The Dance Place, Ltd.

Stacey is the owner of The Dance Place Ltd. and has had the pleasure of teaching it’s students for over 2 decades. She inspires recreational dancers to love of the art of dance and just as passionately trains serious dancers to become working professional dancers. She has choreographed for the Corps De Danse, the Dance Place’s Competitive Dance Team, for 20 years, where her work has many times been nationally recognized.  

Stacey’s professional performance career encompassed work with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, in The Nutcracker, where she was a principal dancer for several years.  Her career also included many years with Dance Detroit/Jacob Lascu, Dayton Ballet, Dreams/Anna Sokolow, Faust/Michigan Opera Theatre, Circles/Alana Barter, Easter Seals/Ed Asner, Pat Paulson & Max Davies Dancers. 

Correen Hansen is our sainted “Desk Lady”.  She has the patience of Job,… smiles at life, greets all warmly, and has a hug for every kid!   Correen’s talents encompass; providing cheerful assistance to our clients, keeping our faculty timely, wiping a runny nose, tying a shoe, reeling in the wild child….but we all know…she can’t do blood!  LOL  Correen  is our fabric…that holds our coat of many colors together. 

Jessica Hansen has been with the Dance Place for as long as she can remember.  Starting in tap and ballet at the age of 6, she later become a member of the Junior Line and Competition Team and then from there, moved on to the Senior Line and Competition Team.  After high school graduation, she attended Oakland University.  It was then that she realized her passion for the art of dance.  She moved on a whim to Los Angeles, California where she auditioned and made the prestigious Edge Performing Arts Center Scholarship group for one year.  With all the training and networking gained from her position on scholarship, she became an assistant to top choreographers on the L.A.D.F. competition/convention tour.  Becoming more aware for her ability to help and instruct others, she moved back to her home away from home to teach at the Dance Place and specialize in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, and Hip Hop.  It is not only her passion for dance that inspires others, but her passion for life keeps people equally intrigued.  Jessica Hansen is currently instructing for all ages, styles, and personalities at the Dance Place, and her award winning choreography is still evolving.  In her spare time she is working towards her Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Carrie has been teaching dance for more than 25 years. She graduated U of M in 1971 with a degree in Psychology/sociology. Carrie continues to take dance classes through U of M, Oakland University, Giordano's School of Dance in Evanston, Illinois and local studios to keep current with the latest dance trends and continues to learn and upgrades her skills through workshops and seminars, including classes with Joe Tremaine, Dupree, and participation in the bi-annual Jazz Dance World Congress since it's inception in 1990.

Jessica Manzanares has been passionately involved in the dance field her entire life.  After years of training in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Lyrical, Jessica got the chance to share her choreography with the Corpse De Danse team, the same team she once had performed with.  Jessica’s choreography was awarded top awards along with choreography awards from numerous dance competitions nationwide.  Jessica also choreographed for Oakland University’s Dance team, helping them win 10th place in States Competition.  

Wanting to gather more experience choreographing, Jes worked for musical theatre.  She choreographed for Tinderbox Productions, a community theatre company in Detroit.  Her work includes Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and A Mid Summers Night Dream.  Jessica recently finished touring with Hall Of Fame Dance Challenge, a nationwide dance competition company, where she got the opportunity to study new talented choreographers from all over the United Sates.  She brings home fresh, creative ideas to share with her students a The Dance Place Ltd.

Heather Neal, is a graduate of Oakland University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Speech. Heather is analumnus of the Dance Place dancing there for over 20 years and was an original member of the Senior Corps De Danse and Senior Line. In addition to being the head of the Tap Department, she has been teaching there for 22 years, and is a highly respected choreographer earning numerous Choreography  Awards. In addition to dancing at The Dance Place she was a member of a highly recognized Tap Company through the Center of Creative Studies, under the direction of the world famous Master Hoofer (Tapper) Lloyd Story for five years.  She has also danced at Oakland University and has trained with Gus Giordano, Henry LeTang, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Dianne Walker, Brenda Buffalino and many others.

Stuart Nichols has danced for over 12 years. He has had over 11 years of training in tap and jazz, and has has 6 years experience of dancing at a professional level. He also has extensive training in ballet and has trained with choreographers such as Greg Russell, Brill Barret, Brian Freedman, Melissa Williams, Robert L. Reed, Robert Reed III, among others.  The Dance Place Ltd. is proud to welcome Stuart Nichols to its staff and Stuart is looking forward to bringing his experience and enthusiasm to his students!

Samantha Kreilach has danced for 15 years at The Dance Place. During that time she has taken tap, jazz and ballet. She was a part of the Junior and Senior Lines and also was a demonstrator in her spare time for 5 years. She was on the Varsity Dance Team at Waterford Kettering for 4 years and was the Captain for 2 of those 4 years. After graduating, Sam was an assistant teacher and substitute at the Dance Place Ltd., and now has joined our faculty with her own classes.  Between working and going to school at Oakland University, we are lucky to have Ms. Sam!   On what little down-time she does have, Ms. Sam squeezes in… a Monday and Wednesday night Zumba workout!  Where?  At The Dance Place of course!  

Allison (Allie) Schreiner describes The Dance Place as her second home growing up. Her passion for dance motivated her to take ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and technique classes and perform on both Junior and Senior Lines. She was also a member of the Corpse de Danse Competition Team for many years where she was able to study with many top choreographers and well known dance educators at dance workshops/conventions.  At Waterford Kettering High School, she was a member of the Varsity Dance Team. It wasn’t long after Allie graduated from high school that she realized that dance was still an important part of her life. With a new life busy working full time at Wee Discover Day Care and Learning Center and also taking classes part time at Oakland Community College, she managed to set aside a couple hours out of her week to take a dance class at the Dance Place. Now, as an experienced substitute dance teacher, and a seasoned assistant teacher, she is very excited to share her love of dance with others who are eager to learn. Allie received her Associates Degree in Liberal Arts and is going to continue her education at Oakland University where she will study economics and teaching.