Instructors
Our instructors have danced with The Atlanta Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, The Boston Ballet, Ballet Florida, School of American Ballet, Pointe Park University Dance Conservatory, Pat’s Dance Studio, Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts, Westinghouse Arts Academy, Steel City Academy of Dance & Pittsburgh CAPA
Bethany Wingerson
Owner / Artistic Director / Instructor \ Choreographer
Specialty: Classical Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Jazz, KidzCombo
Bethany began studying dance at the age of two, and began training on a professional level when she was 11 years old. In the years following, she studied with The Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts in Boston, The Atlanta Ballet, The Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and Point Park College Dance Conservatory. She also danced with a number of ballet and modern dance performing companies in the Pittsburgh area, in which she was a feature dancer and soloist. She has been teaching dance and choreographing since she was a teenager, having most recently taught for Pat’s Dance Studio for 8 years until taking ownership of the school in 2003, establishing Steel City Academy of Dance. Bethany produces and creates her own original choreography for the studio’s class and performance repertoire, covering a wide array of styles and genres of dance, music and concept. She strives to offer her students the type of professional level training she received as a dancer, while ensuring her students are cared for, nurtured, and supported as they grow as dancers and individuals. Bethany hopes to instill in her dancers discipline and respect for the art of dance, while allowing them freedom to explore their individuality.
Brooke Perkins
Instructor
Specialty: Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary
Brooke began dancing at the age of 3 and became a student at Pat’s Dance Studio when she was 6 years old. She continued studying at the studio when it transitioned to Steel City Academy of dance in 2003, and has been teaching since 2009. Brooke attended the Point Park University International Sumer Dance Program in 2006, 2008, and 2010, where she trained in various genres of dance. She also studied and performed with the Lake Erie Ballet during the summer of 2012, dancing lead roles in Grimsby, Sea Shantees, and Copellia: Spanish Dolls. During High School, Brooke performed as a feature dancer in Serra Catholic’s Musical Productions of The King and I, Children of Eden, and Little Shop of Horrors. She went on to become a dance minor at Pointe Park University during her college years. Brooke has a very encouraging teaching style and inspires dancers through her passion and love for the art of dance.
Lauren Scheible
Instructor / Choreographer
Specialty: Acro, Jazz, KidzCombo
Lauren began dancing at Pat’s Dance Studio at the age of six and continued to study with the studio when it became Steel City Academy of Dance. Through her 11 years as a student, she trained in Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Tap an Acro. Upon graduating from high school, Lauren went on to attend Point Park University and played Women’s Soccer. She retuned to our dance family in 2013 as a member of our Acro teaching team and continues to teach both Acro and Jazz. Lauren has a supportive and encouraging teaching style, offering years of diverse dance experience to her students.
Paige Gilson
Instructor / Choreographer
Specialty: Tap
Paige began her dance education by taking creative movement at the age of four. She performed in community performances of the Nutcracker before entering high school. Discovering her love of dance, she continued to take classes and decided to attend Pittsburgh CAPA. While attending CAPA, she attended the Jones Summer Dance Intensive and performed at the Kelly Awards Celebration at the Benedum. Throughout her dance career, she has studied under professors and instructors of varying techniques, including: Irish Step dance, African, yoga, and improvisation. While studying dance at Temple University, Paige produced several dance concerts as well as performed in multiple shows such as the Inhale Performance Series and a site-specific dance work. She co-produced and performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Since returning to Pittsburgh, she has choreographed for Texture Contemporary Ballet’s WIP show and taken over Sarah Heniz House’s dance program. She is an energetic dancer and dance educator who conveys the importance of freedom of expression through dance and movement. She strives to aid children’s understanding of how their bodies move through space while promoting a positive, judgment-free learning environment.
Jen Makowski
Instructor / Choreographer
Specialty: Acro
Jen grew up at Pat’s Dance Studio, beginning her training at the age of three. She continued studying dance under Bethany Wingerson when Steel City Academy of Dance was established in 2003. She has trained in Jazz, Ballet and is especially accomplished in Acrobatics. She was also a 4 year member of the West Mifflin Area High School Starlettes Dance Team. Jen joined the teaching staff at Steel City Academy of Dance in 2007 as the Lead Acro teacher, and continues in that role today. Jen has also implemented Acro Yoga into her class design, adding an innovative and challenging feature to the Acro program. Jen brings a very enthusiastic and encouraging teaching style to her classes.
Lexi Rossey
Instructor / Choreographer
Specialty: Ballet, Jazz, Acro
Lexi started her dance journey at the age of two with Pat's Dance Studio and continued with the studio as it transitioned to Steel City Academy of Dance. Over her twenty plus years with the studio she has studied Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, Acro and Tap. As a student teacher, she assisted with Ballet, Jazz and Acro classes. In her senior performance, Lexi contributed as a student choreographer to the piece “When The Light Get In”. She attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, while continuing to be a part of the studio family and to perform in the shows. She specializes in our Ballet/Jazz Combo program for students age 6-8, giving them a great foundation in both Ballet and Jazz to carry with them as they develop and grow as dancers.
