous award winning pieces for his students including both first and second place Contemporary Ballet pieces at the Youth American Grand Prix ballet competition. Recently Brian taught jazz on the Manhattan Dance Project tour, a national tour featuring master classes by Broadway’s premier dancers, and himself. Since the age of 7 Brian always dreamed of the day he'd open his own studio; now, as one of the nation's leading preprofessional dance programs, SWEATshop is the culmination of a lifetime of dedication and hard work and is the realization of this dream!
Tami Bing (Lyrical/HipHop)
Tami Bing is a graduate of Colorado State University receiving a degree in Dance and Psychology. During this time, Tami's Choreography was selected to perform in the American College Dance Festival in Wichita, Kansas in 2000. Right out of college, Tami traveled to Boise Idaho to teach at a 3 week Summer Dance Festival at Boise State University. She has been dancing for over 25 years. Dance training includes Jazz, Hip-hop, tap, ballet, lyrical, poms, character, musical theatre, clogging, break dancing, contemporary and modern. Tami danced as a Denver Nuggets Dancer from 1996-2000 and was captain of the team for 3 years. During this time she was selected to travel to Las Vegas to dance at a trade show for Everlast. Tami was a member of the Damsels Dance Company from 2000-2003. She has been teaching dance for 17 years at local studios in the Denver metro area including The Academy of Colorado Ballet, serving as the company director and co-founder of their competitive company, Aspirations from 2006-2009. Amongst these years she has received numerous high score awards as well as Choreography and Icon awards. Tami has worked with many local and nation wide high school pom and cheerleading squads. She has also had the opportunity to choreograph with the Denver School of the Arts for their spring and fall concerts. Outside of teaching, she is currently traveling with Elevation dance convention. Tami is very excited to begin her journey with SWEATshop. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time at home with her Husband and her two children.
Jacob James Mora (Modern Fusion/Contemporary)
Born and raised in the Mile High City of Denver CO, Jacob is the artistic Director of Moraporvida Contemporary Dance, a company based on urban experiences and human emotions., Quickly becoming a sought after choreographer for his unique and powerful repertory Jacob works as an international performer teacher and artist.
Jacob received a Bachlor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado in Dance & Theatre, with emphasis in Choreography, Acting, and Performance. Jacob has been a member of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Hannah Kahn Dance, Santee Smith Group, Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre, and Alaska Dance Theatre. He has had the pleasure of working with and dancing the works of Choreographers such as Donald Mckayle, Betty Jones, Ron Brown, Milton Meyers, David Rousseve, Eleo Pomare, David Dorfman and Lisa Race among many.
Jacob Choreographs and teaches around the Country using a unique blend of Contemporary and traditional techniques, fusing Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Poetry and ethnic and urban culture. He has been on faculty with the University of Wyoming and the New York Institute of Dance, as well as guest artist and teacher for may other schools, festivals and institutions.
Lizanne McAdams-Graham (Ballet)
Lizanne McAdams-Graham, has over 40 years experience as a professional dancer and dance educator and has devoted her entire life to the arts. She began training at the age of 3 under the direction of her late mother, Lorraine McAdams, legendary Director and Founder of the National Ballet of New Jersey and her father, a professional musician raising five children on a 12 acre dance complex. In her youth she was a full year scholarship student to Joffrey Ballet NYC, Harkness House for Ballet Arts NYC, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Choreography NARB workshops. She joined the Croation National Ballet and Opera Theatre in Zagreb, in the former Yugoslavia at the age of 17 dancing principal and leading roles in Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, Swan Lake, Serenade, Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty and Firebird, Graduation Ball, Carmina Burana, Bolero and Cinderella. She has studied with Finus Yhung, David Howard, John Prince, Maria Vegh, Basil Thompson, Michael Smuin, Alonzo King, Maggie Black and Robert Blankshine, Kristina Elliot,Yehuda Maor, Loyce Holton, and Pavel Rotaru.
