GCPA offers two special courses available ONLY in the summer: Choreography Styles and Acting Styles. These popular variations classes are some of our most anticipated every year. Study a new style with special guest industry artists every week.
Acting Styles: Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm | Drop Ins: $25
Choreography Styles: Wednesdays, 8pm-9:30pm | Drop Ins: $30
Check out the full lineup of teachers below and keep scrolling + hover for all the details on their credentials and classes this summer!
CHOREOGRAPHY STYLES
UP NEXT: WEDNESDAY, JULY 16TH
UPCOMING: Dear Evan Hansen (The Muny). WORLD TOUR/US PREMIERE: The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale. BROADWAY: The Winslow Boy. 1st NATIONAL TOURS: Billy Elliot, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. WORLD PREMIERES: Buzz - directed by Emmy-winner Carrie Preston (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Con College (River Rat Productions); Nibbler (Rattlestick Playwrights) CHICAGO: Billy Elliot (Paramount Theatre); Hello, Dolly (Marriott Theatre); A Taste of Soul (Black Ensemble Theater); Guys and Dolls (Drury Lane Theatre) REGIONAL: Cabaret (NJT), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Fulton Theatre); She Loves Me (The Link Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); Newsies, 42nd Street, Camelot, Beautiful (The Muny). FILM: Soul on Fire (Oct. 10th release) starring William H. Macy. MA in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Shelby Ringdahl is a former New Yorker and now local St. Louis professional actor. Shelby’s voice has been heard coast to coast leading various national tours, regional productions, and performing with some of our country’s top symphonies. She has been seen on our local stages including The Muny (Les Miserables, Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar), STAGES (Million Dollar Quartet), and The Rep (Million Dollar Quartet Christmas) as well as leading various masterclasses and choreographing productions for various high schools in the area. Lastly, She is a former Miss Missouri and top 12 finalist at Miss America.
PAST CLASSES
Lilly Hetz is a St. Louis based aerialist, dancer, and stilt walker. Lilly graduated from Missouri Baptist University, summa cum laude, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, minoring in both Business Administration and Dance. Sharing her passions through performance and teaching is what fills Lilly’s heart. Lilly is an instructor of aerial arts, acrobatics, and dance at various dance and performing arts studios across the St. Louis area. Watching her students improve and grow both as artists and as individuals is truly her greatest joy. Lilly teaches her students to approach their training with a growth mindset -- setting goals, identifying incremental accomplishments, and taking ownership of their own progress and growth. Using the stage name Lil-E-Lectric, Lilly performs aerial arts, dance, and stilt walking at both corporate and public events in the St. Louis area as well as cities throughout the Midwest and beyond. Her favorite aspect of performing is interacting with her audience to create magical and truly unique experiences. Lilly is always expanding her knowledge and skill set, seeking new challenges, and finding joy through creativity. She has a passion for motivating and connecting with others through movement. Lilly is very grateful to have the opportunity to do and share what she loves everyday.
Taylor Louderman is a Tony-nominated actress, educator, and philanthropist, best known for originating the role of Regina George in Broadway’s MEAN GIRLS. She made her Broadway debut leading BRING IT ON: The Musical and went on to star as Wendy in Peter Pan Live! (NBC) and Lauren in KINKY BOOTS on Broadway. Her TV credits include series regulars on NBC’s Kenan and Nick Jr's Sunny Day as well as roles on The Good Fight (CBS), Evil (CBS), The Loudest Voice (Showtime) and High Maintenance (HBO). Beyond performing, Taylor co-wrote a teen musical now being performed in middle schools nationwide and founded the nonprofit Write Out Loud Project, supporting emerging musical theatre songwriters.
When hearing the word clown, many immediately think of painted faces, big red noses, and oversized shoes. But the art of clowning goes much deeper, enabling actors to find freedom of expression and imagination, while developing physical and mental stamina, strength and versatility. Clowning skills can be used in comedies on stage, on TV, and in movies. Come explore the roots of clowning and how to apply it to characters and text with GCPA’s co-founder and Executive Director, Paul Pagano!
