Our Staff

  • John and Allyson klak

    studio owners

    John and Allyson opened the Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio in the fall of 2010 and are the proud parents of two very active alumni students of the studio. Allyson grew up in Livonia, MI. She earned her undergraduate degree from DePauw University (IN), her teaching certificate from Wayne State University, and a Master’s degree in Humanities from Central Michigan University. Allyson taught English at Shepherd High School for several years before switching to Shepherd Middle School where she currently teaches English and History. John, who grew up in Holly, MI, attended Central Michigan University. He majored in both Speech with a theater concentration and English and graduated with a B.S. in Education. He later earned an M.A. in educational administration and community leadership at CMU. He has taught English and Theater and has directed the extra-curricular plays and musicals at Mt. Pleasant High School for the past sixteen years. In addition to overseeing the maintenance and running of the studio with Allyson, John teaches acting courses at Off-Broadway.

  • Andrea Purrenhage

    Dance instructor

    Andrea Purrenhage is a classically trained Vaganova Ballet Dancer currently teaching at Central Michigan University and Off Broadway Performing Arts Studio. Purrenhage trained at the Metropolitan Ballet Center and Professional Ballet School studying ballet, point, partnering, modern, jazz and tap. She continued her training with several dance companies including The Dayton Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, New York Theater Dance of Hoffstra University, and Eglevsky Ballet. Purrenhage joined the Alma College Dance Company in 1999 and enjoyed performing a wide repertoire including The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Tarentella, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Ecstatic Colors, and Hermit Songs, to name a few. She also performed with her husband (who is also a dancer!) at the United Way's "Dancing With the Stars" event in 2013.


    When not dancing Andrea enjoys spending time with her husband Gabe, and her son Mason and daughter Giselle, who are proud Ganiard Gators! Mt. Pleasant has become one of her favorite cities and she loves doing things to support our wonderful community.

  • Cassie Scouten

    Dance Instructor

    Cassie is a sophomore Honors student at Central Michigan University studying psychology with a dance minor. She is also a part of the University Theatre Dance Company and before college she studied under Cassandra Macino in Toledo, Ohio since the age of four. There she studied ballet, pointe, and jazz. Since coming to CMU she has studied modern and tap. Cassie sees dance as a necessity to life as dance can be used as an outlet for daily stressors and can serve many benefits, both mentally and physically. She hopes to spread this knowledge and passion onto her students so they learn helpful lessons that will follow them for life.


  • Coreena Yates

    Dance Instructor

    Coreena is a 2006 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. She attended Alma College and was a member of the Alma College Dance Company. She is currently a Special Education Paraprofessional for Mt. Pleasant Public Schools. She and her daughter. Isabella, are proud to be Pullen Panthers. 


    Trained in Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet, she started her training at nine years old with Rochelle Bertsch School of Ballet. Over the last 16 years, Coreena has taught many levels of ballet including pointe and technique. Coreena enjoys teaching all ages of dancers and has performed a variety of Classical Ballets such as Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, Swan Lake and various other pieces from the classical ballet repertoire. 


    Coreena is an active Associate (ACCA) member of the Cecchettie Council of America. Currently, she has passed Teachers Examinations for Grades I, II, III, IV, and V, which is considered a Professional Level by the CCA. As a Qualified member of the CCA, Coreena hopes to extend her extensive knowledge of classical ballet to those around her. She is currently still training with Rosina DeVries-DFCCA, to obtain the next professional level of accreditation: Intermediate, LCCA. 


    Coreena is very exited to be a part of Off Broadway and looks forward to a wonderful dance season! 

  • David Klak

    Dance Instructor/Desk Assistant

    David Klak is a sophomore at Central Michigan University pursuing his bachelor of fine arts in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. Klak graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 2017, and while in high school, participated in various performing arts such as choir, drama, and dance team. He has been dancing for 16 years and has experience in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre, Contemporary/Lyrical, Hip-Hop, and was previously an Off-Broadway Super Star. At CMU, David has been a member of the University Theatre Dance Company, a principle role in the Opera production of The Mikado, and was cast as the lead of one of CMU’s Summer Theatre productions. David hopes that he can help his students build a strong appreciation for the world of musical theatre through education of various genres and eras. 


  • Hanna Angst

    Dance Instructor

    Hanna Angst is a junior at Central Michigan University studying to get her B.S. in Elementary Education with a major in math and a minor in reading. She is also a member of Infusion Dance Team, a student-ran organization, at CMU. She started dancing at three years old and has trained competitively in jazz, ballet, lyrical, tap, contemporary, acro, musical theater, and hip hop at Spirit Expressions Studio of Dance in Laingsburg, Michigan. Prior to teaching at Off-Broadway, Hanna taught tap, ballet, acro, jazz, and a beginning dance class in Laingsburg. She loves teaching at Off-Broadway because she gets to share her love of dance with her students while she helps them to reach their goals as dancers. Hanna loves to create a warm, hardworking atmosphere in her classroom where her students feel at home while working to be their best. 


  • Joelle DeNisi

    Dance Instructor

    Joelle received training and danced competitively in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, modern, acro, poms and hip hop beginning at age 3 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She then attended the University of Pittsburgh and graduated in 2015 with a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics and a minor in dance. Throughout college, Joelle also danced with the University of Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble and taught at a local dance studio. She worked with many professional choreographers in the Pittsburgh area and gained years of teaching and choreography experience. After graduation, Joelle moved to North Carolina and continued dancing and teaching there while taking graduate courses through East Carolina University. Currently, she is a registered dietitian in Alma, MI and is excited to continue teaching at Off-Broadway! She loves spending time outdoors with her puppy, going to the beach, and traveling in her spare time!


