TRIBE Faculty
Seth Robinson
Seth is a graduate of Ball State University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Dance. Since graduation Seth has been working on TRIBE Dance, a contemporary dance company and workshop he founded in 2011 for dancers looking for that extra push. In addition to TRIBE, Seth is also co-director of Ballet Matters, a new ballet-focused intensive designed to facilitate maximum technical growth for dancers. In 2008, before attending college, Seth was signed with DDO Artists Agency in Los Angeles. While living in LA, Seth spent a lot of time training at the Edge Performing Arts Center. Now living in Chicago and continuing to train in various styles of dance, Seth is currently dancing with Elements Contemporary Ballet, under the direction of Mike Gosney. He has guested with Chicago Dance Crash and other projects in the city. Seth spent his first year in Chicago training under the work-study program at Visceral Dance Center. He works seasonally with the nationally recognized XTREME Dance Force and B-Discovered Dance Company in Chicago. Seth is currently on faculty for several dance conventions, intensives, and workshop circuits. Seth has had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States dancing and teaching. Seth has trained with some of the industry's most sought-after master teachers. His choreography has won several awards throughout the country. Currently, Seth will be touring as faculty for the Streetz Dance Convention this season and enjoys being able to share his energy in a convention setting. Seth is best known for his electrifying classes and caring personality.
Jeff received his training through the Academy of Ballet Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, followed by the Houston Ballet Academy in Houston, Texas, which he attended for two years on scholarship and was accepted into Houston Ballet’s second company. He spent the following four seasons dancing with the A.G.M.A. company BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Jeff joined River North Dance Chicago the next season. Jeff spent the next five years freelancing around the United States and Canada, dancing with many companies including Montgomery Ballet (Soloist), Eugene Ballet Company (Principal), River North Dance Chicago, Ron De Jesus Dance, Owen/Cox Dance Group, and Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance., EzDanza and José Navas/Company Flak. Jeff has also been seen as a dancer and aerialist on the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas. He has performed original works by renowned choreographers including Stanton Welch, Harrison McEldowney, Edgar Zendejas, K.T. Nelson, Penny Saunders, Lauri Stallings, and Randy Duncan. In 2008 Jeff was honored to win the Columbus Choreographic Project. During his time freelancing, traveling, and performing internationally, Jeff created Lone Wolfe, an agency specializing in the hiring of professional concert dancers and business consulting for dance organizations. This work with the business side of arts organizations led Jeff to hold the position of Board Member for multiple non-profit dance organizations as well as the title of Operations Manager for a non-profit dance company in Chicago. After these positions Jeff joined forces with his fiancé Seth Robinson to Co-Direct TRIBE Dance and create Ballet Matters. This season Jeff is on tour with Streetz Dance Convention as Company Director where he is excited to have the opportunity to work closely with incredibly talented and dedicated young artists.
Jeff Wolfe
Maddie Baker
Madison is a talented dancer with a passion and expertise for sharing the beauty of movement with others. She received her Bachelors of Science in dance from Ball State University in 2014. Madison is currently teaching and choreographing at the national award-winning studio, Expressenz Dance Center, where she has been for four years. She is so thankful to be a part of such an amazing group of artists. Madison began her early training in Indianapolis, at age 7 attending Motivation To Dance By Bruce and The Dance Refinery. She has trained under the guidance of Christie Zimmerman, Susan Koper, Audra Sokol, Vladimir Stadnik, Michael Worcel, Sarah Mangelsdorf, Bruce Campbell, Nick Watkins, and many more. Madison was cast many times in Broadway Junior Educational Films, directed and choreographed by Kenny Shepard. She has had the opportunity to perform in Salzburg, Innsbruck, Kufinstein, Leinz, and St. Johann within Austria as a part of Young Tanzsommer, a famous dance festival in central Europe. She was a dancer in Soul Xposure that qualified in ESPNs Hip Hop Dance Off in Los Angeles, California. During her time at Ball State University she was cast in two duets choreographed by Susan Kooper and Christie Zimmerman that were selected to perform in Brooklyn, New York at the Dumbo Dance Festival. Madison has attended many dance workshops including ACDFA in Chicago, and Visceral Dance Chicago’s Seasonal Workshops. While at Ball State University Madison was cast in many guest pieces including Alice Blue Yonder choreographed by Alex Springer and Xan Burley, company members of Doug Varone and Dancers. Upon graduation Madison has been able to teach all around the U.S. with TRIBE Dance and Breathe Intensive. In 2016, she was the Director of Dance for the Avon High School dance program, where she grew their program with number of students involved, participated in community outreach, and partnered with the Avon High School's Symphony Orchestra. Her students have won countless titles, regional and national awards, and have been highly recognized at the collegiate level. She is excited to continue to grow as both a teacher and choreographer at Expressenz while teaching, choreographing, and judging across the U.S.
