FACULTY
Jackie Graney
Studio Owner and Director, Senior All Star Coach
Jackie Graney is the founder and Director of Studio 22 and the High TeK Competitive Dance Program. Jackie is graduate of DePaul University and holds a degree in Communications and Media. As part of her final senior project, Jackie developed a business plan to open a dance studio. Shortly after graduation, at the young age 22, Jackie brought that vision to life and opened Studio 22 High TeK. Over the past decade, the studio has grown both in size and reputation for excellence, drawing talent from across the Chicago area and achieving success at the international level. Jackie danced for three seasons as a Chicago Luvabull...
Mariterese Altosino
Assistant Director, Youth All Star, Mini All Star Large Coach
Mariterese Altosino, a Chicagoland native, received her early training locally at The Academy of Dance Arts and Xtreme Dance Force. She graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Business and Entrepreneurship. While completing her undergraduate degree, she performed in various events around Chicago including Carnival Choreographer’s Ball, The Miss Illinois Pageant, World of Dance, and Dance Chicago. Post graduation, Mariterese danced with Giordano Dance Chicago as a second company member and performing associate for a total of four years...
Jessica Brewster
Company Instructor, Rehearsal Director & Choreographer
Known for her contagious energy and dedication to her students, Jessica is passionate about creating a space where dancers can become honest storytellers. Since finding her calling in teaching over eight years ago, she has made it her focus to train students who use a clear vocabulary of refined technique as the backbone for authentic movement. This drive stems from her own multi-faceted education. In her formative years, training intensely in both ballet technique at the Faubourg School of Ballet and in the convention circuit with Perseverance Dance Company, she learned the value of placement within the confines of contemporary movement...
Tami Whatcott
Company 22 Rehearsal Director, Choreographer, Instructor
Tami Whatcott is a dedicated dancer, choreographer, educator, and adjudicator with a passion for sharing the art of movement across cultures and communities. She holds a BFA in Modern Dance and a BS in Dance Education from Utah Valley University, where she began cultivating her love for performance and teaching.
Macki Wilcox
Junior All Star Head Coach, Senior All Star Coach
Mackenzie (Macki) is a current Universal Dance Association Instructor and current Loyola University Dance Team Coach. She graduated from Loyola University, Chicago and was a four year member, two year captain of the nationally ranked Loyola Dance Team. Macki has been dancing for 17 years and has competed at the studio, high school and collegiate level. She specializes in pom, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop and has choreographed for various all-star and high school teams across the country. Macki is enthusiastic about helping young dancers reach their full potential.
Leah Schneider
Junior Coach, Two-gether Instructor
Leah was born and raised in Park Ridge, IL where she discovered her love for dance. Leah was on the first ever Studio 22 High Tek, and then continued her love for competitive dance on the Maine South Hawkettes for 4 years. She graduated from the University of Dayton with her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science. Leah then attended Rush University, where she received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
Lexi Basso
Mini All Star Small & Large Coach, Acro Instructor
Lexi is currently a student at Chamberlain College of Nursing, working toward he Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She currently coaches the Chicago Bullskidz entertainment team along side, Jackie. This will be her 5th season working for the Chicago Bulls organization. Lexi is AAC2 certified through Acrobatic Arts. She loves using her own knowledge and acro skills to help young dancers learn about the unique style. Lexi takes pride in volunteering as a dance instructor at the annual CURE SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) Conference every summer. She loves helping young dancers reach their fullest potential and is excited to share her passion for dance.
Lexi Leongas
Tinys, Tiny All Star Coach
My dance journey began at the age of three, and I became a part of Studio 22 just a year after it opened. I trained extensively at the studio, dancing on their competitive teams for three years and was a member of the very first Company 22 season, continuing with the company for four years. In high school, I was also a part of the Maine South Dance Team for four years, serving as team captain for two. These experiences shaped my technique, leadership, and passion for dance.
Josie Thomas
Acro, Hip Hop, Skills Instructor
Originally from New York, I began my dance journey with CNY Storm, where I spent 10 amazing years growing as a dancer, teammate, and coach. I was most proud of my time on the Open Hip Hop team, where I had the incredible opportunity to dance alongside our program director, Vicki Rocheleau.
