Krista
Juderjahn
Director
Krista Juderjahn, a native of Cleveland, began her dance training at the age of five. During her competition years, she received high scores, special recognition awards and multiple scholarships, including one from Dance Masters of Ohio. Krista is a 2012 graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance with concentrations in Performance and Teaching. While studying at Columbia she had the privilege to work with many Chicago area artists on faculty, including Margi Cole (Artistic Director of The Dance COLEctive), Paige Cunningham (former Merce Cunningham Dance Company member) , Carrie Hanson (Artistic Director of The Seldoms), Darrell Jones, Joanna Rosenthal (Artistic Director of Same Planet Different World) and Trae Turner (Artistic Director of Boom Crack! Dance Company). During her studies at Columbia she received exceptional training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap and hip hop styles in addition to studying dance history, culture, anatomy and kinesiology. It was at Columbia where she discovered her artistic voice.
Upon graduation she joined Inaside Chicago Dance, training and dancing as a Performing Apprentice. Since her time with Inaside, she has performed in multiple independent works for Choreographer’s Carnival Chicago, as well as Urbanite Midwest. In 2013, she became a member of The Puzzle League and CODA, two Chicago based hip hop crews that competed and won first place in both Prelude Midwest and World Of Dance Chicago multiple years in a row.
Krista moved back to Cleveland in 2015 to fulfill the role of Artistic Director at Ignite Dance Studio. In addition to being the Director, she also is the lead instructor and choreographer for the studio. She teaches multiple styles and ages of students, including recreational, competition level classes and competition solos and duets. Her choreography has won several awards at competition as well as high scores and special recognition awards. Krista’s wide range of experience and her passion for dance is felt throughout the program at Ignite on all levels. She prides herself on being actively involved with each student and being accessible to everyone. She is dedicated to the success of every student and continually brings fresh ideas to Ignite.
Tammy
Manning-Kabat
Teacher
Tammy Manning-Kabat began dancing at the age of five with her mother, Mary Kay Manning. She has more than 25 years of teaching experience, educating dancers in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and preschool creative movement. She has several years of competition experience and has received various high awards, along with choreography recognition.
Tammy received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from the University of Akron. She coached and was a part of the professional Cleveland Crunch Dance Team. Tammy was the Assistant Director of the Mary Kay Manning Dance Studio until 2013. Currently, she advises the Buckeye High School Dance Team, where she also serves on the Buckeye Local School Staff. Along with being a Senior Instructor at Ignite Dance Studio, Tammy works with local preschools to share her passion and joy for dance. She is thrilled to be on the Ignite staff and excited for another amazing year!
Katie
Krzeminski
Teacher
Katie Krzeminski grew up and began her dance training in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Dance Performance from Kent State University. During her time at Kent State, she was the Student Artistic Director for the Kent Dance Ensemble. Her choreography won the College of the Arts Stratosphere juried art competition in 2014. After graduation, she had the pleasure of attending Urbanity Dance’s Summer Intensive in Boston, MA, where she performed in pieces choreographed by Besti Graves, Chantal Doucett and Ellenore Scott. She went on to perform in works by Marcia Custer and Rebecca Burcher in concerts for The Movement Project in Cleveland. Currently, Katie is a member of the Inlet Dance Theatre Trainee and Apprentice Program.
Jessica
Mitchell
Teacher
Jessica always found herself dancing, even before she began to train at a studio. When she saw her first recital, she knew she wanted to be onstage. Growing up, she trained and competed in jazz, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, and slightly dabbled in hip hop. She has not only trained within a studio; but also at many conventions, numerous master classes, and Millennium Dance Complex in Pittsburgh. She began her teaching journey with co-teaching when she was only 14 years old. Then, upon turning 16, she was given the opportunity to teach on her own. After graduation, Jessica continued her dance career at Kent State University. She studied dance within the arts program at Kent State, along with serving two years on the university’s dance team. Being on the team, Jessica was able to perform in full arenas, at championship games, and compete on a collegiate level. During this time, she continued to teach and choreograph/coach successful competition routines. Jessica has received many choreography awards, and her teams and solos alike have most often placed in overalls. In the most recent year, she had both a group and a solo take second overall at nationals! She’s also had the opportunity to be a technical coach for a flag team. She’s taught multiple dance clinics, both for the college level and a large range of studio aged kids. Jessica is experienced in teaching kids aged two to 18. She has also worked with kids outside of a studio setting as a tutor at community centers and elementary schools. Her teaching style is energetic and upbeat, and she looks to emphasize each dancer’s strength, and develop team-working skills in and out of the studio. She believes in challenging students outside of their comfort zone, while providing personal encouragement and support. Currently, Jessica is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Middle Childhood Education. She plans to continue teaching and choreographing dance indefinitely.
