About Us
At 3rd Street Dance, we aim to help our students achieve in DANCE & LIFE. We hope to inspire our students to believe in themselves, spread joy, and build lifelong friendships. This is our 3rd Street Dance & More Than Just Great Dancing® philosophy and at this time in history, that's more important than ever before!
Dance meets imperative student needs for community, socialization, friendship, mentors, physical activity, and more! The benefits of dance include, but are not limited to intellectual, academic, social-emotional, and physical support.
3rd Street Dance is the first dance studio in the area to achieve Youth Protection Advocates in Dance™ (YPAD) certification. As the nation's only dance certification program focusing on both safety and wellness for dance students, this certification marks 3rd Street Dance's commitment to keeping kids happy, healthy, and safe in dance.
To earn the designation, studios must complete training in CPR, First Aid, dance education and safety, injury prevention, emergency preparedness, abuse awareness and prevention, dancer wellness and development, social media safety, nutrition and disordered eating, bullying, and conflict resolution.
3 Ways to Dance in our 27th Recital Season:
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In-person, live stream into class (by request), & Private Lessons.
3rd Street Dance is proud to be a More Than Just Great Dancing® affiliated studio! MTJGD is a licensed affiliation of dance studios that subscribe to a
high standard of dance instruction and management practices and are united in their belief that dance has the power to change lives.
We have chosen to align ourselves with this organization because we believe in upholding certain standards while educating children and are committed to creating a positive, safe, encouraging, and welcoming dance studio for all!
We are excited to once again offer our Star Leadership Training program to our student's ages 8-10 and 11-18. This class curriculum is based on the character values of Trust, Service, Love, Excellence, and Growth. Check our schedule for this awesome opportunity.
Alice Williams
Alice Williams, Owner and Artistic Director of the 3rd Street Dance, has been performing dance & theater since she was 5 years old. She began performing theater here in St. Charles with her mom in the Children’s Theatre Workshop and dance with Ellen Copeland at the St. Charles Park District and then Copeland Dance Academy. In high school, Alice was accepted into Northwestern University's Cherub Program where her LOVE of dance grew even more.
Alice went on to Butler University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance. During and after college she performed with the Maine State Music Theatre, in Brunswick Maine, where she performed in various shows. Alice continued to perform professionally all over the country in various theater productions.
Alice is delighted to have the opportunity to run 3rd Street Dance and teach children and adults to love dance like teachers did for her.
Josephine (Josie) Starr
Josephine (Josie) Starr, born and raised in Marshall Missouri began her dance training at Broadway Bound Dance Studio under the direction of mentor Torey Spitzig. Josie graduated
with a B. F. A. in Dance and departmental honors from Webster University. While at Webster she had to honor of working with artists such as Xi Zhao, Gregory Dawson, Tara Webbe Filomena Cacciatore, Anotonio Douthit-Boyd, Maggi Dueker, BeckahReed, and many others.
She has extensive performance experience in concert and competitive dance, as well as, multiple years of teaching
experience. Josie has had the privilege of training with companies across the United States, some of them including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet,
Backhaus Dance and Visceral Dance Chicago. She has most recently danced professionally in
St. Louis with Consuming Kinetics Dance Company, and Ballet 314.
Her teaching journey has
included positions as an Instructor/Choreographer for Broadway Bound Dance Studio and Dance
Productions Unlimited. Josie is thrilled to further her dance career with her first season at
Inaside Dance Chicago starting this Fall. She cannot wait to be a part of 3rd street dance this
season!
Tanya Osika
Tanya Osika put on her first dance shoes at the age of three. She never imagined her first dance routine including mouse ears and tutu would initiate such a strong love affair with dance. From classical ballet to tap, Tanya’s insatiable desire to learn has led her to study almost all forms of dance. Growing up in the dance studio and the competitive dance world, Tanya had the pleasure of studying dance with talented choreographers and master teachers such as Mia Michaels, Doug Caldwell, and Jay Fagan.
Tanya is also a national award-winning performer and choreographer and truly adores teaching and inspiring others to pursue their dancing dreams. Tanya is passionate about continuing her dance education and attends Rhythm World workshops annually where she has been able to study tap technique with artists such as Derick K. Grant, Dianne “Lady Di” Walker, Bril Barrett, and many more talented tap dancers. Tanya had the honor of studying jazz dance with Chicago jazz legend Nan Giordano and completed the Basic and Beginning Level Teacher Certification Programs.
Valeria Amador
Valeria Amador started her dance training at Bataille Academie of the Danse at the age of 3. When she entered high school, she knew that dance was not just a hobby but a passion to pursue further in higher education. Valeria went on to attend the University of Iowa where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Due to her diverse dance background, Valeria had the fortune to work with all the established professors at Iowa.
