Meet our instructors

Miss Michelle is a passionate dance teacher and choreographer who has dedicated her life to the art of dance. 

Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of studying under some of the most esteemed names in the industry, including Irene Seymour, Alex Wong, Liz Imperio, Gladisa Guadalupe, and Caitlin Kinney. She has also had the honor of working with Dominique Moceanu, Svetlana Boginskaya, and Betty Okino, teaching dance to their high-level gymnasts.

These experiences have deeply shaped Miss Michelle’s teaching philosophy and choreography, instilling in her a commitment to excellence, creativity, and artistry that she strives to pass on to every student.

As the director and choreographer of an award-winning dance studio, Miss Michelle and her students have earned numerous Top 10 awards, Creative Concept and Choreography awards, Judges’ Choice awards, the title of Best Dance Studio in the Greater Cleveland Area, and prestigious In the Wings recognition. Her goal has always been to inspire dancers to reach their fullest potential. She believes every dancer has a unique voice, and it is her mission to help them discover, develop, and amplify that voice through the art of dance.

Her choreography has been celebrated at competitions and showcases throughout the Midwest, earning accolades that reflect not only her passion and creativity, but also the tremendous hard work and dedication of her students.

In 2023 and 2024, Miss Michelle has had the incredible honor of representing TDS at World of Dance, with TDS bringing home three Top 50 dance groups in the world. What an incredible accomplishment! Watching her students shine on stage continues to fill her with joy and reaffirm her belief that dance is a powerful medium for storytelling,

Miss Emma officially joined the TDS teaching staff in 2017 and has loved sharing her enthusiasm for movement and dance with students of all ages ever since. She enjoys teaching many styles of dance, including acrobatics, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, Tiny Tots, Dance & Tumble, and TBA.

Miss Emma graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in 2019 with a double major in Marketing and Management. During her time at Baldwin Wallace, she participated in a variety of dance courses that deepened her understanding, appreciation, and love for the art of dance.

With a true passion for competition and choreography, Miss Emma has earned several accolades for her work, including Most Creative Concept , Best Emotional Execution, Best Choreography (2x) and Judges’ Choice Awards. She has also earned bids to compete at World of Dance in 2024, 2025, and 2026, with her students achieving the incredible honor of being named among the Top 50 dance groups in the world in 2024.

In her classes, Miss Emma creates a supportive and encouraging environment where dancers feel comfortable expressing themselves, taking risks, and growing both technically and personally. She believes dance should be a joyful, empowering, and inspiring experience, and she loves being part of each student’s journey.

Outside of dance, Miss Emma works full-time in event marketing and communications for hospitality conferences. When she isn’t working or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and, of course, her two dogs, Bennie and Frankie.

Miss Bree is an award winning choreographer who has been dancing for about 15 years and teaching for more than a decade. Growing up in California in a theater family, she developed a love for performing at a young age and has since built a career centered around sharing that passion with others. Miss Bree has filled many different shoes in her career. From teaching to front desk to directing/starting companies all along the central coast of CA. Miss Bree is trained in a variety of dance styles, with a special love for contemporary, jazz, and musical theater. She strives to create classes that challenge dancers technically while helping them build confidence, artistry, and a genuine love for movement.

Outside of the studio, Miss Bree is a social worker with a passion for supporting children, adolescents, and families. Her background in mental health allows her to foster a positive, encouraging classroom where dancers feel safe to grow both as performers and as individuals. 

Miss Bree believes dance is about so much more than mastering technique—it’s about building resilience, expressing yourself, creating lasting friendships, and discovering your potential. She is honored to be part of each dancer’s journey throughout her teaching career and is committed to helping every student feel seen, supported, and inspired every time they walk into the studio. Bree is excited for more seasons to come with her TDS family! 

Miss Lieneke grew up in the Bronx and received her early training at the School of American Ballet, where she was a child performer with the New York City Ballet. Ms. Matte then attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York City and would later go on to study dance at SUNY Purchase College.

There, she performed works by a number of influential choreographers such as George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Nicolo Fonte, Lar Lubovitch, and Nicholas Villeneuve. While at Purchase, Miss Lieneke also studied abroad, spending a semester at the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts.

In 2013, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase College, as well as receiving the President’s Award for the Dance Conservatory. Following graduation, Ms. Matte joined Verb Ballets (now Ohio Contemporary Ballet).

During her 10 years with the company, she performed works by Adam Hougland, Anthony Krutzkamp, Heinz Poll, Richard Dickinson, Charles Anderson, Lauren Edson, Antonio Brown, Tommy-Waheed Evans, and Stephanie Martinez, to name a few.

Ms. Matte was also a dancer in the documentary No Dominion: The Ian Horvath Story, created by PNB soloist Margaret Mullin.

Miss Lieneke retired from company life in 2023 but continues to perform and share her love for dance with others throughout Northeast Ohio.

Miss Morgan has been dancing since the age of 3 and has grown up with a love and passion for dance. Throughout her training, she has had the opportunity to learn, perform, and compete in many different styles of dance, giving her a well-rounded background and appreciation for all forms of movement.

Miss Morgan began teaching in 2023 and especially enjoys working with young dancers. She teaches Tiny Tots, Dance & Tumble, TBA, and is always happy to help wherever she is needed around the studio. She loves creating a fun, positive, and encouraging environment where dancers can build confidence, learn new skills, and most importantly, enjoy dancing!

Miss Morgan is currently attending Kent State University, where she is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. Her passion for working with children extends beyond the dance studio, and she loves combining her education with her love of dance to help young dancers grow both on and off the dance floor. Outside of the studio, school and work she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and enjoying everything she loves.

She is so excited to continue sharing her love of dance and creating special memories with the next generation of dancers!

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