Erica Billiter has been dancing since the age of four. She studied ballet, tap and jazz for 16 years with Marva Joyce Dancers in Waukegan. She was the number one dancer at the studio since the age of twelve. With the Marva Joyce Dancers she performed in dance shows and parades. Once in college she performed with Prairie Spirits Dance Troupe for eight years. Erica traveled to Arkansas to perform in the World Festival of Dance representing the College of Lake County, preformed in Dance Chicago, and the Chiwaukee Dance Festival. She was a member of the College of Lake County’s Lancersttes Dance Team for two years. Erica has a BFA in Visual Communications from the Illinois Institute of Art. Additionally, she holds certifications in Zumba and Group Exercise.

Emma Kunz has been dancing with the Gurnee Park district since she was two and has been a part of Above the Barre for seven years. She has been an assistant instructor the past two years and is extremely excited to begin teaching her own classes this year. She danced with Gus Giordano Dance during the Summer 2023 Intensive and is planning on majoring in Dance Performance & Choreography after high school. She is looking forward to an amazing year of dance with everyone!

Nicole Lother received her BFA in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University. While attending NIU, she performed in the Garland Waltz for Sleeping Beauty, in the Spanish Trio for Nutcracker and was Wilis in Giselle. Nicole was a Director of NIU's Student Choreographic Showcase for two years. She received the Theatre Dance Service Award and the Talented Student Scholarship her senior year. She has been a member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters for over 25 years. Nicole has continued her dance training by taking master classes from Kristen Gurbach Jacobson, Reginald McLauglin and Sandi Frahm. Nicole has been with Gurnee Park District since 2005 teaching everything from "Tiny Dancer," our beginner level classes, to high level ballet and pointe. In addition, for the last 5 years, Nicole instructs, coaches and choreographs for the competitive dance company, "Above the Barre".

Samantha Murphey has been dancing since the age of two. She has continued her dance education by learning and performing with teachers from Girodanos Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet and dancers from Justin Bieber's Believe Tour. Samantha was the captain of the Grant Community High School Varsity Dance Team in 2011. That year they won 6th in state for Hip Hop, and she was awarded the Sportsmanship Award at the Team Dance Illinois State Competition. She continued to be a part of the High School dance team scene by becoming a coach for the Warren Township High School Dance Team for a year and then become a certified judge for IHSA Dance. Samantha is our lead instructor for our Above The Barre Dance Company at the Park District. Her companies have received many 1st, 2nd, and overall awards for her choreography. In 2018 was awarded the Dance Teacher Excellence Award at the I Love Dance Competition. When she is not at the dance studio she is a preschool teacher in Barrington. Samantha has been teaching dance at Gurnee Park District since 2011.

Marie San Pedro received her early training in ballet with Josette Salang and tap training under Jun-Jun Mabaquiao at Julie Borromeo Dance Arts. She continued to train in pointe technique at the Cultural Center of the Philippines under the British master Mr. William Morgan. In college, Marie became a member of the U.P. Filipiniana Dance Group under the direction of Corazon. During this time, she had the chance to perform in France, Germany, Bangkok and Jordan at the International Festivals. In 1990, she performed on T.V. with Powerdance, a professional jazz company. In 1993, she became a choreographer and dancer on one of the Philippine T.V. hip hop dance shows. She choreographed the Round Lake Park District’s production of The Nutcracker. Marie has been teaching dance at Gurnee Park District since 2008.

Alyson Thomas began her early dance training in Lake Forest, where she received instruction in the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet under the private instruction and mentorship of Anida Sedala. She attended Barat College as a dance major, where she primarily studied Ballet and Modern Dance technique, choreography and pedagogy. She went on to study Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Tap dance at Giordano Dance Center, gaining valuable training from such well-known instructors as Nan Giordano, Anna Czajun, Bruce Stegman, Lane Alexander and ABT’s Warren Conover. Alyson performed with Lake Shore Dance Theatre in their productions of Graduation Ball, Coppelia and Don Quixote. While dancing with the Barat Reperatory Dance Company, she performed in original modern dance works by Greg Begley and Eileen Cropley, and was featured in the restaging of Jose Limon's "Concerto Grosso", under the direction of Libby Nye, an original member of the Limon Company. She also performed with Lake Shore Dancers, a Christian praise dance company. She earned her Grade 1, 2 and 3 Teaching Certificates from the Cecchetti Council of America. Alyson has been teaching for 33 years, beginner through advanced students, in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz and Contemporary/Lyrical. For 18 years she owned and operated a dance studio of her own. She is on staff at another local studio and is thrilled to be joining the staff at Gurnee Park District as well.