Faculty

Katie attended the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, where she graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Health and Wellness Promotion Minor. While at the UMN, she worked with choreographers such as Luke Olson-Elm, Brian Brooks, Sidra Bell, Gregory Maqoma, and Michel Kouakou. Her favorite moment in college was performing at Northrup Theatre with Brian Brooks Dance Company as a guest performer. Upon graduation, Katie joined Karen Charles Threads Dance Project, taught at various dance studios, and traveled to choreograph on her alumnus company, Forum Dance Theatre. While with Threads, the company toured to Philadelphia, PA, and performed at the IABD festival. Most recently, she now resides in Chicago teaching dance at various studios and freelance dancing with the following companies; Movementum Dance Project and Still Inspired. She is very excited about this new endeavor at Pure Vibe!

Marley Schmidt has been with Pure Vibe since its first year, and took on the role as Assistant Artistic Director in 2016. She loves to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to teaching, and has expertise in many different genres and across all ages. As a choreographer for Pure Vibe, her pieces have received recognition at both regional and national competitions. As a professional dancer, Marley has worked as a freelance artist for choreographers Rebecca Lemme, Autumn Eckman, and Kalin Morrow, and danced as a company member with Kristina Isabelle Dance Company and Same Planet Performance Project, under the direction of Joanna Read. Before living in Chicago, Marley graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Michigan University. In her years at WMU she had the opportunity to work with guest artists such as Harrison McEldowney, Autumn Eckman, Lauren Edson, and Nelly Van Bommel, and performed at the Dance Chicago Festival, Oakland Dance Festival, Eat to the Beat, and ACDFA nationals in Washington, D.C. Her additional training includes a semester abroad studying dance at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England, and the scholarship program at Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago, IL.

I have been dancing for 14 years in many styles of dance ranging from Latin American Styles to Hiphop. I have been teaching for the last 5 years in studios ranging from all levels and love all my students.I lead with compassion, dedication and discipline. I also dance for a Professional Hip-hop Company Called Hiphop ConnXion HQ under the direction of Suave. I have been there for the last 8 years.I believe dance is for everyone and should be expressed in a safe environment for all to enjoy and make happy mistakes.

Kiera Brown, originally from Wixom, MI, attended Western Michigan University, graduatingSumma Cum Laude in Spring 2021 with a B.F.A. in Dance. While at WMU, she had the pleasureof performing works choreographed by Yin Yue, Jennifer Archibald, BAIRA, Mike Esperanza,Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Jeremy Blair, Monique Haley, David Curwen, Carolyn Pavlik, SeyongKim, and Kelsey Paschich. Kiera had the opportunity to perform alongside PeridanceContemporary Dance Company and was also a company member of Western Dance Projectunder the direction of Whitney Moncrief during its 2018-2019 season. Kiera furthered her dancetraining at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Choreographic Summer Intensive, having theprivilege to work with Rena Butler, Robyn Mineko-Williams, Micaela Taylor, and RodrickGeorge. Since moving to Chicago in 2021, she has had the opportunity to be an Emerging Artistwith South Chicago Dance Theatre under the direction of Kia Smith, as well as train withrenowned artist Jackie Nowicki. Her passion for teaching and choreographing at youth studioscontinues to grow with her many positions throughout the Chicagoland area. Through thesestudios and her incredible students, she has had the honor of being recognized for her artistry by receiving multiple choreographic and standout awards at both regional and nationalcompetitions. Kiera is looking forward to what the coming year has in store, and to continuewatching her students evolve and advance their individuality!

Caitlin Clark (she/her) is a dancer, choreographer, and dance educator from the southeastof Michigan, and is now based in Chicago, IL. Caitlin graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Artsin Dance from Western Michigan University. She has had the pleasure of working withShannon Alvis, Kia Smith, Tsai His Hung, Kiki Lucas, Carolyn Pavlik, Monique Haley, andothers. In Chicago, she has worked with Katlin Bourgeois during DanceWorks Chicago’sChoreoLab (2021), was a guest artist in South Chicago Dance Theatre’s Memoirs of Jazz inthe Alley (2023), and now dances with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre in the main company.

