Miss Susie is an alumna of the former LeRoux School of Dance family. After high school, she attended Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. At Cedar Crest, she was a part of the dance company (ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance) where she participated in all of the faculty and student dance concerts throughout her 4 years. She performed a few solos during her time at CCC. In her senior year, she was asked to direct and choreograph a dance concert based on the works of post-modern choreographer, Trisha Brown. She also worked backstage designing lighting for a few student dance works and performed in a few plays and musicals. She is a member of Alpha Psi Omega, a theater honor fraternity. In 2002, she graduated with a BA in Dance Education and Dance Therapy.
After college, Miss Susie taught at YMCA’s, fitness centers, and dance schools around the Lehigh Valley area before moving back to Philadelphia in 2003. From 2003, she worked at the Dance Centre in Skippack, Pa, where she taught ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and modern to ages 3 and above. She was also co-director of their dance company, Xtensions. During her direction, her choreography received many awards such as High Gold and Gold and special awards in best choreography for a hip hop dance, best props award, and best use of space for a modern piece.
Miss Susie also ran several summer dance programs from 2007 to 2009 such as children and adult’s hip hop classes at Methacton High School and Springford High School. To keep up with her choreography and teacher training, Miss Susie attended workshops such as American Ballet Academy and Company Dance in New York to name a few. Miss Susie was an Adjunct Dance professor at Chestnut Hill College and Widener University teaching dance in their physical education department. She was also lucky enough to coach the Chestnut Hill Dance team for two basketball seasons!
Miss Susie bought LeRoux School of the Arts in October 2009. In January 2018, her and Miss Becky rebranded their studio into Phoenix Arts!
In addition to owning Phoenix Arts, Miss Susie is a certified group fitness and aquatics instructor. She can also be found at several fitness centers in the area and choreographing local school musicals.