Mid career Ms. McAdams-Graham joined the renowned ODC/Dance, exploring contemporary dance, completing world tours in Russia, Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and Australia, along with residency at Jacobs Pillow, Joyce Theater, City Center, Lincoln Center in NYC, and Kennedy Center in D.C. She has guest appeared for Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco Opera Ballet Companies in “Faust”, “Die Fledermaus”, “La Traviata” “Orfeo Ed Euridice” and “Aida” and appeared on the PBS televised production of "Dance in America".
Ms. McAdams served on the dance faculty for Dance Alloy at Carnegie-Mellon University, Point Park University, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Dance Center and Drexel University . She has set major ballets on Charleston Ballet, Ithaca Ballet and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. She retired from performing in 1997 and conducted company class for Boulder Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Zikir Dance Ensemble and Wonderbound in Colorado. She conducted thriving professional classes at Colorado Ballet and Denver Dance Center for 22 years. She was Ballet Mistress for David Taylor Dance Theatre and Dawson/Wallace Dance Project.
Danielle Sunseri (Ballet)
Danielle Sunseri, an Ohio native, trained as a competitive swimmer and gymnast before studying classical dance. She began at age 14 with German Zamuel and Valentina Moukhanova at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, studied on scholarship with PBTS Schenley Program and Graduate Program under David Holladay and Patricia Wilde, and trained at North Carolina School for the Arts and Mercyhurst College in Performance and Pedagogy. After studies in NYC, at Ballet Arizona and the Colorado Ballet Apprentice Program, she joined Colorado Ballet in 1995 under the direction of Martin Fredmann. She enjoyed various roles in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Serenade and Stars & Stripes, and the principle role of Pioneer Woman in the 1998 historic staging of Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring. She performed extensively with Kim Robards Dance, as a guest artist with Russian Ballet, Kanopy Dance Company and International Youth Ballet, and worked with noted repetiteurs Patricia Neary, Bart Cook, Janet Eilber, Janek Schergen, James Canfield, Gregory Dawson and others. She is a contemporary soloist in her sixth season with David Taylor Dance Theatre and a soloist and rehearsal assistant for Zikr Dance Ensemble. Ms. Sunseri has 15 years experience instructing young students in foundational levels of classical ballet, stretch, conditioning, character, and choreography. She has been a faculty instructor for nine years with Academy of Colorado Ballet, her first three under the inspiring direction of prima ballerina Patricia Renzetti. Before joining ACB, she was a teacher apprentice under Nadya Zubkov and Kee Juan Han at the School of Ballet Arizona and later completed teacher training seminars in the Russian method with Nadia Tikhonova, Zhanna Dubrovskaya, and Mansur Kamaletdinov. She has instructed students of all levels on several faculties including the School of Ballet Arizona, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Rocky Mountain School of Dance, Belliston Academy of Ballet, Youth Ballet Colorado, and International Ballet School and was rehearsal assistant and contributing choreographer for International Youth Ballet productions for two seasons. She directed the youth program for David Taylor Dance Theatre (Ascot) Academy of Ballet and choreographed and staged the children’s Mother Ginger divertissement for David Taylor Dance Theatre’s Nutcracker for three years while conducting numerous literacy-based dance residencies in the Englewood Public Elementary Schools. Ms. Sunseri also teaches beginning ballroom and enjoys directing her own ballet program for figure skaters and gymnasts.
Alexandru "Sasha" Glusacov (Ballet)
Mr. Glusacov has over 20 years of experience as a professional dancer. He trained at the Academy of Ballet of Republic of Moldova. Upon graduation, he joined the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Republic of Moldova where he quickly became a first soloist dancer. He later moved to Moscow and joined the Russian Classical Ballet and then the Russian State Ballet. With these companies he toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. Mr. Glusacov has danced around the country as a guest artist including Colorado Ballet. His repertoire includes soloist and principal roles in ballets like Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote and many others, as well as contemporary performances. As an instructor, with over 10 years of experience, he has successfully staged full length ballets and coached variations for competitions. His students have been accepted to major classical Summer Intensive Programs and to professional companies around the country. Mr. Glusacov has a degree in pedagogy in dance from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts, Moldova.
