SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Faculty & Staff

Michael Charron
Dean, School of the Arts
harron earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and English with a secondary education license from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. He continued his education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre from the University of Minnesota. Charron was a faculty member at Concordia University in Saint Paul, MN from 1983 - 2007. During his years at Concordia, he became a tenured professor of theatre arts, as well as Chair and Artistic Director of the Department of Theatre. Charron has extensive experience as a director, playwright, actor and leader within the arts community. Additionally, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2004 - 2006. While a student at Saint Mary's, Charron was an active participant in Theatre Department productions. Furthermore, he was involved in Winona Community Theatre and The Ballet School [MCA].

Tammy Schmidt
Director of Dance
Schmidt holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ballet from Texas Christian University and a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the University of Oklahoma. As director of dance, Schmidt leads and teaches in the dance division of MCA as well as the dance minor program at Saint Mary's University. Additionally, she serves as artistic director for MCA's Dance Repertory Company. Schmidt has restaged and choreographed several full-length ballets for the company including: Cinderella, Paquita, The Nutcracker, and Excerpts from Swan Lake, and the Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère. She has previously taught at Viterbo University, Winona State University, La Crosse Dance Centre, the University of Oklahoma, North Houston Ballet, Backstage Dance Theatre, and a performing arts middle school in Austin, Texas. Her performing career includes work with Ballet Dallas, Houston Ballet, Ballet Austin, Milwaukee Ballet, and Oklahoma Festival Ballet.

Christine Martin
Managing Director & Instructor - Dance
 Martin has been a faculty member at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts since 1994 and has been the managing director for the last eleven years. She also teaches dance for the Saint Mary's University and has previously taught at Viterbo University and Winona State University. Martin's performing career includes work with the Minneapolis-based tap company, Keane Sense of Rhythm at: The Minneapolis and Thunder Bay, Canada Fringe Festivals, the Minneapolis and Chicago Human Rhythm Projects, and Choreographer's Evening at the Walker Arts Center. She has choreographed a variety of original works for the MCA's Dance Repertory Company and has choreographed several musicals including A Chorus Line, Cabaret, Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, Showtune, and The Wizard of Oz for Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre, Home and Community Options, and Saint Mary's University Department of Theatre and Dance. She has studied under Lane Alexander, Sam Weber, Lynn Dally, Diane Walker, Gus Giordano, Savion Glover, Billy Siegenfeld, Mia Michaels, Ted Levy, and Idella Reed, among others. Martin is a graduate of Saint Mary's University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations. E-mail Christine.

Lindsy O'Shea
Youth Choir Director & Instructor - Voice
O'Shea holds a Masters of Arts in Instruction and a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Music Performance from Saint Mary's University. She has been involved with choral music, as a singer or director, for 15 years. O'Shea previously taught choral and general music in the Rochester and Faribault Public Schools. Additionally, she worked with the choirs of Blue Lake Fine Arts camp and with the Michigan State University Children's Choir. She is currently adjunct faculty with Saint Mary's University, directing the Women's Choir and teaching private voice lessons. She also sings with the La Crosse Chamber Chorale.

Juliana Piscitiello
Administrative Assistant & Instructor - Dance
Piscitiello began her classical ballet training at MCA at the age of three under its founder, Stefannié Valéncia Kierlin, and has continued to train extensively in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and other dance forms. She spent the beginning of her college career as a Ballet and Modern Dance major at Texas Christian University, where she performed in student and faculty works and studied under Li-Chou Cheng, Elizabeth Gillaspy, Susan Douglas Roberts, Ceyhun Oszoy, and Ellen Page Shelton, among others. She has had the opportunity to take a variety of master classes and workshops with such artists as Fernando Bujones, James Sewell, Adrienne Clancy, Nina Martin, Bryant Young, Ben Munisteri, and Danial Shapiro. Throughout her years at MCA, Piscitiello has performed many times with the Dance Repertory Company in both classical and contemporary works. Her roles include Paquita in Paquita, Ballerina Doll, Spanish Chocolate, and Peppermint Flutes in The Nutcracker, and one of the wicked stepsisters in Cinderella. She graduated with honors from Saint Mary's University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performance Studies with a focus in dance. After graduation, she spent some time teaching English, chemistry, and speech/debate to high school students in Okinawa, Japan, where she was able to share her passion for the arts with many of her students.

Ryan Ballanger
Instructor – Clarinet and Saxophone
Ballanger has been studying clarinet since age nine and saxophone since age twelve. In 2010, he completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music, and he has studied music education. Since 2006, he has been teaching private clarinet and saxophone lessons. As a student, Ryan was a member of the Saint Mary's University concert band, jazz combo, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, pit orchestra, and many chamber ensembles. In February 2010, he presented his senior clarinet recital featuring the works of Weber, Shickele, Danzi and Offenbach. In addition to teaching lessons at MCA, Ryan works full-time at Saint Mary's University in the Information Technology Department, and he is a member of a Winona clarinet choir, the Saint Mary's University concert band and other community groups.

Sara Bird
Assistant Instructor – Dance
MCA welcomes Sarah to our Dance division where she will be assisting with classes and Dance Repertory Company rehearsals. Biography coming soon.

Genevieve Draskoci-Johnson
Instructor – Dance
Draskoci-Johnson began dancing at the age of 5, experiencing different teachers and genres at various dance schools around the nation including: Dublin Dance Center, Knecht Dance Academy, and is an alum of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts.  She lived in Los Angeles where she was a student at Los Angeles Valley College and had opportunities to study with CJ "2AUCE" Edwards, George Ann Wright, and Carla Lubow. Additionally, she has been involved in Winona State University's dance program; taking classes from faculty and guest artists and traveling to local American College Dance Festivals.  As an instructor and choreographer, Draskoci-Johnson has worked with Allegro School of Music and Dance, Cotter High School, the Dance Repertory Company, Home & Community Options, MCA, Saint Mary's University, Viterbo University, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Winona Middle School, and Winona State University. She is currently attending Winona State University in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science with a minor in Dance.

