ConteXture Pre-Professional Summer Program

Dancers ages 13-18 are welcomed in the studio space to learn and dance alongside professional dance artists in Detroit. This program is geared towards dancers who want to pursue a collegiate or professional career in dance focusing on refining technique and expanding artistry.

Faculty

Kylie Vinitski

Kylie Vinitski, originally from Livonia, MI graduated from Western Michigan University in April 2019 with her BFA in Dance. Fall 2019, Kylie moved to Chicago to dance on scholarship at Hubbard Street’s Lou Conte Dance Studio where she worked with Shannon Alvis under the mentorship of Ethan Kirshbaum. Kylie relocated to Metro-Detroit in 2021 where she has danced  professionally with Contexture Dance Detroit and ArtlabJ. Kylie toured Europe with Artlabj in 2022 at the Tanzhafen Festival in Linz, Austria. Kylie has choreographed for Michigan State University's Orchesis Dance Society, Grand Valley State University's Elite Dance Club, and Suttle Dance Company. Summer 2022, Kylie won the Emerging Choreographers Project competition and created a new work on the dancers of Young Dancer’s Initiative in Ann Arbor. Kylie has had the honor to choreograph for Churchill High School’s CAPA dance program where her choreography was chosen to perform in the 2022 and 2023 Oakland Dance Festival College Showcase. Kylie has found a passion for teaching youth dancers and teaches weekly at Jeannie Zimbalatti’s School of Dance and Kelley’s Dance Craze along with guest teaching at various studios and schools in the Metro-Detroit area. Kylie is working towards her MA as a Dance Teaching Artist at Wayne State University. Through this program, she has had the honor to collaborate with the undergraduate students of Company One at Wayne State under the mentorship of Lisa Wilmot and work as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate pedagogy course under the direction of Dr. Doug Risner. Kylie will complete her Master’s Degree Fall 2024 through her thesis essay, “The effects of the creative process – dance composition, improvisation, and choreography for teen and young adult dancers: A qualitative and interpretive inquiry on well-being.” Kylie is now a Senior Company Dancer in her 8th season with ConteXture Dance Detroit working as an administrative assistant and social media manager. This season Kylie has had the opportunity to develop CPSP: ConteXture’s Pre-Professional Summer Program where Kylie will be creating a new work on pre-professional dancers which will be premiered at the season 11 concert. Kylie centers her teachings around promoting positive mental health and providing a safe studio environment for growth and learning. Her goal as a teaching artist is to allow dancers the space to explore their vulnerabilities and express themselves as human beings. Kylie is looking forward to connecting and creating with the dancers of CPSP this season. 

Tracy Halloran

Artistic director of ConteXture, Tracy Halloran, earned her BFA in dance at Marygrove College and her MFA in Choreography at the University of Michigan. In 2014, she was named a Kresge Fellow in Music and Dance. She has worked as a performer, teacher, choreographer, and rehearsal director in the dance world. She is also the co-founder of Detroit Dance Exchange, a program established to help local choreographers exhibit and explore their own professional works. Halloran’s choreography blurs the lines between dance genres and styles by combining the movement techniques of modern, hip hop, jazz and contemporary. She uses the dynamics of motion and choreographic levels to create explosive and exciting movement phrases, which juxtapose the delicacy of human emotion. In the past few years, Halloran has been a finalist in the Michigan Dance Council’s prestigious Maggie Allesee Choreography competition. Tracy’s choreography was selected to perform at the Tanzhafen Festival in Linz, Austria in Fall 2023. Ms. Halloran is an accomplished teacher in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary and flexibility and strengthening techniques. Her students have performed as Rockette’s, NFL and NBA dancers, also with American Ballet Theatre, Zurich Ballet, Disney World’s Beauty and the Beast, and Royal Caribbean. They are also dancing for choreographers like Andrew Winghart, Talia Favia, and Liz Imperio. She has been an instructor all over the MidWest. She is currently on faculty at Company C Dance Club in Toledo, Ohio and is a consultant for the U.S Rhythmic Gymnastics team, aiding the gymnasts and coaches in high level training to qualify for the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games.

Kelley Novak

Kelley began her dancing at the American Dance Academy of Commerce, MI. She furthered her training all four years of high school while being a member of the West Bloomfield Varsity Pom/Dance Team, as well as the dance program where she performed in numerous school events. During this time, she was offered to attend the World Jazz Congress in Chicago where she was able to take from instructors such as Frank Hatchett, Gus Giordano, Joe Tremaine, and many others. After high school, Kelley continued her dance studies at Marygrove College under the direction of Jordeen Ivanov-Ericson, Penny Godboldo, Babara Selinger, and Susan Panek. She graduated in 2011 with a BFA in Dance Performance, along with a minor in Business. Kelley has had the opportunity to train with the River North Dance Company of Chicago, as well as perform works for artists including Pattie Obey, Ray Mercer, Kim Bears-Bailey and Kevin Iega-Jeff. She has also been casted as a performer in the Dreamworks Production of “Holiday Shrektacular” at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville in 2012. From 2014-2017, Kelley performed as a member of Pure Existence Dance Company of Ann Arbor, MI. Since 2018, she has been training and performing with ConteXture dance Detroit. Currently, Kelley is a dance instructor for local studios, teaching both recreational and competitive dance. She has recently completed her 5th season as the Head Coach for the Pom/Dance team at West Bloomfield High School, after being the Assistant Coach for 7 years prior. Kelley is also going on her thirteenth season as a member of the Detroit Tigers Energy Squad, and completed her 4th season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings Red Patrol, using her enthusiasm and rhythm to pump up the crowd.

2024 CPSP Dancers