Gwendolyn Britt
Teaches: Ballet and Fantasy Dance
Gwendolyn Britt began her professional career dancing in the Ruth Page Nutcracker at McCormick Place. She danced for the Lynda Martha Dance Company of Chicago, affording her the opportunity to perform at the Auditorium Theater, Ravinia Festival, Three Rivers Arts Festival, and many regional colleges. Gwendolyn also enjoyed performing with Concert Dance Company of Boston, dancing in theaters and schools throughout New England.
Gwendolyn has been teaching ballet and fantasy dance at the Community House for over 20 years. Her students learn proper ballet technique in an encouraging atmosphere filled with beautiful music and joy. Gwendolyn graduated from the Indiana University School of Music with a BS in Ballet Education. She is a certified teacher with the Cecchetti Council of America. While living in Boston, she was associate director of the Lexington School of Ballet and has enjoyed teaching ballet in the Chicago area for two decades.
Jenny Oelerich
Teaches: Jazz, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre Dance
Endorsed by Toby Nicholson, Jenny Oelerich is an experienced dancer, teacher, and choreographer of all styles. Originally from Winnetka, she earned a BFA from the University of Illinois and has since returned to share her love of dance with children and people of all ages. Since graduating, she has been choreographing and performing in the Chicagoland area, most recently with Khecari and Alluvion Dance Chicago. While her favorite style of dance is modern, she has a special passion for teaching jazz and contemporary to her students and has also been known to teach a yoga class or two! Jenny is also an alumna of Children’s Theatre of Winnetka, Children’s Hour, and New Trier dance.
E. Marc Nevins
Teaches: Adult Ballet
Marc is a dancer with over 20 years of performing experience including appearances with American Ballet Theatre, Joffery Ballet, Ballet West, and locally the Evanston Concert Ballet. He studied at the University of Utah, Interlochen Arts Academy, School of American Ballet in New York, and with Maria Tallchief in Chicago. He was also the artistic director and founder of Ballet Entre Nous. He has directed over 30 ballets and directs the annual Nutcracker Gems here at the Community House.
Aaron Umstead
Teaches: Jazz and Musical Theatre Dance
Aaron is currently the Artistic Director of Children’s Theatre of Winnetka. His Chicago area theatre credits include productions with the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Northwestern University, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, and Marriott Theatre. He has also toured North America in the Broadway companies of A Chorus Line, Disney’s Mary Poppins, and Anything Goes. Aaron holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Oklahoma, and a M.Ed. in Theatre Pedagogy from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.