Heidi Draskoci-Johnson
Instructor - Dance
Draskoci-Johnson is an instructor in the dance division at MCA. She has studied dance for over 20 years and is a graduate of MCA. She has performed with and choreographed for MCA's Dance Repertory Company in numerous productions. Draskoci-Johnson has studied under an array of master teachers, including Doug Varone, Danny Buraczeski and Company, James Sewell Ballet, Lane Alexander, Diane Walker, and Billy Siegenfeld, among others. She attended the dance program at Wichita State University where she had more opportunities to study under a variety of instructors and guest artists, including Jamie Martinez of David Parson's Dance, Mitzi Adams, Susan Quinn-Williams, formerly of Gus Giordano Dance, and Denice Vail. As a member of the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, she performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Draskoci-Johnson has performed at and attended multiple American College Dance Festivals. She has previously taught at and choreographed for the Columbus Dance Arts Academy, San Antonio School for the Performing Arts, and Saint Mary's University. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at MCA, Draskoci-Johnson teaches at Winona State University and is the Artistic Director of Two Lakes Dance Project. Draskoci-Johnson is a graduate of Winona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree public relations.

Erin Gollnik
Instructor - Dance
Gollnik began studying ballet at age seven. She later studied tap, jazz, and modern in addition to her ballet training. Gollnik has attended various summer workshops, including Great River Festival of the Arts Summer Intensive, the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Summer Dance Intensive, and Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, where she studied on scholarship. She has also studied dance at Viterbo University. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at MCA, Gollnik is also a ballet and certified Pilates instructor for the La Crosse Dance Centre and Viterbo University. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Winona State University.

Aleah Harvey
Instructor – Piano
MCA welcomes Aleah to our Music division where she will be teaching private piano lessons. Biography coming soon.

Avin Honecker-Sherman
Instructor - Dance
Honecker-Sherman is a graduate from Winona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Studies: Dance and Movement Studies. She has performed with MCA's Dance Repertory Company as well as performing for WSU, the University of Minnesota, Ballet Arts City Children's Nutcracker Project, American College Dance Festivals, Sam Costas "10,000 Dances" Company, Sweets of May Irish Dance, Children's Dance Theatre, and many other community performances. She is a graduate of Perpich Center for Arts Education where she has also been a guest teacher. Her teaching experience includes ballet, modern, jazz, tap, clogging, improvisation, swing, and Irish dance. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and Personal Fitness Trainer, skilled in kickboxing, land and water aerobics, and weight training.

Allison Johnson
Instructor – Dance
MCA welcomes Allison to our Dance division where she will be teaching the Friday section of Creative Movement and Tap and Jazz for Kids this fall. Biography coming soon.

Bradford Martin
Instructor - Theatre
Prior to moving to the Winona area in 1999, Martin was active in the Twin Cities theatre scene, working with various companies including The Loring Playhouse, Park Square Theatre, and Stages Theatre. From 1999-2001 he also was the director of a pilot outreach program by Stages Theatre to teach and produce theatre for young people in the Winona area. After the pilot program ended, Martin stayed in the Winona area, occasionally teaching theatre workshops. Martin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from the University of Minnesota. Martin instructs the Summer Theatre camps at MCA.

Rachel Moore
Instructor - Dance
Moore has been studying ballet since she was four years old. Moore has studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia with the Mussorgsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet as well as the Rimsky-Korsakov School. Moore was a member of a pre-professional company for 12 years prior to graduation from Butler University with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Pedagogy. She has performed as the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland with Alexandra Ballet Company, as well as Rat Queen from The Nutcracker, Berthe from Giselle, and Queen Mother from Sleeping Beauty all with the Butler Ballet. In addition to her responsibilities at MCA, she teaches dance at Saint Mary's University. Moore plans to further her education by getting her Masters in Dance Pedagogy.

Mike Speck
Instructor – Theatre
MCA welcomes Mike to our Theatre division where he will be teaching stage combat workshops this fall. Biography coming soon.

Jennifer TeBeest
Instructor - Dance
TeBeest began her dance training as a young child in La Crosse, WI, studying ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop and modern dance. She went on to study modern dance at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2000 and attended the Miami Dance Festival in 2002. TeBeest continued her studies at Viterbo University, choreographing in three student showcases from 2003 - 2005; while teaching jazz at La Crosse Dance Centre. In the spring of 2005, TeBeest graduated cum laude from Viterbo University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and minor emphases in dance and graphic design. She has choreographed numerous musicals for Wisconsin and Minnesota high schools, along with Home and Community Options' annual summer musicals. TeBeest attended American College Dance Festivals, The PULSE workshop, and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, where she studied with Ted Levy, Sam Weber, Jason Samuels Smith and Billy Siegenfeld. Currently, TeBeest serves as adjunct faculty at Winona State University, Saint Mary's University, Viterbo University, La Crosse Dance Centre, and MCA. She has choreographed and set work for MCA's Dance Repertory Company II winter showcases as well as main stage productions including the DRC's Nutcracker and 2009 Spring Concert.

Nicole Volner
Instructor – Dance
MCA welcomes Nicole to our Dance division where she will be teaching Tap and Jazz I this fall as well as working with the Dance Repertory Company. Biography coming soon.