Maricela Radke (Mrs. Radke)
Co-Owner/Recreation Director/Educator
Maricela started her dance teaching career when she went to the University of Houston and received her Bachelors Degree in Dance and Physical Education. She then moved from the hot temperatures of Texas to the frozen tundra of Minnesota. In 1983 she started her dance studio "Summit Dance School" in Detroit Lakes, MN. Since teaching at her own studio she has continued her teaching education at various teacher training centers. Dance Masters of America, Dance Life Retreat Center, and Yoga Fit Training to name a few. Not only does she bring many years of experience and knowledge but she brings with her a love of teaching dance to youth! We are so excited to have Mrs. Radke at Eleve' teaching this year!
Brittany Radke-Milan
Director/Co-Owner/Recreation Director/Educator
Brittany (Radke) Milan began her dance journey at the age of 2. She grew up dancing at her mother’s dance studio, Summit Dance School, in Detroit Lakes, MN. After graduation Brittany went on to receive a BFA in Dance at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Since her graduation in 2006 she has been actively performing, choreographing and teaching in the Minneapolis area. Some of her recent performance credits include Performing with Ananya Dance Theatre in Minneapolis, Trinidad and Tobago, Africa, and Philadelphia.
Brittany's Teaching Certifications/ Training-
-University of Minnesota Twincities- BFA in Dance Performance
-Dance Master of America Teacher Training
-Yogafit Teacher Training
-Dance Life Retreat Training yearly
-Dance Life Teacher Conference
-International Dance Entrepreneurs Association Member
-Creator of Little Dippers Dance Program
-14+ years of teaching experience!
Eleve’ is Brittany’s second home and she hopes you can make it one as well!
Stacy Boeddeker
Competition Director
With 20 years of experience behind her, Stacy has had the privilege to work within many facets of the dance industry. From the commercial world to concert dance, from being in the spotlight to working behind the scenes, her knowledge of dance and the world in which it exists is vast. As a teacher and choreographer, she strives to bring all of this to enrich and educate the students she encounters while never ceasing to learn and evolve along the way. Some highlights and notes along Stacy’s journey include her training at Larkin Dance Studio, Minnesota Dance Theater, The Joffrey Ballet, Edge Performing Arts Center and Broadway Dance Center. As a dancer, she has graced the stage with companies such as the Joffrey Ballet and Evolution Dance Company under the direction of Mark Meismer. Some of her commercial credits include Target, Microsoft, Popeyes, The Teen Choice Awards, NFL Super Bowl, and artists such as Paula Abdul, Gloria Estefan, Amy Grant, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Paramore. Teaching, choreographing, and educating has been a passion throughout her entire career. Honing her craft, Stacy has had the opportunity to teach for numerous dance conventions, intensives, and studios from the U.S. and abroad. Notably, she founded and ran her own pre-professional dance school, Poetry In Motion, for a number of years. Currently, she is the artistic director for Elevé Performing Arts Center in Minneapolis, MN. Beyond her work in the classroom, Stacy is one of the directors of In10sity Dance competition which travels throughout the country.
Ricci Milan
Competition Tap Educator
A proud Minnesotan, Ricci has been professionally entertaining audiences for over 15 years. Ricci's first twelve years of his dancing career was spent dancing at Larkin Dance Studio. Since then his career has given him the opportunity to perform with Savion Glover, Jason Samuels Smith and Kirk Franklin. He was a featured soloist in ONE at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach, SC, and in Tap Happy for Two at Tokyo Disneyland. He has choreographed and performed for the NFL, NBA and NCAA in addition to industrial shows for Best Buy, Target, PBS and Compaq. Ricci was a co-creator and choreographer for the nationally and internationally acclaimed tap dance company Ten Foot Five, which he toured with extensively for 10 years. Currently Ricci is working hard making his dreams come true by touring with Rhythmic Circus across the country. As Artistic Director of Rhythmic Circus Ricci is preparing to take their show "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" to New York City. He is excited to bring his passion and love for tap dance to Eleve Performing Arts Center with Funk, Soul and Honesty!
