HILARI VAN BYNEN
OWNER/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Hilari has been dancing since the age of two with extensive training in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. She has performed in many lead roles with the Plymouth-Canton Ballet Company/Plymouth Symphony, such as Clara, Dew Drop Fairy, and Snow Princess, along with others. She is now the Assistant Artistic Director of the Plymouth Canton Ballet Company, and is proud to be passing on the Nutracker experience to a new generation. Hilari attended multiple summer ballet extensive programs with the Cecchetti Council of America at Hope college. She also performed at the Detroit Opera House in the Metropolitan Ballet Company's 'Mid Summer's Night Dream' as the lead child role, the Indian Boy. After growing up in the studio, as her whole family taught or still teaches dance, Hilari believes she has found her true calling as a teacher and Choreographer! She has been teaching dance since 1998, with students winning awards in both technique and choreography, along with both regional and national overall high scores. She has had many students go on to college dance programs, dance companies, theater companies/performances, and Disney. Hilari has passed her teachers Cecchetti Grade I though Intermediate, Grade VI, exams with high honors. She is also a member in good standing of the Cecchetti Council of America. Hilari also sits on the board as a Director with Great Lakes Regional Dance Masters, and is a member in good standing with Dance Masters of America. She lives with her Husband Nate and 2 son, Landon (10) & Brayden (7) along with their 4 year old NewFoundland Bruce Wayne. Hilari is so proud to be the owner of Grosse Ile Academy of dance. “My Grandmother, Dawn Greene, opened this studio back in 1989, and I am so proud to keep our family legacy alive in the dance world. She made a difference in so many dancer’s lives, and I hope to do the same!”
JUNE SMITH
June Smith began her dance training in the Detroit area and was fortunate to work with many instructors, including her mother, in many different styles of ballet. She was a soloist with the Downriver Civic Ballet and the Detroit City Ballet. As an original member of the Plymouth-Canton Ballet Company she performed many roles in numerous ballets. June is now honored to hold the position of Artistic Director of the Plymouth-Canton Ballet Company. The Cecchetti Method of Ballet has been a great influence in her career of dancing and teaching. She holds the Teachers Diploma Certificate and travels around the country as an Examiner and Liaison Officer. Additionally, she is the National Registrar and a member of the Executive Board of the Cecchetti Council of America. June is very proud to continually watch new accomplishments of her children and grandchildren following in the family love of dance.
CHRISTINA BUTLER
Christina Butler started her journey with Grosse Ile Academy of Dance at the age of 3! She was trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip-hop, and gymnastics. She also studied the Cecchetii Method, and took her students Grade I through Grade VI exams, passing with high honors. Christina was a member of the Plymouth-Canton Ballet Company, and performed many lead roles. She was also a featured dancer in Alice and Wonderland production, as the Queen of Hearts. Christina attended multiple years at the Cecchetii Council of America's summer intensive. There she had the privilege of studying under a very prestigious facility including Aubrey Lynch, Laura Berman, and Diane Van Shoor just to name a few. As a student Christina was both recognized at the regional and national level. Now as teacher, she has also been recognized at the regional and national level, with her students winning high scores, technique and choreography awards! Christina is a member in good standing with the Cecchetti Council of Amercia. She has passed her teacher's Grade I through Grade VI with high honors. Christina is also a member in good standing with Dance Masters of America, and sits on her local chapters board as a director. Chrisinta has been a teacher at GIAD for the past 15 years, and has no plan of stopping! With her upbeat personality, and keen eye for technique she is truly a great teacher and role model for our dancers!
CHRISTINE DENSTEDT
Chrissie started dancing at the age of four. Her training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern and acrobatics continued through high school. As a student, Chrissie had a very successful competitive career and was often seen assisting classes and mentoring young dancers. Chrissie participated in numerous summer programs including Dance Masters of America’s Student Honors Intensive Program. Once she turned 18, she attended DMA’s Teacher Training School. She graduated from T.T.S. in 2008 and was awarded the Bachna Scholarship, the highest award presented at DMA’s Training School. She is certified to teach Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobatics and Modern by Dance Masters of America. In addition to her TTS certifications, she is certified to teach Grades I-V by the Cecchetti Council of America. Chrissie has judged for Dance Masters of America chapters, DMA's National Teen Miss Dance of America Scholarship Competition, DMA's National Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, and American Dance Awards. She was Dance Masters of America’s National Performing Arts Competition Director for 10 years. Chrissie is also a Nationally Certified Examiner by Dance Masters of America.
Makaela MIHALKO
Makaela Mihalko has been dancing with Grosse Ile Academy of dance since she was 2. She has also been a member of the competition team since she was just 4 years old. Makaela has been trained in all styles of dance and even the Cecchetii Method taking and passing grades I thought VI. Makaela has also studied dance outside of Grosse Ile Academy Of Dance, in 2021 she went to Grand Rapid Ballet for their two week summer intensive. In 2022 she was excepted into Orlando Ballet's five week summer intensive. In Orlando she got to work with various students and chorographers from all around the world. Makaela has danced various lead roles in our productions. She has been Sandy in Grease, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, and Abu in Aladdin. Makaela loves competing and her love for that shows on stage. She won the national title for Thats Miss Entertainment in 2022, along with many other awards during her career. Makaela has also been a member of the Plymouth-Canton for 13 years, landing many principal roles including Clara, Snow Queen, and Dew Drop Fairy. She has been assistant teaching since 2021 and is very excited to continue teaching with her own classes this year.
LAURA WARD
Laura started dancing at Grosse Ile academy of dance at 3 years old. She immediately fell in love and haas been with the studio ever since. During her time as a student she danced in the Plymouth-canton ballet company in the Nutcracker, competed in numerous competitions including the regional competition for DMA and had multiple opportunities to audition for 'So You Think You Can Dance.' Once Laura was old enough to become a helper she jumped at the chance until she was old enough to take on classes as a teacher.She has taught at the studio for the past 8 years - teaching everything from ballet and tap to now hip hop and contemporary. Laura currently owns Mighty Warrior CrossFit in Brownstown and coaches fitness classes there full time while continuing to teach at the studio on Mondays. She loves to see the dancers grow into their own creativity and is excited each year to not only teach them something new about dance and themselves but to learn from them and their growing energy and curiosity.
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GAVIN SMITH
Gavin has been dancing since he could walk. He grew up at Grosse Ile Academy of Dance and is now proud to follow in his family's footsteps as a dance instructor. Gavin has been an assistant teacher for the past 3 years, and was a permanent substitute teacher for the past 2 years. He has been trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, and hip-hop. He has also passed the Cecchetti student exams Grade I through Grade V and is currently working on his Grade VI. Gavin has won many awards in the dance community, Including both regional and national titles and high scores. This past year he made history by being the first ever dancer to hold all 4 titles in the Great Lakes Regional Dance Masters Competition; Master Dance 2014, Jr Mister Dance 2016 & 2018, Teen Mister Dance 2020, and Mister Dance 2022. In 2019, Gavin was awarded the 'Mr.Personality' Award at the Dance Masters of America Teen Title competition. This award was voted on by his fellow contestants, both male and female. This was a very prestigious award to receive. With all of Gavin's talents and knowledge, he is a wonderful asset to GIAD.