Slava Mesropov (Ballet)
Slava Mesropov is from Baku, Azerbaijan and graduated from the Baku Academy of Ballet. He was a soloist with the Azerbaijan Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, Moscow Festival Ballet, Ballet South and Colorado Ballet. Mr. Mesropov is trained in the Vaganova method of ballet and character dance. Before joining IBS full time in 2009, Mr. Mesropov served on faculty at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was the Artistic Director of Ballet Royal Institute of Maryland where he choreographed and staged many productions including The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Giselle and annual gala concerts featuring principals from American Ballet Theatre. Mr. Mesropov has also taught for Ballet Theater of Maryland, the Academy of Colorado Ballet and the Baltimore School for the Arts. He regularly teaches master classes and summer intensive programs throughout the United States including at Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, Southland Ballet Academy in Orange County, California, Michigan Ballet Academy in Grand Rapids and The Washington School of Ballet in Washington D.C. During his teaching career, Mr. Mesropov has prepared several participants for international competitions. He was named Outstanding Teacher at the 2003 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) international competition finals in New York.
Andrea Blankstein (Ballet)
Andrea was born in Borås, Sweden, she began her ballet training with Mary Moe Adams at Adams Ballet Academy in Tempe, Arizona. At the age of sixteen she was awarded the Bartholin Prize at the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark. Upon the invitation of world renowned ballet danseur Peter Schaufuss she joined the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany where she danced a wide range of ballets and roles including a pas de trois created on her by Bill T. Jones and Candide in Sleeping Beauty by Peter Schaufuss. Ms. Blankstein joined the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet upon her return to the United States, later joining Ballet Arizona and danced as a guest artist with Milwaukee Ballet. Ms. Blankstein was a principal dancer with Virginia Ballet Theatre for two seasons and performed various leading roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Romeo and Juliet pas de deux, Sleeping Beauty pas de deux and the White Couple from Les Patineurs with her husband Mark Otloski. She was a guest principal dancer with Albany Berkshire Ballet and Great Lakes Festival Ballet for The Nutcracker. Ms. Blankstein performed with Ohio Ballet for one season where Domey Reiter-Stoffer created the role of Miss Jessel for her in The Turn of the Screw. She was a principal with State Street Ballet, performing Michaela in Bill Soleau's Carmen. There she also performed the Rat Queen in The Nutcracker as well as the Pas de Six from Napoli. Andrea was an original member of Ballet Theater of Ohio dancing all the principal roles, including Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and the Pink couple in Heinz Poll's Summer Night. During this time she performed the role of Cinderella with Ballet Western Reserve in Richard Dickinson's Cinderella. For the past ten years to current Andrea has been a guest principal with Hawaii Ballet Theatre, director Charlys Ing, performing the role of Clara in The Nutcracker. Andrea has performed the roles of The Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Odette from Act II of Swan Lake, the principal ballerina in Les Sylphide and Marie Taglioni in Pas de Quatre with City Ballet of Cleveland. With her 25 years of teaching experience she brings a great knowledge and expertise in the art of ballet, pointe and repertoire.
Leanna Earlywine (Tap)
Leanna was born and raised in Northwest Indiana where she studied and excelled in dance, voice and theater, as well as performing as a concert clarinetist in the Chicago area. Throughout high school she was fortunate enough to study with Gus Giordano. Moving to Colorado, she majored in Theater at Denver University where she starred in and choreographed many of the Theater Department's shows as well as co-founding and starring in the internationally recognized DU Show Choir. Leanna joined Picus Dance Academy as a student and teacher while still in college and worked closely with Stan and Heidi Picus. She soon performed with the Picus Dance Company and was also featured at Country Dinner Playhouse as one of Stan Picus' dancers. Leanna has not only choreographed for Picus Dance Academy and Off Broadway Academy of Dance but also for numerous high school musical productions. Leanna has taught Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Musical Theater for 30 years in the Denver Metro area, was director of Picus Dance for 5 years prior to becoming owner and director of Off Broadway Academy of Dance. Her biggest joy besides being a mother and wife is to nurture and watch students grow, not only as dancers, but as overall confident, well-rounded individuals.