Julia
Hauf
Teacher
Julia Hauf, a current BA Dance Performance major at Kent State University from Rochester, New York has been dancing since the age of three and is trained in tap, hip hop, jazz, modern, ballet, pointe, and contemporary. She currently teaches with Dance to Evolve and has also trained as a teaching assistant for six years at the Elite Studio of Dance in Fairport, New York. She is a current trainee with Inlet Dance Theatre and has been a member of the Kent Dance Ensemble, the university’s pre-professional dance company. During her tenure at Kent, she has performed in faculty, student, guest artist pieces, and has had the opportunity to perform at Playhouse Square. She has also had the opportunity to participate in Garth Fagan’s Summer Movement Intensive in Rochester, NY, The School of the Toronto Dance Theatre’s Summer Intensive, and New Dialect’s intensive in Nashville, Tennessee. Julia is so excited to share her knowledge and love for dance with the dancers at Ignite Dance Studio.
Elizabeth
Pollert
Teacher
Elizabeth started dancing at 13 in Atlanta, GA, where her early training was at the Academy of Ballet Arts. After graduating from Belhaven University with a BFA in Dance in 2004 she moved to Cleveland, OH to train in Inlet Dance Theatre’s Trainee Program. Elizabeth has performed and choreographed both in the U.S. and abroad, including China, India, and Easter Island, Chile, with work touring the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and parts Mississippi. Locally, she has taught at several studios and served for 5 years as a teaching artist for Dance Cleveland’s “Read to Learn…Dance to Move” dance literacy program for Pre K classes across Cleveland. Elizabeth was privileged, in 2011, to be one of the collaborating and performing artists for the project “Without Words…Moving against the Sex Trade” under the direction of Mikaela Brown and Mackenzie Valley. In 2016, she was the Assistant to the Choreographer for Inlet’s collaboration Among the Darkest Shadows, an evening length work addressing modern-day slavery. In 2017, she choreographed for Cleveland Dance Project’s inaugural fall showcase as well as in 2018 and 2019. In 2018-19, Elizabeth also worked with Elu Dance Company on their upcoming production of ‘barefaced’.
In her 16th season with Inlet Dance Theatre, she is currently a performing Company Member and serves as the Education Coordinator. She is also an Instructor and Choreographer for Inlet’s education programming.
Annabelle
Shipley
Teacher
Annabelle Shipley has been dancing since the age of three and her passion for creative movement runs deep. She grew up dancing on competitive teams at The Dance Centre and Emjaez Dance Studio performing in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical and ballet. Once graduated from Bay High School she pursued her dance dreams and was accepted to the Professional Semester at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. She trained under many professional and great teachers such as Michelle Barber, Tracie Stanfield, Sheila Barker, Chio, David Howard, Jim Cooney and many more. She modeled for Dance Spirit Magazine and performed in dance pieces choreographed by Michelle Barber, Jamie J, Matthew Powell and others. After the BDC program, she was accepted to Point Park University as a dance major focusing on ballet and jazz. After PPU, she then began her career as a dance educator teaching at Emjaez Dance Studio while pursuing performance opportunities in Cleveland. Annabelle was a dancer for the Lake Erie Monsters dance team for two years and was captain of the team her second year. Annabelle realized the importance of nutrition to a dancer’s body; she enrolled in and completed an intense course on Integrative Nutrition becoming a Certified Health Coach. Annabelle is ready to bring more of her knowledge to Ignite and many studios in & around Medina! Annabelle’s innovative approach will spread & share the passion and gift of dance art along with some holistic health knowledge. Bringing health, happiness and fulfillment to her students and families. Annabelle believes that dance brings joy to a performer and audiences and teaches many life lessons to a child and young adult. Dance teaches self-confidence, individuality, time management, flexibility, strength, expression… She believes in following your dreams.
Along with dance Annabelle loves her family, cat and animals, nature, traveling and trying new things!
Angela
Lardomita
Teacher
Angela Lardomita began her dancing career in 1994 at age 3. She hasn’t stopped dancing since! As her dance style evolved, her love for acrobatics and tumbling did as well. Angela soon ventured into competitive gymnastics and cheerleading, which she continued through her elementary and high school years. The combination of all three led her into her love for teaching acro. After high school, Angela danced professionally on The Cleveland Gladiators Dance Team and continued training and teaching. Through the years Angela has taught at multiple studios as well as becoming a certified Zumba instructor, where she began her knowledge of Latin rhythm. No matter what Angela does in life, dance has always been and will remain a big part of her world.
Emily
Scali
Teacher
Emily Scali started her dance education locally. She studied ballet, pointe, jazz, and tap, with a heavy emphasis in ballet and pointe. After high school, she continued her education as a dance major at The University of Akron. Emily has been a ballet and pointe instructor at numerous studios in the area since 2004. She was recently certified to teach Progressing Ballet Technique. Emily continues her dance education by attending classes and local workshops. She is incredibly excited to join the Ignite staff and reinvigorate the pointe program!