Becky
Niemack, faculty: Becky began her dance training at the age of three
with instructor Jeanne Roddy. She received extensive jazz, modern, and
ballet training from the studios of Donnie Meyer Holmes, On Broadway,
and Adair Dance Academy. She also studied dance while attending Mercy
High School. Becky received her secondary education degree from the
University of Nebraska at Omaha, and in addition to teaching dance, she
also has been teaching English and Literature for the past eight years .
After taking a few years off to be a full time mom, Becky is back at
ADA. She enjoys staying at home with her daughter, Keira, and spending
time with her husband, Will.
Ellie
Herschlag, faculty: Ellie began her dance career at the age of three
with instructor Deanna Beal of On Broadway Dance Studio. She received
her training in jazz, tap, ballet, modern, musical theatre, and pointe
from an array of studios and instructors including, On Broadway Dance
Studio, Patrick Roddy, Dance Unlimited, and Adair Dance Academy. Ellie
attended Mercy High School where she found herself enrolling in eight
semesters of dance classes and performing in numerous outside
performances from her involvement in 'Dance Club'. After Mercy, Ellie
attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.
While at Northwest, Ellie was involved in the Northwest Dance Company
and taught dance at Maryville Dance Academy where she really started to
find her love for teaching dance. Ellie lead her students to many
competition awards and even gained a couple of choreography awards for
herself. Ellie graduated from NWMSU in December of 2009 with a degree in
Organizational Communication. She currently works in sales for Marriott
International and enjoys being back in Omaha. She can't wait to teach
with her sister, Becky Niemack, and to share her love of dance with ADA.
Meet the Artistic Staff!
Julian
Adair, director: Julian began her formal dance training in 1973 and
earned a B.F.A in dance from Creighton University in 1987. Since that
time, she has performed and choreographed professionally throughout the
Midwest. Her teaching history since 1985 includes many of the major
dance programs in the Omaha area, including the Jewish Community Center
and Dana College. Julian directed the Mercy High School dance program,
starting in its first year in 1991 through 1996.
Julian founded Tanzlust, Inc. and Dance Conspiracy, Inc., both of which
provided local choreographers and performers with venues for modern
dance in Omaha. Serving on many boards and committees, her involvement
also includes the Omaha Modern Dance Collective and the Theater Arts
Guild. She has performed and choreographed for many area theaters with
over 100 productions to date. She has been a two-time recipient of the
Theater Arts Guild Outstanding Achievement in Choreography award. The
first award was for Jesus Christ Superstar at the Bellevue Little
Theater in 1995, and the second was for Children of Eden, also at the
Bellevue Little Theater, in 2001.
In 1993, Julian successfully opened the Adair Dance Academy. She is
happily married to Steve Adair, Vice President of ADA, Inc., and they
have two daughters, Camille and Colette, both avid young dance
enthusiasts.
Ruth
Hoagboon, co-director: Ruth trained at the Elwyn School of Dance in
West Yorkshire, England for 12 years. After that time, she spent three
years in intensive training in the art and teaching of ballet and its
supporting subjects at the College of the Royal Academy of Dance in
London, England. She graduated as a Licentiate and Advanced Executant of
the Royal Academy of Dance and an Associate of the Imperial Society of
Teachers of Dance in three branches.
Ruth has taught dance overseas in England and in Germany. She also has taught dance in Mississippi, Florida, and at Tulane University in New Orleans. Ruth focuses primarily on teaching ballet at ADA.
Currently, she lives in Papillion with
her husband John, who is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, and their
two children Simone and Aiden.