Alicia Karczewski (Tap)
Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loretto Heights/Regis University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dance and later received her professional teaching licensure in Physical Movement and an additional endorsement in Dance. While pursuing her degree, she worked in musical theatre (42nd Street, Oklahoma!, Peter Pan, Unsinkable Molly Brown) and toured West Side Story as dance captain. She choreographed musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Brigadoon, South Pacific, for numerous high schools and continuing her career as choreographer she was selected for the 1996, 1997 and 2000 Colorado Choreographers Showcase. Concurrently she danced with modern, jazz, and tap dance companies (Interweave Dance Theatre, Jan Justis Dance Company, Jumpstart) and worked in the entertainment and film industries (Step by Step; An Amateurs Guide to choreography, Father Dowling – Viacom Film Productions). Ms. Karczewski tributes her move into a dance career to Miller’s Dance Studio (Aurora CO), where she was inspired by owner Sabrina Helma, and served as faculty and office manager for over 15 years. She has guest taught for Colorado Ballet, Glenwood Springs Dance Festival, the cast of Phantom of the Opera, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Summer Intensive, and a variety of studio’s nationally. Ms. Karczewski was Co-Director of the Department of Dance and Movement at Denver School of the Arts (DSA, Denver CO) for over 20 years. Her focus was in teaching classical jazz, rhythm tap, modern, choreography/composition. While at DSA her students participated in the National High School Dance Festival where they performed through the adjudication process amongst over a 1000 high school dancers from across the country.
Ms. Karczewski participated as Colorado Dance Alliance board member, adjudication committee for Scientific & Cultural Facilities District New Grants program for dance, Colorado Dance Education Organization (CoDeo) advisory committee and 2009/2010 Dance Standards review committee for Colorado Department of Education and was chosen to participate for the 2017/18 review. Additionally, she enjoyed traveling all over the U.S. adjudicating dance competitions for many years and recently was part of the adjudicating team for presentingdenver dance festival performance 2017/18.
Sydney Baker (Tap)
Sydney trained in a multitude of styles, but fell in love with tap dance at an early age while studying with Beverly Pinkerton. Sydney attended many masterclasses with tap dancers Professor Robert Reed and Barbara Duffy growing up. Continuing her tap education, she travels annually to New York City to attend tap festivals such as Tap City, the New York City Tap Festival and The Big Apple Tap Festival. Attending festivals has provided her with opportunities to study with master teachers such as Brenda Bufalino, Katherine Kramer, Ted Louis Levy, Ali Bradley, and Sam Weber, among others. Sydney has been performing with Tap 24.7 for the past 3 years and it has taken to her places such as Arizona, Seattle, and Detroit. She is honored to learn from such tap dance legends, which affords her the opportunity to pass down this rich, American art form in a meaningful and methodical way. She hopes to instill a love of dance in her students, while teaching them the technique and discipline of the art of tap dance.
