Artistic Staff
Suzann DeLay
Founding Director/Executive Director
Co-Owner, Central Indiana Academy of Dance
suzannd@cidedance.org
Suzann Siler DeLay received her early dance training in California with Deane and Barbara Crockett, founders of The Sacramento Ballet. She went on to dance a variety of contemporary and classical roles while a member of The Sacramento Ballet. She also had a brief career with Pacific Northwest Ballet until injury forced her to retire. She has been fortunate to study with some of the master teachers of our time such as Violette Verdy, Robert Barnett, Robert Joffrey, Janet Reed, and David Howard just to name a few. Suzann appeared in several musicals including Princess and the Pea and Lil’ Abner. She has also appeared in several PBS specials in the California area.
Suzann has taught, choreographed and performed throughout the United States, including the official School for Sacramento Ballet, and occasionally teaches for the Contemporary Dance Department at Indiana University. She brings with her a vast knowledge of classical ballet and has taught Ballet, Pointe, Variations and Pas de Deux to students six through adult. She also specializes in a creative dance program for children ages three through six. She has been recognized with numerous awards for choreography works in ballet and contemporary.
In 1999, Suzann founded the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, which is successfully celebrating their 25th season. Alumni of Central Indiana Academy of Dance have gone on to professional careers with Ballet West, Dayton Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Nashville Ballet II, Nevada Ballet, Boston Ballet and North Carolina Dance Theatre. In addition many alumni have been accepted with scholarships to top level summer intensives, residencies and universities.
In 2009, she opened Central Indiana Academy of Dance to provide pre-professional training for the resident pre-professional company, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, an honor company with Regional Dance America. In 2012 & 2014 Central Indiana Academy of Dance was awarded the Youth American Grand Prix “Outstanding School” Award.
She has been honored by being on the cover of the December 2008 issue of Indianapolis Woman and was invited and attended the National Teachers Weekend at the School of American Ballet in 2010. She is the former President for the Mid-States Board of Directors of Regional Dance America. Most recently, she was awarded the Outstanding Citizen Award from Carmel Mayor Sue Finkham, and the Distinguished Hoosier Award from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.
Trained in Cecchetti and Russian techniques, she was a student of the Crockett’s for many years and is dedicated to carrying on their teachings. Suzann is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
Michael Casey Clark
Co-Artistic Director and Rehearsal Director
Michael Casey Clark is originally from Fishers, Indiana, Casey started dancing at the age of 19. He attended Ball State University graduating with a BS in Dance Performance with a minor in Theatre. While at Ball State, he was encouraged to attend dance classes and audition for the Ball State Performing Dance Company where he was accepted as an Apprentice. A year later he became a company member. While studying at Ball State, he also performed with the Anderson Young Ballet Theatre, directed by Lou Ann Young. He received many scholarships and was the first to receive the Lynette Jordan Schisla Scholarship.
At Ball State, Casey developed his choreography skills. He was one of several students to have their works adjudicated and performed at the American College Dance Festival, representing Ball State. Casey also choreographed many musicals at Ball State. “Dancing at Laughnasa” was adjudicated and presented at the American College Theatre Festival. He was also voted Best Student Choreographer.
Casey has studied and worked with many outstanding choreographers and master teachers including Gail Gilbert (David Parsons Dance Company), Franciose Martinett (Joffrey Ballet), Sylvia Waters (Alvin Ailey), Trinette Singleton (Joffrey Ballet), Luigi and Twyla Tharp, just to name a few.
Summer of 2003, Casey was accepted to the Glenda Brown Choreography Project in Austin, Texas, where he worked with Margo Sappington. Casey attended this project as a choreographer where he was inspired to create eight dances in thirteen days.
Casey is proud to have been a part of Central Indiana Dance Ensemble since its inception 25 years ago, and looks forward to the continued growth of the organization. He is very excited to be expanding his teaching and choreography responsibilities at Central Indiana Academy of Dance. Casey would like to thank Suzann DeLay for her insight and astute knowledge she has shared with him.
Casey is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
Ashley Jacobs
Co-Artistic Director, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble
Co-Owner, Central Indiana Academy of Dance
Ashley began her formal ballet training at the age of 10 with Suzann DeLay, and was a founding member of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. While with CIDE, she performed soloist roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, and Rose in The Nutcracker, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella in Cinderella, and Wendy in Peter Pan.
While dancing Ashley attended summer programs with The Washington Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Boston Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre.
Ashley attended the University of Utah as a ballet major, and in her sophomore year transferred to Indiana University to study in the Contemporary Dance Program, where she received the Jane Fox Dance Scholarship from the Kinesiology Department. While at IU she danced with The Ben Munisteri Dance Company of New York City, Connie Denapoli from Paul Taylor Dance Company and The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange of Washington D. C.
In addition to performing, she was a featured choreographer in IU’s “Hammer and Nail 2008”. She has choreographed for the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble and was recognized at the Regional Dance America - MidStates Festival held in Indianapolis.
Ashley has taught at many local studios, including Indiana University’s Pre-College Dance Program, and was an assistant teacher for the freshman dance major’s modern class at IU. Ashley is currently a supervising teacher for Butler University’s Ballet Department Pedagogy Major.
Ashley graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Dance Performance.
Ashley is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Ashley was also recently certified in all three levels of Progressing Ballet Technique.
