Rebecca Lemme holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University in English and Theater with a concentration in Theater and Dance, where upon graduation she was the recipient of the Francis LeMoyne Page Theater Award. Becca has performed with Luna Negra Dance Theater, River North Chicago, Hedwig Dances, Instruments of Movement, RTG Dance, and Thodos' New Dances. In addition to The Joffrey, she is currently on faculty at Columbia College Chicago, Roosevelt University, The University of Chicago, The Lou Conte Dance Studio, and Visceral Dance Center. Becca was a finalist chosen to present work for The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010: Chicago, and has also choreographed for Dance Chance and Instruments of Movement.
News and Events
We are excited to announce the talented choreographers that will be working with the dancers of Ballet Theatre of Illinois for the
2011-2012 season.
Courtney Hischke was born and raised Lincoln, Nebraska and received her Bachelors of Performing Arts from Oklahoma City University, graduating magna cum laude. She trained extensively throughout the country at programs such as the Kirov Academy of Ballet, Briansky Saratoga Springs Dance Center, Dance Aspen, Soviet American School of Ballet, Ballet Omaha and Gus Giordano Dance Center. She began her pre-professional performing career at the age of 13 and upon graduation from OCU, moved to Chicago where she immediately began dancing as a senior company member of the Joel Hall Dancers, where she called home for 10 years. She was also a company dancer and publicity assistant for Instruments of Movement, under the direction of James Morrow, for five years. She has worked in Chicago-area theater as a featured dancer, dance captain and swing for shows at Drury Lane Oakbrook, Drury Lane Evergreen Park, Drury Lane Water Tower, Chicago Center for the Performing Arts and Theater at the Center. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and the National Education Association and is currently rehearsal director for TheMASSIVE, a dance/theater company based in Chicago. She teaches in the Columbia College Theater Department, and in the fall will also be teaching at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts.
Mike Gosney, the founder and Artistic Director of Elements Contemporary Ballet, has been teaching and privately coaching ballet for 20 years. His students have been accepted into prestigious companies, programs, and schools such as the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, LINES Ballet, Tisch School of the Arts, The Juilliard School, and many others.As a choreographer, Mr. Gosney’s work has appeared in The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010, The Best of Dance Chicago, Looptopia, Around the Coyote Arts Festival, The Atlas Agenda, Joel Hall’s Dances from the Halls, Evanston Arts Week, productions with the Evanston Dance Ensemble and Evanston Symphony, and in many other Chicago area festivals and dance performances. In addition to his work with Elements, Mike is on faculty at Dance Center Evanston and Visceral Dance Center, and has previously taught at Joel Hall Dance Center, Lou Conte Dance Center, Gus Giordano Dance Center, DancenterNorth, Eastern Illinois University, and College of Lake County. Mr. Gosney has orchestrated events for Evanston Arts Week and DanceArt Outreach Program, and formerly served as Artistic Director of Koslynn Dance Academy and SASS Productions.
Prior to founding Elements, he studied with the Von Heideke School of Ballet and with many other local master teachers. He performed with companies such as Chicago Festival Ballet, Instruments of Movement, Tyego Dance Project, Giordano II, and The Chicago Ballet.
