Faculty Heather O'Connor Jackson, Owner and Artistic Director Heather has been instructing and choreographing professionally for over 13 years, with an emphasis on children's dance. Heather received her formal dance training from Claudette Soltis (former dancer of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) of the Joliet Ballet Society. The Ballet Society gave her the opportunity to work with many other ballet greats such as Irina Kolpakova of the American Ballet Theatre and Dace Dindonis, formerly of the Indianapolis Ballet. She is a graduate of Millikin University and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Performance degree in Musical Theatre and Dance. She is the former Director of Dance at the Mayer Kaplan JCC in Skokie where for 3 years she directed and instructed a full dance program which she designed for ages 3 - 18. She also choreographed all shows for the Young Actors Ensemble at the Mayer Kaplan JCC. Heather also established the Kaleidoscope Dance Ensemble in the Northshore area in 2001, for which she is the Artistic Director and choreographer. Heather continues to teach all forms of dance and many classes at the studio. Heather's choreography credits include Kaleidoscope Dance Ensemble, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Yours Anne, Sound of Music, Elixir of Love, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and several works with Millikin University Dance Ensemble. She has also danced with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and performed with Chicago's Timestep Players Children's Theatre. Performance credits include Steppin' Out, Pippin, Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, Bartered Bride, Little Shop of Horrors and Millikin Dance Ensemble. Amanda Benzin, Instructor - Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap Amanda graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude as a Renaissance Scholar from the State University of New York at Buffalo. During her time at SUNY Buffalo she performed with the celebrated Zodiaque Dance Company and the Zodiaque Studio Dance Ensemble. In addition to being a company member, she was chosen to perform in and choreograph for many departmental productions, including the 10th Anniversary of the Young Choreographers' Showcase. She has studied with many renowned companies and choreographers including Bill T. Jones, Doug Varone, Denise Vail, Gil Stroming, In Young Sohn of Korea, Jose Limon Company, American Ballet Theatre, Eager Artists of South Africa, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Jump Rhythm Jazz Project. While in New York City, Amanda performed with the Vissi Dance Theatre and modern choreographer Brandon Ellis. In addition to performing, Amanda has been teaching jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop and creative movement to children of all ages for the past seven years. She has taught dance in local studios, public schools and a preschool for developmentally and physically disabled children in New York City as well as in Buffalo, New York. Amanda moved to Chicago to join the jazz company Jump Rhythm Jazz Project and is in her fifth year with Kaleidoscope! Kara Rosengren, Instructor - Jazz, Tap Kara grew up in Holly, MI where she began dance lessons at CJ's Dance Studio (Now StarStruck Dance Center) at the age of seven. She attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She then moved to Atlanta, GA where she began (and fell in love with) teaching. Kara is very excited to be teaching for her fifth year at Kaleidoscope Dance! Tarah Ortiz, Instructor - Hip-Hop Tarah Ortiz grew up on stage in Michigan. Dancing from the age of 8, she fell in love with performing. She studied everything from ballet to hip-hop across the country in studios, conventions, and competitions. After finishing high school, she went to Northwestern to study Theatre and spent the majority of her time outside of class dancing. In addition to choreographing for student musicals, she also was fortunate enough to be a member and director of Boomshaka, a percussion and dance ensemble. With this group, she had the opportunity to choreograph, perform, and teach workshops to students across the country. It was with Boomshaka that she found her love for hip-hop. After years of teaching her peers in college, she could not wait to get back into a studio to work with young dancers. This will be Tarah's third year at Kaleidoscope Dance.   Kaleidoscope Dance & Movement Center 3944 Church St Skokie, IL 60203  847-679-7842 Copyright © 2010, All Rights Reserved Dance Classes offered in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap and Modern Serving the communities of Skokie, Evanston, Morton Grove, Glenview,               Wilmette and North Chicago