Ericka started dancing at the age of 5. She danced competitively at the Dance Academy of Antioch until she graduated from high school and continued dancing in college on the DePaul University Dance Team. Ericka danced professionally for the Chicago Bulls as a Chicago Luvabulls from 2017-2021. During her time with the Bulls, she performed at Lollapalooza with Louis the Child as well as performed throughout NBA All-Star 2020 weekend in Chicago with the Luvabulls, Jeremih and Lil Wayne.She spent time coaching for Grayslake North High Schools JV dance team from 2017-2020. Ericka loves to share her passion for dance with young dancers and is looking forward to continuing to work with dancers in the future!

Christina Luebbe, grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago. She attended Concordia University Chicago, a private school in River Forest. She interned at CBS Radio and a Chicago Chamber of Commerce Association before graduating Cum Laude honors in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing Communications. Christina has worked in the marketing world in both corporate and agency settings, before finding her way to Pure Vibe in January 2021. Christina started taking dance at the age of 4, and continued on and off throughout her childhood and into her college years at the university. Chistina’s work at Pure Vibe Dance Center helps to support our owner, company/crew directors, instructors, and families. She loves that Pure Vibe provides a welcoming environment where students can learn and grow towards their goals!

Lauren grew up in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and started dancing at a young age at Bataille Academie of the Danse. She continued dancing through college as a member of the DePaul University Dance Team and graduated with a degree in Secondary Education. Laurens love for dance and teaching brought her back to Bataille where she taught various styles of dance including ballet, contemporary, tap and hip hop for 18 years. She choreographed many competition pieces over the year that earned her choreography acknowledgement at competitions. While teaching Lauren choreographed for high school dance teams around the suburbs and is currently the JV dance coach at a local high school. Lauren is excited to join the Pure Vibe community and continue to inspire young dancers to find their passion!

Hayley Midea is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Wixom, Michigan. In 2020, Hayley received a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University where she has performed works by Jackie Nowicki, Monique Haley, Carolyn Pavlik, Kelsey Paschich, Jeremy Blair, Joseph A. Hernandez and BAIRA MVMNT/PHLOSPHY. Hayley was also a company member of Western Dance Project, under the direction of Whitney Moncrief. The Michigan Dance Council awarded Hayley the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award for her piece “Dear Larry,” in 2019. Hayley also performed her work at the 2020 ACDA East-Central Regional Conference where she was selected to perform at the National Conference in Long Beach, California. She was also selected to perform at the SoloDuo Dance Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, Trifecta Dance Festival, Chi Dance Fest and Simantikos Dance Chicago Choreography Kick-Off. Hayley’s work won “Best Spoken Word Used in a Film” and “2021 Viewer’s Choice Award” at the inaugural Dance Is Activism Film Festival produced by Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance. Hayley teaches dance in the Chicagoland area and has danced with South Chicago Dance Theatre for the last four years. With SCDT, Hayley has performed in works by Kia S. Smith, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Wade Schaaf, Ron De Jesus, Joseph Kim, Monique Haley, Stephanie Martinez, Tsai Hsi Hung and Joshua Blake Carter. As a professional, Hayley has toured nationally and internationally, most notably with SCDT and Choomna Dance Company in Arnhem, Netherlands. Other notable performances include the 2023 collaboration with South Chicago Dance Theatre and Giordano Dance Chicago as well as the Dance For Life Finale Choreographed by Randy Duncan and Jonathan Alsberry. Hayley has recently joined Niko8 Performance as a company member in their second season!

Felicity Lyon Nicholson (she/her) began her training at the Academy of Fort Wayne  Ballet under the direction of Karen Gibbons-Brown. She went on to receive a BFA in Dance Performance from Butler University, during which time she performed works by Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Paul Taylor, Susan McGuire, Derek Reid and others. She traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia and Warsaw and Krakow, Poland with the Butler Dance Department where she had the opportunity to study and perform. Upon graduation Felicity moved to Chicago where she studied on scholarship at Visceral Dance Chicago under Nick Pupillo and then at the Lou Conte Dance Center under Claire Bataille. As a freelance dancer Felicity performed works including Thodos Dance Chicago’s New Dances, Inaside Chicago’s Choreography Competition, Schaumburg Dance Ensemble’s The Nutcracker, the Moroccan tour of Bellydance Evolution’s Scheherazade with Jillina Carlano, and performed Gerald Arpino’s “Light Rain” with the Fort Wayne Ballet. She danced with Meghann Mueller’s Project606 Dance and Trifecta Dance Collective, where she was made Rehearsal Director in 2017. She joined Dance in the Parks for their 2020 season. From 2019-23, Felicity performed with Chicago Repertory Ballet, dancing the roles of Banquo and TheLover in Wade Schaaf’s “Macbeth,” and “The Rite of Spring” respectively, and performing works by Mike Tyus, Mariana Oliveira, Taylor Mitchell and others.