  • Judi swartz

    Fitness instructor

    Judi Swartz holds BS and MA degrees in education.  She was a dance instructor for tap and ballroom at Vision Studio of Performing Arts in Mt. Pleasant for 13 years, at the Off Broadway Studio for 5 years, and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Alma for 12 years.  She has been the choreographer for 9 shows with Gratiot County Players.  She enjoys attending dance workshops and classes to learn new combinations and technique.

     

    Judi has been an aerobics instructor at McLaren Fitness
    from 2002-2018. She is a certified Personal Trainer through AFAA, (Aerobics
    and Fitness Association of America). She also holds certifications in
    Primary Group Exercise from AFAA  She also holds certifications in PiYo from Beachbody.
    She has been certified to teach Classic, Cardio Circuit, Boom, and Yoga Stretch for the
    Silver Sneakers Program.  She is also a certified Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Kids, Aqua Zumba, Pro Skills, Zumba Sentao, Zumba Step, Strong by Zumba and Zumba Toning instructor.

    She is also teaching fitness classes for the Commission on Aging. She sees personal training clients and teaches some private tap classes at Off Broadway studio

     

    She retired in 2007 from Mount Pleasant Public Schools after 34 years in education.  As you can see, she is a ‘life long learner‘as well!


  • Kelly Hudson

    Dance Instructor

    Kelly Hudson is excited to teach her very first tap class this year! She has been tapping since she was 7 years old and loves the challenge and excitement of percussion. Kelly has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Michigan University in Musical Theatre Performance and Communication. She studied jazz and ballet through grade school and through the collegiate level also, but tapping has always been her passion when it comes to dance. She continued her dance education at the Academy of Dance Arts in Grand Rapids as an adult and has participated in multiple tap workshops, the most notable with Gregory Hines. Outside of teaching dance, Kelly works at her family's business, Mt. Pleasant Agency - Central Insurance. She lives in Mt. Pleasant with her husband and two young children. 


  • Kimberly O'Brien

    Fitness Instructor

    Kim OBrien has trained across the country in a variety of belly dance styles, including Turkish cabaret, American cabaret, and tribal fusion. She performs with a professional troupe in NY (Tribal Dance Long Island) and locally with her own group, Central Michigan Belly Dance. At Off Broadway Performing Arts Studio, she teaches a fusion fitness belly dance class that is suitable for people of all levels of dance and fitness experience (including complete beginners). Her class philosophy is "dance is for every BODY" and she wants everyone to feel comfortable inside and outside the studio. 


  • Lexi Thompson

    Dance instructor

    Lexi is a junior at CMU, studying public relations and journalism. This will be her third year on CMU dance team, and is currently one of the captains. She has been a Detroit Pistons Mob Squad Dancer for four years, been a backup danced for taio cruz, salt n peppa, busta rhymes, vanilla ice, mc hammer, flo rida and many others. Lexi started competitive dancing at age 3.She has trained in tap, jazz, pom, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and hip hop.In 2016, Lexi attended the  Rockettes Summer Intensive where she learned and trained with the Rockettes for one week in New York City. Jazz and Pom are Lexi’s favorite styles of dance. When Lexi is not dancing, she love to read books, watch movies, and eat chocolate cake!! After college, she hope to continue having dance in my life by owning her own dance studio one day, joining a professional dance company, coaching high school or college dance team, or even becoming a Rockette. Dance has been a huge part of Lexi’s entire life and she loves sharing her passion with the students at Off Broadway. 

  • Noelle Gaffka

    Dance Instructor/ Fitness Instructor/ Office Manager

    Having grown up in Mt. Pleasant, Noelle is ecstatic that she is able to give back to her community by sharing her love of dance and fitness with those she meets at Off-Broadway. Noelle has over 23 years of training in all styles of dance and 6 years as a group fitness instructor. Along with studio training, Noelle has been a participant on athletic dance teams and in competitive dance. Noelle has taught dance and movement at various summer camps, retreats, and conferences throughout the U.S. 


    It was at Off-Broadway that Noelle was inspired to become a Zumba Instructor. After experiencing a back injury, Noelle lost mobility, flexibility, and strength. During each Zumba class, an Off-Broadway Zumba Instructor worked with Noelle to regain what was lost. This experience created a passion and dedication in Noelle to make it possible for every person to be able to experience dance and fitness regardless of physical limitations, disabilities, or injuries, Noelle has trained to teach modification that fit any person with back, knee, hip, and shoulder concerns, She can even teach dance and fitness to those who must remain in a chair. 

  • Dame Robinson

    Barre Fitness Instructor

    Dame began her dance training as a youth.  She danced for several seasons with a company in mid coast Maine. Her love of dance evolved into a love of Yoga. In 2006, she received a 200hr Yoga teaching certification and is currently working towards an advanced Yoga teaching certification. She received her Barre certification in Grand Rapids with Blooma Barre. Along with the joys of motherhood, she is pursuing classes in Health Sciences at Central Michigan University.


    Dame has been fortunate to be a part of Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio as a proud parent and an adult student and is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of dance and movement.

  • Alissa Varner

    Desk Assistant/Dance Instructor

    Alissa is from the metro Detroit area and started dancing at the age of 5. Her main areas of focus is ballet, jazz, lyrical, and musical theater. She is certified in Cecchetti Grades 1-5. Alissa went to University of Michigan and received a Bachelor's in Children Psychology. When dancing at the studio, Alissa is a Nanny to two little girls.