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.