Caitlin Murphy
Instructor / Choreographer
Specialty: Tap, Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary
Caitlin has been training in the arts for more than 14 years. She began studying dance at Steel City Academy of Dance at the age of four, where she committed herself to taking classes in all genres available to her. She became a student teacher in multiple disciplines, where she worked closely with several members of the teaching staff for many years and earned a role as a soloist in her Senior Performance. At the age of 16, in 11th grade, while continuing to dance at Steel City, Caitlin enrolled in a performing arts high school, Westinghouse Arts Academy. Here she continued studying the dance forms she had trained in at Steel City as well as broadening her education in new classes. She trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Acrobatics and Musical Theatre Jazz. Some of the shows she participated in at Westinghouse Arts Academy were Art in the Park, Annual Holiday performances, and Student Choreography Showcases. Caitlin is now a graduate of Westinghouse Arts Academy, is attending nursing school, and continues to share her talent with the students of Steel City Academy of Dance.
Katalina Scott
Instructor
Specialty: Classical Ballet, Pointe
Katalina is a ballet instructor with a lifelong passion for the arts demonstrated by more than 20 years of educating students and 15 years of professional dance experience. She began her training under the direction of Marie Hale of Ballet Florida at age nine, and at age 13 Katalina was awarded a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet. There, she studied under masters such as George Balanchine, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Edward Villella, Melissa Hayden, Alexandra Danilova and Antonina Tumkovsky. She was the youngest member – at 16 years of age – to join the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, one of the top ballet companies in the country. She has danced lead roles in classic ballets such as Giselle, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. Katalina has also performed in contemporary ballets – composed by world-renowned choreographers including Agnes de Mille, Peter Martins, Patrick Frantz, Vincente Nebrada and Marie Hale – in performances such as Daphnis and Chloe, Etudes, The Firebird, Rodeo and Spring Waters. Katalina also performed the lead role of Mary in the dance production The Masterpiece: A Toy Maker’s Dream – an outreach of Victory Christian Ministry – that toured internationally for two years sharing the gospel through dance theater.
Along with touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Central and South America, Katalina has also taught English to children in Central American orphanages and schools in a classroom environment through the art of dance and has freelanced as a guest artist for master classes, workshops and conferences for universities, dance organizations and schools. She is influenced by all major schools, including Cecchettu, Vaganova and Balanchine.
Annie Ondrejco
Instructor
Specialty: Ballet, Pointe, Tap
Annie Ondrejco started her dance career at the age of 2 in the ethnic group The Junior Pittsburgh Slovakians. She was one of the first members to join this children’s counterpart of the adult group The Pittsburgh Slovakians. In 1994, she joined the North Hills Junior Tamburitzans and she also started taking Tap & Tumbling at Pat’s (Dynoske) Dance Studio. As the years progressed, Annie continued training at Pat’s and began studying Ballet and Jazz. By the year 2000, Annie was a student demonstrator, and in 2005 she became a student teacher for the studio, which had now become Steel City Academy of Dance under Bethany Wingerson. Two short years later Annie choreographed her own senior tap solo. In recent years, Annie has been a ballet instructor in the Duquesne University Power Center, has studied hip-hop from an award winning hip hop dancer from Australia, and helped develop a student dance organization at Duquesne University called “Exhalations Dance Theater”. She served on the executive board as Secretary, taught the intermediate-advanced classes, choreographed, and performed with the group. Some of the productions Annie choreographed for the Exhalations Dance Theater were their Fall and Spring showcases and The Rockin’ Pittsburgh Nutcracker. Never leaving her roots at Steel City Academy of Dance, Annie remains on the teaching staff and brings with her a diverse background, creative choreography, and a fun-loving spirit to the studio.
Ayla Schleicher
Instructor
Specialty: Acro
Ayla began dancing at the age of three at Pat's Dance Studio and continued to study with the studio when it became Steel City Academy of Dance. She continued to dance through high school until she graduated at the age of 18. During her many years as a student, Ayla studied Jazz, Acro, and Tap. She then attended California University of Pennsylvania and later, the Vet Tech Institute of Pittsburgh, before returning to the studio to continue training and performing in Acro and Jazz. She soon became a member of the teaching staff in the Acro program and has been an instructor ever since. Ayla is a lifelong member of the dance studio family.
Chandler Killins
Instructor
Specialty: Acro
Chandler began dancing at Peggy Price Studio of Dance at the age of 6 where she trained in Jazz, Hip Hop, Acro & and Tap. In addition to being a dancer, Chandler was also a Track & Field Athlete throughout high school. After graduating in 2016, she continued her Track & Field journey at Youngstown State University. Chandler was an accomplished competitor in Track & Filed for 10 years, having ended her career in December 2020 at YSU where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree focusing in Communications & Sociology. Chandler brings her talents and athleticism to Steel City Academy of Dance as the newest addition to our Acro program.
Kayla Haidle
Instructor
Specialty: KidzCombo, Barre Fitness, Acro
Kayla began dancing at the age of three with Pat’s Dance Studio, and continued at the studio when it became Steel City Academy of Dance in 2003. Kayla has studied Tap, Acro, Jazz, Ballet, and Pointe. As she got older, Kayla decided to concentrate her training in Jazz, Ballet, and Pointe. Kayla studied dance in college, and continued dancing at Steel City Academy of Dance throughout her adulthood. In addition to teaching dance classes, Kayla is also our Barre Instructor (Barre is a allet inspired fitness class, combined with elements of yoga, Pilates, and strength training). Whether she is teaching her young students their first ‘shuffle ballchange’, or motivating her adult students in Barre, Kayla strives to constantly remind her students how beautiful they are, inside and out.