URBAN BEAT DANCE

Staff

URBAN BEAT STAFF

All of our staff are professionally trained and will offer your dancer a fun friendly environment to learn and grow. We pride ourselves on a diverse staff to meet all our dancers' needs. Some of our teachers recent credits include; Black Eyed Peas Concert on Oprah, InaSide Dance Chicago, Carnival Choreographers Ball, Prelude Midwest Championship, Worlds International Hip Hop Event and Beyonce's Back up dancers on Oprah to name a few.

We are always looking for talented teachers. Please email your resume to ubd@urbanbeatdance.com.

SHANNON MURRAY (Founder/Program Director) Shannon has her BA in Dance Administration and Teaching and has worked in arts management for the last 10 years. She has been teaching dance to ages 3-adults for the last 15 years in Chicago as well as in Los Angeles at Giordano Dance Center, Dance Workshop, Joe's Footwork, Ballet By the Sea, Academy of Dance Arts, DancEd, Kids Can Dance and Lou Conte. Her experience as a performer include various music videos, Industrial Shows, Dance Chicago, Culture Shock Chicago, Fivestar Boogie Productions, Joel Hall Professional Concert, Carnival @ Key Club in Hollywood and Americas Top Model Closing Party to name a few. Her extensive background in Hip-hop, Jazz, Contemporary and her experience as a director have made her a leader in the industry. Between her experience in LA and Chicago she can offer students a well rounded training environment for dance. Many of her students have gone on to be professionals in the dance industry. Today she is grateful to have Urban Beat Dance to share her vision of dance with our community.

BRIDGETTE BATTAGLIA (Studio Manager/Co-Owner) With over 12 years of managerial experience in the Arts, Real Estate and Medical fields Bridgette Battaglia brings the gift of extreme organization and superior customer service to UBD. Her 4 years working in the Evanston Camps as Site Director give her the special skill of working with children and their parents. Having grown up and currently residing in the North Shore area she has worked with numerous local organizations ensuring they not only run smoothly, but efficiently. Bridgette’s fresh outlook and pleasant demeanor positions her as a powerful resource to staff, parents, and students alike.SUSAN

SUSAN SKRYZMOWSKI (Teacher) is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago as a dance major, training in ballet and modern dance. Susan has trained in gymnastics, hip-hop, jazz funk, house, isolations, and contemporary. Born and raised in Illinois Susan has studied and trained intensely with Nick Gonzalez and Trae Turner. She is a member of the BoomCrack Dance Company where she has collaborated many pieces with founder and director Trae Turner. Susan has also taught workshops around the suburbs to help spread her unique style, and love for dance with the world. Recent credits include; Boomcrack Company Class, “Rockstar” Video Shoot, Monster of Hip Hop Show, Urban Night Chicago and Back-Up Dancer for Beyoncé on Oprah Show..

JESSICA LYNN (Teacher) with her versatility and style, was one of the most sought after Dancers in Los Angeles. Jessica graduated from a Performing Arts High School and after a short stint performing nationally in regional theatre, she moved to Los Angeles. There she danced for the artists Blu Cantrell, Nelly Furtado, Beyonce, toured overseas with the reggeaton artist Adassa ,and also Fantasia Barrino. Over her career Jessica appeared in Film, Industrials, Television, Music Videos and on Stage with credits ranging from Alias and the hit sketch show MadTV, to the feature films Grind, Wes Craven’s Zombie Prom, and the Bette Midler Workshop in Las Vegas. Jessica worked with and alongside many great choreographers including Wade Robson, Toni Basil, Jamal Sims, Rosero Mccoy, Frank Gatson, Brian Friedman, and Matt Cady to name a few. She was also a member of Winifred R. Harris modern dance company “Between Lines”. An established teacher and choreographer in her own right, Jessica has taught classes throughout the United States, Italy , and Guam for over 12 years. She was on faculty at the famed Musician's Institute in Hollywood CA for seven years and has also taught at the Millennium Dance Complex and other studio's throughout the Los Angeles area.

ELMO (Teacher) is Chicago resident that started dancing in the early 90's. He has been trained in styles such as hip hop and African and was a pioneer in Southside dance style called footwork. He was a member of the professional hip hop company Chicago Onyx Dance Alliance (C.O.D.A) and has traveled across the U.S. competing as well as showcasing. His recent credits include lead teacher for Black Eyed Peas concert for the 2009 Oprah Block Party, Kiss FM Fantabuloso Concert. Elmo has been teaching for over five years, ages 7-adults, in a variety of hip hop styles and is a current company teacher for UBD hip hop company.

TONY SUHADOLNIK (Teacher and Administrative Assistant) grew up in Seattle where he started dancing at a neighborhood studio at the age of ten. He furthered his training at the Arc School of Ballet in Seattle and, while in high school, was nominated for several 5th Avenue Musical Theater Awards. In 2007, Tony moved to San Francisco to train for two years at Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet School’s Training Program. While there, Tony worked with Robert Moses, Alonzo King, Yannis Adoniou and several other Bay Area choreographers. After graduating, he then guested with Moving People Dance Theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico before moving to Chicago. Tony was also with Inaside Chicago Dance, and continue to work with many Chicago base choreographers.

KRYSTA MICHORCZYK (Teacher and Administrative Assistant) has been dancing for more than 20 years and is technically trained in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, ballet and modern. She has studied at the Donna Brum School of Dance, Queen of Peace High School, Michigan State University and currently, the Lou Conte Dance Center in Chicago. She is an award-winning choreographer and a passionate and innovative teacher. She has more than eight years of teaching experience in contemporary, hip hop, modern, jazz, musical theater and ballet with students of all ages. In addition to teaching at UBD, Krysta also works as the Program Assistant for the Dance Department at Northwestern University and with Elements Contemporary Ballet.

THANH TRAN (Teacher) has been dancing since summer of 2005. He specializes in the art of breakdance and choreography. In 2007, he started teaching classes at the Chicago Park District, where he helped kids get involved in afterschool activities. He volunteered his time to teach breakdancing, so kids can stay active. Also, Thanh has done many workshops at different schools such as, Niles North High School, Von Steuben High School, Amundsen High School, and Mather High School. In addition, He taught classes at Vovinam Martial Art Studio to help fundraise for the Vietnamese Association of Illinois. In 2008, Thanh became a breakdance instructor at Urban Beat Dance. He teaches the fundamentals, advance, and professional levels of breaking for all ages. He believes from prior knowledge and experiences he can teach others to open their minds to the real world of Bboying.