DEENA FOURNIER
Studio Owner and Director
Deena has been a part of Ann Arbor Dance Classics since 2000, when she joined her business partner and long time friend, Lisa Holland, in running the studio. In January 2020, she became the sole owner when Lisa retired from her teaching career. After falling in love with dance at the age of 10, she studied with the Milwaukee Ballet School and School of Chicago City Ballet under such notable teachers as Francoise Martinet, Paul Sutherland, Basil Thompson, Melissa Hayden, Maria Tallchief, Diana Adams, Homer Bryant, Edward Villella, Allegra Kent and Joel Hall. Deena holds her Professional Advanced VII certificate and is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America as well as Dance Masters of America. She has been recognized and awarded for choreography of her routines, both regionally and nationally.
Deena has shared her love of dance with thousands of young people for over 30 years. She believes that dance brings not only joy and poise, but teaches dozens of life skills helping young people live enriched and successful lives. Throughout her years teaching, many of her students have gone on to pursue dance in college and professionally, with several earning scholarships to ballet schools and universities across the country. Deena’s students have received top competitive dance awards, both regionally and nationally. Her love and knowledge of dance have also inspired many of her former students to become dance teachers, including several who are currently on staff at Ann Arbor Dance Classics. Today, Deena continues to teach her love of dance to as many young people as she can, while encouraging her former students, now dance teachers, to share that same passion of dance with today's students.
When she isn’t running her dance studio or teaching, you'll find her at home in Milan spending time with her husband, Jason, and her daughters, Evi and Saila. She enjoys reading history, hiking, playing golf, and walking, and loves baking and cooking—her absolute favorite is Italian cuisine.
LISA HOLLAND
Founder
Lisa has been teaching dance for more than 30 years. She founded Ann Arbor Dance Classics in 1996 with the objective of creating an environment for dance education which included various styles of dance, but remained centered on a foundation of classical ballet training.
In 2000, Lisa Holland was reunited with Deena Fournier, a friend with whom she had trained in ballet for many years. They became business partners, and in 2004 established the AADC Youth Dance Ensemble (YDE), an in-house performance company for dancers between the ages of 8 and 18. With Deena directing the ballet program, Lisa was able to turn her attention to her passion for musical theater and tap. Having enjoyed performing in numerous shows including A Chorus Line, Pippin, and Jesus Christ Superstar, Lisa enjoys creating production numbers for YDE which focus on the theatrical elements of dance. Outside of AADC, Lisa has choreographed for and directed the CRU National Dance Spectacular, and continues to choreograph the musicals for Saline High School. In December of 2019, Lisa handed over ownership and directorship of Ann Arbor Dance Classics solely to Deena Fournier.
Lisa works full time at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan where she attended graduate school. She currently resides in Saline with her husband Steve.
EMMA GRABARCZYK
Instructor
Emma has been dancing since the age of seven with most of her training focused on ballet, pointe, jazz, and modern. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in 2011 with a degree in Dance Studio Management. While at EMU, she performed in numerous faculty and guest artist pieces, multiple full length ballets, and many student choreography pieces. She also served as secretary for EMU Dance Forum. She continues her own training any chance she can with classes and workshops. She has taken class at Chicago's Lou Conte Dance Studio and the Joffrey Ballet School as well as attending the Jazz Dance World Congress in Pittsburgh.
Emma has been teaching at Ann Arbor Dance Classics since 2011 and enjoys working with every age and level. She choreographs for the Youth Dance Ensemble and Competition Team and loves working with a wide range of students in many different styles of dance.
STEPHANIE RONDY
Instructor
Stephanie is a native of the Detroit-Metro area, having received her early training at Noretta Dunworth School of Dance (NDSD) in Dearborn, Michigan. Seeking further education in the art form, she attended Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dance, focused in Studio Management. Throughout her college career, Stephanie had the opportunity to perform in multiple works at the American College Dance Festival (ACDF) and claimed starring roles in the ballets Cinderella and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was during this time that she also gained professional performing experience with Rustic Groove Dance—a modern concert dance company based in Jackson, MI.
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Stephanie returned to Michigan after receiving her Master of Arts at New York University with a full certification in the American Ballet Theatre® (ABT) National Training Curriculum (NTC)—a breakthrough eight level program combining high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. While in New York, Stephanie worked in Development at ABT and was a substitute instructor at several area dance academies, including the Joffrey Ballet School. In her spare time, Stephanie fed her love of performance by dancing with theater dance company Aries in Flight, founded by her NYU cohort, Catherine Baggs.
MELANIE SIMPSON
Instructor
Melanie has been dancing since she was two years old. She is trained in ballet, jazz, acro, tap, musical theatre, lyrical, and precision pom. Melanie is also certified in the Acro Arts (M1 & Pre-school). She is a Livonia Churchill High School graduate where she participated in the Creative And Performing Arts program. While in CAPA, she danced in and choreographed group and solo numbers for her fellow dancers. It was during her time at Churchill that she discovered her passion for choreography and teaching. She was also a member of the award winning Churchill Chargers Pom Pon team.
