Haruna first started dancing at the Omaha Academy of Ballet in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2010, she studied abroad in London to study at Laban Conservatoire of Contemporary Dance, where she trained in Release, Limon, and Cunningham techniques and classical ballet. She later went on to graduate with her BA (Hons) Degree in Contemporary Dance from the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance.

Haruna has performed with Atelier Teatro Danza in Italy and toured Scotland with the SSCD graduate company, while in college. After graduation, she has performed in Omaha with Maya Taylor Dance Company, TBD Dance Collective, Moving Company, as well as the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen with Ever After Productions. She later moved to Minneapolis and danced with Metropolitan Ballet, Minneapolis Ballet Dancers and Yuki Tokuda Ballet, where she danced both contemporary and classical works. Some of her favorite roles include Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Cygnets in Swan Lake and Friends in Romeo and Juliet. Since 2012, she has taught at several dance studios all over the Twin Cities and Omaha

Stephanie Huettner is an Omaha based dancer and choreographer. She has studied and performed various dance styles for over 40 years and is currently the co-director of tbd. dance collective. The creation of the group came out of an organic desire to grow dance in the Omaha community. Since the inception of the collective, Huettner has performed and choreographed with the group in a wide variety of styles in many disparate venues. Her favorite collaborations include work with local musicians, filmmaker Nik Fackler, and the Movement Series at the KANEKO art gallery. Huettner spends her days saving the world as the Assistant General Curator, Curator of Birds, and sustainability coordinator at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

Lynne holds an Associate Diploma through the ISTD Professional Teaching Examinations and has studied the Alexander Technique, she also has a BA in Art History from UNL. Lynne was a company member of Omaha Ballet. She resumed teaching at the J in 2009. When she’s not dancing, Lynne loves to spend time with her friends.

Nora started dancing in Saratoga Springs, NY at the age of three. She studied at Ballet Regent, Saratoga City Ballet and Myers Ballet School until moving to Carlisle, PA to train at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary. While training, she also attended summer intensives at American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, New York State Summer School of the Arts, CPYB and Saratoga and Vail Summer Dance Intensives. After receiving her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati, she danced with Akjun Ballet Theater in NYC. Nora then joined American Midwest Ballet in Omaha in 2016 and is currently a company dancer. Nora began teaching at the J in 2020 and is excited to share her love of dancing with all of her students.  When she’s not dancing, Nora loves to sit in the sun and read a good book.

Wendy began her training in Omaha with local Omaha Ballet Theater, Donna Kurtz Cartwright and the Omaha Academy of Ballet. During the school year, she studied in Omaha under the auspices of an Honorary Ford Foundation Scholarship for the Arts. Summer study took her to Saratoga Spring, NY, where the Saratoga Performing Arts Center was the summer residency venue for the New York City Ballet, Julliard Theatre School and the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra. Wendy studied at the Bariansky Saratoga Ballet Center, located on the campus of Skidmore College, with Oleg and Mireille Bariansky, for eight summer sessions, loving and enjoying every minute of performances and training. Wendy credits that experience for her continuing love and passion for dance. She also attended summer sessions, on scholarship, at the School of American Ballet and Harkness Ballet Company in New York City. Wendy danced with the original Omaha Ballet Company for ten years, as a Principal Dancer, performing a wide variety of roles with the company. Wendy graduated from Stephens College with a degree in Business Administration and owned and ran a Manufacturing firm in Omaha and currently works as an Accountant for City + Ventures. Wendy began teaching at the J in 1986 and brings a deep and passionate understanding of a former Performing Artist to her abilities as a teacher and choreographer. Wendy has two lovely grown daughters, Chloe and Cygne. When she’s not dancing, Wendy enjoys traveling with her husband, watching Turner Classic Movies and reading books about the Golden Era of Hollywood.

Deidre starting dancing at the age of 3 and has danced with Pat Carlson, Mildred Collins School of Dance and the Drake Dance Team. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from Dana College. Her family has been dancing with the JCC Dance program since 2013 and Deidre began teaching at the J in 2019. When she’s not dancing, Deidre loves to cook and read.

Leigh began dancing at the age of 5 and has danced with Beth Gaynes Dance Studio, Truman State University, at multiple conventions and Rugged Soles.  She holds her BA in Communication-Journalism from Truman State University and a Master’s Degree in Arts Education from University of Central Missouri.  Leigh has also choreographed for community theater, show choirs, high school dance teams and charity events.  Leigh began teaching at the J in 2015.  When she’s not dancing, Leigh love to read, bike and spend time with family!

