YDA Mission Statement

Yvonne’s Dance Academy exists to educate and inspire children in a loving, safe, and nurturing manner. Our structured environment teaches developmentally appropriate skills while simultaneously encouraging creative expression. Our YDA staff uses dance as a tool to build self-esteem and good character while cultivating an appreciation for the art that is dance.

Welcoming Environment

YDA is currently home to dancers from 20 Chicago-area schools. This vast range of children reminds us that dance is a universal language that teaches multi-cultural understanding and appreciation. From our reception area with live video feed into our studios, to our homework/kitchenette area, there is always a place for dancers and their families to feel at home.
Healthy Body & Mind

At YDA we believe dance is a form of physical education which allows children to explore their own physical and creative potential in a safe, non-competitive environment. We have no doubt that dance provides children with an understanding and appreciation of the body that will translate into a long-range commitment to fitness, good nutrition, and health. Dancers at YDA are taught to love their bodies and themselves through dance. This powerful message resonates with our dancers and helps them to build confidence.
Creative Educators

Our dedicated instructors are known for utilizing a wide array of creative methods and teaching styles to educate their dancers. YDA teachers not only model complete ownership of their craft, but are also experienced in differentiation. Our teachers use a variety of manipulatives during instruction to help each child reach their full potential: ballet barres, scarves, stability balls, floor ladders, resistance bands, BOSU, stepping stones, hand and ankle weights, etc.

Ms. Yvonne Grabe-Liddell

Ms. Yvonne Grabe-Liddell is the founder and artistic director of Yvonne’s Dance Academy (YDA), established in 2008. For many years, she has managed the creative vision of her studio from the front lines.

Ms. Yvonne has instructed everything from Mom and Tot classes to Adults Over Fifty classes in most genres of dance.

YDA was created eighteen years ago to educate students about dance in a healthy, positive, and innovative manner. While traditional rules exist within a dance environment, Ms. Yvonne’s solid classroom management style allows her to personally understand the limitations of each student, allowing for differentiated learning with a focus on fun, yet, requiring that all students be engaged and progressing. A delicate balance is easily seen in all of Ms. Yvonne’s classes.

Ms. Yvonne regards dance as an incredibly special and unique art form. The structured environment allows each dancer to progress individually, while simultaneously learning how to work as a collective member of the group. This important developmental skill can easily be translated into many other aspects of the child’s life outside of dance.

Ms. Yvonne firmly believes that dance offers children a chance to express creativity, allows time to be introspective, and contributes to the overall shaping of the child. Her goal is to provide a loving and safe atmosphere for students to take dance to whatever level they desire.

Ms. Yvonne’s early dance training began at the age of three in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois where she studied classical ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, gymnastics, and modern at various studios throughout the city. Her dance teaching experience began in 1989 as a teaching assistant under founder and artistic director, Kathleen Katsoudas, at Kathleen’s Dance Asylum. Upon completing her teacher training with Ms. Kathleen in 1993, Ms. Yvonne began teaching her own classes of three-to-five year old students. Soon after, Ms. Yvonne was teaching the art of dance to a wide variety of levels and in most genres. She continued teaching for Kathleen until 2000 when she left to focus on college. Yvonne credits Ms. Kathleen for guiding her to her life’s passion and work.

In 2006 Ms. Grabe-Liddell completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Developmental Psychology and Social Sciences at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. While at DePaul University, Ms. Yvonne danced as a Demonette for the DePaul University Dance Team.

Upon graduation, she joined St. Benedict Preparatory School (SBPS) community and has been on staff for the past eighteen years. During her tenure at SBPS her accomplishments have included:

third grade teacher in the Elementary School (ES) (2006-2011)
Secondary School (SS) Language Arts teacher (2011-2013)
creator and director of the SS Dance Program (2013-current)
director and choreographer for spring musicals (2006-2008)
director and choreographer for ES Christmas musicals (2006-2011)
choreographer for SS Christmas Celebrations (2011-2018)

Ms. Yvonne is an active member of the dance community and holds memberships with the following organizations:

Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD)
International Dance Entrepreneurs Association (IDEA)
Unity of America’s Dance Organizations, Inc. (UNITY)
National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE)

Dance Instructor

Ms. Emily

Emily Heier holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance and Entrepreneurship from Loyola University Chicago and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with a Dance Endorsement from National Louis University. Having previously served as YDA’s Studio Manager, Emily is a Chicago Public School dance teacher with extensive experience instructing ballet, contemporary, jazz, and tap. She is dedicated to creating an inclusive, encouraging environment where dancers of all ages can build confidence and experience the pure joy of movement. Emily is thrilled for her third year teaching at Yvonne’s Dance Academy!