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After high school, Melanie attended Eastern Michigan University majoring in Dance Performance. She has had the pleasure of studying under many master teachers including Glenn Packard (from the television show "Brooke Knows Best”), Addison O’Day (formerly of the Alabama Ballet), Keith Clifton, Rhonda Miller, and Jamie Trepanier. Melanie was also selected by audition as an extra in the movie “Youth In Revolt."
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She has been teaching and choreographing for Ann Arbor Dance Classics for the last 10 years. Her engaging and energetic choreography has helped her students to achieve numerous regional and national awards.
GRACE CYRBOK
Instructor
Grace has been dancing since she was three, and the last seven years of that she danced and competed for AADC. Grace is trained in ballet, tap -- her favorite style -- jazz, modern, and contemporary. She graduated from AADC in 2024 and is thrilled to continue to be part of the family as an instructor.
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Grace is in her second year of college at Eastern Michigan University pursuing a double major in dance and environmental science in society.
NATASHA DAVIS
Instructor
Natasha is thrilled to return to AADC for another year. She has danced and competed throughout her life; including ballet, jazz, tap, and lyrical. Currently she teaches ballet and lyrical
Natasha studied at the University of Michigan and now works as a mechanical engineer during the day. After long days at work she loves to go to the studio, bond with the students, and share her passion of dance.
NINA EISENMANN
Instructor
Nina has been coaching dance team and teaching dance since college, where she was a part of the Eastern Michigan University Dance Team for four years. She has coached locally at many schools including Lincoln, Milan, Concordia University -- she was the founding dance team coach! -- and Saline High School, where she was the Head Coach of the Saline Varsity team for six years. She has been choreographing for schools and teams for almost 20 years!
Nina trained in ballet, tap, lyrical, modern, jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, and pom at Dance Dynamics in Novi, Michigan. Nina has a love for competition dance and helping dancers reach new goals. She taught at AADC ten years ago and came back last season to teach again. She is super excited for year two (or 12) and for more exciting opportunities with the company!
CHRISTINE GOLUS
Instructor
Chris received her BFA from the University of Michigan School of Art and is Managing Director and owner of Q LTD – a design, branding, web studio located in Ann Arbor. Chris has had a life-long love of dance and began her training in the Detroit area at a young age at the Dick and Connie Reppa and Bunny Sanford dance studios. She was a long time modern dance student of J. Parker Copley and studied with Noonie (Hamp) Anderson, Whitley (Setrakian) Hill, Peter Sparling, Peter Kentes, Debra Sipos-Roe, and others. Most recently she has studied Latin dance with Laura Geldys. Chris has choreographed and performed her own works as well as performed in works by Noonie Anderson, J. Parker Copley, Pat Plasko, Peter Sparling, and Whitley Setrakian. Miss Chris has taught creative movement since 1993 and modern since 2004.
Prior to teaching at Ann Arbor Dance Classics she was at a teacher at Arts in Motion and Dance Gallery Studio. She also served as Board Member and Secretary of Dance Gallery Foundation, the umbrella organization for the Peter Sparling Dance Company and Dance Gallery Studio. She loves inspiring young dancers to express their own creativity through improvisation techniques grounded in strong technical training.
ROWAN HARTY
Instructor
Rowan danced with Ann Arbor Dance Classics for six years. She currently studies biochemistry and psychology at the University of Michigan while also minoring in dance. After student teaching during her senior year at AADC, she is excited to meet new students and grow as a teacher this year.
EMMA JOHNSON
Instructor
Emma Johnson graduated from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) with her Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She started dancing at Ann Arbor Dance Classics when she was three years old and hasn’t parted with dance ever since. She participated in both competitive dance as well as performances with AADC throughout her time there. While in college she was given the opportunity to work with guest artists, faculty in the dance program, and her peers to create and perform works. She also was the choreographer for one of GVSU’s theater performances, "The Putnam County Spelling Bee." Some of her favorite styles include modern and tap. She enjoys both the performance and choreographic sides of dance. Emma is beyond excited to be back with Ann Arbor Dance Classics to give back and dance with the place she called home for so many years!
EMILY KARELL-CHU
Instructor
Originally from Saratoga Springs, NY, Emily began dancing at a young age. She continued training at various local dance studios in New York and Ohio before attending the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts, where she graduated high school with a major in ballet. In 2015, Emily received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. While attending the University of Cincinnati, Emily also received her certification in Pilates from Pendleton Pilates.
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After graduating college, Emily moved to South Florida, where she spent ten years performing and teaching. From 2016 to 2025, she performed with Rainbow Circus Miami as a company contortionist and dancer, and from 2017 to 2025 she danced with the Ballet Florida as a company dancer. Throughout her time in South Florida, she taught at several local studios, such as Precision Dance Conservatory, Astrid Audet Academy of Ballet, and MUSE Center for the Arts. In the 2024-2025 school year, she joined the full time faculty of Boynton Beach High School, teaching ballet for the fine arts dance Choice Program.