A Colorado native, Brian Young began singing and dancing at a very young age and quickly realized that the performing arts would become his life’s work. After graduating High School Brian moved to Las Vegas, NV to attend UNLV as a dance performance major. While in school Brian taught and performed in and around Las Vegas. Some of his performing credits include EFX, starring Tommy Tune, at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, The Bob Fosse Review at the Rio Hotel and Casino, numerous conventions and industrials, music videos, and in 1999/2000 was privileged to be a back-up vocalist for Barbra Streisand in Timeless: The Millennium Concerts at MGM Grand Garden Arena under the direction of Marvin Hamlish. Brian later moved to Chicago to further train and dance with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago where he was mentored by “The first woman of jazz dance”, Pattie Obey, as well as working with jazz dance greats including Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, Sherie Zunker-Dow, Eddie Ocampo, Debbie Tillman, Emily Yewell and many more. Brian moved from Chicago to perform with the LA Jazdanz Company and was later chosen to premier its sister company LA Jazdanz 2 as a principal dancer in San Francisco, CA. He later took a position as a dance captain with Royal Caribbean International before moving back to Colorado to plant some roots. Brian has taught master classes at over twenty Colorado dance studios, has been a guest Jazz dance teacher and choreographer at Denver School of the Arts for many seasons, and taught advanced levels of Jazz, Lyrical, and Tap class at both locations of Colorado Ballet Academy where he was also the Competition Program Director. Locally, Brian has set choreography on both David Taylor Dance Theatre and Colorado Ballet, and has choreographed numerous award winning pieces for his students including both first and second place Contemporary Ballet pieces at the Youth American Grand Prix ballet competition. Recently Brian taught jazz on the Manhattan Dance Project tour, a national tour featuring master classes by Broadway’s premier dancers, and himself. Since the age of 7 Brian always dreamed of the day he'd open his own studio; now, as one of the nation's leading preprofessional dance programs, SWEATshop is the culmination of a lifetime of dedication and hard work and is the realization of this dream!
Tami Bing (Lyrical/HipHop)
Tami Bing is a graduate of Colorado State University receiving a degree in Dance and Psychology. During this time, Tami's Choreography was selected to perform in the American College Dance Festival in Wichita, Kansas in 2000. Right out of college, Tami traveled to Boise Idaho to teach at a 3 week Summer Dance Festival at Boise State University. She has been dancing for over 25 years. Dance training includes Jazz, Hip-hop, tap, ballet, lyrical, poms, character, musical theatre, clogging, break dancing, contemporary and modern. Tami danced as a Denver Nuggets Dancer from 1996-2000 and was captain of the team for 3 years. During this time she was selected to travel to Las Vegas to dance at a trade show for Everlast. Tami was a member of the Damsels Dance Company from 2000-2003. She has been teaching dance for 17 years at local studios in the Denver metro area including The Academy of Colorado Ballet, serving as the company director and co-founder of their competitive company, Aspirations from 2006-2009. Amongst these years she has received numerous high score awards as well as Choreography and Icon awards. Tami has worked with many local and nation wide high school pom and cheerleading squads. She has also had the opportunity to choreograph with the Denver School of the Arts for their spring and fall concerts. Outside of teaching, she is currently traveling with Elevation dance convention. Tami is very excited to begin her journey with SWEATshop. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time at home with her Husband and her two children.
Jacob James Mora (Modern Fusion/Contemporary)
Born and raised in the Mile High City of Denver CO, Jacob is the artistic Director of Moraporvida Contemporary Dance, a company based on urban experiences and human emotions., Quickly becoming a sought after choreographer for his unique and powerful repertory Jacob works as an international performer teacher and artist.
Jacob received a Bachlor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado in Dance & Theatre, with emphasis in Choreography, Acting, and Performance. Jacob has been a member of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Hannah Kahn Dance, Santee Smith Group, Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre, and Alaska Dance Theatre. He has had the pleasure of working with and dancing the works of Choreographers such as Donald Mckayle, Betty Jones, Ron Brown, Milton Meyers, David Rousseve, Eleo Pomare, David Dorfman and Lisa Race among many.
Jacob Choreographs and teaches around the Country using a unique blend of Contemporary and traditional techniques, fusing Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Poetry and ethnic and urban culture. He has been on faculty with the University of Wyoming and the New York Institute of Dance, as well as guest artist and teacher for may other schools, festivals and institutions.
