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Staff

Marja Finnigan, Director

Marja studied ballet, tap and jazz at Marilyn's School of Dance in Tomah, Wisconsin for 15 years. While there she was a member of Vision Dance Company, which toured internationally in France. At this time she also began participation with the Monroe-Jackson Dance Theatre (MJDT) performing various roles and solos in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Thumbelina.

Continuing her performance career, Marja performed with The Limited Edition Show Choir which toured internationally in Austria, Germany and Italy. Additionally, while persuing her Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications, she expanded her dance education at UW-Milwaukee. She also danced for the UWM Dance Team for four years and was named captain her final year. While on the team they won the Division I National Hip-Hop Championship.

Marja has had various choreography opportunities working with MJDT's The Cracked Nut-A Nutcracker Satire, UWM Dance Team, Seven Rivers Skating Club and high school show choirs and dance teams. After teaching a variety of classes in the Milwaukee area for more than five years, Marja became the owner of Elation. She teaches Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, and Contemporary as well as directing the Student  Performance Company. She is also a member of the Dance Masters of Wisconsin. Marja considers teaching the opportunity to give back the best gift she's ever been given.

Amie Ferrante, Instructor

Over the span of a 30-year performing career, Amie has performed with Oak Park Civic Ballet, Beverly Ballet of Chicago, Dance Odyssey, Jazz Dance Chicago, Factory Dance Company, Dance Spectrum, Liturgical Dance Company, and on numerous television programs in Chicago and Milwaukee. Her teaching credits include certification by Dance Educators of America, certification as an Associate Member of the Fred Astaire National Dance Board, and invitations to teach ballet for Milwaukee Dance Connection under the direction of Allyne D. Gartrell, MTSU in Nashville, Tenn., and various other dance studios, universities, and companies across the U.S.

Ms. Ferrante has provided dancers and choreography for Bob McGrath of Seasame Stree over a 7-year span during his performances ad Kid's Fest at the Marcus Amphitheater. She has been a resident consultant at Milwaukee High School of the Art since November 2004, teaching classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, theater dance, tap, and ballroom. In addition, she choreographs musical productions for the West Allis Players.

Mychelyn McConley, Instructor

Mychelyn McConley has been a dance educator for seven years. She began teaching tap, jazz, and musical theatre in 2002, and over the years also began teaching modern/lyrical, ballet, hip-hop, breakdancing, poms, and pointe. Her intense passion for dance and physical expression influenced her decision to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While in college she was trained in Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), dance education, and anatomy, as well as a thorough modern and ballet technique and African dance. Throughout college she continued her teaching focusing on breakdancing, hip-hop, and both modern and ballet technique. She has worked with people of ALL ages, from toddlers to grandfathers… and strongly believes that everyone can dance, and everyone should! 

Kym McDaniels, Instructor

Kym's dance training began at State Street Dance Studio in Geneva, Illinois. After high school, Kym was accepted into a Pre-Professional Training Company at Underground Arts Connection in St. Charles, Illinois. Kym has also trained at Visceral Dance Chicago and Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago. Kym was accepted into the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance program on scholarship and studied dance while performing in several student and faculty choreographed pieces. Throughout her training, Kym has studied ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary ballet, modern, and lyrical. In the fall of 2010 Kym volunteered at an orphanage in Romania, and upon her return decided to attend Marquette University to study psychology. Dance remains a passion for Kym, and she loves teaching so that she can pass on her love for the art.