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Over 38 Years of Quality Ballet and Dance Classes Serving Schaumburg, IL & Surrounding Areas

Over 36 Years Of Quality Dance Instruction In Schaumburg & Surrounding Areas

Northwest Ballet Academy's Philosophy

“Dancers are instruments, like a piano the choreographer plays.” – George Balanchine

Building A Foundation Of Excellence

It is true that one can dance without ever taking a lesson. But to become a dancer, one must learn the art of dancing. It is with an impressive faculty that Northwest Ballet Academy is able to transform dance enthusiasts into highly skilled dancers.

Heading Northwest Ballet Academy is Director Lori Baduria.  With a Bachelor's degree in elementary education from Indiana University, Bloomington. Teaching Ballet, Jazz, and other forms of dance since 2007.
Pas De Deux from Pink - Ballet Academy in Schaumburg, IL

Experience And Talent Are Prerequisites Here

Director of Northwest Ballet Academy Lori Baduria

  • Grade IV teacher certified in the Cecchetti method of Ballet.
  • Bachelor's degree in elementary education; Indiana University, Bloomington.
  • Eighteen years of dance training at Northwest Ballet Academy (Schaumburg, Illinois), including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, character and musical theater.
  • Former member of the Indiana Dance Theater; Bloomington, Indiana.

Founder/Former Director Michele Leslie Holzman

  • Former Director, The Schaumburg Nutcracker and Schaumburg Dance Ensemble
  • Former Co-Director, Northwest Ballet Ensemble
  • Performed with Ballet West, a professional ballet company.
  • Studied at American Ballet Center–the school for Joffrey Ballet Company, Gus Giordano Studio, and Ruth Page School.
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet, University of Utah
  • Master's Degree, Northwestern University.

Roberta Pfeil-Begley

  • Co-Director, Northwest Ballet Ensemble Performing Company
  • Soloist at San Francisco Ballet Company; San Francisco, California.
  • Performed in Geneva Ballet; Switzerland.
  • Performed in Ruth Page Chicago Ballet; Chicago, Illinois.
  • Director and instructor at Redwood Empire Ballet; Santa Rosa, California.
  • Former Director and instructor at Ballet Theater North; Northbrook, Illinois.
  • Owner of and director at the Dancer's Workshop; Mill Valley, California.
  • Trained at Ellis-DuBoulay School of Ballet Chicago.

Shelby Moran Amarantos

  • Elementary (Grade V) teacher certified for Cecchetti Method of Ballet 
  • B.F.A. in dance from the Juilliard School, NYC
  • Former Company Dancer with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
  • Danced with Visceral Dance Chicago and Thodos Dance Chicago

Jacqueline Farina

  • Teacher’s Diploma Certificate in the Cecchetti Method of Ballet
  • Received Royal Academy of Dance training at the Academia de San Angel Inn Mexico City. Attained Grades Primary-Solo Seal
  • Performer with the Ballet of the Theater of Hagen Germany
  • Performer with the Ballet Nacional de Danza Clasica de Mexico
  • Performer with Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance Chicago IL (Modern Dance) 

Linda Gehrt

  • Bachelor of Science; University of Illinois; Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
  • Bachelor of Science; Midwestern University; Downers Grove, Illinois.
  • Trained with J. Puodziunas at the University of Illinois; Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
  • Numerous performance credits from Northwest Ballet Ensemble; Schaumburg, Illinois.
  • Trained at Northwest Ballet Academy.

Molly Gemerchak

  • Company dancer with Chicago Repertory Ballet 
  • B.F.A in dance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music 
  • Pilates Certified through The Lab

Karla Harris

  • Bachelor's degree; Millikin University; Decatur, Illinois.
  • Teacher's Advanced Professional Certificate in the Cecchetti method of Ballet.
  • Permanent examiner of Cecchetti Council of America.
  • Former Director of Ballet Theater North; Northbrook; Illinois.

Karen Janet

  • Extensive training and performance in classical ballet
  • Received her early training from Ruby Gaba, Joyce Lang, Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay
  • Performed throughout Europe (in France, Germany, England, Holland and Switzerland)
  • Former member of the DuPage Ballet Company under the direction of Lloyd Labit
  • Trained with Patricia Sigurdson, former Artistic Director of the Salt Creek Ballet

Rob Lane

  • BA degree in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from the Lake Forest School of Management
  • Former Associate Director, Ballet Master and Company Manager for the Civic Ballet of Chicago
  • Has an extensive theatrical performing career that spans about 40 years
  • Has been singing and/or dancing (or both) on stages in the Chicagoland area, throughout Illinois and neighboring states as well as Great Britain and Scotland

Lisa Lorenz

  • Dance professionally with Inaside Chicago Dance, Royal Caribbean Productions, and Thodos Dance Chicago
  • B. A. In dance , Western Michigan University
  • Received Yoga teacher training and certification from Yogaview, Chicago
  • Has taught “Yoga for Dancers” for After School Matters, British School of Chicago, Gratitude Yoga Chicago and Visceral Dance Chicago
  • Specializes in yoga sculpt, zumba, prenatal yoga, and group fitness.

Rachel Schmidt

  • Company member, Chicago Repertory Ballet
  • BFA in Dance from Butler University
  • Performed with Visions Contemporary Ballet, Brooklyn Ballet, Dance Lab New York, daswondanceSF, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet (as a trainee)

Emily Stein (Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement®)

  • Adjunct Faculty, Columbia College, teaching Ballet Technique, Experiential Anatomy, and Pedagogy 
  • Former Associate Artistic Director and Company member, Zephyr Dance (Chicago)
  • B.A. in Dance, University of Iowa
  • M.F.A. in Performance and Choreography. Smith College
  • Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, teaching classes and maintaining private practice
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