Julie Simon has an extensive dance background in a variety of dance forms and has worked in a wide variety of dance education centers including dance studios, colleges and has taught master classes and workshops throughout the US. She graduated from Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance Performance; double-concentration in Ballet and Jazz and continued her dance education as a Scholarship Dancer at Visceral Dance Center in Chicago. Previous collegiate instruction experience includes teaching dance technique and choreography at Harper College, Robert Morris University, Northern Illinois University, and Point Park University and in the Chicago Public School system as a Ballroom Dance Instructor through the “Having A Ball” program. Julie’s choreography has won regional and national awards and has been highlighted in the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, IL, at various halftime shows for the NBA Chicago Bulls & WNBA Chicago Sky, in Dance Chicago at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, IL, as well as various musicals, recitals and regional and national competitions for various dance companies and studios. Her performance experience includes performing at the Super Bowl opening the Pre-Show Party for Katy Perry, as well as with various professional dance teams, contemporary dance companies including B.I.S.I. Chicago Dance Company under the direction of Lynn Arevalo and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater under the direction of Kevin Iega Jeff and Gary Abbott, musical theatre companies, and commercial/corporate events in Chicago, IL including McDonalds, Party City, Swedish Covenant Hospital, Pivot Point and KMS California. Julie is grateful to continue to share her passion for dance with the dancers at Pure Vibe and the opportunity to create a well-rounded dance education center in the Western Suburbs!

Originally from Omaha Nebraska, Bella has been dancing for over 13 years and teaching it for over 6 years. She has trained with several professional and experienced instructors in every genre of dance and has taught multiple styles of dance to all different age levels. After graduating high school with a college associate’s degree in liberal arts, Bella moved to Jacksonville Florida to continue her pursuit in dance as a trainee with the Florida ballet company. She continued to train as well as teach there for two years before moving to the Chicago area this year. Outside of the studio Bella enjoys playing the piano and ukulele and traveling! She is so excited to share her love for this art with this new community and looks forward to teaching at Pure Vibe this year!

Jessica graduated from the University of NC School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. She was a dancer, choreographer, assistant rehearsal director and teacher for Thodos Dance Chicago from 2005-2017, where she performed and toured both Nationally and Internationally.Jessica Miller Tomlinson’s Award Winning Choreography has been commissioned or produced by the Chautauqua Ballet Company, NC School of the Arts, Aerial Dance Chicago, Hot Crowd, Alluvion Dance Chicago , DanceWorks Chicago, Chicago Repertory Ballet,The Joyce Theater Foundation, Moonwater Dance Project, The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Idaho Dance Theatre, RDA MidWest, Columbia College of Chicago , Washington and Lee University, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival , Forum Dance Theatre, Nomi Dance Company, Dance in the Parks, The Dance Gallery Festival, Visceral Dance Chicago, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, The Harvest Dance Festival, The HSDC Youth Ensemble, UnEarth Virtual Arts Festival,The Take Up Space Dance Fest, SHIFT DANCE | FESTIVAL, Dance For Life, and Thodos Dance Chicago. She has collaborated with the Andy Warhol Silver Clouds Exhibit at the MCA and with Chicago band District 97. Jessica was most recently a Faculty member for the Hubbard Street Youth Dance Program, as well as The Joffrey Academy of Dance, where she taught Contemporary for the Joffrey Studio Company and Trainees.  She was Adjunct Faculty at Northern Illinois University for two years. She is currently a faculty member at Alma Dance School, Pure Vibe Dance Studio, and The Rooted Space. She currently serves as Ballet Mistress for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre as well as Rehearsal Director for South Chicago Dance Theatre.