BEHIND THE MOVEMENT
Established in 2018, Creative Productions Dance Studio, formally known as Creative Playground is an award-winning group of dancers ranging in ages 2 through 17. In 2021, the studio transferred ownership to Creative Director, Ally Arnett, whose passion and vision is to bring the movement of dance to new heights in the community and the competition world.
Creative Productions is known in Cudahy and the neighboring communities for its exceptional dance training and was voted The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Top Dance Studio of the Year!
Focusing on teaching exceptional techniques and creating unforgettable experiences, we are committed to our dancers’ satisfaction and success. Whether you are interested in recreational classes or dancing competitively we are happy to have you join our dance family!
MEET THE TEAM
ALLY ARNETT
Owner, Creative Director & Coach
Ally began her life-long dance career at the young age of 2 years old when she began taking beginner ballet classes at the local YMCA. At the age of 7, Ally started dancing at Young Dance Academy, where she trained in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical styles. Ally then went on to join her varsity high school dance team and won a first place state title her sophomore year all while she continued to travel and compete at studio competitions. After high school, Ally danced professionally for several dance programs around the Midwest. She got an itch for her own program so she decided to settle down in Milwaukee and coach dance at a local elementary school. Taking that program on to compete drove Ally to want a bit more of a challenge. Ally fell into the position of her alma mater Martin Luther High School where she served as Head Coach for 15 years. In that time Ally also started the Spartan Dance Academy, a non-profit youth dance program for local grade and middle schools.
On top of her successes as a coach, Ally is extremely active in the NFHS, ISHA, and WACPC sanctioned events for the States of WI and IL including the annual State Dance Championship.
In 2021 Ally took ownership of Creative Productions Dance Studio. Taking the studio to a whole new, innovative, creative and elite status. Creative Productions Majesty Elite competition troupe won a National Showdown Title in the Jr. Division in June 2023 putting them on the competition map. Ally is excited about the bright future of the studio and can not wait to continue to take dance to the next level.
Ally also enjoys spending time with her 2 daughters, loves designing clothes, interior design, renovations, gardening and her amazing collections of shoes!
AMANDA MACIK
Coach, Director of Competition
Miss Amanda is entering her fourth season as coach at Creative Productions. She began her dance career at Young Dance Academy in Oak Creek, where she studied jazz, tap, and ballet intensively for 9 years. She was a member of the Oak Creek HS Varsity Pom Squad for four years and earned the role of captain in her senior year. During her time in poms, she was twice named Badgerette All Star and Badgerette Dance Star. These honors allowed her to study under top choreographers at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City.
After graduation Amanda continued to choreograph for area teams, including Oak Creek HS, Pius HS, and the University of WI-Whitewater. She has been a judge for numerous dance competitions and auditions over the years and is an active member of the United States All Star Federation. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, and went on to get her Masters degree in publishing from Kingston University of London in 2014.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, writing, traveling, going to the movies, and helping animals. Miss Amanda love Harry Potter, superheroes, and all things Disney! Her favorite food is watermelon, and she has two pets - a tuxedo cat named Chloe and a bulldog/pitbull mix named Aries.
AMY PLENNES
Coach
Miss Amy has been with Creative Productions Dance Studio since it opened in 2018. She is the coach for our Lollies Troupe and also teaches our Little Movers rec class. She began her interest in dance through her years of theater production and has enjoyed bringing that genre of dance into her classes.
Outside of dance, Miss Amy has a degree in marketing with over 20 years of business experience. She is currently the proud co-owner of The National Cafe in Walker's Point and The Lafayette Place on Milwaukee's Eastside. In Addition, she also specializes in vacation planning through her travel agency Dream Vacations with A3 Travel Group. She enjoys spending time with her children and animals, and if you want to make small talk with her all you have to do is bring up the TV Show Friends!
AMANDA LEWIS
Coach
Amanda Lewis is a native of Akron, Ohio where she started her training at Natalya's Turning Pointe and remained there until the age of 15. In her junior year of high school she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and trained with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre under the direction of Marjorie Grundvig, Dennis Marshal and Janet Popeleski. She's also attended several summer intensives such as American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Milwaukee Ballet. She did two years in Milwaukee Ballet II in their second company and just accepted an offer to join the main company with Milwaukee Ballet as an apprentice.
