FACULTY

Betty Mitchell School Director and Ballet Instructor

In 1976, Betty Mitchell began her early ballet training with Jean Nuccilli, (Southfield, MI), Leslie O’Day (Detroit, MI) and Rosemarie Floyd (Royal Oak, MI), while touring and performing with The Glory & Latter Rain Dance Companies.

1986, Ms. Mitchell assumed the position of Director of Dance at Bethesda Christian Church, where she also instructed ballet classes. Performances at various large church and school events contributed to a rapid increase in enrollment which brought a significant awareness of Jesus Christ in dance in the metropolitan Detroit area.

1994-2002, Ms. Mitchell assumed the Director of Dance position at Kensington Community Church (Troy, MI) where a Performing Arts School was launched and classes offered in ballet, modern, jazz, tap & Ballroom. During her tenure at Kensington, Ms. Mitchell coordinated many collaborative events with local, regional and nationally recognized ballet and modern companies, such as Ballet Magnificat (Jackson, MS), Eisenhower Dance Ensemble (Oakland County, MI), Rosemarie Floyd Civic Ballet (Royal Oak, MI) and Houston Ballet Dancers (Millenium Center, Southfield, MI).

(2002-present), Currently Ms. Mitchell is Director of The Link School of the Arts of The Link School of the Arts, a non-profit 501 C3 arts organization, launched by Kensington community church. She is also a LCAA member of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) and is currently working on her ACCA and FCCA certification. She is also certified through Cecchetti USA as a LCUSA Licentiate Member. Ms. Mitchell has presented more than 1,500 candidates for Cecchetti Examinations in Grades 1– 6. Ms. Mitchell also teaches Advanced 7 and Diploma classes under the direction of Ms. Bethany Lenhart. For her non-syllabi teaching, she has studied under many notable teachers; Priscilla Nathan Murphy, Andrew Murphy, Lauren Anderson, Victoria Vittum, Caleb Mitchell, ( All Houston Ballet) Shawn Stevens (NYCB & Twyla Tharp), IBC Teacher’s Training (David Howard), Steve Rooks, Evelyn Cisneros, and Sol Maissonet.

Ms. Betty, the late Mr. Sonny and their son Caleb, started the Vision that has created the Link School of the Arts as it is today. She has LINKED dancing for the Glory of God, high quality dance education, and community engagement performances locally and internationally, and has made all the CORNERSTONES of the School. Ms. Betty has poured her heart and soul into the School and has been its Director for over 30 years! She has MANY students that have progressed to professional careers in dance and created a BREEDING GROUND for teachers and choreographers. She inspires all of her students and faculty to be better and holds them to the highest quality of dance and in life.

 She continues the vision that she, Mr. Sonny and Caleb’s life work started, with facilitating the launch of the Professional Arm of the School, The ARK Initiative Ballet and currently working with many leaders and dancers in the Southeast Michigan area on developing the Southeast Michigan Ballet Alliance. .

In 2008, Ms. Mitchell instructed, mentored and coached a competitor at the CICB Competition in Calgary, Alberta, the 2011 CICB Competition in Manchester, England, and presented 4 competitors in the 2017 CICB Competition in Florence, Italy with one of the competitors advancing to finals in the Senior Division. Many of her students have placed in the top 12 of YAGP regional and national competitions and gives all the honor and praise of these accomplishments to the Glory of God!

Susan Howard Ballet Instructor, Tap Instructor, Financial Administrator

Susan Howard received her early classical ballet training at the Doris Marsh School of Ballet. Earlier jazz and tap training were studied at the Judy Kanary School of Dance. During this time Susan attended multiple dance workshops and summer intensives studying under Sylvia Palmer (Royal Winnepeg Ballet), Gus Giordano, Al Gilbert, Meribeth Kisner, Michael Donovan, Sherry Zunker, Ellen Carrington, Lisa Nowak and many others. Following her study, she went on to become a dancer with the Detroit City Dance Company, a professional modern dance company under the direction of Carole Morisseau. Plans to pursue a dance career in NY were thwarted when she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior.

In 1984, Susan joined “The Glory Dancers”, a Christian interpretive ballet company that toured locally, regionally and nationally, communicating the Gospel message through dance. Susan was a ballet instructor for 7 years at the Bethesda Christian School of Dance and performed with the Latter Rain Christian Dance Ministry for 11 years. She then went on to teach ballet, tap, jazz, and modern for 7 years at Kensington Community Church School of Dance.