Noelle Jay
Recital Jazz, Musical Theatre Instructor
Noelle Jay grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and trained at The Dance Project as a young dancer. After playing Louisa in “The Sound of Music,” she knew performing and storytelling was her purpose. She went to Carthage College and received a BA in music theatre with a minor in dance. During her time in college, she spent a summer in New York City training at Broadway Dance Center and The Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
Rachel Rosales Malin
Creative Director, Technique Instructor, Senior All Star, Junior All Star Large, Youth All Star Large Coach
Rachel began teaching and coaching at Studio 22 during its founding year in 2009. She started her dance training in Chicago, IL at a young age and continued pursuing her passion for dance throughout her adult life. At just 18 years old, Rachel became an instructor for the Universal Dance Association (UDA), where she spent five years traveling across the United States and internationally to countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Germany. Through UDA, she taught dance camps, judged Regional and National competitions, and choreographed summer camp routines that were taught nation-wide...
Lailani Cifuentes
Front Desk Manager
Lailani Cifuentes, born and raised in Morton Grove, IL, has been a dedicated member of the Studio 22 High Tek family for nearly three years, working as both a recital pom instructor and front desk receptionist. Her dance journey began at the age of 9 right here at the studio, where she started in recital and eventually trained at the Allstar level and made history as part of the first-ever team to win a Summit Championship in 2016 in the Junior Small Lyrical category.
Craig Black
Ballet, Contemporary, Improv Instructor
Craig Black began dancing at South Bay Dance Center at the age of ten. The California native was captain of his San Jose high school’s nationally ranked dance team. In 2011 Craig received his BFA from The Juilliard School where he was awarded the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance. He has received additional training at summer programs such as Springboard Danse Montréal, Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow where he was given the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence. Craig joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in the fall of 2017 after finishing six seasons with the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. He has had the pleasure of dancing works by...
Wil Geary
Ballet, Technique, Skills, Combo Instructor
Wil began his formal training at Faubourg School of Ballet under the direction of Watmora Casey. He placed 1st and 3rd at the Chicago Youth America Grand Prix competition in pas de deux and solo categories qualifying him to compete as a NYC finalist. After competing, Wil furthered his training at Houston Ballet Academy, Milwaukee Ballet School, Miami City Ballet School, and as a trainee performing with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Professionally, Wil was a principal dancer in the European tour of Best of: Rock the Ballet with Sweetbird Productions under the direction of Adrienne Canterna-Martinez.
Megan Besler
Youth Coach
Megan graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Finance and is currently working full time as a Financial Analyst. She has been dancing since she was three years old and started her competitive dancing career on the first ever Studio 22 High Tek team. Megan continued to competitively dance throughout her four years of high school at Maine South. Megan has a love of working with children and growing their passions, especially in dance. She is beyond thrilled to be back at the studio as a Coach. Megan also has a special place in her heart for children with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). She has volunteered for over eight years at the Annual Cure SMA conference interacting with the children and incorporating dancing into their lives.
Gina Lathrop
Minis Coach, Two-gether Instructor
Gina Lathrop grew up in Glenview, IL where she began dancing at the age of three and practiced the styles of Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Pom. During High School, she was a four year member of the Glenbrook South Titan Poms Dance Team and an assistant coach for the Glenbrook South Titan Poms Feeder Dance Team. As a Titan Pom, Gina competed in both Pom and Jazz at IHSA and UDA Competitions...
Heather Zimny
Ballet, PBT Instructor
Originally from Park Ridge, Heather holds a BA in dance from Columbia College Chicago and both a 200 hour Power Yoga Certification and a Yoga Sculpt Certification from Corepower Yoga. She can currently be seen getting sassy onstage with the Joel Hall Dancers with whom she has danced with for the majority of her career.
Noa Greenfeld
Recital Jazz Instructor
Noa Greenfeld is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in the Chicagoland area. She holds a BFA in Dance with a minor in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she had the opportunity to perform in works by Sara Hook, Tere O’Connor, Jennifer Monson, Roxane D’Orleans Juste, and Anna Peretz Rogovoy.