Dance PlayHouse

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Muskegon, MI
Dance PlayHouse

Dance PlayHouse is a professional dance company based in Muskegon, MI that exists to bring more dance, movement, and storytelling to the Lakeshore.

08/31/2026

📣 CALLING ALL COLLEGIATE DANCERS

Dance PlayHouse invites choreographers currently enrolled at a college or university to apply for our Emerging Choreographer Initiative.

The Emerging Choreographer Initiative provides student dancemakers a platform to present and professionally document their work outside of the classroom. The selected choreographer will show their work at our annual concert on April 17th, 2027 at the Frauenthal Center in Muskegon, MI and receive an honorarium of $150 in addition to professional photos and videography of their work.

Apply now at the link in our bio!

08/28/2026

New season, new classes! Our 2026/2027 schedule is live with new class offerings for children and adults.

🗓️ September 13th, 2026 - April 14th, 2027

All adult classes take place at
Underground Yoga Muskegon
710 Alberta St, Muskegon, MI 49441

All youth classes take place at
The Corner Muskegon
280 W Muskegon Ave, Muskegon, MI 49440

*Wednesday youth classes Qualify for the WLAEC Homeschool Partnership. Use promo code HOMESCHOOL at checkout.

08/21/2026

Our 2026 Choreographer-In-Residence, Alisha Jihn, shared with us her process and what she hopes audiences gain from seeing her latest work that she set on our company last weekend.

It was invigorating having the full company and Alisha in the studio together, and we can't wait to share her work this season! 🤩

08/03/2026

Thank you Unmask the Arts for bringing us all together for a sensory-friendly performance!

It was a privilege to share the stage with Arts In Motion , Cody, and John Patrick Jandernoa

We can't wait to do it again sometime 💜

07/29/2026

FEATURED TEACHER | Alex Swanger

Alex Swanger (she/her) started dancing at age ten with Letha Fulton School of Dance. For many years, she competed in regional and National dance competitions and trained and performed in a multitude of styles. After graduating with her associate's degree, she attended the CLI conservatory, a professional commercial dance training program in West Massachusetts. From this experience, she has had the privilege of learning from world-renowned choreographers and dancers, performing in pieces choreographed by Martha Nichols, Teddy Forance, Devin Pornel, Kenichi Kasamatsu, Ali Pflegar, Marlee Hightower, and Jason Williams.

Since graduating from CLI in 2025, Alex has been teaching at different dance studios across West Michigan and traveling with Energy National Dance Competition. She is part of Essence Movement Collective, a hip hop-based community in Grand Rapids, and has been a guest artist for Dance PlayHouse.

Come take Hip Hop with Alex at 1pm on August 1st!

Drop-ins are $20 at the door or $15 when you pre-register by July 18th at the link in our bio 🔗

07/26/2026

FEATURED TEACHER | Brenna Brookelyn

Brenna Brookelyn is a professional dancer, choreographer, studio owner, producer, and director based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her performance career has taken her from community stages to nationally recognized events, including the Reconstruct Exhibition in Los Angeles.

Dedicated to continued growth as both an artist and educator, Brenna has trained at leading studios across the country, including T Milly Studio, Millennium Dance Complex, Playground LA, and Visceral Dance Center.

Specializing in Heels, Jazz, and Hip Hop, Brenna continues to expand her training by recently taking class with top choreographers, including Yanis Marshall, Brynn Samms, Hero Thomas, and Marty Kudelka.

An award-winning choreographer with more than 20 choreography awards, Brenna has performed in and/or produced work throughout the Midwest, including dance festivals, music festivals, theatrical productions, and commercial projects. In 2026, she produced, co-directed, and/or performed in multiple major productions, including The Community First Performing Arts Showcase, The Silva Spoon Variety Show, Chicago Teen Edition, Interact: Performing Arts Exhibition, and can be seen in Grandville’s Celebration Cinema as a featured dancer in the Integrity Granite commercial during previews.

Brenna currently serves as an Artistic Fellow with Dance Playhouse, Director and Co-Founder of Aspire by EDA, and Founder and Artistic Director of Enigmatic Performance Society. She is passionate about creating meaningful performance opportunities, developing confident and versatile artists, and building a vibrant, inclusive performing arts community in West Michigan.

Come take Heels with Brenna at 2pm on August 1st!

