Brenda Didier, Artistic Director

Ms. Didier's passion for dance began at an early age. Her professional career began at 16. Professional credits include lead dance roles in a variety of musicals, theme parks and industrials.

Choreography credits include the Miss Illinois Pageant, The Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour, Mayor Richard Daley's Millenium Campaign for the City of Chicago, mainstage shows, parades and night shows for Busch Gardens and Six Flags Theme Parks, industrials and over 80 musicals. Ms. Didier is the recipient of two choreography awards from the Academy of Theater Artists and Friends, two After Dark Awards, five Jeff Nominations and a Jeff Citation.

She has set choreography on the stages of the Goodman, Mercury, Theatre Building Chicago, Bailiwick, Stage Left, Apollo, Storefront, House of Blues, Theatre on the Lake and Paramount, including four world premieres, one American premiere and three Chicago premieres.

Ms. Didier has traveled to Beijing and Harbin China to set choreography on Cirque Shanghai, Bai XI. The highly recommended production played to sold our houses all summer at Navy Pier's Skyline Stage and at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Atlantic City. She will be returning to Beijing to set choreography on Cirque Shanghai opening June 4, 2008 at Navy Pier's Skyline Stage, running through Labor Day 2008.

Ms. Didier serves on the advisory board for Porchlight Music Theatre, is an artistic associate with the Bailiwick Repertory, and is an artistic affiliate with Bohemian Theatre Ensemble.

At Bradford High School, in Kenosha, WI, her credits include Sweet Charity, and the world premiere student editions of Aida and Rent. She choreographed the national high school cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie, which opened the National Thespian Festival in June 2007. University of Wisconsin-Parkside credits include My Fair Lady, The Tempest, Honk!, The Trojan Women and next season's The Music Man.

As a Dance Educator, she has over 18 years experience in the areas of ballet, jazz, tap, Pointe and musical theatre. She has been a guest teacher/ choreographer at studios throughout the Midwest as well as Columbia College, the University of Illinois-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Carthage College and Northwestern University.

Ms. Didier received her training from Elizabeth Campbell, Bentley Stone, Walter Camryn, Ruth Page, and studied on a full dance scholarship at the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana.

Ms. Didier loves to give back to the community and the students. She hopes to inspire and educate in the world of dance.

Annie Hackett, Artistic Director

Ms. Hackett began dancing at the age of 4, performing professionally at the age of 15, and teaching at the age of 18. She is the proud co-owner and artistic director of the Kenosha Academy of Dance. She is an adjunct professor of dance at Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), is on the faculty of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance (Lincolnshire, IL), and has been a guest teacher at Columbia College and Roosevelt University (both Chicago, IL). Ms. Hackett also teaches workshops and master classes all over Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Her students have been accepted into dance programs with The American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and The Chicago Civic Ballet.

Her choreography has been seen at Chicago area theaters such as, The Baliwick Repertory Theater, The Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Northlight Performing Arts Center and The Paramount Arts Center. She has also choreographed for Carnival Cruise Lines and many industrial shows for organizations like State Farm, Pepsi, Give Kids the World, and Kraftmaid.

Locally she has choreographed productions for Bradford High School, including "Beehive"( fall 2006 ), "Fiddler on The Roof", (winter 2007), "Miss Saigon"(spring 2007), "Evita", (fall 2007), "Brigadoon" (winter 2008) and "Little Women" (spring 2008). At Carthage College she choreographed "Over the Tavern" (spring 2006). She also assisted on choreography for the International High School Thespian Production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" sponsored by Bradford High School.

Ms. Hackett's performing career earned her membership into the Actor's Equity Association. She has performed in many productions at theaters such as The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Theatre Ensemble, Northlight Performing Arts Center and The Paramount Arts Center.

During her time at SUNY Buffalo, she received additional training in ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance on a collegiate level. Upon leaving college, Ms. Hackett was awarded a scholarship to study at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. While there she studied with Chet Walker, Frank Hatchet, Germaine Salsberg, Finis Jung, Zena Rommet, and David Howard. She also studied acting at the Sande Shurin Acting School.

Ms. Hackett hopes to continue to share her passion for dance and inspire students of all ages.

Kristy White

Kristy White has been dancing and performing in Chicago since the age of six. She began her training at DanceCenter North and has since studied with Laura Wade, Jeff Hancock, Eduardo Villaro, Wilfredo Rivera and Nancy Turrano, as well as CNADM and Dupree Jazz Forum.

Ms. White has performed in Dance Explosion and has taken part in the Dance for Dreams benefit. She was a member of Luna Negra Dance Ensemble of Chicago.

Her choreography has also been seen on high school competitive pompon squads and dance ensembles throughout the Midwest. Ms. White recently performed in the musical "Grease" where she played the role of "ChaCha DiGregorio." In addition to Ms. White's dance experience, she is also a certified massage therapist.

Susan Myers

Susan began her ballet training at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Illinois at age 9 and began teaching at 18. She discovered modern dance while studying with Joseph Holmes and his company, and began furthering her studies with weekly trips into Chicago and summer workshops in Idyllwild, CA. She danced with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and with Momenta!, performing both new and historic works. Susan began her college education at CalArts, before returning to Illinois to finish her BA in Dance at Northern Illinois University. After 13 years teaching dance on the east coast, she is thrilled to be back in the midwest.

Heidi Malnar

Heidi V. Malnar hails from Clarksville, Tennessee. Upon graduating from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in dance, she began performing with the Chicago-based Jump Rhythm Jazz Project - Billy Siegenfeld, Artistic Director. Among fellow company members, she is the proud recipient of an EMMY Award for her performance in Jump Rhythm’s documentary- "Jump Rhythm Jazz Project: Getting There," which was produced by HMS Media. She has also had the pleasure of being a company member of Chicago Tap Theatre, directed by Mark Yonally. After choreographing/ performing in the short film, "Seduction in C-Sharp," directed by Anne Peterson, she looks forward to the film’s appearance in International Film Festival England. Her choreography has also been seen at Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in the "Barenaked Lads" series, The Roxy Regional Theatre in Clarksville, TN; Sioux City, IA; Wheeling High School Orchesis, and various independent music videos and commercials. In addition to teaching at KAD, Heidi also teaches in Chicago at Le Ballet Petit School of Dance, and The Galaxie.