In 2002, Susan assisted Betty Mitchell in launching The Link School of the Arts, a 501c3 arts launch of Kensington Community Church. Susan also became a member of the Cecchetti Council of America, and has trained and presented more than 150 candidates for Cecchetti Examinations in Grades 1-3. She has attended numerous Cecchetti seminars as well as workshops including the 1998 IBC Teacher’s Workshop with David Howard, CICB 2011 Teacher’s workshop in Manchester, England, CICB 2014 Teacher’s Workshop in Richmond, Virginia and Master Classes at the Houston Ballet. During this time, she has also studied under master teachers: Lauren Anderson, Shawn Stevens, Priscilla Nathan Murphy, Andrew Murphy, Caleb Mitchell, Steven Rooks, Clara Cravey, Sol Nazario, Charmaine Hunter, and Evelyn Cisneros.  Currently, Susan serves as a Ballet instructor at The Link School of the Arts.

Bethany Lenhart Ballet Instructor

Bethany Lenhart  is currently a Fellow of the Cecchetti Council of America, holding the Advanced Certification (FCCA). She serves as the First Vice President and current Liaison Coordinator of the Executive Board. Bethany has held the offices of President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary and General Board Chairman. She received the Sylvia Hamer/Margaret Marsh Scholarship and attended the Cecchetti Teacher’s Course in England. She has choreographed for several regional dance companies in the USA and Canada and was associated with the former Flint Ballet Theatre. Bethany has received the Children’s champion Award and is listed in the International Who’s Who of Professionals. We are very excited that Bethany is a part of the Link Family and Faculty.

Andrew Kaczmarek Ballet Instructor

Andrew trained with Cornelia Sampson at the Rochester School of Dance and was a principal dancer of Michigan Ballet Theatre. During Andrew’s studies, he was a full scholarship recipient at School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. From 2009-2014, Mr. Kaczmarek’s professional career took him from the Boston Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy Studio company, Cincinnati Ballet, & Pittsburgh Ballet.

DeAnne Essian Resident Choreographer, Worship Instructor

DeAnne Essian began her early training with Ann Parsley studying the Cecchetti Method and dancing with the Macomb Ballet Company. She continued her advanced studies in Carlisle Pennsylvania, under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Gennadi Vostrikov of the Moiseyev Classical Ballet, Russia. DeAnne went on to be awarded the Dorothy B. Dalton Dance Scholarship at Western Michigan University and was coached by the late Eugene Mills. She advanced to the Joffrey Ballet Company in NYC and was awarded a scholarship to the professional school and accepted a trainee contract with the company to study and train year round. In 1997, she returned home to Michigan to teach for Cornelia Sampson at the Rochester School of Dance and perform as a guest artist with The Michigan Ballet Theatre. In 2000, DeAnne was awarded a contract to perform with the Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Vermont. She performed as a soloist in Le Corsair, La Bayadere and Snow White at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. DeAnne went on to dance for the Northern Ballet Theatre, performing as a soloist in the Nutcracker, as well as performed several contemporary ballet pieces and original works of choreography. DeAnne returned back home to Michigan and married her husband Matthew in 2002. She is a devoted wife and mother to her three children. While working with the Michigan Ballet Theatre in 2016, her piece “Beauty for Ashes” was awarded a 1st place, in the semi-final division in Toronto, Canada and then went on to be awarded the “Best Choreographer Award” in the Finalist Category at the International World Ballet Art Competition Grand Prix. DeAnne is currently the founder and Artistic Director of Grace Dance Ensemble, a contemporary Christian dance company. DeAnne teaches the advanced ballet class at the Link School of the Arts, and is a guest choreographer for the company class. Her passion is to share what she has learned as a professional dancer but also to mentor and develop these young dancers to know that their identity is first and foremost as a child of God, and to use their talents to worship Jesus Christ and shine for His glory!

Angele Kurschat Modern Instructor, Worship Instructor, Resident Choreographer

Angele Kurschat (formerly Nachtman) is a former student at the Link School of the Arts. She graduated from Rochester University with a B.S. in Musical Theatre in May 2021. She specializes in teaching Modern and Broadway Jazz and is truly fulfilled by teaching and pouring into the lives of her students. Her favorite scripture is Romans 1:16-17.

Sarah Geer Pilates Instructor, Adult Ballet Instructor