Darrius Strong
Hip Hop Educator
Darrius Strong is a Twin Cities based dancer, choreographer, and instructor. His dance company, STRONGmovement uses the universal language of dance, blending styles such as Hip hop, Ballet, Modern, and West African to tell stories related to society and humanity. Strong is a graduate of University of Minnesota (BFA 2015) and is currently faculty at St. Paul Conservatory Performing Arts High School and director of the Hip hop program at Eleve Performing Arts Center where he focuses on teaching dancers how to connect their identity to movement. His creative work has been chosen for the Walker Art Center’s Choreographers Evening, and Rhythmically Speaking. He was featured in the 2015 New Griots Festival as well as an American Standard Billboard advertisement in NYC Time Square in 2016. Strong has created works for TU Dance,Threads Dance Project, Flying Foot Forum, Alternative Motion Projects, and James Sewell Ballet. Strong is a grateful recipient of a 2017 Momentum New Works Award, 2019 Jerome Hill Fellowship and 2021 Mcknight fellowship award.
Connor Simone
Ballet/Modern/Contemporary
Connor Simone is a former TU Dance Trainee and current company member with Threads Dance Project who received training at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the TU Dance School, and the University of Minnesota. He will receive his BA in Dance with a minor in Computer Science from the University in the Spring of 2021. He has performed works by artists such as Marcus Willis, Kjara Wurst, Gregory Dolbashian, Gregory Vuyani Maqoma, Will Couture, Carl Flink, Sidra Bell, and Maurya Kerr among others. Alongside performing, Connor has worked for several arts organizations across the Twin Cities in IT and web development. Connor could not be more excited to begin teaching Monday ballet classes at Eleve` Performing Arts Center.
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Allison Liedman
Acro/Competition
Allison was trained in the competition dance world of the Twin Cities and spent copious hours working with choreographers like Derrick Schrader, Keri LaGrand, Nathan Trasoras, and Eleve's own Stacy Boedekker. Upon graduation she joined Crash Dance Productions - a professional contemporary company in the Twin Cities. She has continued training with Crash since, now working as a choreographer for the company. Although she is a decorated dancer, Allison's greatest joy lies in teaching. She graduated with a Masters degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota in 2021 and currently is working as a kindergarten teacher in an elementary school in St. Paul. As of July 2021, Allison is certified to teach acro by Acrobatics Arts, and will begin teaching technique and choreography in addition to acro for Eleve in the fall of '21. She is thrilled to be a part of the EPAC family!
Abby Beckers
Preschool & Kinder Combo/ Tap& Jazz/ Musical Theater
Abby Beckers is a movement artist and dance instructor with 20+ years of dance experience. She grew up training at Starz Dance Studio where she also began her teaching career. She has trained in a variety of styles, including jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, hip hop, tap, and ballet. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Minnesota where she worked with and performed choreography by Herb Johnson III, Andrea Miller (piece restaged by Dan Walczak and Haley Sung), Chris Schlichting, and Luciana Achugar. Abby focuses on creating a fun and safe learning environment for students to develop their artistic identity while challenging both the mind and body.
Drew Geck
Tap and More Tap
Drew Geck is a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher specializing in tap dance. Growing up in the Twin Cities, she trained at a competitive studio in a variety of styles. Currently Drew is a member of Ricci Milan’s “Rhythm Street Movement” and has been the “Dance Captain” for their original shows. You can see her playing “selfie girl” in their holiday specTAPular “Who Brought the Humbug.” Prior to the beginning of RSM, Drew nationally toured and performed in theaters around the country with “Rhythmic Circus” a high energy show incorporating tap dance and live music. Other highlighted professional performances include: the NFL Super Bowl LII, “Cabarave” a Minneapolis based theater company, and “Twin Cities Tap Festival Concert.” Drew is also an adjudicator for dance competitions. A little fun fact about Drew; she is an alumni of the University of St. Thomas Dance Team with whom she won back to back National Champion Titles at the Universal Dance Association College National Competition. Drew loves to share her passion for all things dance.
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