Patti Willey (Director)
Patti Plascak Willey is originally from Terre Haute. After receiving her BFA in Dance from Stephen’s College, Missouri, Patti performed professionally in Pittsburgh and New York City with Dance Alloy, Dan Wagoner and Dancers, and Randy James Dance Works. She has more than 30 years teaching experience in Pittsburgh, New York City, Europe, and Terre Haute. She has taught master classes at the University of Hawaii, Skidmore College, Bates College, Columbia College, and Vassar College and has conducted workshops in several public schools throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey as part of each state’s “Arts in Education” program. Since returning to Terre Haute, Patti has choreographed for StageWorkshops, Children’s Theater of Terre Haute, South Vigo High School, Impact Productions, Terre Haute Youth Orchestra, Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, Central Christian Church, ISU Contemporary Music Festival, the Downtown Block Party, Terre Haute Symphonietta Pops Orchestra, WTIU’s “The Friday Zone,” Maple Avenue United Methodist Church’s “Christmas Cantata,” and several RHIT’s Rose Drama Club musicals.
Betsy Bartee
Betsy has been part of THAD for almost all of its existence. First as a dancer (you may remember her as Alice in Alice in Wonderland a few years back) and then as a talented and well-loved instructor of jazz, ballet, modern and tap for school age children and also as the teacher of Pre-Technique and Beginning Dance.
Abigail Alyn Grose
Abigail Alyn Grose began her dance training in Evansville, Indiana at the Children’s Center for Dance Education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in contemporary dance from Indiana University. In addition to performing in faculty and student-choreographed concerts, she performed works by Paul Taylor and Ben Munisteri and at the Indiana Dance Festival and the Chautauqua Institute. Her own choreography was presented in student concerts and by Abigail Alyn Dance Projects and Windfall Dancers Inc. She also studied at the International Contemporary Dance Festival in Bytom, Poland.
Abi holds master’s degrees in education and anthropology, and completed research at the Paul Taylor School in New York City, where she had the opportunity to further her training while also serving as an intern with Naganuma Dance and performing with the Brooklyn-based Living Collective. She completed further training in Chinese ethnic minority dance with teachers from the Beijing Dance Academy and Minzu University of China.
She has taught modern dance, creative movement, ballet, and pointe around the state and has served as adjunct faculty at Indiana University Bloomington and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. Committed to promoting dance for all children, she organized a dance outreach program for the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club and served as a guest instructor in dance for IU Center for the Study of Global Change.
Since relocating to Terre Haute in 2015, Abi has been thrilled to be a part of the teaching staff at Terre Haute Academy of Dance. Outside the studio, you’re likely to find her chasing after her twin daughters or working at your local public school, as she serves as the English language learner coach for Vigo County Schools.
Payton Silverstein
Payton Silverstein is a proud alumna of the Academy of Dance, where she began her dance journey at just three years old! She continued her dance studies at Ball State University, Millennium Dance Complex, and performed in commercials in Los Angeles, California. Payton is a state champion soloist and a National Dance Alliance award-winning technician. She has received choreography awards for teams and soloists all over the state. Dance is her greatest passion, and she’s thrilled to continue growing and sharing her love for it right where it all began!
Brooke Hill
At the age of three, Brooke Hill began training in ballet, jazz and tap in Chandler, Arizona. When she moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, tap became her primary focus as she continued her training with Jordan College Academy of Dance at Butler University. She is very excited to join THAD and share her love for tap dancing!
Holly Kondras
Holly Kondras has been dancing since she was three years old. She has taken classes throughout her life from a variety of schools and instructors, and it is her great joy to share her love of dance with dancers of all ages.