Originally from Minnesota, Penny Michonski came to Omaha to attend Creighton University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Music. While at Creighton she received her dance pedagogy from Valerie Roche and was asked to teach at Omaha Academy of Ballet upon graduation. Now a ballet instructor with over twenty years of teaching and arts administration experience, Penny specializes in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) syllabus to dancers ages three through adult and beginning to advanced ability. Penny is thrilled to be back teaching at the JCC after a brief stint teaching here over fourteen years ago! In her spare time Penny loves spending time with her husband, Dan, two children, Caroline and Joe, and dog, Daisy.

Sophie grew up in New Canaan, CT where she trained at the New England Academy of Dance. During her time at the school, she had the privilege to perform lead roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker and Swanhilda in Coppelia.  Sophie joined the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago as a Trainee in 2018, where she spent three years, and performed in ballets such as Paquita and George Balanchine’s Who Cares, along with a premier by Durante Verzola. In 2021, Sophie was offered a position with Milwaukee Ballet II, where she spent two seasons performing with the company in Michael Pink’s productions of The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Swan Lake, and Hunchback of Notre Dame along with a premier in the company’s Genesis show. Sophie joined the American Midwest Ballet in their 23/24 season. Sophie has attended various summer intensives with ABT, Boston Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Suzanne Farrell, along with the Forsythe Workshop, ART-of in Zurich, Switzerland. Additionally, she has competed in the YAGP and Connecticut Classic, where was awarded Top 12 at the Worcester Semi-Finals and 3rd Place, respectively.  Sophie joined the J as an instructor in the Fall of 2023.

Jack grew up in Boston Massachusetts and trained at Boston Ballet School for 9 years. During his training he had attended summer programs at Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Houston Ballet. He got his first professional ballet contract with the Sarasota Ballet and then danced with Milwaukee Ballet II and American Midwest Ballet where he currently dances and is going into his 4th season with the company. Some of his featured rolls are Cavalier in The Nutcracker; Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz; Fox and Dancing Master in Cinderella; Autumn Leaves male soloist in Frank Chaves’ Eva; Gerald Arpino’s Confetti. Roles in Michael Pink’s The Nutcracker, Coppélia, and Beauty and the Beast, Sir Frederick Ashton’s Illuminations & The Dream, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations & Diamonds, Jerome Robbins’ The Concert. Jack worked with our JCC Dance Training Company in the 2024-2025 and this will be his first year teaching at the J.

Mary Royer trained with the Creighton Dance Company from 2009-2013 and received a minor in dance.  She has been instructing in the Omaha Metro for 10 years, teaching creative movement, ISTD ballet, jazz, and lyrical.  She also dances and has performed with UNO’s The Moving Company.  Mary has her Masters in Social Work and works as a mental health therapist at a local non-profit.  In her free time Mary enjoys spending time with her family and her dog. Mary joined the J as an instructor in the Fall of 2024.

Kateri began dancing at age 6 and grew up dancing at Pat Carlson Dance Studio. She still dances with a group of Pat’s dancers at Erin’s Dance Studio! Kateri earned her bachelor’s in Music Education in the Spring of 2020, and her master’s in Educational Leadership in the Spring of 2022. She is an elementary music and theater and a part-time CNA at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. When she’s not dancing or teaching, Kateri loves to bike, pet dogs, travel, and listen to/go to musicals. Kateri joined the J as an instructor in the Fall of 2024.

Margaret has accompanied dance classes at the JCC from 1991-1995 and resumed in 2012. She has also accompanied at the Omaha Academy of Ballet School of Ballet Omaha, Daniel J. Gross High School and Brownell-Talbot. She holds a B.S. degree in Bible/Music from Faith Baptist Bible College and was a private piano teacher for 24 years.  When she’s not playing for classes, Margaret loves to have shop, take road trips, read, write, personally meditate and have a coffee and talk with good friends.

Anna began to play piano and take ballet classes at 6 years old in the Kiev, Ukraine.  At 12, she was unable to continue with both ballet and piano after her father passed away, so she had to make the tough choice and only continue with one – piano. Anna always loved to be in the ballet/dance environment and as soon as she could, Anna started accompanying for ballet classes.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Music from Kiev and while there, she also directed and taught piano in a music school.  She also performed and traveled the country with music and dance groups.  Anna is also a licensed Skin Care Specialist/ Esthetician by education and a long experience.  Since arriving in the United States in 1991, Anna has been glad to implement both professions into her daily life and hopes to continue because she loves what she does.   Anna has played for the J since the Fall of 1991 and has taught piano lessons for many years and just began teaching Piano here at the J in 2018. When she’s not playing piano, Anna loves to travel, be with her kids, walk, knit, read, swim, and be with friends.