Lizanne McAdams-Graham (Ballet)
Lizanne McAdams-Graham, has over 40 years experience as a professional dancer and dance educator and has devoted her entire life to the arts. She began training at the age of 3 under the direction of her late mother, Lorraine McAdams, legendary Director and Founder of the National Ballet of New Jersey and her father, a professional musician raising five children on a 12 acre dance complex. In her youth she was a full year scholarship student to Joffrey Ballet NYC, Harkness House for Ballet Arts NYC, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Choreography NARB workshops. She joined the Croation National Ballet and Opera Theatre in Zagreb, in the former Yugoslavia at the age of 17 dancing principal and leading roles in Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, Swan Lake, Serenade, Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty and Firebird, Graduation Ball, Carmina Burana, Bolero and Cinderella. She has studied with Finus Yhung, David Howard, John Prince, Maria Vegh, Basil Thompson, Michael Smuin, Alonzo King, Maggie Black and Robert Blankshine, Kristina Elliot,Yehuda Maor, Loyce Holton, and Pavel Rotaru.
Mid career Ms. McAdams-Graham joined the renowned ODC/Dance, exploring contemporary dance, completing world tours in Russia, Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and Australia, along with residency at Jacobs Pillow, Joyce Theater, City Center, Lincoln Center in NYC, and Kennedy Center in D.C. She has guest appeared for Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco Opera Ballet Companies in “Faust”, “Die Fledermaus”, “La Traviata” “Orfeo Ed Euridice” and “Aida” and appeared on the PBS televised production of "Dance in America".
Ms. McAdams served on the dance faculty for Dance Alloy at Carnegie-Mellon University, Point Park University, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Dance Center and Drexel University . She has set major ballets on Charleston Ballet, Ithaca Ballet and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. She retired from performing in 1997 and conducted company class for Boulder Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Zikir Dance Ensemble and Wonderbound in Colorado. She conducted thriving professional classes at Colorado Ballet and Denver Dance Center for 22 years. She was Ballet Mistress for David Taylor Dance Theatre and Dawson/Wallace Dance Project.
Danielle Sunseri (Ballet)
Danielle Sunseri, an Ohio native, trained as a competitive swimmer and gymnast before studying classical dance. She began at age 14 with German Zamuel and Valentina Moukhanova at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, studied on scholarship with PBTS Schenley Program and Graduate Program under David Holladay and Patricia Wilde, and trained at North Carolina School for the Arts and Mercyhurst College in Performance and Pedagogy. After studies in NYC, at Ballet Arizona and the Colorado Ballet Apprentice Program, she joined Colorado Ballet in 1995 under the direction of Martin Fredmann. She enjoyed various roles in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Serenade and Stars & Stripes, and the principle role of Pioneer Woman in the 1998 historic staging of Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring. She performed extensively with Kim Robards Dance, as a guest artist with Russian Ballet, Kanopy Dance Company and International Youth Ballet, and worked with noted repetiteurs Patricia Neary, Bart Cook, Janet Eilber, Janek Schergen, James Canfield, Gregory Dawson and others. She is a contemporary soloist in her sixth season with David Taylor Dance Theatre and a soloist and rehearsal assistant for Zikr Dance Ensemble. Ms. Sunseri has 15 years experience instructing young students in foundational levels of classical ballet, stretch, conditioning, character, and choreography. She has been a faculty instructor for nine years with Academy of Colorado Ballet, her first three under the inspiring direction of prima ballerina Patricia Renzetti. Before joining ACB, she was a teacher apprentice under Nadya Zubkov and Kee Juan Han at the School of Ballet Arizona and later completed teacher training seminars in the Russian method with Nadia Tikhonova, Zhanna Dubrovskaya, and Mansur Kamaletdinov. She has instructed students of all levels on several faculties including the School of Ballet Arizona, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Rocky Mountain School of Dance, Belliston Academy of Ballet, Youth Ballet Colorado, and International Ballet School and was rehearsal assistant and contributing choreographer for International Youth Ballet productions for two seasons. She directed the youth program for David Taylor Dance Theatre (Ascot) Academy of Ballet and choreographed and staged the children’s Mother Ginger divertissement for David Taylor Dance Theatre’s Nutcracker for three years while conducting numerous literacy-based dance residencies in the Englewood Public Elementary Schools. Ms. Sunseri also teaches beginning ballroom and enjoys directing her own ballet program for figure skaters and gymnasts.