Drop-ins are $20 at the door or $15 when you pre-register by July 18th at the link in our bio 🔗

07/22/2026

Join us for class with our Choreographer-In-Residence, Alisha Jihn!

ALISHA JIHN | 靳書怡 (she/her) is a dancer, maker, and board-certified dance/movement therapist. Her choreography is grounded in ideas of hybridity and intercultural experiences reflective of her identity as a Taiwanese-American raised in the Midwest. Alisha has presented her work at the Asia Pacific Dance Festival (Honolulu, HI), RADFest (Kalamazoo, MI), Cleveland Dance Festival (Cleveland, OH), OhioDance Festival (Columbus, OH), Hamlin Park Theater (Chicago, IL), and DanceLAB MKE (Milwaukee, WI). She has created choreography for students at Denison University and The Ohio State University. Alisha is a 2026 recipient of the Individual Excellence Award in Choreography from the Ohio Arts Council.

As a performer, Alisha is currently a collaborator with Benjamin Roach (Columbus, OH) and has performed as a company member with Wild Space Dance Company (Milwaukee, WI), and Danceworks Performance MKE (Milwaukee, WI). She has danced in works by Abby Zbikowski, Momar Ndiaye, Jade Charon, Alexandra Beller, and stilgo dance + tech.

Alisha has taught at Denison University and teaches dance for memory care with Perennial Movement Group. Alisha was a Fulbright Fellow in Taiwan researching cross-cultural approaches in dance/movement therapy. Currently based in Columbus, OH, she holds degrees from St. Olaf College, Columbia College Chicago, and a MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University.

🗓 Saturday, August 15th
⏰️ 9-10:30am
📍 710 Alberta St., Muskegon, MI

$15 when you register at the link in our bio, or $20 at the door

07/16/2026

AUDITION ANNOUNCEMENT 📢

Intermediate/advanced dancers ages 13-18

🗓 Sunday, August 16th
⏰️ 3:30-4:30pm

We are seeking enthusiastic and dedicated dancers who are ready to enrich their artistry and deepen their commitment to their craft.

As the official pre-professional company of Dance PlayHouse, we are committed to shaping the next generation of artists in West Michigan by providing supplementary opportunities to perform, rehearse, and collaborate beyond the dancers’ home studios.

Under the artistic direction of Adrian Martinez, youth company members will learn original repertoire that they will perform in our annual concert at the Frauenthal Center, with additional performances in local/regional dance festivals. Unlike a competition team, our pre-professional company focuses on artistic development and performances that prepare young dancers for college dance programs and a career in concert dance. This is a chance for dancers to build their résumés and meaningful connections in the dance industry while they continue their training.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in at least two technique classes at a dance studio of their choosing to be eligible to audition. Dance PlayHouse works with local studio schedules to ensure company members can be active in their home studios, including their studios’ productions and competitive teams.

🔗 Link in bio to apply

07/11/2026

FEATURED TEACHER | Lachan Niedbala

Lachan Niedbala is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Kalamazoo. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Hope College then went on to perform with multiple modern and contemporary dance companies throughout Michigan and presented choreography nationally and internationally. Her work has been featured at festivals including RADfest, Trifecta Dance Festival, National Dance Education Organization, and Dance City Festival (Detroit and Chicago), with honors including selection as a Maggie Allesee Competition finalist in 2024.

Lachan is the Founder and Artistic Director of Movement Reservoir Dance Company and Co-founder of the West Michigan Dance Festival where she is now the Director of Operations. She is also an experienced educator, arts leader, and advocate for accessible, supportive and high caliber dance training. Additionally, she is passionate about building the community of dancers and companies in Michigan so she is a Board Member at Large for Michigan Dance Council. She has been fascinated by various codified techniques, especially Countertechnique and Horton. She received her Horton Modern Technique teaching certificate from M-Intensive University (MIU) in 2025 and continues to incorporate the technique in her company and share with dancers throughout Michigan. Currently pursuing her MFA in Dance Choreography at Jacksonville University, Lachan is passionate about fostering authentic artistic communities that encourage growth, creativity, and promote safe, informed movement practices.

Come take Horton Technique with Lachan at 10am on August 1st!

Drop-ins are $20 at the door or $15 when you pre-register by July 18th at the link in our bio 🔗

Address

710 Alberta Street
Muskegon, MI
49441

Website

http://www.danceplayhouse.com/

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