Your Dance Training Matters.
Meet Our TEaching Staff
Emily Schumacher
Artistic Director | Instructor
Emily graduated with a Dance Performance degree from Illinois State University in 2017. While at ISU she performed as a company member of the Illinois State Dance Theater. She also set several choreographic works for Dance Association, one of which performed at the American College Dance Association annual conference. Emily has trained with choreographers such as Jennifer Harge, Stephanie Pizzo (with Eisenhower Dance in Detroit), Michael Richman, and the MamLuft and Co. dancers (Cincinnati, OH). Emily served as the co-director for Bloomington Ballet Company located in Bloomington, IL for three years. Emily is responsible for the creation of our studio-wide dance curriculums and is the Director of Intrigue Company, Captivation Dance’s competitive dance team. She most recently joined the Peoria theater scene in Corn Stock Theater's production of "Nine."
Ashton Gresham
Hip Hop Director | Instructor
Ashton started his dance career in hip hop, which is his biggest strength and passion. He has since trained in other styles such as ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, and modern. He has been training for over 10 years locally and up in the Chicago circuit. Ashton has taken from some notable dance artists such as the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Ian Eastwood, and Les Twins. His performance experience includes work with Urban Movement (pre-professional dance crew based out of ISU), Urban Generation (an episodic hip hop dance project located in Orlando) and as a member KĀOS crew dancing in a show in LA. Ashton has been teaching hip hop in the Central Illinois area for over 5 years and is the founder of C.I.T.Y. (Continuously Inspiring The Youth) located in Peoria. C.I.T.Y. is a dance program aimed to create a community among kids in the Peoria area through dance. Ashton is the Director of Surge, Captivation’s competitive hip hop team.
Kristina Gillis
Acro Director | Instructor
Kristina has trained in hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, and ballet since the age of 3. She graduated from Bradley University in 2018 with a degree in Television Arts along with double minors in Creative Writing and Social Media Marketing. While at Bradley, she was a part of the Orchesis Dance Company, choreographing pieces in a variety of styles ranging from solos, trios, small groups, and full company pieces. Kristina works full-time at Five Points in Washington as the Marketing Assistant and loves coming to the studio to help students reach their dance goals. Kristina heads up our acrobatic program as the Acro Director!
Alaina Rice
Competitve Coach | Instructor
Alaina Rice received a degree in Dance Education from Illinois State University in 2018. At ISU, she was a company member of Illinois State Dance Theatre where she worked with various artists. She was also a member of an academic student organization called Dance Association, and served as the President for one year. After she graduated, she went on to become the Dance Teacher/Director at Peoria High School. She currently teaches dance full time at PHS, and is the PHS Dance Team Coach. Alaina is a competitive coach for the Intrigue Company and works with our older recreational students teaching Jazz. She is excited to teach the next generation and to teach alongside the people she has danced with in the past!
alex schrama
Instructor
Alex has been dancing since she was six years old. Alex began training in Hip Hop dance technique and quickly grew to love all styles of dance as well as becoming a member of the Captivation Dance by Kaleigh competitive dance team. Since the age of 10, Alex has been in award winning competitive dances. Alex is now joining the Captivation staff after graduating from Morton High School in May of 2023. Alex will be working with our recreational classes and heading up our newly created PEAK classes.
Bailey brown
Instructor
Bailey is returning to Captivation after a year off! Bailey has extensive dance experience as a competitive dancer with Captivation for ten years. She was also a member of the Morton High School Dance Team all four years of school as well severing as a Captain her senior year. After graduating from Morton High School in 2021, Bailey pursued her culinary degree at Illinois Central College. She then too a year off from teaching to complete her internship. Now she is coming back to Captivation to work with our recreational students once again! Welcome back, Bailey!!
meet our assitant staff
Alivia Byers
Competitive Coach | Instructor
Alivia has been dancing since a young age and has many years of diverse dance experience, specializing in ballet and pointe. She also enjoys choreographing and has gotten to do so for various performances. Alivia has trained and performed with different ballet companies including Bloomington Ballet, Bloomington Ballet II, Twin Cities School of Dance and Cornerstone Academy of Performing Arts. She has also taken various classes and workshops at studios such as Ballet 5:8 and The Next Step. Alivia will continue to be overseeing all of our pointe ballet dancers this season!