Dance Instructor

Ms. Callie

Callie Luckenbach grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where she received her most formative dance training at Marjorie Jones School of Dance. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Nonprofit Management from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Callie has performed in the Columbus Arts Festival and Emergence Dance Festival. She has presented solo work in Ten Tiny Dances® Columbus and her choreography has been commissioned by New Vision Dance Company. This is Callie’s seventh year teaching at YDA!

Dance Instructor

Ms. Sarah

Mrs. Sarah Lammie, a Chicago native, began her training on the south side at Kathleen’s Dance Asylum and has been dancing since the age of 7! She studied tap, ballet, jazz, and pointe, and was a competitive dancer through high school with Ms. Yvonne as one of her teachers! She continued her dance training at Knox College, focusing on modern. In high school and after college, Sarah taught at Linda’s Dance Studio, where she learned ballroom, Latin dance, and Mexican Folkloric and taught ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theatre. She now studies tap with Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin and teaches...

Dance Instructor

Ms. Cayla

Cayla Skuran graduated Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University Chicago in Spring 2025 with a double major in Communication Studies and Dance and a minor in Mathematics. Following graduation, she began working as the Administrative Associate for Giordano Dance Chicago. Cayla also dances professionally with Ardent Dance Company and The LAUNCH Chicago. Cayla is beyond excited to continue at Yvonne’s Dance Academy for her second year as an instructor.

Dance Instructor

Ms. Neva

Neva Lang is a Chicago-based dancer interested in choreography, performance, and teaching, cultivating community through dance! She graduated with degrees in Dance and Psychology in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program from Loyola University Chicago in May of 2025. Neva has performed in works choreographed by Sandra Kaufmann, Sarah Cullen Fuller, Amy Wilkinson, Raúl Casasola, Vershawn Sanders-Ward, Martha Graham, José Limón, Mandy Milligan, and Elijah Richardson. Neva enjoys collaborating with other artists, and in the previous year has served as an intern for Hedwig Dances, and developed a choreographic work to be performed alongside faculty and guest artist works at Loyola’s 2024...

Dance Instructor

Ms. Kaylah

Kaylah King is a dancer, choreographer and teaching artist based in Chicago, IL. She received her BFA in Dance from Sam Houston State University in May 2022. Choreographically, King has showcased original choreography in the SHSU undergraduate showcase “Dances @ 8” as well as presented her film “ARE YOU OKAY” in DanceWorks Chicago’s Virtual DanceChance. Furthermore, her piece “Les Funérailles Du Jazz” was featured at the closing piece in the Barnstorm Dance Festival in May 2022. She has been a member of Red Clay Dance Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s Second Company, Noumenon Dance Ensemble and Praize Productions Pro Rize...

Dance Instructor

Ms. Megan

Megan is a dancer, educator, and choreographer from the Chicagoland area who studied dance with a focus in pedagogy at Columbia College Chicago. She provides a dance education that encompasses all types of learners and fosters a community among dancers of all ages, levels, abilities, and aesthetics. She is excited to continue sharing the joy of dancing with the aspiring dancers of the Chicagoland area!

Studio Manager and Dance Instructor

Mx. Trisha

Mx Trisha “T” Stigge (they/them) is a choreographer, dancer, teaching artist, actor and writer based out of Chicago. Originally from Nebraska, Stigge studied Theatre Performance/Directing and Dance at the University of Nebraska Kearney. As a choreographer and dancer, they have trained in Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and Musical Theatre styles. Recent choreography credits include Corn Productions’ “The Best Musical Ever”, Nonsense Theatre Company’s “Doctor Faustus” and “As You Like It”, Fox Valley Theatre Company’s “The Prom”, Children’s Theatre of Elgin’s “Descendants”, “Finding Nemo Jr” and “Jack: An Original Musical”. Mx T is a company member with Corn Productions where they have...

YDA Mission Statement

Welcoming Environment

Healthy Body & Mind

Creative Educators

Ms. Yvonne Grabe-Liddell

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Dance Instructor

Studio Manager and Dance Instructor