Ashley began her dance training at an early age. She studied under Lynn Herrick, Artistic Director of Artists In Motion, and spent her summers training extensively with elite teachers and choreographers across the country. She attended the nationally acclaimed University of Arizona on a dance and academic scholarship. In 2009 Ashley received a BFA in Dance, and immediately began her professional career as a world-famous Radio City Rockette. Some of her numerous performance opportunities include Kanye West’s Dark Fantasy Tour, The Tianjin Dance Festival (China), American Dance Company’s “Mixed Emotions,” and working with world-renowned choreographers Joe Tremaine, Frank Chavez, Linda Haberman, and Lee Martino. Ashley has appeared in a variety of industrials, commercials, professional DVDs, print and more. Ashley continued her education with PSC’s Pilates Teacher Training Course and the Burn At the Barre Master Trainer Program. This was the perfect way for her to blend her love of dance and fitness. Ashley has always had a passion for teaching, and travels across the U.S. and Canada teaching master classes and choreographing. She is proud to be a motivating teacher, inspiring students of all ages through the art of dance and fitness!
Ashley Zachary-Eschler
Kristin grew up in Southern California where she studied ballet at Laguna Dance Theatre. She continued her training at the School of American Ballet and the Miami City Ballet School joining the Miami City Ballet in 2003 where she performed works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp. In 2010, Kristin relocated to Montreal to dance with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for two years, performing the work of Christian Spuck, Mauro Bigonzetti, Stijn Celis, Ohad Naharin, and Didy Veldman. After returning to the States, Kristin has worked with Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in Asheville, NC, and now resides in Atlanta, where she freelances and teaches throughout the metro area. She has performed with the Georgia Ballet, and creates original work as a dance artist with CORE Performance Company. She continues to share her passion for the art form with young dancers through her challenging technique classes and choreography.
Kristin D'Addario
Koine “KoKo” was born in Japan and grew up in the cultural melting pot of South Florida. She trained in all styles of dance and began working as a professional dancer at the age of 16. Her credits include performances with Pitbull, Flo Rida, Nicky Jam, Becky G, and a World Tour with Maluma. She has done corporate performances for MAC Cosmetics, and was a regular on Season 1 of LaBanda. Her most recent endeavors are training and performing with Dana Foglia Dance Company, and runner-up on season 14 of “So You Think You Can Dance”.
Koine Iwasaki
Holly Robinson
Holly received the majority of her early training at Roswell City Dance in Roswell, Georgia, where she was exposed to many different styles and choreographers. Holly credits the formation of her technique and movement to Cherrise Wakeham and Shannon Childers. She also spent two summers training at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, with a focus on ballet and modern. After graduating from high school, Holly continued her training as a dance major at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. It was there that she became recognized for her unique style of movement and started focusing more on choreography. During her time at UArts, she was a dancer and choreographer for the Xhale Dance Company under director, Michael Susten. She also choreographed and performed a work that was chosen to represent the school at the College Dance Showcase in New York City. After school, she returned to the Atlanta area and danced in the contemporary company, Project 7, under director Cherrise Wakeham. She signed with Bloc South Talent Agency and appeared in multiple industrials with choreographers, such as Chuck Maldonado and Codie Wiggins. Presently, Holly lives in Miami, Florida, where she teaches and choreographs. She enjoys traveling to studios around the country teaching master classes and setting choreography, which has received many overall and choreography awards. Holly has performed in many showcases and ensembles including, most recently, the APAP dance conference in New York and the Jazz Dance World Congress in Pittsburgh. She has taught for multiple conventions and in-house workshops. This year, she choreographed a work to be featured in the Raw Natural Born Artists showcase in Atlanta.
Kelly grew up dancing on the competitive stages of the Midwest and is trained in all styles of dance. She traveled to Europe as a featured soloist in The American Dance Company, where they won The World Dance Championships two years consecutively, bringing home the World Cup from both Spain and Italy. Kelly also competed in Canada and Australia representing the United States as Rainbow Dance Competition’s Dancer of the Year in the “Battle of the Countries”. Kelly has performed in choreography showcases at The Duke Theater in New York City as well as The El Portal Theater in Los Angeles. Currently, Kelly is located in Chicago, and spends her time traveling to studios and dance teams nationwide choreographing, training, and teaching master classes. She is recognized for her unique style and exhilarating classes, receiving numerous choreography awards from various dance competitions over the years. Most recently, Kelly received the title of 2017 Choreographer of the Year from VIP Dance Competition. She is an adjudicator for Hall of Fame Dance Challenge and is on staff as an instructor for TRIBE Dance Convention, Breathe the Intensive, and KAR Dance Convention. Kelly’s passion remains in the classroom, where she dedicates herself to inspiring the next generation of young artists. Her students have gained acceptance into prestigious dance programs at universities across the country and can be seen working professionally in Hollywood.
Kelly Fulton
Cody is a native of Toronto, Canada. He trained under the direction of Vlad at Vlads Dance Company in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Furthering his artistic ability, he obtained his BFA in dance at Point Park University with a concentration in jazz. Upon completion of his degree, he was offered a contract with Visceral Dance Chicago, a contemporary dance company. Throughout his career, he has performed works by world-renowned choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Monica Cervantes, Alejandro Cerrudo, Robyn Mineko Williams, Sidra Bell, and Banning Boudin. Recently, Cody relocated to Los Angeles, California, starting a new chapter in his life as a freelance dancer. He has performed and filmed with the band, Celtic Thunder, as well in the Miss America Organization as a guest artist. When not performing, Cody flourishes in teaching movement across North America connecting body and mind through his movement language.