Alexandru "Sasha" Glusacov (Ballet)
Mr. Glusacov has over 20 years of experience as a professional dancer. He trained at the Academy of Ballet of Republic of Moldova. Upon graduation, he joined the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Republic of Moldova where he quickly became a first soloist dancer. He later moved to Moscow and joined the Russian Classical Ballet and then the Russian State Ballet. With these companies he toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. Mr. Glusacov has danced around the country as a guest artist including Colorado Ballet. His repertoire includes soloist and principal roles in ballets like Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote and many others, as well as contemporary performances. As an instructor, with over 10 years of experience, he has successfully staged full length ballets and coached variations for competitions. His students have been accepted to major classical Summer Intensive Programs and to professional companies around the country. Mr. Glusacov has a degree in pedagogy in dance from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts, Moldova.
Slava Mesropov (Ballet)
Slava Mesropov is from Baku, Azerbaijan and graduated from the Baku Academy of Ballet. He was a soloist with the Azerbaijan Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, Moscow Festival Ballet, Ballet South and Colorado Ballet. Mr. Mesropov is trained in the Vaganova method of ballet and character dance. Before joining IBS full time in 2009, Mr. Mesropov served on faculty at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was the Artistic Director of Ballet Royal Institute of Maryland where he choreographed and staged many productions including The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Giselle and annual gala concerts featuring principals from American Ballet Theatre. Mr. Mesropov has also taught for Ballet Theater of Maryland, the Academy of Colorado Ballet and the Baltimore School for the Arts. He regularly teaches master classes and summer intensive programs throughout the United States including at Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, Southland Ballet Academy in Orange County, California, Michigan Ballet Academy in Grand Rapids and The Washington School of Ballet in Washington D.C. During his teaching career, Mr. Mesropov has prepared several participants for international competitions. He was named Outstanding Teacher at the 2003 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) international competition finals in New York.
Andrea Blankstein (Ballet)
Andrea was born in Borås, Sweden, she began her ballet training with Mary Moe Adams at Adams Ballet Academy in Tempe, Arizona. At the age of sixteen she was awarded the Bartholin Prize at the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark. Upon the invitation of world renowned ballet danseur Peter Schaufuss she joined the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany where she danced a wide range of ballets and roles including a pas de trois created on her by Bill T. Jones and Candide in Sleeping Beauty by Peter Schaufuss. Ms. Blankstein joined the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet upon her return to the United States, later joining Ballet Arizona and danced as a guest artist with Milwaukee Ballet. Ms. Blankstein was a principal dancer with Virginia Ballet Theatre for two seasons and performed various leading roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Romeo and Juliet pas de deux, Sleeping Beauty pas de deux and the White Couple from Les Patineurs with her husband Mark Otloski. She was a guest principal dancer with Albany Berkshire Ballet and Great Lakes Festival Ballet for The Nutcracker. Ms. Blankstein performed with Ohio Ballet for one season where Domey Reiter-Stoffer created the role of Miss Jessel for her in The Turn of the Screw. She was a principal with State Street Ballet, performing Michaela in Bill Soleau's Carmen. There she also performed the Rat Queen in The Nutcracker as well as the Pas de Six from Napoli. Andrea was an original member of Ballet Theater of Ohio dancing all the principal roles, including Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and the Pink couple in Heinz Poll's Summer Night. During this time she performed the role of Cinderella with Ballet Western Reserve in Richard Dickinson's Cinderella. For the past ten years to current Andrea has been a guest principal with Hawaii Ballet Theatre, director Charlys Ing, performing the role of Clara in The Nutcracker. Andrea has performed the roles of The Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Odette from Act II of Swan Lake, the principal ballerina in Les Sylphide and Marie Taglioni in Pas de Quatre with City Ballet of Cleveland. With her 25 years of teaching experience she brings a great knowledge and expertise in the art of ballet, pointe and repertoire.