Julia Campbell recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a degree in Music Education with a concentration in Voice. Additionally, she has studied voice in private lessons for 11 years, where she has been formally trained in Classical/Operatic and Musical Theater genres. Julia has taught private music lessons for 4 years. These include voice, piano, and guitar lessons for Elementary, Middle, High School, and Adult students.

Outside of teaching, she loves to perform both as a soloist and in ensembles. Notable performances include live and recorded opera productions through UNO, Omaha Under the Radar Festival, and a recording project with Grammy nominated sound mixer Tom Ware. Recently, UNO’s recorded production of Hansel and Gretel, where she played Gretel, was a finalist for the American Prize in the Virtual Performance category.

Emmanuel grew up with a passion for music, and fell in love with the piano at a young age. The works of Chopin, Beethoven and even Hans Zimmer inspired him to make music more than just a hobby. He studied music at Creighton University, and has now been teaching piano for over 6 years. His hope is to inspire the same passion for music in younger generations.

Randall Collins has been in the music scene for over 40 years as a professional jazz and classical pianist, composer, improvisationalist, arranger, and instructor. He first began teaching piano in the mid-80’s while serving in the Air Force in England and later taught piano at Schmitt Music Center in Omaha from 1989 to 1999. While engaged in the teaching community at the time, he was also an “on-call” pianist with the late jazz saxophonist Preston Love Sr. and guitarist Pat Higgins and later became an accompanist at Mission Middle School in Bellevue, Nebraska which also included numerous accompaniment work for the Nebraska District Music Contest.

He was even a part-time accompanist at the Omaha Conservatory of Music and was a member of a composition club there which allowed him the opportunity to showcase original works under the direction of Dr. Stacey Barelos. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and studied classical piano and theory with a focus on teaching before embarking on this musical path.

Although classically-trained, he has developed a keen interest in improvisation which has extended well into most every genre of music he plays today. The ability to create “something from nothing” has been an endless source of joy for his creativity and he relishes the challenge of taking most any piece of music and turning it into something unique and quirky. Today, he puts his musical abilities to use as a pianist for numerous dinner parties and social functions throughout town, as a member of The Event Firm (formally Omaha Musicians Live), a pianist/organist at Faith Christian Church since 2009 and as a pianist at Von Maur Westroads since 2013.

Omaha-based jazz pianist, composer, and educator, Jeff Jenkins has recently worked as a professor of music in the Thompson Jazz Studies Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Grounded in a wide range of jazz styles, he has released seven original CDs in the last 15 years, while appearing as a featured player on dozens more. Throughout his career Jenkins has appeared locally, nationally and internationally in festivals and clubs with his eponymous ensembles, or as a guest artist with jazz greats including Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, The New York Voices, Bobby Hutcherson, and John Abercrombie, among others. A product of the acclaimed jazz program at the University of North Texas, Jenkins continued his piano studies in the New York City studios of Fred Hirsch, Richie Beirach, and Kenny Barron. Based in Manhattan in the 1980s, Jenkins performed in noted jazz venues throughout the city, and appeared as principal pianist for several Broadway musicals. A gifted bandleader and in-demand sideman across Colorado and the western region, Jenkins also mixes and produces music professionally in his Mixdown Sound recording studio, and produces music videos for his YouTube channel “allkeyspro”.

Terri Jo is a professional teacher, recording artist, and performing musician in the jazz, folk, and singer songwriter communities of Omaha. She recently relocated back to her home state of Nebraska from Colorado. She is working as a teacher and performer in jazz, folk, and a singer songwriter. Terri Jo studied music (piano, vocal, flute) with focus on teaching, at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. She studied guitar at Northeastern College in Sterling, Colorado and later opened music studios in both Lincoln and Denver. She has worked as a music director at churches leading vocal and bell choirs along performing during services.
Although she has had many memorable concerts and recording experiences, it is her long teaching career, seeing students grow musically, that brings her the greatest joy.
“My mission is to help each student to grow in aesthetic understanding and appreciation through learning to play music sensitively and joyfully.”