Cody Szarko
John was raised just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, with his 3 siblings. He received a BFA in Dance with a concentration in jazz from Point Park University under the direction of Susan Stowe. While attending Point Park University, he appeared in works choreographed by Kiesha Lalama-White, Christopher Huggins, Kevin Iega Jeff, Gerald Arpino, and Trey McIntyre to name a few. Upon graduation, he accepted a company position with River North Dance Chicago where he performed and toured internationally for two years. During this time, he performed works by choreographers like Frank Chaves, Ivan Perez, and Adam Barruch. He spent the past year working as a professional dancer in Los Angeles, getting the opportunity to perform with artist Sia at Coachella. Outside of performing, he has a passion for teaching and expanding his knowledge for the art. He is excited to be back in Cincinnati and to share with the students on a more regular basis.
John Litzler
Callie began her training under Barbara Pontecorvo in Dayton, Ohio. After graduating from high school, she was accepted to Butler University on an academic scholarship. She received her BFA from Butler University in 2011. Following graduation, she relocated to Chicago, and began dancing for Elements Contemporary Ballet. She has remained a company dancer and choreographer for Mike Gosney; alongside teaching and working with colleagues Seth Robinson and Jeff Wolfe at TRIBE and Ballet Matters intensives since 2014.
Callie Croom
Matt grew up in the small town of Winfield, Illinois, and began his dance training at the age of twelve. He has been trained in hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, ballet, and contemporary. His choreography has received numerous awards and recently he took first place at World of Dance in Chicago. He has traveled regionally and nationally receiving six Starpower World Victory Cups with Xtreme Dance Force. After graduating from the company in 2011, he moved to Las Vegas, to purse his professional career in dance. Matt worked on staff with JLS Entertainment Inc., while living in Nevada. Matt has traveled all around the world teaching and performing. His expertise in dance has allowed him to travel and frequently train in Los Angeles with top instructors. He has had the opportunity to work with top choreographers such as NappyTabs, Kenny Wormald, Brooke Pierotti, Bobby Newberry, Nick Demoura, Nika Kljun, Marinda Davis, Bryan Tanaka, TOKYO, David Moore, Laura Edwards, Chris Jacobsen and many more. Matt is the lead choreographer for the group "Ricochet" on NBC's World of Dance 2. He recently opened up his own competitive company called The Dynasty. Matt teaches and choreographs for many other studios all around the nation. He loves teaching and helping his students pursue their own hopes and dreams while preparing them for their future through dance.
Matt Pilalis
Brianna founded Evolution Dance Center with Melissa Best in May 2013. Brianna is from a family of dancers, her mother dancing in high school, along with her two younger siblings, Ali and Grant, who also dance! Brianna started dancing when she lived with her family in Harker Heights, TX. After moving to Austin, Brianna danced with Broadway Dance and Fitness under the direction of Heather Nickens-O’Hara and ended at The Dance Spot, dancing with Rise Dance Company under the direction of Quinton Weathers. After high school, Brianna joined BHumn Dance Company as Cheryl Copeland’s assistant. She has taught classes for Twin Lakes YMCA, Kinderdance, The Dance Spot, and most recently Dance eMotions. Her dancing has taken her all around the country as a competitive dancer as well as getting to take classes at Edge in Los Angeles. Her dancing has brought her many awards and accomplishments including being inducted into the Hall Of Fame Dance Challenge website and dancing halftime with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. One of Brianna’s passions is children as she was a preschool teacher for 3 years, specializing with two-year-olds. Brianna co-owner of Evolution Dance Center loves her dance family and feels very confident about the strong foundation they receive while dancing in a fun, tight-knit atmosphere!
Brie Underwood
Connor began his training at the age of seven under the direction of his mother Constance Walsh. He has trained at some of the best schools in the nation including The Kirov Academy of Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. During his time at Houston Ballet, he has received awards such as the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Scholarship and the Ben Stevenson Scholarship award. In 2004, he won the first annual gold award from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), and was given the Award of Encouragement at the Shanghai International Ballet Competition. Connor was promoted to soloist in March 2006 and then to principal dancer in September 2007. Over the last five years, he has been in demand as a guest star, making appearances in Argentina, Australia, and The Philippines, as well as appearing in galas in New York City, Mexico and Malaysia. He is equally at home performing works by such contemporary masters as Christopher Bruce, Jiri Kylian, and Glen Tetley as he is in the roles of the great classical repertoire such as Albrecht in Giselle, the Prince in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker; Basilio in Don Quxiote, and Colas in Sir Frederick Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardee. Jorma Elo, Aszure Barton, Edward Liang, and Nicolo Fonte have all created featured roles for Connor, and Stanton Welch created the leading male roles of Swedish Count Axel Fersen in the world premiere of his full-length work Marie in February 2009 and Solor in Mr. Welch's new staging of La Bayadere in February 2010 especially for Connor.