Miss Amy
Education
- Cary-Grove High School Graduate
- University of Illinois – Bachelor of Science, Marketing
- Dance Studio Owners Association
Training & Performance Highlights
- Amy’s dance training began at age 4 dancing at the Ellen Ann Jones School of Dance in Cary. In high school, Amy was a four-year member of the swing choir and pom squad and was Miss Cary 1989. In addition to performing in her high school musicals, she started her career as a choreographer.
- In college, Amy studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern and voice while majoring in marketing. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and performed in/choreographed for 9 musicals at the University of Illinois.
- To date, Amy has performed in/directed/or choreographed about 65 musicals. A few of her favorite roles include Matron Mama Morton in Chicago, Dolly in Hello, Dolly!, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street, Val in A Chorus Line, Gypsy in Gypsy, and Polly in Crazy for You.
- Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) recognized Miss Amy for "outstanding choreography" for All Shook Up in 2019 (inaugural and only year of the award to date) from a field of over 100 productions.
IHSMTA awarded CGHS "Outstanding Musical" in 2016 for "Cinderella" (inaugural year of the award) and 2019 for "All Shook Up," for which Miss Amy served as choreographer. Additionally, CGHS has been nominated for "Outstanding Musical" every year since the award was started (as of 2023)
Teaching Experience
- CGPAC tap, musical theatre, and swing choir instructor since 1999
- Cary Park District
- The Dance Academy
- Elk Grove Park District, Arts Coordinator
- Cary-Grove High School, choreographer since 1988
- Eastern Illinois University Show Choir Camp
- Resident choreographer for Cary-Grove High School’s musicals, Fall Follies, and swing choir
- Freelance choreographer for many area high schools and theatre groups
Personal
A lifelong Cary/FRG resident, Amy is proud to be Owner and Director of CGPAC and C-G Dancewear. Miss Amy's responsibilities beyond teaching swing choir classes include: recital planning/management, class scheduling, communication (physical and digital) with our CGPAC families, staffing, and both facility and financial management. In 2020, these duties expanded to include transitioning to Zoom (and it's technical and training components) and staying up to date on/implementing the ever-changing health and safety needs of a post-2020 world. When not at the studio, Miss Amy is often at CGHS choreographing for the award winning musicals, swing choir, a cappella choir, or at home choreographing for these amazing groups. Miss Amy also sings with Chicagoland Voices, a local community choir. The past few years have helped Amy truly focus on being grateful for time with her amazing family. She is the unbelievably proud mom of Kelsey and Kailey. Seeing her daughters become caring, capable, independent, smart, talented, compassionate women is certainly her proudest accomplishment. Miss Amy loves going to her parents' lake house, traveling, seeing live musicals, Diet Pepsi, her porch swing, and their dogs Baxter and Lola who understand just how much Miss Amy needs to hug.