Just in her senior year, she performed in 6 concerts and was selected to perform at American College Dance Association (ACDA). Her most significant year at the University of Iowa was the opportunity to be in the department’s Dancers in Company that was created to give back to the community and gain concert level experience. Touring the state of Iowa, Valeria discovered the power that dance has in the community and especially with young children. Valeria wanted to continue to share that life-changing experience after she graduated through teaching. She is more than thrilled to learn and grow with the dancers here at 3rd Street Dance and humbled to be working with this dance family!
Case Koerner
Case has been dancing since the age of three. Case mainly trained in the Vaganova method of ballet, but also studied tap, jazz, and contemporary. In college, Case studied theatre and choreographed three of the university's musicals as well as student-directed three plays.
Case believes that sharing the art and joy of dance is incredibly important, and is thrilled to be a part of that process at Third Street.
Keeley Flanigan
Keeley Flanigan started dancing when she was about 3 years old and has not stopped since. Her training includes the styles of Jazz, Modern, Ballet, and Hip-Hop, with a focus on Contemporary dance.
She has performed for 5 years at a collegiate level for Illinois State University as well as with various different dance studios, competition teams, and pre-professional companies. In addition to this, she danced professionally with Noumenon dance ensemble, a dance company located in Chicago, from 2021-2022. Keeley is excited to begin teaching a new group of students at 3rd Street Dance in her hometown
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Kyle Donahue
Kyle has been teaching dance in the Chicagoland area for over 10 years and loves to tap dance! He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from Rockford College and has performed around the world on regional theatre, theme park and cruise ship stages.
Kyle has danced professionally with the Without Shoes Modern Dance Company, studied dance in NYC at Alvin Ailey and the Broadway Dance Center, and has choreographed for educational and professional theaters. Favorite directing and choreography credits include Sponge Bob the Musical, Chicago, Pippin, 42nd Street, Legally Blonde, Dames at Sea, and CATS. Performance credits include Broadway Dinner Theatre, Derby Dinner Playhouse, The Barn Theatre, Cedar Point Theme Park, The Shawnee Playhouse, The Round Barn Theatre, and a lead vocalist aboard a Regent Seven Seas world cruise.
In the Chicagoland area, Kyle has been seen on stage at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook and New American Theatre, and has directed and/or choreographed at Fox Valley Repertory, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Rockford University, and College of Dupage. He works full-time in the arts in Arlington Heights and resides in Geneva with his beautiful wife Julie and their four little ones Lulu, Lincoln, Finn and River. He invites everyone of any level to start tap dance this year: “all are welcome!”
Felicia O'Rourke
Felicia O'Rourke, Office Manager and Instructor, stepped into her first dance class at the age of 2 and continued with studio dance throughout her elementary years. She has strong roots in St. Charles as she was a member of the St. Charles North award-winning drill team and was on the coaching staff for the St. Charles East High School Dance Team. Felicia graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and minor in Psychology from the University of Texas-Pan American.
Throughout her dance journey, she has had the privilege of working with several guest artists nationally and from all over the world: Neijla Yatkin, Teena Marie Custer, Maria Bermudez, Kim Karpanty, Karen Schupp, Lisa Smith, Sarah Gamblin, Edisa Weeks, Susan Douglas Roberts, Twitch, Ian Eastwood, Chris Xayarath, and many more. Felicia has participated in several workshops such as the American College Dance Festival and Gala, River North Dance Intensive, Maria Bermudez Flamenco Workshop, Arthur Murray Summer Training Workshop, and the UTPA Yoga/Pilates intensive where she earned her Pilates certification.
She currently travels to Chicago to continue her dance education at Lou Conte Dance Studio, Visceral, Giordano, and other Chicago studios in her free time. Felicia comes with over 12 years of teaching experience with her favorite genre being Modern. Her true passion goes beyond teaching into mentorship where she hopes to have a positive impact on her students and families. One of her first teachers was Miss Alice and she is honored to now assist Miss Alice by helping spread the love of dance to the Tri-City area.
Ada Williams
Ada Williams has been a dancer at 3rd Street Dance since she was 18 months old. She is trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Lyrical.
She was on 3rd Street’s performance company from ages 5-15 and a part of 3rd Streets inovate company from 2019-2020. She was captain of her dance team at St. Charles North High School and has been an employee at 3rd Street for 3 years. Ada loves getting to work and teaching the kids at 3rd Street and inspiring them to be good dancers and people as she was inspired here at their age!
Maya Paletta
Hailing from Seattle, WA, Maya Paletta has been dancing and performing her entire life. She has training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and break dancing. Through team dance and all star dance competitions she has been part of district, state, and national champion winning teams. Currently she is pursing a BFA in acting with a minor in dance at Northern Illinois University.
As a teacher, Maya is excited to get involved with the 3rd Street Dance community. She strives for a fun, safe, and respectful environment where dancers get to understand the craft and work ethic of the performing arts.
