Intrigue Dance and Performing Arts Center is dedicated to teaching, sharing, and encouraging a passion for the art of dance and performance. Our highly skilled teachers are committed to creating a fun and safe learning environment for adults and children alike. By inspiration, determination, and discipline, Intrigue Dance aspires to "intrigue" people of all levels and backgrounds to follow their love for dance.
instructor bios
Pia Hamilton
Owner, Instructor
Pia has been dancing since the age of 3. As a kid, Pia played the character "Min" on the popular children's television show, "Barney and Friends". Pia continued to dance throughout high school and college, receiving numerous awards and trophies, including scholarships to study in New York and Los Angeles. She has studied with the renowned Paula Morgan, with whom she assisted internationally in Italy, Canada, as well as in the U.S.
Other national credits include dance industrials for Reebok, Smirnoff, American Airlines, and Mark Kay Cosmetics. Pia danced as an apprentice for River North Chicago Dance Company for a year and a half, and then went on the become a dancer in The All Night Strut musical at Marriott, Lincolnshire. In 2008, she performed with the touring company of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Buffalo and Cleveland.
Through these endeavors, she is a proud member of the Actorç—´ Equity Association and the American Guild for Variety Artists. She is now currently dancing with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, a modern and contemporary dance company. She has been blessed to work with amazing artists and directors such as Kevin Iega Jeff, Gary Abbott, Paula Morgan, Frank Chaves, Laura Wade, and Sharon and Brandye Burriss. Along with her professional experience, Pia has been teaching, assisting, and choreographing dance since college. She has taught all levels of dance to students and adults of all ages.
With her extensive knowledge and love for dance, she brings dedication, passion, and professionalism to her classes. Pia also has a B.S. degree in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University. Her knowledge of the kinesiology and anatomy of the body has aided in providing her students with a healthy approach to the exercise and health benefits of dance. Pia is excited to own and operate Intrigue Dance and Performing Arts Center. It has been her dream to create a nurturing, supportive, and educational atmosphere for adults and kids, and she loves sharing her passion for dance with others. She thanks her family, friends, and especially her husband for all of their love and support!
Dustin Hamilton
Co-Owner
Dustin has an extensive background in the performing arts. He received his BA in Acting at Illinois State University, and has performed in over 30 professional productions in and around the Chicago Land area.
Regional credits include Of Thee I Sing (Vladimir Vidavitch), A Christmas Carol (Young Scrooge US), The Music Man (Tommy Djilas), Forever Plaid (Sparky US), Superman the Musical (Rascalnokov), Pinocchio (Pinocchio), The Nutcracker (Nutcracker US), Kamasutra the Musical (Dick), The Fantasticks (Matt), Broadway Man (Ensemble) starring Sam Harris, The Christmas Schooner (Oscar), Dr. Sex (Edgar), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Fuentes), Animal of the Year (Jo-Jo), Joseph..Dreamcoat (Joseph), The Laramie Project (Moises Kaufman), Crazy For You (Bobby), Godspell (ensemble), and Brigadoon (Charlie).
Dustin has been seen in National and Regional print ads for Miller Lite, Sears, and The Chicago Independent Film Festival. He has also been seen in National TV spots for Budweiser, Miller Lite, US Cellular, and the US Armed Forces. Film Credits include "Keeper of the Necklace" and An "Enigma". He is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) as well as Actors Equity Association (AEA).
Dustin co-founded Intrigue Dance with his wife Pia in the hopes of creating a great learning environment for young kids as well as current and aspiring artists to grow in the realm of dance performance. It is his desire to continue his own growth along with all of the students at Intrigue in various forms of dance. None of this would be possible without Pia, who along with her incredible talent, brings the very essence of what Intrigue Dance is all about to each and every student she teaches. It is her love, desire, passion, and professionalism that makes Intrigue Dance what it is.
Kathleen Turner
Instructor
Kathleen was born in Columbus, Ohio where she trained at BalletMet with the distinguished April Berry and Yoko Ichino. She continued her dance education at such institutions as the American Dance Festival, Julliard, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Ohio University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Honors Tutorial College with a degree in dance.
Kathleen has recently relocated from Cleveland, Ohio where she was a member of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater. She has worked with artists such as Ronald K. Brown, Craig "Bopi" Patterson, Murray Louis, Shapiro and Smith, and has performed at the Kennedy Center and various venues around New York City.
She was honored to play the role of "Mary" in Karamu's Black Nativity for its 90th Anniversary season. Ms. Turner is currently a member of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 2 and a guest artist with Chicago Dance Crash.
Hanna Brictson
Instructor
Hanna grew up in Elgin, Illinois. She has studied dance in the Chicago-land area at Lou Contes, Ruth Page, and Gould Academy. She is currently dancing with River North Chicago Dance Company as a principal dancer. This is her fifth season with the company.
