Columbia Dance Academy

Instructors of CDA and CATT
Jeanne Szkolka
	Jeanne is the owner/director of Columbia Dance Academy. She has studied all forms of dance arts under Mrs. Marilyn Baumann, (a certified dance instructor by the Dance Masters of America since 1951). She has a thorough background in ballet, modern, jazz, tap and tumbling. In addition to classes with Mrs. Baumann, she studied with Richard and Christian Munro and Alun Jones, Co-Directors of the Louisville Ballet Co., Gregg Mayer of Washington University in St. Louis, Pam Bedford, Charles Kelly, Luigi and Gus Giordano, Tom Ralabate, Judy Rice, and several other master teachers. In her dance career Jeanne won a scholarship to the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, Illinois, and was also part of a group of four dancers who won first place in the Performing Arts Competition Sponsored by the St. Louis Dancing Teachers Association. Jeanne is a certified teacher with Dance Masters of America (DMA), and continues her education every summer by attending DMA's Teachers Training School in Buffalo, NY. Jeanne is currently working on her Masters in Dance Direction. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Jeanne has owned and operated Columbia Dance Academy since 1995.
Julie Artemova-Schauwecker
	Julie trained and performed with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow, Russia for nine years. Since moving to the United States, Julie has taught in several dance studios, given workshops throughout the U.S. and has been a certified fitness instructor since 1998. Julie's vision for her students is to develop and strengthen their character, positive work ethic, and to learn to appreciate and enjoy the art of dance. Julie has taught at Columbia Dance Academy since 2000.
Maddie Bexten
	Maddie has studied bballet, tap and jazz, with Miss Jeanne. She also danced on the competition team at CPAC. Maddie taught recently for the boys and girls club in Springfield, Mo. Maddie has moved back to Columbia to continue her education at the University of Missouri.
Heather Zepp
	Heather studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, tumbling and acrobatic gymnastics at Dance Arts in Owensville, Missouri under the direction of Marilyn Baumann and Mindi Blankenship. Heather has dancded and tumbled since age three and won many awards for acrobatic gymnastics. Heather has been teaching at the Columbia Dance Academy since 2001, and is the Head Couch of the Columbia Acro & Tumbling Team (C.A.T.T). Miss Heather holds a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Misty Nowack
	Misty studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, tumbling and acrobatic gymnastics at Dance Arts in Owensville, Missouri under the direction of Marilyn Baumann and Mindi Blankenship. Misty has many dance, tumble and acro awards including several Miss Dance St. Louis titles and national titles in acrobatic gymnastics. Mistyh holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Missouri and returns to MU to work on her masters degree.