Leanna Earlywine (Tap)
Leanna was born and raised in Northwest Indiana where she studied and excelled in dance, voice and theater, as well as performing as a concert clarinetist in the Chicago area. Throughout high school she was fortunate enough to study with Gus Giordano. Moving to Colorado, she majored in Theater at Denver University where she starred in and choreographed many of the Theater Department's shows as well as co-founding and starring in the internationally recognized DU Show Choir. Leanna joined Picus Dance Academy as a student and teacher while still in college and worked closely with Stan and Heidi Picus. She soon performed with the Picus Dance Company and was also featured at Country Dinner Playhouse as one of Stan Picus' dancers. Leanna has not only choreographed for Picus Dance Academy and Off Broadway Academy of Dance but also for numerous high school musical productions. Leanna has taught Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Musical Theater for 30 years in the Denver Metro area, was director of Picus Dance for 5 years prior to becoming owner and director of Off Broadway Academy of Dance. Her biggest joy besides being a mother and wife is to nurture and watch students grow, not only as dancers, but as overall confident, well-rounded individuals.
Alicia Karczewski (Tap)
Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loretto Heights/Regis University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dance and later received her professional teaching licensure in Physical Movement and an additional endorsement in Dance. While pursuing her degree, she worked in musical theatre (42nd Street, Oklahoma!, Peter Pan, Unsinkable Molly Brown) and toured West Side Story as dance captain. She choreographed musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Brigadoon, South Pacific, for numerous high schools and continuing her career as choreographer she was selected for the 1996, 1997 and 2000 Colorado Choreographers Showcase. Concurrently she danced with modern, jazz, and tap dance companies (Interweave Dance Theatre, Jan Justis Dance Company, Jumpstart) and worked in the entertainment and film industries (Step by Step; An Amateurs Guide to choreography, Father Dowling – Viacom Film Productions). Ms. Karczewski tributes her move into a dance career to Miller’s Dance Studio (Aurora CO), where she was inspired by owner Sabrina Helma, and served as faculty and office manager for over 15 years. She has guest taught for Colorado Ballet, Glenwood Springs Dance Festival, the cast of Phantom of the Opera, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Summer Intensive, and a variety of studio’s nationally. Ms. Karczewski was Co-Director of the Department of Dance and Movement at Denver School of the Arts (DSA, Denver CO) for over 20 years. Her focus was in teaching classical jazz, rhythm tap, modern, choreography/composition. While at DSA her students participated in the National High School Dance Festival where they performed through the adjudication process amongst over a 1000 high school dancers from across the country.
Ms. Karczewski participated as Colorado Dance Alliance board member, adjudication committee for Scientific & Cultural Facilities District New Grants program for dance, Colorado Dance Education Organization (CoDeo) advisory committee and 2009/2010 Dance Standards review committee for Colorado Department of Education and was chosen to participate for the 2017/18 review. Additionally, she enjoyed traveling all over the U.S. adjudicating dance competitions for many years and recently was part of the adjudicating team for presentingdenver dance festival performance 2017/18.
Sydney Baker (Tap)
Sydney trained in a multitude of styles, but fell in love with tap dance at an early age while studying with Beverly Pinkerton. Sydney attended many masterclasses with tap dancers Professor Robert Reed and Barbara Duffy growing up. Continuing her tap education, she travels annually to New York City to attend tap festivals such as Tap City, the New York City Tap Festival and The Big Apple Tap Festival. Attending festivals has provided her with opportunities to study with master teachers such as Brenda Bufalino, Katherine Kramer, Ted Louis Levy, Ali Bradley, and Sam Weber, among others. Sydney has been performing with Tap 24.7 for the past 3 years and it has taken to her places such as Arizona, Seattle, and Detroit. She is honored to learn from such tap dance legends, which affords her the opportunity to pass down this rich, American art form in a meaningful and methodical way. She hopes to instill a love of dance in her students, while teaching them the technique and discipline of the art of tap dance.