About the Instructors & Staff:
About the Director
Maria DiMaggio-Huber has danced since the age of two. She danced professionally nation wide, touring the Country with Sesame Street Live International Tour "Let's Be Friends". Maria enjoyed costume work so much she went on to portray Angelica from the Rugrats. Maria has been invited to dance for Disney in Japan and has appeared on "Entertainment Tonight" dancing for well known actors and actresses and their families. She's danced, modeled, and narrated for the North American International Auto Shows, danced and sung in Off-Broadway Musicals, danced for cable music videos, and has instructed Master dance classes at Oakland University and Macomb Community College. Maria is a former member of the Macomb Ballet Company. She danced with MBC in such classic romantic works as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Les Sylphides. Maria has choreographed for award winning dance companies, dance teams, and multiple hair shows in Michigan. Ms Huber has studied dance throughout the country, primarily in New York and LA. In the 90's, Ms Maria made the move to North Hollywood, CA to continue her studies in dance. She trained under the intense instruction of Joe Tremaine and associates at the studio, formerly named, Tremaine Dance Center. Maria danced with the top dance teachers /choreographers in the field. Maria presently sits on the General Board of the Cecchetti Council of America. She has studied Cecchetti levels I-VII, and has passed student and teacher exams levels I-V. Maria has had numerous students pass cecchetti exams with honors. Many of Maria's students have danced with professional ballet companies in performances such as the "Nutcracker" and" La Bayadere". You may have seen Maria in the commercial for World Gym & Fitness Center or Sesame Street Lives' commercial as Roxy Marie or Prairie Dawn. Maria has instructed dance for 24 years and is great with children! As a former competitive bodybuilder, she is also very fitness orientated. Maria has choreographed and won multiple top overall and special dance awards, including "Most Entertaining" dance, six consecutive years! She has been awarded “Best Choreography” for her dance Pieces. Ms Huber has judged for dance competitions regionally and nationally. In June 2007, Ms Maria was awarded “Top Teacher” at Kids Artistic National Dance Competition. In November 2008, she directed RPDA dancers and teachers in the televised Feature Act for the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year Maria choreographed for a choreographers ball, Motor City Movement. Last season Ms Maria was awarded “Most Entertaining Dance” for Production and “Best Choreography” for her hip-hop lines (co-choreographed w/ Mr. Josh). This season RPDA was awarded Top Production, Top Studio, and numerous 1st overall dances. Maria was awarded “Best Choreography” for “Once We Are Gone”, one of her lyrical solos. Ms Marias choreography was displayed on June 23, 2011 at Emerald Ballroom, Motorcity Movement III. Ms Huber continues her studies today to remain a creditable dance teacher and studio owner.
ABOUT THE TEACHERS...
Mrs. Natalie recently moved here from Phoenix, Arizona. While in Arizona, Natalie worked for the NBA Phoenix Suns on an entertainment team called the Safari Squad, danced for the WNBA Phoenix Mercury Hip-Hop Squad, and was assistant director and senior instructor at a studio named Arizona Angels. Natalie has been dancing since she was three and is trained in all aspects of the sport. She graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in performance. Ms Natalie was also a Detroit Piston "Automotion" dancer for one season. You can view Ms Natalie’s Hollywood style photos in the Detroit Pistons Automotion Calendar. Ms Natalies recent performance was at Motorcity Movement II, at the Crofoot in Pontiac.
Mr. Josh
Rhythm Po!nte Dance Academy is pleased to introduce this Pop-n-Lock Professional to our Staff:
T.V. Appearances:
•
Good Morning America (Freestyle Champion)
•The Wade Robson Project on MTV
•United Auto Insurance Commercial
•Advance America Commercial
Stage Performances:
•Off-Broadway show “Dreams Do Travel” Choreographed and
Directed by Darrin Henson- (NSYNC, Britney Spears, J-LO, and Michael Jackson)
•Numerous studio and local dance shows
Dance and Choreography Credits:
•Multi-Award winning Dancer and Choreographer for competition dance Teams for 8 yrs.
•X - Factor workshop (Taught choreography with Darrin Henson)
•2 time Dancer of the Year Finalist in Las Vegas
•4 Chicago Bulls Halftime show performances
Music Mixing:
•Professional Remixing of music.
B-Boy Pete teaches break dance at RPDA. In 2009 he won a dance scholarship to L.A. in a B-Boy Battle at the "Shock Dance Intensive". Peters latest performances include Motorcity Movement II & III! Pete is a former RPDA Company member and can grab anybody's attention with his strong b-boy skills!
Dr. Jennifer began dancing at the age of four and training with Ann Parsley at the age of eleven. Dr. Tillinger was one of the original members of the Macomb Ballet Company and has performed the role of Cinderella. Her passion to dance drove her to continue her dance education at the University of Michigan where she received a BFA in Dance. Dr. Tillinger has danced and choreographed professionally throughout the Metro-Detroit area and has toured with the International Auto Show. Dr. Tillinger has been teaching dance since 1988 and is a certified instructor of the Cecchetti Method of Ballet. She holds certificates for teachers grades I – VI and has been preparing and presenting students and teachers for ballet since 1993. Dr. Tillinger also has a Ph.D in Biomedical Sciences from Oakland University, where she is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chemistry.
Miss Morgan has been dancing since the age of two. She has trained at Rhythm Pointe Dance Academy since it opened. This will be her 7th year in competitive dance. Morgan loves children and hopes to become an elementary school teacher one day. She also plans on continuing her dance studies. In 2008, Morgan was awarded RPDA's "Most Improved Dancer of the Year", and in 2011 she was RPDA's full scholarship recipient. Morgan placed first overall with her solo at KAR regional's in 2009 and 2011. She also placed first overall at the 2011 KAR Nationals competition! Morgan has taken and passed her students Cecchetti ballet exams Grades I-III and continues her studies today. She has assisted under Ms. Maria and Ms. Natalie. Morgan cannot wait to work with her own classes and be the inspiration to them that her teachers were for her!
Miss Kaitlin has been dancing since age 3 and has been a member of the Rhythm Pointe Dance Academy Performing Company, since the studio opened. This is her 11th year competing and she is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, and pointe. She has assisted with classes for over 3 years including ballet, tap, gymnastics, and hip-hop. Kaitlin has taken and passed her Cecchetti ballet students exams GD I-IV and is currently working towards her GD V exam. In 2009, Kaitlin was awarded RPDA's “Dedicated Dancer of the Year” and has won many high point and overall awards in regional and national dance competitions. She was also a member of the Eisenhower Dance Team for two years and was captain for one year. She currently attends the Utica Academy for International Studies as an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Student.
Miss Angela has been dancing since the age of three. She has completed her student exams in Cecchetti with honors through Grade VII, Advanced Professional. Angela has enhanced her dance studies in New York with Alvin Ailey Dance Company and in Chicago with Joel Hall Dance Center and Jazz World Dance Congress. She was a member of the Macomb Ballet Company for seven years and performed soloist roles in many classical ballets such as, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz, Un Encuentro and The Nutcracker. Angela also performed with the Macomb Symphony Orchestra and The Gaylord’s at the Macomb Center for Performing Arts. Angela graduated with a BFA in Dance from Oakland University on a scholarship and was a member of the Oakland Dance Theatre.
Miss Raya was a National Honor Society student. She hopes to open her own dance studio one day. She will be auditioning for "So You Think You Can Dance" this season. This year Raya was crowned Miss KAR Dance 2011 and her solo was awarded Best Choreography.
OFFICE STAFF:
Mr Josh is our friendly Office Manager. He works Monday-Friday from 3:30-8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