Allison Stachowiak
Office Manager
Hey there, I’m Allison! Originally hailing from the cozy town of Cudahy but now proudly calling South Milwaukee my home sweet home. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, I’ve been rocking the role of office manager at Creative Productions Dance Studio for the past three years, where every day is a dance party!
When I’m not busy keeping things running smoothly at the studio, you can find me making magic happen at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Juggling multiple roles is my jam – just like how I effortlessly juggle being a mom to one amazing daughter and one mischievous Lab.
I thrive in warm weather – there’s just something about sunshine that fuels my productivity and creativity. Whether it’s basking in the sun or bringing warmth to any project I touch, I always bring a ray of sunshine wherever I go!
Fun fact about Miss Allison- She has watched her favorite tv show Greys Anatomy at least 30 times, she has 5 siblings and her favorite color is black!
TAYLOR MAURCHIE-BANKS
Coach
This will be Mr. Taylor's third year with Creative Productions as an Instructor in Ballet, and specialty classes such as Technique, Improv and Turns.
Mr. Taylor is from Rockford, Illinois and began his ballet training right after high school. He attended Northern Illinois University majoring in dance. He has trained with Rockford Dance Company, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Milwaukee Ballet, HybridMotion and recently graduated from the Lines Ballet Training Program.
He is currently in his second season as a movement artist with Waterstreet Dance Milwaukee.
Some of his performance credits include Nutcracker Prince/Sugar Plum Cavalier with the Beth Fowler School of Dance, ACDA Nationals 2018 at the Kennedy Center, and he recently took part in the San Francisco Trolley Dances this past November.
LAURYN EISBRENNER
Coach, Director of Recreational Classes
This will be Miss Lauryn's second year coaching at CP! She will be coaching our Majesty Hip Hop Troupe, as well as our recreational Hip Hop class.
Miss Lauryn started dancing at the age of three in the St. Francis Recreational Program. When she was seven years old, she entered the world of competitive dance. Miss Lauryn was on the competition team at CP the first year the studio opened and traveled to Orlando, FL to compete in the Dance Summit Competition.
Currently Miss Lauryn attends St. Francis High School and is a dancer on the St. Francis High School Dance Team, where her team has won three State Championships in Hip Hop.
In her free time, Miss Lauryn enjoys spending time with friends, family and her pets!
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Teresa Noonan
Coach
Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Miss Teresa began teaching Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Modern, Acrobatics, Flexibility/Tricks, Conditioning and Improvisation in 2013. In 2015 she became the Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Rehearsal Director of North Georgia Dance and Music Factory and Kaleidoscope Dance Company while receiving her A.A.S in business Management.
In 2021 Miss Teresa received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in Contemporary Dance from the University of North Carolina School of The Arts where she was fortunate to perform featured roles in works such as Kingdom and Waiting in The Wings by Larry Keigwin, Pulcinella by Douglass Dunn, Battlefield by Robert Battle, Intentions by Juel D. Lane and A Work In Progress by Yin Yue.
Since graduating Miss Teresa has become a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a registered yoga instructor while performing and teaching with Komanse Dance Theatre in Atlanta. Currently Miss Teresa is on her third season with Waterstreet Dance Milwaukee and is thrilled to continue teaching and choreographing in her new city.
Freddy Aguirre
Coach
Freddy, born and raised in Wisconsin is currently dancing and performing with Waterstreet Dance Milwaukee.
Freddy has taught at several studios between Illinois and Wisconsin specializing in Hip Hop techniques, contemporary fusion and Jazz Funk.
Freddy prides himself in helping his students develop unique movement qualities and assisting them to find natural grooves.
Ben Zusi
Coach
Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Ben Zusi trained at the Southold Dance Theater under Calin Radulescu and Erica Fischbach. While training, he attended various summer programs at the School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Boston Ballet. In his senior year, he received first at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) regionals and was a finalist YAGP finals.
Mr. Zusi spent two years in Kansas City Ballet II, the second company of Kansas City Ballet. During this time, he performed roles in multiple Company productions, including Petite Mort, Lead Russian in The Nutcracker, Toto in The Wizard of Oz, and various other corps roles.
This is Mr. Zusi’s second season with the Milwaukee Ballet Company.