United Dance Arts Dance Academy - Meet the United Dance Arts Academy Staff

Caitlyn - Preschool Director, Dance Instructor

Caitlyn Hasek has been passionate for the art of dance since the age of 3. While training with Broadway dance professional, Jan Plesniak at Lakeshore Gymnastics and Dance, she also performed in several ballet productions at the Star Plaza Theatre including Cinderella, Firebird, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and The Nutcracker with the Indiana Ballet Theatre NW. Caitlyn is also passionate for tap, jazz and lyrical and continues her training with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

In addition to her love for dance, Caitlyn is also dedicated to teaching. She began teaching dance and gymnastics classes in 2002 at the age of 16 at Lakeshore Gymnastics and Dance and has recently joined the UDA staff in 2011. She was also a member of the Chesterton High school state championship gymnastics team. Caitlyn is a graduate from Purdue University North Central with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood addition. During her student teaching experience, Caitlyn was nominated for “Outstanding Future Educator of the Year” while teaching Kindergarten at Indian Trail Elementary school in LaPorte, IN. For the upcoming 2012-2013 school year, Caitlyn will be director of the new UDA Dance Academy Preschool and will be teaching preschool for children between the ages of three to five at the new location.

Melina - Your Studio Owner

Dance and dance education is a lifework of Melina Yallourakis. She began dancing at Judi Conti’s Dance Studios in Youngstown, Ohio at seven years of age. Melina studied under Judy through grade school eventually teaching at the studio before moving on to college. Using her dance skills, Melina also led her cheerleading squad at Campbell Memorial High School. Melina majored in physical education at The Ohio State University where she continued to study dance and sports physiology. She has performed in the musical 42nd Street and Anything Goes. While living in California, she managed a dance studio where she continued her dance education., After getting married and living in California for five years, she returned to the mid-west to raise her family. Soon it was time for her two daughters to start dancing and after some experience with local studios, the vision of creating a studio in Northwest Indiana based on strong fundamental training and a family atmosphere took hold. She has built the premier dance education facility in the area and has grown each year as the word has spread. Melina will continue her work to represent dancers at the studio who want to dance or model professionally. Melina would like to stress that, equally important to your child's development, is the atmosphere of sportsmanship, positive attitude and a general feeling of enjoying your classes and your classmates.

Our Dedicated Office Staff

Office Manager - Deb

Our Assistant Teachers

Any one interested? Contact Melina.

If you are looking for dance classes, ballroom, dance competition groups, martial arts or dance preschool in Valparaiso, Chesterton, Westville, Kouts, Hebron, Winfield, Crown Point, Merrillville, Hobart, Portage, or anywhere in Northwest Indiana or the Chicagoland area, you have come to the right place. Since it was established in 2007, United Dance Arts has brought the joy of dance and the highest quality of instruction to over 1,500 students. We offer dance classes in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, musical theatre, pointe, ballroom as well as other dance styles and martial arts. Our classes range in age from 3 years to adult. Our schedule includes dance classes for all skill levels at a variety of times so that families with mutliple children can have them in classes at the same time; saving hours of driving and waiting time. We also offer private lessons. Our group lessons conclude with a recital in June. Our instructors have years of experience and continue their training and education throughout the year. They are experts at teaching dancers with varying levels of skill and ability. Call or drop by and you will see why more families in Valparaiso, Chesterton, Westville, Kouts, Hebron, Winfield, Crown Point, Merrillville, Hobart, Portage, Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area trust us for dance instruction each year more than any other dance studio.