Sandy is one of the owners and Director of Gotta Dance along with being a proud mother of two. Having taught for over 20 years, Sandy specializes in tap and jazz where she has received many choreography awards and national award winning titles. She has taken class from studios in Los Angeles and Chicago. Many of Sandy's students have received college scholarships and have become professional working dancers for cruise lines and performing companies in New York, Nashville and Quebec.

Suzy is co-owner of Gotta Dance and a mother of two girls. Suzy started dancing at the age of 5 and continued to dance while pursuing a competitive figure skating career. Dance was an essential part of Suzy becoming a United States Figure Skating Gold Medalist. She has gone to many seminars for choreography as well as trained under Russian ballet master Hagop Navergian. For the past 18 years Suzy has enjoyed teaching tap, jazz and ballet to recreational dancers.

Heidi has been teaching for 13 years. She holds a Bachelors degree in dance from Wayne State University as well as a degree in Elementary Education from Oakland University. Heidi was a member and choreographer for the Detroit Pistons Automotion dance team and a member of Counter Groove Dance Company. Heidi coached and choreographed for the National winning Dance Team at Eisenhower High School that was featured on ESPN for two consecutive years. She has studied under and assisted many top choreographers throughout the United States.

Vanda joined our teaching staff 4 years ago, and is the mother of two boys, ages 6 and 9. She attended the University of Hawaii on a dance scholarship and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Vanda has over 15 years of teaching experience in all subjects of dance. Your children will love her energetic and unique approach to teaching.

Rachael has been a student and competitive dancer at Gotta Dance since 1993. She was the 2005 recipient of the Erika Voelker Memorial Scholarship and has several years experience assisting our teaching staff. Rachael was also a member of the Detroit Pistons Automotion Dance Team.

Vivian began dancing at Gotta Dance 14 years ago. She has attended summers with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Ballet Ensemble and was asked to participate in the International Exchange Program. She also attended the Ballet Internationale Intensive in Indianapolis and performed at the Detroit Opera House, along with EDE Productions, and the Moscow Ballet performance at the Fox Theatre. Vivian has been assisting Suzanne Hawkins for four years and the 2004 recipient of the Erika Voelker Memorial Scholarship.

Tricia, a former student of Gotta Dance, has been teaching for 8 years. She has 21 years experience in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, lyrical, hip hop and acro. Tricia was Captain and choreographer for the NBA Detroit Pistons Dance Team. She is also a former member of the WNBA Detroit Shock and the GLIFL Port Huron Pirates Dance Teams. She has performed live for Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Lil’Bow Wow, Eminem. Tricia was recently featured as backup dancer for Stevie Wonder, Jon Legend, India Arie and Josh Stone during the Superbowl XL Pre-Game show. Tricia is former coach of the nationally ranked Chippewa Valley Varsity Dance team.

Dayna began dancing and competing 9 years ago at Gotta Dance, and is now going on her 5th year as an instructor at the studio teaching both recreational and competitive classes. Dayna has performed for Bon Jovi in a Thanksgiving half-time show, won convention scholarships, and recently was a dance team member for the Port Huron Pirates arena football team. Dayna is currently going to Rochester College for her bachelor's in Business Communication.

Anne began dancing at the age of three and has competed nationally and regionally since the age of six. She has performed at the Woodward Dream Cruise, half time shows for the Detroit Pistons, Detroit Institute of Arts benefits, private events honoring the Mayor of Detroit and Governor, and has appeared on ESPN. Anne has received many scholarships and has choreographed top award winning dances for studios and dance teams. Aside from teaching dance, Anne will be receiving her bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Oakland this December.

Suzanne has been one of our ballet instructors for 11 years with an incredible reputation in the dance world. She formerly danced with the Detroit City Ballet Company and has studied both the Cecchetti and Vaganova methods of ballet. Suzanne is currently an instructor/lecturer at Oakland University and Ballet Master for Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. Thanks to Suzanne, many of our students have been accepted to ballet schools and companies, and have received ballet scholarships across the US.