Paul Pagano (Director), a native of St. Louis, received his BA in Drama from Washington University and Masters in Theatre Education from Fontbonne University. As a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2001, Paul has had the opportunity to work with the Guthrie Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Children’s Theatre Company, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Hey City Theatre, the MUNY, STAGES St. Louis, HotCity Theatre, and many others. As a director and fight choreographer, in addition to 19 productions (and counting) at GCPA, credits include the MUNY, Washington University, Fontbonne University, Missouri All-State Theatre, and Kirkwood Theatre Guild. As an instructor, Paul has taught at GCPA, COCA, St. Louis University High School, and STAGES Performing Arts Academy. Love to wife, Lori, and kids, Xavier and Kalia!
Ashley L. Tate is a director, choreographer, educator, and performer from Saint Louis, Missouri. She is an assistant professor of dance at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, an affiliate faculty member with the UNC Charlotte Department of Africana Studies, and founder and artistic director of Ashleyliane Dance Company (ADC). Tate received her MFA in Dance from Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to various cities in the state of Missouri, her work has been featured in concerts in New York City, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boulder, Greensboro, and Santa Monica. She has been invited to present her research at several conferences and conventions, including the European Hip Hop Studies Network 2024 Conference in Cork, Ireland.
Stephanie Fox: Originally from Oklahoma, Stephanie graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Music: Music Theatre and continued her studies independently in New York. As a proud member of Actors’ Equity (Stephanie Long) she has performed regionally, on National tour and in New York. In St. Louis, Stephanie has taught at COCA, STAGES, and choreographed for 8 years at Chaminade College Prep along with numerous professional choreography credits. Stephanie now lives in Michigan with her two pups and husband but is grateful to continue her work with GCPA both remotely and in person.
A native of Jacksonville, IL, Laura is a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in St. Louis, MO. Laura is currently a collaborating artist with Ballet 314. She has also performed with companies and collectives including Leverage Dance Theatre, Space Station Dance Residency, Smashworks Dance, Common Thread Contemporary Ballet, and pH eXchange Dance Theatre, and she has had the pleasure of collaborating with Masterworks Chorale on multiple projects. She has performed in Dance St. Louis’ Spring to Dance, Kansas City Fringe Festival, City in Motion’s A Modern Night at the Folly, Dine on Dance, 60x60 St. Louis, Dancing in the Street and National Dance Week. In addition to teaching at GCPA, she has taught dance and musical theatre at STAGES, DaySpring School for the Arts, COCA, Vitality Ballet and more. A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a minor in Religious Studies. She is also a professional proofreader and copyeditor.
Spencer Milford: UPCOMING: Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen (The Muny). WORLD TOUR/US PREMIERE: The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale. BROADWAY: The Winslow Boy. 1st NATIONAL TOURS: Billy Elliot, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. WORLD PREMIERES: Buzz - directed by Emmy-winner Carrie Preston (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Con College (River Rat Productions); Nibbler (Rattlestick Playwrights) CHICAGO: Billy Elliot (Paramount Theatre); Hello, Dolly (Marriott Theatre); A Taste of Soul (Black Ensemble Theater); Guys and Dolls (Drury Lane Theatre) REGIONAL:
Cabaret (NJT), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Fulton Theatre); She Loves Me (The Link Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); Newsies, 42nd Street, Camelot, Beautiful (The Muny). FILM: Soul on Fire (Oct. 10th release) starring William H. Macy. MA in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Carole Ann Miller has been working as a professional actor and educator for almost a decade. Carole Ann holds a BFA in Acting and is completing her MFA in Theatre Pedagogy this year. Locally, she has been a part of the Riverboat Cruise Shows at the Gateway Arch, Jest Murder Mystery Company, and the Polar Express, and nationally has been a member of the Victorian Horror Troupe Phantasmagoria since 2019. Phantasmagoria has inspired Carole Ann's love of all things whimsically macabre, and brought this "Halfway to Halloween" workshop to (after)life! Carole Ann will be bringing excerpts from authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Washington Irving, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to explore the spookier side of literature and performance.