Linda simmons
Instructor
Linda has been a huge help for the past three seasons behind the scenes at the studio. This will be her second year as an instructor. Linda brings 10+ years of management experience as well as several years of event planning and organization. Outside of the studio, Linda is a nanny. She volunteers extensively with the church and does many events in the community. Linda resides in Morton with her husband Tyler.
re’na lyles
Instructor
Re’na came to Captivaiton Dance as a student of Miss Alaina’s from Peoria High School. She joined the competitive dance team in 2022 and was a member until her graduation from PHS last year. Re’na has been dancing for several years with extensive knowledge in hip hop. She has also trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary. As a member of our competitive team, her hip hop solo took first place at several competitions! Re’ne will be working with our hip hop students after several years of training under Mr.s Ashton!
Heather Dowl
Instructor
Instructor
Devyn has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She grew up training in tap, jazz and ballet for 10 years and continued her dance training through musical theatre over the last 15 years. Devyn is passionate about performance and showmanship. Devyn still performs and directs community theatre productions in the area and loves taking adult tap and jazz here at the studio. She is excited to instruct and assist this season at Captivation!
cindy wiedman
Studio Assistant
Bio coming soon!
Heather first came to Captivation as a dance mom but when we had a need she offered to step in as an instructor! Heather has now been teaching for two seasons while continuing her own dance training with us! She is currently training in our adult classes taking hip hop, ballet, jazz, tap and pointe. Heather will continue to work with our youngest students teaching Dance with Me as well as taking on other recreational classes through Level Outside of the studio, Heather is a hair stylist and lives locally with her husband and two children.
devyn farney
Caitlin Dillard
Instructor
Caitlin comes to us with experience in both dance and gymnastics having been training since she was 6 years old. She has competed in both areas all the way up the collegiate level. She has almost 20 years experience in ballet, jazz, and tap. Caitlin will continue teaching the recreational ballet, tap, jazz, and acro classes this season!
emilie Sharum
Instructor
Emilie has danced for over 20 years with experience in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical and more. She danced locally both recreationally and competitively as well as on school dance teams. Emilie also took part in several intensives and performances with USA Ballet out of Bloomington, IL. During her time at Quest Charter Academy, she started and coached the dance team. Tap is her personal favorite but she absolutely love all forms of dance. She is also a certified Barre, Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer instructor and previously owned her own Pilates studio!
Jessica collie
Studio Assistant
Bio coming soon!
liz rice
Teaching Assistant
Hi! My name is Liz Rice. I have been dancing since I was 5 years old! I went to ICC for 2 years and studied Child Development, and I worked in their daycare. My other jobs include Culver’s and TCRC in Tremont. Dancing with the kids makes me joyful! I like being part of the Captivation staff.
Meet Our office Staff
Michelle White
Owner
Michelle took ownership of Captivation Dance in 2020 after three years of assisting with the original studio owner. She has over 15 years of customer service and office management experience. Michelle also has 8 years experience in many different areas of art performance from marching and jazz band to show choir and musical theater. She has 4 years experience coaching junior high and high school colorguard. Her daughter, Kylee, has danced at Captivation for eight years now and is a member of both competitive teams. Outside of Captivation, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to warm weather and reading a great book!
bobbie litwiller
Administration
Bio coming soon!
Linda Simmons
Studio Manager
Linda has been a huge help for the past three seasons behind the scenes at the studio. This will be her third season as the Studio Manager. Linda brings 10+ years of management experience as well as several years of event planning and organization. Outside of the studio, Linda is a nanny. She volunteers extensively with the church and does many events in the community. Linda resides in Morton with her husband Tyler.
Stephanie Pittenger
Administration
Stephanie has been with Captivation Dance for three years now, working as the Office Assistant and Front Desk. Until her retirement in 2016 she had always worked in the areas of Customer Service, Administrative Assistant and Human Resources, which have all come in very handy in her retirement endeavors of working at the dance studio. Her real enjoyment is the interaction with the dance instructors and young dancers, but her time working with her daughters Michelle, Owner of Captivation, Linda, Studio Manager; along with granddaughter Kylee who is dancer at the studio makes it all the more enjoyable. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys traveling with her husband, watching the grandchildren participate in their activities, watching her favorite sports teams and reading a good book.