Our Faculty
At Allegro Dance, each instructor teaches the genres of dance that they are most educated and passionate about. By having each instructor specialize in specific genres of dance, your dancer will receive the highest level of dance training from pre-school classes to pre-professional.
Jenn Montie
Director/Owner
Specializes in Ballet & Dance Conditioning
Director and instructor at Allegro Dance, Jenn Montie has been teaching dance since 2003. She credits most of her training to teachers Patricia Squire Lorenz and Leif Lorenz. Prior to starting Allegro Dance, she was the assistant director for a local youth ballet company and decided it was time to start something of her own! She has performed in and has set numerous Ballets including "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", "Coppelia", "Grad Ballet", and "Les Sylphides".
Since 2008, Jenn has been fully certified in STOTT Pilates Levels 1 & 2. She taught Pilates at Equilibrium Pilates Studio for 14 years. During that time, she became an instructor trainer with STOTT Pilates which is the highest level of Pilates certification. Jenn certified future Pilates instructors in the STOTT method. Her focus as a Pilates instructor was athletic conditioning. She worked with many professional athletes and dancers as they sought core strength and stability to prevent injuries and reach their highest level of performance. Jenn’s background in Pilates enables her to train dancers in a safe and effective manner.
In 2015, she became certified as an American Ballet Theatre instructor. Jenn loves to pass her passion of dance onto young dancers. Along with emphasizing proper technique, her goal is to develop artistry and confidence within each dancer. From her years of teaching, she has formatted each class to be physically and psychologically appropriate for each specific age group and level. This allows each child the best opportunity to grow, learn and develop their dance technique safely and without feeling overwhelmed. Jenn sees it as her job to ensure that every student that dances with Allegro Dance, whether a recreational dancer or a serious dancer that may want a career in dance, receives premier dance training so that they have the ability to do whatever they choose with their knowledge of dance!
As the studio director and as an educator, Jenn prides herself on continuing her own education so the dancers at Allegro Dance receive the highest level of training. Some of her recent continuing education programs have included Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Teacher Training Program and Leap N’ Learn.
Lindsey Zager
Studio Manager
Ms. Lindsey is originally from South Carolina and graduated from The College of Charleston in 2009. Since then, she has worked as a travel agent for Destination Weddings and Romance Travel. After 8 years of moving around the country while her husband was a U.S. Navy pilot, she settled down in Bloomfield Hills in May 2017. She has been with Allegro Dance since 2017 and is so welcoming and friendly to all of our dance families!
Megan Makulski
Competition Faculty
Megan Makulski is a current BFA dance major at Oakland University with the intention of graduating in the spring of 2025. She has taught and choreographed for several studios in the metro Detroit area since 2021. She currently performs as a member of Oakland Dance Theatre and was previously a member of OU’s Repertory Dance Company and Dance Team. At OU, Megan has had the opportunity to work with numerous choreographers and professional companies such as Lauren Anderson, Vim Vigor, Take Root, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, and more. Megan was also selected by Oakland University dance faculty to present her choreography at the American College Dance Association’s regional adjudicated concert alongside her professor's work in February 2024.
While pursuing her BFA, Megan completed her grades I and II Cecchetti teacher certification exams and danced with professional contemporary dance company Suttle Dance. She also completed the Basic NGCP level of the Nan Giordano Jazz Certification Program in 2024. Over the next year, she intends to start training to become a certified Pilates instructor and take on an apprenticeship position with one of Oakland University’s companies in residence.
Pamela MacIntyre
Competition Faculty/Recreation Instructor
Pamela started dancing at the age of 5 and has been teaching dance for over 35 years and adjudicating for over 30. As a student, she competed, performed in productions and appeared on two TV shows in Canada. As an actor, she also performed with several theater dance groups in Canada.
Pam has trained with teachers from the Toronto National Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Quinte Ballet School and the Kirov. She has trained with numerous US and Canadian professionals in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Acro, Lyrical, Hip-Hop and Musical Theater. Pam has completed student and teacher certification levels in Tap, Jazz and Ballet with the Canadian Dance Association and with the Cecchetti Method in Canada and the US. For 35 years, Pam has been entering her students into Canadian and US dance competitions. Her students have won numerous awards, ranked in top tier performing and received numerous choreography, entertainment and technique awards. Many of her students have gone on to professional careers in dance.
Pam’s passion is helping her students achieve their goals by building their confidence, giving them a strong technical foundation and developing their storytelling capabilities.
Abby Gadbaw
Pre-Professional Ballet Instructor
Abby is from Albany, NY and started dancing at the young age of 3. Dance quickly became a passion for her, and she spent her formative years training daily and dancing with the Capital Ballet Company in Albany, NY, as well as summer intensives such as The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and North Carolina School of the Arts. For college, she attended Indiana University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Ballet and received an outside field degree in Business. She also taught in the pre-college program, teaching beginner level and creative movement to local Bloomington students.
After graduating from IU, she went on to dance professionally with the Charleston Ballet Theatre, as well as some free-lance dance companies in and around New York City. Once retired from dancing professionally, she worked as the Assistant to the Artistic Director (Kevin McKenzie) at American Ballet Theatre, and was later an Associate Manager at IMG Artists, touring and managing ballet companies such as the Bolshoi Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pilobolus and Nederlands Dans Theatre around the US.
Abby is thrilled to be in the studio hoping to inspire young dancers to fulfill their dreams in this great art form!
