Artistic Director and instructor Gina Urso-Dudash has been in the Dance industry for over 35 years and is a proud member of the Dance Educators of America. Gina’s students are recognized for their technical abilities and performance qualities. Her work has achieved numerous choreography awards at regional and national levels, being nominated several times by The Industry Dance Awards. Many of Gina’s students have gone on to dance at the collegiate level and do professional work, including Broadway tours, cruise lines, Disney, and other professional companies. Some even became dance educators. Many of her students have gained acceptance into prestigious programs such as The Chicago School of Ballet, American Ballet Theatre School, The Joffrey Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem, to name a few. In addition to owning and operating Studio G and serving as the company’s Artistic Director, Gina also owns the popular Competition company Energy National Dance Competitions.
Gloria has been the office manager at our main location in Grosse Ile for 15 years. Gloria runs everything in the front office from tuition to parent questions and even sewing costumes and pointe shoes. Not only does everyone love Mrs. Gloria, but they also love her fabulous baking which she brings in quite frequently.
Erin has danced since the age of four, began dancing with Studio G in 2003 and started her teaching career with the studio in 2006, her senior year of high school. After high school she got accepted into Full Circle Dance Company where she was elected the student choreographer for three consecutive years in a row where she worked hand in hand with its artistic director. Choreography has always been her passion. Erin performed and was featured in several Galas while dancing in college. She kept in close contact with her mentors and friends at Studio G and returned to the studio in 2009 to be on faculty. Erin is popular with all the students that come through her door, and is one of the most requested teachers for our 10 and under program.
Stephanie Fica is an accomplished Choreographer, Master Instructor, Competition Judge, and Program Director from the Metro-Detroit area. Over the last two decades she’s immersed herself as a professional in the dance industry, including five years of traveling the country coast-to-coast teaching on the Convention Circuit, and six years of judging. Stephanie began her dance training at the age of 5, mastering all classical styles with a concentration in the Vaganova Ballet method. She went on to graduate from Michigan State University, and has since devoted her time to training competitive dancers and choreography. Stephanie continues to receive countless accolades for her work in the styles of jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theater. Her students and choreography continue to be commended for technical excellence, precision, and performance quality at national and regional levels, frequently receiving top overall high point awards and scholarships. Her students are consistently crowned National and Regional Title Winners, National Grand Champion Winners, and have also been finalists at the Industry Dance Awards Event in Hollywood for multiple years. Many of her students have belonged to some of the most prestigious university dance teams and programs in the nation, and gone on to become international performers, dancers and captains of professional dance teams in the NBA and the NFL, and featured dancers in nationally televised performances. Along with teaching and judging for multiple national competition tours, Stephanie is an adjudicator and choreographer for high school pom pom/dance teams, as well as a choreographer for musical theater programs, plays, and musicals. She is also the founder and mentor of an Assistant Teacher Training Program for aspiring dance instructors.
Laura Slandlick has 36 years of training and experience at several of the most prestigious dance programs in North America including two seasons of training at The Royal Winnipeg School of Ballet and a six month work study program at New York City’s Broadway Dance Center. Laura danced for three years with the Detroit Shock dance team. She then majored in Dance at Western Michigan University while she received and attended the Frank Hatchett scholarship program from Broadway Dance Center in NYC. She also attended an intensive scholarship at the Edge Performing Arts in Los Angeles, CA. She has performed on stage with Boyz II Men in Gus Giordano’s Sing, Sing, Sing.
While living in NYC for her work study, Laura performed professionally with The Double D Productions and was chosen to perform for Celebrity Cruise Lines. She then traveled the world and was selected as dance captain for several contracts. From there she began to choreograph and teach dance while still performing professionally at Motor City Casino MGM Grand Casino, and with Max Pellicano’s Elvis impersonator show at Caesars Windsor Casino.
Many years later, Laura is a renowned choreographer and teacher who has taught many award-winning routines she has received numerous choreography awards at Regional and National competitions. She has been a Grand National Champion for multiple pieces throughout the past decade and received her third Industry Dance Award Nominee. For over ten years she has been a judge for multiple competitions such as KAR, Rainbow, In10sity, EnerGy where she had the honor of choreographing the opening number for EnerGy’s national finals! In 2019, she became an international judge for KAR and traveled to Australia for six weeks. Laura is also the director and owner of Ignite Dance Incentive which will have its ninth season this fall. She enjoys talent throughout the dance world and working at multiple studios across Michigan. Laura is super excited to meet and INSPIRE MORE DANCERS at Studio G!
Mari Dudash grew up around the studio scene and started dancing at the young age of two. Showing natural ability by the age of eight. She has studied all genres; ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary hip-hop as well as tumbling Mari has had many outstanding accomplishments throughout her years of training. At the young age of 13 she auditioned and was cast on the hit television show “Dance Moms” as part of the candy apples team where she was a regular fixture on seasons 3 and 4 and also making an appearance in season five. Additionally Mari has been accepted to train at some of the country’s most prestigious schools- among them American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey New York . She has danced lead roles in the southeastern Michigan classical ballet production of The Nutcracker as well as performed as a celebrity guest at Cabaret for a Cause in both New York and LA. Mari is happy to be a part of the regular faculty as an instructor and competition choreographer where her work has already received many choreography awards and high score honors. Mari continues to pursue dance at the professional level and is looking forward to continuing on this journey.
Since Haylie’s student days at Studio G she has remained with us as an instructor and choreographer. She joined the competitive team faculty for the 2021 season. Haylie’s choreography has already earned several high score and overall placement awards as well as judges choice awards. Haylie danced competitively for Studio G company for the past 10 years and holds numerous honors and overall placements and titles as both a soloist and within her group dances. Hailey is excited to continue her work and share her talents with Studio G and we could not be more thrilled to have her!
Chloe Hamelin has been dancing at Studio G for 13 years and studies all genres of dance. She has been an assistant at the studio since the young age of 12, helping with our tiny tots and is excited to be on assistant faculty this year helping with our minis and juniors as well as choreography. Chloe has been a part of the Studio G competitive team for the past 10 years and competed on in the elite team. Chloe has won numerous honors at competition and high score awards. We are thrilled to have her on staff once again this year.
MacKenzie began her training at Studio G at the young age of five and became a member of the resident company the southeastern Michigan classical ballet at the age of 12. During her time at Studio G she did compete on the elite team winning several high score awards and title awards. Currently McKenzie is on the Wayne State University dance team and is attending Wayne State as a business major with a minor in Dance. MacKenzie started teaching her senior year and is excited to continue her training at the collegiate level and also train and teach at Studio G.