Marja Finnigan

Director

Marja studied ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz at Marilyn’s School of Dance in Tomah, Wisconsin, for over 15 years, performing internationally with the Vision Dance Company. She also danced various roles with the Monroe-Jackson Dance Theatre (MJDT) in productions like The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.

While earning her Bachelor’s in Mass Communications at UW-Milwaukee, Marja expanded her dance education in Ballet and Jazz, and danced with the UWM Dance Team, serving as captain in her final year.

After teaching in the Milwaukee area for several years, Marja became the owner of Elation Dance Center in 2009, where she has spent over 15 years teaching ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and pointe. She directs an award-winning performance company and created a student choreography showcase to foster young talent. Beyond artistic success, Elation is recognized in the dance community for its inclusive and supportive atmosphere, earning multiple awards for kindness and sportsmanship.

Certified by the Dance Masters of Wisconsin and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM), Marja believes teaching allows her to share the joy and love of dance that has shaped her own life.

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. She also holds teaching certifications from Dance Masters of Wisconsin as well as Chicago National Association of Dance Masters.

Ms. Ferrante has provided dancers and choreography for Bob McGrath of Seasame Street 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 and various local high schools.

Ms. Amie has been on staff at Elation since 2008. Outside of her classes, she also works with our Company and has choreographed several award-winning pieces in ballet and tap.

Christopher Gilbert

Instructor

Christopher is from the north side of Milwaukee and began teaching dance classes at the age of 14. His first introduction to the industry was acting and dancing with the Nickelodeon kids show Yo Gabba Gabba which helped instill in him a new perspective on life. After touring and working on the t.v. show in LA he transitioned back to Milwaukee so that he could invest back into the community. In 2013 Christopher went full time as a choreographer educator musician and motivational speaker. Since then he has choreographed for Black Arts MKE First Stage Wisconsin Lottery and has coached the Grand Dancers for the Milwaukee Bucks. He has also collaborated with the Milwaukee Brewers Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Also over the past six years he has been a director in the theater department at Dominican High School as well as the official MC (Emcee) of Summerfest for the past four years!

Hayley Javoroski

Instructor

Hayley began dancing at Elation Dance Center at the age of 9 and quickly developed a passion for performing and exploring a variety of dance styles. She trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip hop, and was a member of Elation’s Performance Company for nine years. Some of her favorite dance memories include performing at Summerfest and the Wisconsin State Fair, attending dance conventions, and traveling internationally to perform in London and Paris. During high school, Hayley began assisting with elementary classes at Elation and continued as a substitute instructor after graduation.

In addition to her studio training, Hayley competed with the Arrowhead High School Varsity Dance Team in jazz, pom, and hip hop. She served as team captain during her junior and senior years, cheering at athletic events and competing at the state level. Her experience in pom also includes teaching youth recreational pom at LC Dance and serving on the Badgerette Pom Pon staff during its 2021 Summer Tour.

While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Hayley continued her dance education through coursework in ballet, contemporary, and hip hop. She was also an active member of Optima Dance, a student-run organization where dancers choreographed and performed original pieces in showcases each semester. These experiences deepened her appreciation for choreography, collaboration, and artistic expression while strengthening her confidence as a performer and gaining life long friendships.

Hayley is thrilled to return to her hometown studio and give back to the community that helped shape her as a dancer. She is passionate about creating a positive, supportive environment where every dancer feels encouraged to be themselves, challenge themselves, and leave each class feeling confident, inspired, and excited to grow.

Teri Linder

Instructor

Beginning at age 3, Teri studied ballet, tap, pointe, lyrical and jazz at Anita’s Dance Center in Muskego, WI for 15 continuous years. She was a member of the Midwest Connection Dance Company where she traveled and performed all over the US including Disneyland and Carnival Cruise. She was also a member of the Splash Dance Team, which was the professional dance team for Milwaukee Wave Soccer Team from 2000-2002. She competed in numerous nation-wide dance competitions including Tremaine, Dance Revolution and Dance Masters of Wisconsin. In addition, she performed locally at lakefront festivals, fairs, Bucks games, Marquette games and many more.

In 2008, Teri received a Dance Minor from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where she studied ballet, modern, improvisation and contemporary. She choreographed contemporary and hip hop pieces for the Emerging Choreographer Concert and Dancescapes productions. She also was a member of the UWW Dance Team for four years and has organized and instructed Dance and Pom Clinics for young children.

Teri has eight years of teaching experience in the Milwaukee area covering all grade levels and has taught at Elation since 2015. Outside of teaching her classes at Elation, Teri has provided award-winning choreography for our Company. She loves sharing her life-long passion of dance with her students and watching them grow and develop their abilities into confident and beautiful dancers!

macKenzie Sommer

Instructor & Junior Company Director

Mackenzie began dancing at the age of two and performed for 16 years. 11 of those years were spent at Elation Dance Center. She studied various dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary. Mackenzie got to perform in local productions and compete around Wisconsin and Illinois. Some of her favorite memories were spent dancing with other Company members at Bucks games, Wave soccer games, and summer festivals such as Summerfest and State Fair. She also enjoyed attending numerous dance conventions, where she worked alongside highly trained dancers! 

As an instructor, Mackenzie believes in fostering a positive and inclusive environment where students can express themselves freely. She emphasizes technique, creativity, and teamwork, inspiring students to push their boundaries while nurturing their love for dance. Mackenzie often uses her Early Childhood Education degree to design classes that are fun, engaging, and educational, catering to young dancers that are just beginning their dance journey! In addition to teaching Preschool and Elementary dance students, Mackenzie directs Elations’ Junior Company. She has choreographed for various company performances and competitions!

Mackenzie has been on staff at Elation since 2016. She is committed to helping each student develop their unique style and confidence on stage and looks forward to sharing the joy of dance with all of her students!