IRINA MAKKAI (Classical Ballet) graduated from the Professional Classical Ballet School of Cluj, Romania after nine years of study, and became a solo dancer at the Iasi Opera performing in Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Faust and other classical and modern ballets. Upon completion of the three year program in ballet teaching at the Bucharest Institute of Choreography (including courses in history of dance, ballet methodology, physiology and pedagogy) she obtained her degree in Ballet Education. She began teaching ballet in 1974, and since 1981 has offered Classical Ballet classes in Highland Park, bringing the Vaganova-Tarasov method to the North Shore.

LILLA MAKKAI  DANIELS (Ballet, Pointe, and Pre-Ballet) started her ballet education with Irina Makkai. She has also studied with Larry Long and Homer Bryant. For years she has been a scholarship student at the Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. Lilla has performed with Bryant Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Ballet Theater of Chicago, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago in such ballets as; Giselle, Coppelia, and the Nutcracker. She will continue teaching Pre-Ballet, Ballet and Pointe classes. Lilla also established the Ballet Makkai Youth Company which participates in such festivals as the Dance Chicago Festival and the Annual Student Choreographic Workshop.  For details on this program please e-mail  Lilla at: Lilla@balletmakkai.com

SARA  BIBIK (Jazz, Tap) attended the National Academy of Arts, in Champagne, Illinois, where she also began her career as an instructor. Sarah has taught at Western Kentucky University, Gus Giordano Dance Center and Dance Educators of America. Her professional performing experience has been with the Linda Martha Dance Company, Especially Tap Company, Gus Giordano Dance Chicago, and last, but not least with River North Dance Company, where she was, and still is a founding member. She is a recipient of the Ruth Page Award for Excellence in Dance. Sara has been on the School's faculty for the past seventeen years, and will continue teaching, and overseeing our Jazz, Tap, and Modern classes.

SUSANNE LEK (Pre-Dance, Ballet, Character) Susanne is specialized in teaching children of very young age. She has complete knowledge of all the dance forms that are found in classical ballets, and are necessary in the development of a complete dancer. She has studied in London-England and has danced in lead roles with the London Festival Ballet and was Prima Ballerina of the Pristina Ballet Company of Yugoslavia. She has also performed in New-York and Chicago, and continues (very successfully we may add) to teach the Pre-Dance, Ballet, and Character classes.

GUILLERMO LEYVA (Ballet, Variations, Partnering) Guillermo completed his ballet training in his native Cuba and was a principal dancer of the Ballet de Camguey. Upon coming to Chicago he joined the Joffrey Ballet, where he was a principal dancer. He has guested with the ballet of Santiago de Chile, Ballet de Vallonie in Belgium. The legendary Ivan Nagy coached Guillermo in his role of Albrecht in Giselle with Ballet Theater of Chicago, and brought him to Santiago for Peer Gynt. Guillermo has been and will remain faculty member at the School, teaching Ballet, Variations and Partnering (Pas De Deux).

SARAH SCHAFER (Pilates, Pre-Dance) began her dance training as a scholarship student at the School of Ballet Omaha. She began her professional career with Ballet Omaha at the age of 18. She has performed in Ruth Page's "Nutcracker", with Dallas Opera and several local dance companies including The Moose Project, Luna Negra Dance Theater and in local dance festivals including Dance Chicago, The Next Dance Festival, and the Ruth Page Series. Sarah has taught ballet at many schools including The School Of Ballet Omaha, Omaha Theater Ballet School, Stephanie's Academy of Dance in Aurora, and the Ruth Page Foundation. She is a certified Pilates instructor, and joined the faculty of the School last fall. We encourage you to try her Pilates classes for they are the best in the surrounding area.

Boris Skrynnik (Character & Historic Dance)