Megan tillman
Ballet mistress and communications coordinator, Central Indiana dance ensemble
Megan Tillman (Hustel) is from Carmel, Indiana. She began her pre-professional training with Suzann DeLay at the Central Indiana Academy of Dance and Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She went on to earn her BFA in Ballet Performance from the Department of Ballet at the University of Utah. There, Megan was a member of Utah Ballet and Ballet Ensemble where she performed in various contemporary works and classical ballets, most notably as Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade, and Swanhilda in René Daveluy’s Coppelia.
During her eight seasons with Ballet Arkansas, Megan was featured in works by renowned choreographers Ma Cong, Yoshito Sakuraba, Mariana Olivera, Chris Stuart, and Kiyon Gaines. She appeared in featured roles in Michael Fothergill’s Chiaroscuro, Ink, Dracula, and most recently in the world premiere of Sleepy Hollow as Katrina. Megan additionally had the privilege of performing in George Balanchine’s Who Care’s? and Glinka Pas de Trois, and in classical favorites including as Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Odette in Swan Lake, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Swanhilda in Coppelia, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop Fairy, and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker.
A dedicated educator, Megan taught ballet at multiple studios in the Central Arkansas area for seven years, serving as the Ballet Director for Blackbird Academy of Arts and Rock City Dance Center Conway and most recently the Associate Artistic Director for Tupelo Ballet in Tupelo, Mississippi. Certified in Progressing Ballet Technique, Megan is passionate about helping dancers enhance their stability, posture, and overall well-being.
After years of performing and teaching across the country, Megan is thrilled to be returning to Central Indiana Academy of Dance and Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She looks forward to passing on the tradition and love of ballet to the next generation of dancers.
anna davis
Youth Company Director, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble
A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Anna Davis began her training at the Maryland Youth Ballet under the instruction of legendary teachers, Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees. She continued her training on scholarship at Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., where she had the opportunity to perform the leading roles of "Cupid" in Don Quixote and "Clara" in The Nutcracker.
In 2014, Ms. Davis attended the School of American Ballet's summer program in New York City on full scholarship and was subsequently invited to attend the prestigious year round program. While there, she performed with the New York City Ballet, New York Choreographic Institute, and in the School of American Ballet Workshop. Ms. Davis was also one of the select students chosen to perform in the School of American Ballet's famed Lecture-Demonstrations, performing excerpts from Swan Lake, Jewels, and other Balanchine ballets. Ms. Davis also had the opportunity to teach young dancers at the School of American Ballet during the last two years of her training.
Other training Ms. Davis has received includes summer intensives on full scholarships at Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet and Carolina Ballet. Davis is also a 2-time Youth of America Grand Prix New York City finalist, performing classical variations from Giselle, Coppelia and Paquita. In addition, she has trained in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and has completed multiple exams with distinction. Ms. Davis graduated Summa Cum Laude from Liberty University with an Associate of Arts Degree.
Anna then went on to join the Indianapolis Ballet. During her professional career she danced numerous roles in Balanchine's Serenade, Allegro Brilliante, 4 Temperaments, Who Cares, Valse Fantasie, and Raymonda Variations, The Nutcracker, Carmen, Paquita and Swan Lake, as well as numerous community outreach programs including Indy Classrooms.
paul tillman
resident choreographer, central indiana dance ensemble
Paul Tillman is from Dallas, Texas. He began his pre-professional training with Dallas Ballet Company under the direction of Judy and Brent Klopfenstein. Tillman then trained at Boston Ballet’s pre-professional division. Tillman joined Ballet Arkansas in 2009 and has performed classic works such as Kenneth Macmillan’s “Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux”, Agnes de Mille’s “The Other Pas de Deux”, Christopher Wheeldon’s “The American Pas de Deux”, Gerald Arpino’s “Birthday Variations” and George Balanchine’s “Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux”, “Valse Fantaisies”, and “Donizetti”. He has also been featured in original choreography by Flockworks, Ma Cong, Chris Stuart, Harrison McEldowney, Greg Sample, Darrell Moultrie, Kiyon Gaines, Mariana Oliveira and many others.
In addition to performing, Tillman has choreographed a number of original pieces for Ballet Arkansas, “Gymnopedies” and “Chaconne” (both in collaboration with Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Interim Artistic Director, Geoffrey Robson.), “Chimera”, “Awanyu”, “Umbra”, and “Echo”. He has also choreographed and directed an original full length “Peter Pan” ballet for Blackbird Academy of Arts.
Tillman taught dance in the Central Arkansa area for over 12 years and was was the Education Director at Rock City Dance Center in Little Rock. Most recently he was the Associate Artistic Director of Tupelo Ballet in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Tillman is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. He is very excited to join the CIDE Artistic Staff and CIAoD faculty, and looks forward to working with such dedicated staff and students!
Guest Faculty
Oleg Gorboulev
Kristin Hakala
Svetlana Kravtova
Eddy Ocampo
Vadium Pijicov
Judy Rice
Richard Rein
Zhanna Sinitsyna
Price Suddarth
Mara Vinson
Tong Wang
Guest Choreographers
Joe Istre
Eddie Moffat
Richard Rein
Ashley (Sass) Walton
Zhanna Sinitsyna
Price Suddarth
Tong Wang
Eddy Ocampo
Mauro Villanueva
Mary Geiger