This is not our entire faculty. More teacher bios to come! Studio Director Heather Arocho began her training at the age of 9 at Kim Kalla's Studio of Dance in Lake Villa, IL. She started teaching at the age of 19 and began choreographing dances for Competitions. Heather then graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a B.A in Choreography and Performance. Since moving to Chicago in 1995, she has danced for and studied with choreographers such as Shirley Mordine with Mordine & Company Dance Theater, Atalee Judy and Breakbone Dance Company, Marge Cole and the Dance COLEctive, Anne Boyd with Redmoon Theater, Colleen Halloran Performance Group, "Iris" Improv Group, Molly Shanahan with Madshak Dance Company, Estradanza, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Brian Jeffrey, Bob Eisen and H.T Chen. Heather has been a teacher at Lively Arts for 15 years now and calls it her second home. Heather currently teaches in the styles of Modern, Ballet, Tumbling and Jazz. As a member of AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists), Jan Augustine has danced for the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the corps de ballet and as a principal dancer for “La Traviata.” She has danced as a soloist and has also choreographed various operas including “Carmen” for DuPage Opera Theater. She has danced and toured with Chicago Festival Ballet and SSPA Ballet in “The Nutcracker”. In addition to ballet and opera, Jan has performed in numerous musicals including “West Side Story” for Theater at the Center, “Chicago” for Buffalo Theater Ensemble and as Charity in “Sweet Charity”. Jan has been a company member of “Broadway Dances” and “Franklin Avenue Dance Co.” She is a guest choreographer at Wheaton College and many other Chicago area schools. Bridget Dominiak has been with Lively Arts Academy for 16 years. Bridget started as a 7yr old that was taking dance for fun and progressed into an award winning choreographer. She is a platinum and diamond winner of numerous regional and national titles. Choreography credits include high point musical theatre numbers as well as various stage productions including; Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, Pippin, and a Beatles Tribute Show. She has trained with Jeff Hancock at Columbia College Chicago where she majored in theatre. She’s a proud former member of LTHS Eurythmic Dance Company and studied voice with Sulie Harand and Errol Pearlman. Bridget is an integral member of the Harand Theatre Department where she has been a director for 8 years. Bridget is also a member of the International Thespian Society. Miss Heather trained for nearly 15 years with the world-famous Dennehy School of Irish Dance on the Southside of Chicago. During her competitive career, she participated in numerous Mid-America, North America, All-Ireland and World Irish Step Dancing Championships. Before retiring from competition, Ms. Heather was ranked in the Top 10 in the Mid-America Region, amongst other local and national titles. She was also featured in television and online commercials for Guinness and LG Electronics. After hanging up her competitive dance shoes, Miss Heather began studying for the T.C.R.G. Exam to become certified as an Irish Step Dancing Teacher by the Irish Step Dancing Commission in Ireland. Ms. Heather successfully passed the two-day exam in October 2007, which tested her dancing and teaching skills, as well as her knowledge of traditional Irish music, ceili and set dances. Since then, Miss Heather’s students have become rising stars in the highly competitive world of traditional Irish Step Dance competitions, known as feis’. In addition, Lively Arts dancers not only have the opportunity to participate in feis’, but can also compete in solo and group choreography numbers in competitions such as Midwest Starz, something only Lively Arts Irish Dancers currently do. Miss Heather also incorporates modern forms of Irish Step Dancing in conjunction with traditional steps and elements, which not only makes each dance enjoyable to watch, but fun to learn and perform. Megan Mattucci began dancing at Lively Arts Dance and Fine Arts Academy at three years old, continuing her education there throughout her high school years. She was a member of Lively Arts’ competition team for many years, receiving numerous top awards for both solo and group pieces. She was a member of the Lyons Township High School poms squad for four years, serving as one of three competition choreographers her senior year. Through poms, Megan was chosen as a Universal Dance Association All-Star two years in a row and danced in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York her senior year. She was also a member of LTHS’ Eurythmic Dance Company for two years, choreographing three pieces her senior year. While in high school, Megan was a dancer and ensemble cast member in the world premiere of the musical, ‘Nefertiti,’ performed at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center. Megan graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010 with a B.S. in Kinesiology, where she was a member of the 3Spot Dance Troupe for four years. In those four years, she choreographed ten pieces and served as the treasurer for one year and the vice president for a year and a half. Throughout her dancing years, Megan has worked with some amazing choreographers, such as Randy Duncan, Mari Jo Irbe, Keith Elliot, Jeff Hancock and Jay Fagan. In her spare time, Megan is the head coach and choreographer of the St. Francis Xavier varsity cheerleading and dance team. Megan is also a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise. Recently, she has become a member of the esteemed Chicago National Association of Dance Masters and is training to receive her Certified Dance Educator status through CNADM. Cheryl Okuda started dancing at Lively Arts Academy when she was 7 years old. She competed with Lively Arts Academy’s Competition Team all over the Midwest and has earned top ten ranking with her solo performances and her own choreography in varying styles along with “Standout Dancer” recognition. Cheryl was a member of Lyons Township High School’s Poms Squad all four years of high school and was co-captain her senior year. The Universal Dance Association selected Cheryl as a UDA All-Star all three years she attended their summer dance camp. Cheryl has taught at Lively Arts Academy since 2005 and enjoys sharing her passion and inspiring young dancers. She studied dance at Columbia College Chicago under the tutelage of Margi Cole, Jeff Hancock, Darrell Jones, and Dardi McGinley-Gallivan. Cheryl was invited to join Trae Turner’s hip-hop company, Boom Crack Dance Company and has been with them since January 2010. She has performed with the company at many showcases and competitions including the first ever Prelude Midwest Urban Dance Competition and Chicago’s Pre-Screening of Step Up 3D. In addition to teaching and performing, Cheryl edits media for the studio and manages all of Lively Arts’ internet pages (website, YouTube, Facebook). She hopes to continue teaching and inspiring her students while continuing her growth as a dancer. Robyn Robbins has studied and performed with Ballet Omaha, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company, and Alvin Ailey. A proud member of Actors' Equity Association, she has performed in numerous musicals in the Chicagoland area including The King & I, West Side Story, Carousel, Singin' In the Rain, Crazy For You, Me and My Girl, George M!, Hello Dolly!,Oklahoma!,Guys and Dolls, Mame, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She has also toured nationally with Jesus Christ Superstar starring Ted Neely and Carl Anderson. In addition to teaching at Lively Arts, Robyn is a company member of Mystique Productions and the Company Manager at Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre. In her free time she does yoga and works as a freelance choreographer.