AUTUMN KROGSRUD
Instructor
Autumn has been dancing since she was three, dancing competitively for seven years, including at AADC for two of those years. Autumn is trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, and modern. She graduated from AADC in 2025 and is excited to continue being a part of this group as an instructor.
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Autumn is pursuing her first year of college at Washtenaw Community College in their Natural Sciences general education transfer program.
PAOLA SOUZA
Instructor
Paola began dancing when she was eleven years old at Ann Arbor Dance Classics. She soon joined the YDE competition team, and spent the next seven years dancing with them. Paola trained in ballet, jazz, pointe, and contemporary. She returned to Ann Arbor Dance Classics as a dance instructor with hopes of sharing her love for dance with other dancers! Paola recently acquired her Acrobatic Dance Arts teaching certification.
She graduated from Milan High School in 2019, and University of Michigan-Dearborn with a degree in International Studies in 2023.
OLIVIA WALTERS
Instructor
Olivia is proud to be both an alumna and instructor at Ann Arbor Dance Classics (AADC), the studio where she spent her formative years as a dancer. After graduating from AADC in 2018, Olivia went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Minor in Dance from Michigan State University (MSU), graduating in 2022. During her time at MSU, Olivia remained deeply involved in the dance community - performing, choreographing, and teaching across a variety of platforms and disciplines. She was a member of the Orchesis Dance Company, a Teaching Assistant for the university’s dance minor program, and an active contributor to MSU Theatre Department productions and Dance Minor showcases.
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At AADC, Olivia currently teaches jazz, hip hop, musical theater, lyrical, and contemporary, and choreographs pieces for the Youth Dance Ensemble competition team, Nutcracker, and Benefit Show. Olivia has made lifelong friends at AADC and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and helping the next generation of dancers grow!
CAROLINE ZAJAC
Instructor
Caroline is an alumna of Ann Arbor Dance Classics and she has returned to AADC to share her knowledge and love of dance with future generations. Caroline attended Western Michigan University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While there she studied under amazing professors and many industry professionals. Caroline has had the opportunity to perform in many dance festivals across the US including Detroit Dance City Festival, Central City Dance Festival in Washington D.C., and Solocorigrafico International Dance Festival in Oklahoma. Caroline has continued her love of performing with Contexture Dance Detroit as a full company member. She joined the company in 2023 and has performed with them all across Michigan.
Caroline has experience in many dance styles and is looking forward to sharing them with her students this season. She teaches ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, and contemporary, along with choreographing for the Nutcracker and competition team. Caroline also has had choreography showcased in pageants and Milan High School’s spring musicals in 2023 and 2024. Caroline is so excited to be back for another amazing season at AADC alongside the incredible staff and students!
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LISA BARNES
Front Desk Staff
Lisa is a native of the Detroit-Metro area. She has been a part of the Ann Arbor Dance Classics Family, since her daughter Brianna took her first dance class in July 1999. Lisa joined the staff of Ann Arbor Dance Classics in 2007.
Lisa attended Eastern Michigan University and graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration, specializing in Accounting.
Lisa also works full time for the University of Michigan, Student Financial Services as a Senior Accountant.
TAMMY ZAJAC
Front Desk Staff
Tammy has been part of the AADC family since her oldest daughter, Alli, at age four, decided she wanted to dance like Coffee (Wendy Whelan) in The New York City Nutcracker. That began more than 25 years of dance for the Zajac family. Two other daughters, Sarah and Caroline would join Alli. Soon, Tammy and husband Gary found themselves dancing as parents in the Nutcracker as well. During this time, Tammy worked at the front desk, helped with costumes, sets, props, cleaned, and organized.
Tammy received her Bachelor's (Special Education) and Master's (Early Childhood) in teaching at Eastern Michigan University. She recently retired after 34 years of teaching; 8 years for Monroe ISD and 26 for Milan. While at Milan she was assistant director of many K-8 plays, including Willy Wonka, Annie, and several Christmas plays. She assisted in others, such as, Music Man, The Jungle Book, and The Wizard of Oz. She resides in Milan, with her family.
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AVERY MOJE
Marketing Manager
Avery trained with Ann Arbor Dance Classics for thirteen years, spending several of those years as a member of the YDE competition team. Her training includes a diverse repertoire of tap, ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, musical theater, and forays into ballroom dance. During her dance career she had the opportunity to train with the Cecchetti Council of America, the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, and the Radio City Rockettes. In 2019, she returned to AADC as an instructor and to oversee AADC’s marketing strategy, content creation, and website design. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her own passion for dance with the next generation of dancers.
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Avery works full-time in injury prevention at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a Bachelor of Arts in Justice & Peace Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies from Georgetown University.