Kelly Clair
Recreational Instructor
Kelly grew up dancing in the Metro-Detroit area and is currently a student at Eastern Michigan University studying dance and arts management. During her time at Eastern she has danced in numerous program concerts, with choreographers including Baira, Joori Jung, QWNTYM, and Kathy King. She’s also been in ballets such as “Coppelia” and “Sleeping Beauty.” Kelly is a photographer who specializes in dance photography. She has also emceed competitions, competed with dance as her talent in pageants, and has taught since high school graduation. She is enthusiastic about all things dance and loves sharing her love for the art with her students.
Jessica Clifford
Recreational Instructor
Jessica started dancing at the young age of 3 and grew up studying Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe and Hip-Hop. She credits most of her training to Patricia and Leif Lorenz. In High School, she began working as a classroom assistant and LOVED working with the youngest of dancers! During college, she taught children dance while attending Eastern Michigan University. Jessica studied and earned a degree in Fashion,Textiles and Merchandising. In 2022, she completed the Leap ‘N learn dance teacher course.
Miss Jessica is so patient and talented with the young dancers. She ensures that the classroom feels safe and happy while teaching proper technique. During Nutcracker season, you can find Jessica working on all of our production’s costumes!
Kayleigh Hinkson
Preschool Dance Instructor
Kayleigh Hinkson has been involved in the performing arts her entire life through Musical Theatre and Choir. This grew into a passion to share because she discovered for herself the joy and confidence it can instill, especially in children.
She received her degree in Childhood Development in 2016, specializing in working with children ages birth through 4. During school, she served as Director of her church's Children's Special Needs Ministry and completed their internship in Family and Children's Ministry. In 2021, Kayleigh became a certified Zumbini instructor and launched the Zumbini program at Allegro Dance. She has been teaching Mommy & Me, Creative Movement, Taps & Tutus and Petite Tap on staff at Allegro Dance ever since and in 2023, she got certified in children’s Yoga.
Miss Kayleigh has one daughter who is a student at Allegro and is so excited to instill a love of learning through play, music and dance in your children!
Elizabeth Schanz
Recreational Instructor
Elizabeth Schanz grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan. She began training at two years old in local competitive and performance dance studios. Elizabeth went on to pursue a B.A. in Dance and Multimedia Journalism with a minor in History at Grand Valley State University and was in the Frederik Meijer Honors College.
During her time at GVSU, Elizabeth trained under Carrie Brueck Morris, Hannah Seidel, Edgar L. Page, Rachel Miller, Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers, Jonathan Upleger, and Alexandra Meister-Upleger. She also was in the creative processes of guest artists Marlayna Locklear, Renaldo Maurice and DJ Smart.
Within her time in the dance program, she had the opportunity to perform at the American College Dance Association's (ACDA) East-Central Conference and Oakland Dance Festival. Additionally, she was involved in Momentum, a student-run dance organization on campus, for seven semesters as a performer and choreographer. Elizabeth looks forward to working with the Allegro Dance students!
Claire Bechard
Ballet Rehearsal Mistress
Claire Bechard is a dancer, educator, and choreographer, from Southeast, Michigan. She began her early training at the River Raisin Dance Academy. She has taught for Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Detroit Country Day School, River Raisin Dance Academy, Jordan Mack Dance Studio, and Monroe Public Schools.
In 2019, Claire began working professionally with Suttle Dance under the direction and choreography of Sylvia Suttle. During her time with Suttle Dance, Claire performed soloist roles for Detroit City Dance Festival, Michigan Ballet Festival, and Brighton Dance Festival.
In 2022, she received a BFA from Wayne State University as a Maggie Allesee Scholar. In the fall of 2022 Claire was voted onto the board of the Michigan Presenters Network where she has supported the performing arts on statewide and national levels. In 2023 Claire performed with Terpsichore Collective under the influence of Aimee McDonald. She is also an active member of the Ann Arbor Dance Network. Claire has also presented her solo and collaborative choreographic work at Collage Dance Festival, Detroit Culture Mash, and Shape//Matter.
Meghan Harper
Assistant Instructor
Meghan has been a student of Allegro Dance since 2018. She is on our Elite competition team and is a dancer in our pre-professional ballet program.
Meghan has been a classroom assistant for the last 3 dance seasons and loves working with young dancers. She is also a wonderful mentor to our younger competition dancers on ADPC. Meghan is a sophomore in high school and is on the Varsity Bloomfield Hills Dance Team.
Meghan is a sub as needed and you will also see her working with our dancers in many of our summer camps.
Francesca Bannister
Client Services
Francesca grew up in Fenton, Michigan and has lived in Bloomfield Township with her husband and 3 kids since 2011. Francesca’s daughter Audrey and son Wyatt dance at Allegro Dance. She runs a photography business specializing in children’s Fine Art Portraits, preschool and dance photography. Francesca enjoys baking and runs a small home bakery with her sister. You can find Francesca at the desk greeting our Thursday and Saturday families!
The Facilities
Allegro Dance is located at 6405 North Telegraph Road in Building H-4 inside the Bloomfield Medical Village.
We have two studios with sprung Harelquin Dance floors that aid in shock absorption and help avoid injuries common among dancers.
Our lobby is equipped with closed circuit cameras allowing parents to watch the classes that are running in each studio. We have a small boutique stocked with hand knit dance sweaters and leg warmers, tights and Allegro Dance apparel.