She has also worked with ODC San Francisco, and MA dance Texas. Hanna has also received many awards, including scholarships to both Point Park University Dance program and Western Michigan University Dance program. She has been teaching all through out the Chicago-land area for the past 6 years, along with her own growing youth company of Pure Dance.
Buddy Reeder
Instructor
Buddy has been teaching tap for over 20 years. He has taught at various studios and universities around the country, including Lou Conte Dance Studio, Hubbard Street Outreach Program, Columbia College, Roosevelt University, Dance Academy of Libertyville, Naperville School of Dance, University of Akron, and Kent State University.
Buddy is Co-Owner of C.R. Rainbow Studio, a Chicago based recording studio. His stage credits include Cabaret (Emcee), Cats (Mongojerrie), West Side Story (Arob), 42nd Street (Billy), and Gypsy (Tulsa). His TYA credits include Sleeping Beauty (Prince Hunter), Peter Pan (Lost Boy), The Nutcracker (Jack in the box), and The Velveteen Rabbit (The boy).
As a director and choreographer his credits include All Shook Up, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Cats, Soleil Moon World Concert Tour, Some Like It Hot, A Night with Harold Arlen, Anything Goes, Annie, 42nd Street, and work for Mystique Productions.
Jennifer Lynn Warnick
Instructor
Jennifer is a native of Chicago. She started her dance career by performing the role of Clara in the Chicago Tribune Nutcracker at Arie Crown Theater. She trained under the direction of many notable teachers and mentors including Pamela Johnson-Tanis, Larry Long and Birute Barodicaite. She has also attended programs with Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre in New York, and the Houston Ballet where she danced on full scholarship.
After graduating from high school, Jennifer danced for two years with Houston Ballet II performing principle roles in Don Quixote, Theme and Variations and Paquita. She has performed in Houston Ballet’s productions of Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, the Nutcracker, and Cinderella.
Jennifer was a soloist with the State Street Ballet in California, as well as an apprentice with River North Chicago Dance Company. More recently, she danced in the Joffrey Ballet for three years performing all across the United States. There she performed works by Twyla Tharp, Gerald Arpino, Anthony Tudor, Sir Frederick Ashton, as well as many others. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and love for dance with young dancers.
Jennifer would like to thank her wonderful family and friends for their love and support.
Sharon E. Avendaño
Instructor
Sharon is a dedicated alpha leader with over 18 years of professional experience in dance, film and theater, as well as 12 years in the health and fitness industry in various capacities. Her favorite work includes dancing with the NBA’s “All Star Jams” half time shows in San Antonio TX, Cleveland Ohio, and New York, as well as work with Chicago’s Mystique Productions, the NY Rythmics, and New York City Knicks Dancer.
Various TV/Film works include: “Tinseltown” as Lillian Bestaway, HBO’s Soprano’s, Bilingual TV show, “Gala Scene” Galavision/Univision, “The Myth of Time” (voted top 10 for the Independent Filmmaker Labs as well as Independent short film), “The Lifters” as Cookie. Her theater credits include, “La Llorona” at the 2nd Stage Theater NY, “The Bride of Olnyville Square” as Ruthie Garcia at the 42nd St Pantheon Theater, and “You Belong to me” as Joyce.
Currently Sharon is working with Chicago’s own Theatro Luna where she understudied the new 2009 revival of the acclaimed “S-E-X” Oh! The Remix. Sharon has also written and performed “La Brava” as Marie at the BAAD Theater annual showcase of “Pepatian’s Jump it up!” which is a place where artists can write, produce, and perform their work.
As well as a student of the Chicago’s Acting Studio her training experience includes traditional 1-1 PT sessions, group classes, choreography, professional stretching, nutrition council and technical boxing. Her passion for boxing has lead to the creation of EBACFIT, a functional health and wellness service that houses EBAC, an acronym for Extreme Boxing and Conditioning (more information here).
Jessica Ellis
Instructor
Jessica is a Virginia native, born and raised in Richmond. She fell in love with dance at the age of seven and began studying seriously at Howard University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While at Howard Jessica had the opportunity to work with such artists as Ronald K. Brown, Eleo Pomare, and Kevin Iega Jeff.
Following college, Jessica moved to New York where she fell in love with Hip-Hop, studying under Rhapsody James at Broadway Dance Center. She also danced for Movement for the Urban Village and Ajoya Body Politic before moving to Chicago to dance with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. This is her third season with the company.
Jessica’s style of choreography is a combination of her love of African movement, east coast Hip-Hop, and Dance Theater. Her goal is to prove that anyone can dance and she believes everyone has something unique and beautiful to contribute to dance.
Willie White
Instructor
Coming Soon!