Brooke Margheim is currently wrapping up her studies at University of Nebraska Omaha. She is a music, education, major, with a concentration invoice. Brook has been playing piano since the age of five, and also plays the cello, ukulele, and her instrument of choice is her voice! Music is her passion, joy.  She was a member of Nebraska Allstate Choir in 2021 and 2022, and has taught private cello and Ukulele Lessons as well.

Kyle is a piano and drums teacher with over 9 years of experience helping students of all ages and levels build confidence and creativity at the piano and drums, he tailors each lesson to his students’ unique goals and interests—classical, pop, jazz, or anything in between. He holds a dual bachelor’s degree in music education and percussion performance from Oakland University and is currently obtaining a master’s degree in percussion performance from the University of Nebraska Omaha. He believes that learning music should be joyful, encouraging, and deeply rewarding, and strives to create a supportive space where students feel inspired to grow. Kyle got started here at the J in the Spring of 2025. When not teaching, you can find him hiking, watching movies, or hanging out with his kitties, Cali and Idée.

Jacob Thomas is currently studying Music Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He is an active member of the choirs and is involved as a section leader and piano collaborator for his peers and faculty members. He is also a part of the Piano Mentorship Program, led by Professor Stacie Haneline, to improve upon his skills as an educator while being a student himself.
Before resuming his studies at UNO, Jacob had the pleasure of working in the Papillion LaVista school district as a Paraeducator for students on the spectrum. Although his primary instrument of study at UNO is voice, he continues to improve upon his piano skills by taking outside lessons, learning from others, and learning independently, while appreciating the craft of “life-long learning” on the piano!
Hobbies: Playing in a recreational Volleyball League (going on his sixth year), spending time with family and friends, playing video games, and attending Sunday Matinees at the Orpheum!
Favorite Artist/Musician/Group: He loves all styles of music, but you can find him listening mostly to Beyoncé, Sammy Rae & the Friends, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Lake Street Dive, or various Broadway Soundtracks!

Jessica Johnson is a multi-hyphenate performer, educator and speech and language professional based in Omaha, NE. Some of her past local stage credits include Ms Casewell in “The Mousetrap”, Mamie Flannigan in “The Field” and The Tour Guide in “God on Trial”  (Bridget St Bridget Theatre Co.)SBTC), as well as several original characters in the annual “Holiday Lites” (BSBTC and Benson Theatre), The ABA Instructor in “More of a Heart” (Bluebarn), Fran Fogg in “Up and Away” (The Rose) and Marianne in “Constellations” (OCP). Jessica is also a puppeteer with “Kids On The Block” (WhyArts, Inc), as well as the TV Show “Mister K’s Clubhouse” (Dreams V Reality) and the live stream show “Museum LIVE!” (Durham Museum). Other film credits include Katy Ann in “The Wicked Flee” (3 lb Gorilla Productions), Angie in “The Wicked Ways of Webster County” (Red Arch Productions) and Vivienne Moreau in “The Cross” (Bitter Hipster), as well as the voice of the Mom in the “Truth Detector” animated shorts series (Realimagesvfx). Jessica holds an MA in Theatre-Acting from The University of Nebraska-Omaha, and an MS in Speech Language Pathology from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She also teaches acting classes at the JCC. LOVE to J, N, and G. Without you, none of this would be possible.

Jarin is an Omaha local.  He graduated from UNO with degrees in both Communications and Acting & Directing in 2022, and since then he has been proud to work in the local theatre community both on the stage and behind the scenes. As someone who really struggled to find his place in the world before stumbling into a Theatre class in high school, Jarin is thrilled at the idea that he might be able to help other young performers find their passion as well; and for that he is extremely grateful to the JCC, the crew, and the cast for providing him with that opportunity.  Jarin began teaching theater classes at the JCC in the 2024-2025 school year.  This is Jarin’s first time directing for the JCC, and he could not be more excited!

Courtney is an Omaha native who has found her way home after living and studying abroad in both Japan and England. Courtney holds a Masters in Dance Anthropology from the University of Roehampton in London. She has worked extensively in the Omaha area as a professional teaching artist, movement director, and choreographer for over 15 years, with organizations such as the Omaha Community Playhouse, Nebraska Shakespeare, Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Opera Omaha, Circle Theatre, Blue Barn Theatre, WhyArts Inc., SNAP Productions, Shelterbelt Theatre, Chanticleer Theatre, and, of course, the Jewish Community Center! Courtney is a strong advocate of inclusive theatre and believes in creating art for the heart.