Carol has been teaching at Gotta Dance since it opened in 1989. She specializes in tap, jazz, ballet and lyrical dance. Carol has performed throughout the United States with Michigan Ballet Theatre, San Diego Ballet, and Ballet Society of San Diego. She has choreographed and performed for “Fun’s A Poppin Follies”, San Diego Show Stoppers, George Colovus & Company and “ Things Aren’t Always As They Seem”.

Cortney has been dancing at Gotta Dance for 8 years and is currently a student at Wayne State University studying media production. She is entering her fourth year of teaching, and has taught and choreographed for both recreational and competitive levels of dance. Her performance experience includes, Thanksgiving half-time show with Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi, an instructional dance video for Little Caesars, as well as college level dance courses at Wayne State.

Sue has been dancing for over 30 years and is a mother of two daughters. Sue has been with Gotta Dance for 10 years and has participated in many dance competitions over the years. Some of her titles include Miss Premier Talent, Miss Great Lakes Talent and Miss Dance of Michigan. She also received scholarships at the Miss Clinton River and Miss St.Clair Shores Scholarship Pageants. Sue was also a two year member of the Macombers.

Lori began training at Gotta Dance when the studio first opened its doors in 1989. Having 17 years of training, including competitive, solo and partnering experience, she has been on staff for the past six years. Lori has performed in Las Vegas and Los Angeles for Little Caesar's, appeared on the Lion's half time show Thanksgiving Day, and has received ballet acceptances and scholarships. Lori has a bachelors degree in Communication from Oakland University.

Abbie is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in secondary education. She is currently teaching at an alternative high school in Detroit, and helping at-risk students to receive their high school diplomas. Abbie has been dancing for 15 years and this will be her third year as an instructor at Gotta Dance. She has attended numerous competitions & conventions, and is looking forward to another year.

Lisa is returning to Gotta Dance after taking time off to marry and have children. She has danced for 25 years and taken from many top teachers throughout the United States. Lisa has been teaching tap, jazz and ballet for 12 years and specializes in tap. Her choreography has received numerous awards from national dance organizations. Lisa also has an Associates Degree in General Studies and a degree in Medical/ Dental Administrative Assistant.

Laura has twenty years of training and experience at some of the most prestigious dance programs in North America, including training at Royal Winnipeg School of Ballet and work study at New York City's Broadway Dance Center. She majored in Dance at Western Michigan University and received scholarships from Broadway Dance Center, the Edge Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California and Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp. She has danced on stage with Boys 2 Men, performed in Gus Giordano's Sing, Sing, Sing and danced for three years with the Detroit Shock dance team. Laura danced with Celebrity Cruise Lines and still dances professionally at Motor City Casino. Gotta Dance is where Laura got her main training and is excited to continue instructing there.

We welcome Nikki back from Florida where she spent four years teaching Master Classes and choreographing award winning routines for studios and performing arts schools. Nikki was a lead dancer for productions at the Soaring Eagle Resort and toured as featured dancer for Carnival Cruise Lines. After having two kids, Nikki still finds time to judge various dance competitions, including Dance Masters of America.

Shauna studied on scholarship with Joseph Malone at the Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys, California. While living in California, Shauna performed on the 2001 season of Ally Mc Beal, the Microsoft industrial for XBox, The Tracy Ulmann Show, a music video with Usher, along with performing on Royal Caribbean's, Mariner of the Seas. Shauna has choreographed and performed for the Detroit Pistons Automotion, NFL half time show, Fash Bash, Windsor Casino, Motor City Casino and back up dancing for Jennifer Edison. She was fortunate to be in the cast of "Chicago", at the Baldwin, and "Cabaret", at Avon Players. She will be performing this fall with "Cats" at the Tuacahn Theatre in Utah.