Mooresville Arts Partnership - 697 Indianapolis Road, Mooresville IN 46158

Marina Sheffer, Ballet & Conditioning Instructor

Marina trained at Ballet School of the Moscow Dance Association "Rond" (Moscow, Russia)Ballet Dancer (Class of Marianna Bogolyubskaya and Alexander Zeilinger). Studied Classic Ballet with emphasis on Ethnic, Character, Historic, Jazz and Variety Dance. Marina has more than 25 years of experience working with Dancers, Rhythmic and Artistic Gymnasts and World Class Figure She was the on-ice choreographer and ballet coach of World and Olympic Champion Tara Lipinski, Olympic Champion Shizuka Arakawa and several other US and International Champions. Her class instruction includes emphasis on: Grace and artistic presentation, Coordination and alignment; Technique of spirals (arabesques) and spins (pirouettes and fouettes);Proper leg extensions and arm movements; Consolidation of athletes’ training with formal ballet education; & Development of a good full-body stretch techniques for athlete’s flexibility and injury prevention. Having a great knowledge and experience in coaching the Russian Vaganova System, Marina has developed her own approach of working with performers, taking into consideration their individual abilities and problems. Marina is currently an Ice Choreographer and Artistic Presentation Coach. She joins the Mooresville Arts Partnership as a ballet and conditioning instructor.

Michael Shelton,  Ballet & Tap Instructor  Mr. Shelton has over 30 years experience performing locally, nationally, and internationally as a musician, singer, and dancer in a wide variety of styles including classical, contemporary, folk, bluegrass, musical theatre, and rock & roll. As an actor, he has worked extensively at the Indiana Repertory Theatre where some of his favorite credits include Macbeth, Becky’s New Car, Julius Caesar, Our Town, The Taming of the Shrew, Ah Wilderness, The Miracle Worker, & A Christmas Carol (6 times) as well as at the Phoenix Theatre in over 30 productions including The Pillowman, Three Days of Rain, Bluff, The Laramie Project, and Take Me Out - which he also had the privilege of performing at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton, FL.  He has worked at the Viaduct Theater & Victory Gardens in Chicago, IL & played Andy Lee in the Broadway Tour of 42nd Street in Moscow, Russia.

Michael is a member of AEA, SAG, and AFTRA with a long list of experiences in theatre, film, TV, commercials, animation, voiceover, and print and is certified from the British American Drama Academy in association with The Julliard School and The University of California at Los Angeles having studied at Balliol College, Oxford University, in Oxford, England. Michael Shelton is a founding member and previous Artistic Director of Heartland Actors’ Repertory Theatre – known largely for it’s Shakespeare on the Canal series at White River State Park.  

In 2014 Michael's competition team routines received many awards, including "Excellence in Choreography for TAP"  and the "Dream Routine" award for his musical theatre piece. In 2015, his group tap received an outstanding performance award from the Industry Dance Awards. His soloists last year, received several dancer of the year awards at competition and his choreography was again recognized for storytelling and innovation. This is Michael's fifth year as an instructor for MAP and his fourth as our competition team instructor for Tap, Musical Theatre, and Jazz.

Laura Staten,  Faculty Member  Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, from the University of Indianapolis and a Master of Arts Degree from the same institution. She taught for 30 years at Decatur Township Schools. At MAP Laura offers tutoring services in the following English skills: Reading for all ages, strategies in reading, basic skills, grammar, test taking strategies, vocabulary / spelling building, writing compositions,  and poetry.  She also teaches comprehension in other subjects and teaches art classes. An artist all her life, Laura has studied art technique and painting, selling many pieces over the years. She currently enjoys working with oils and watercolors, primarily.  Laura and her husband, Gib have helped create Mooresville Arts and helped establish our permanent location in 2015.  Her workshops are for students of any skill level and work in all mediums. Her Teen Art and Youth Art students  study shape, composition, light and shade, line, and other aspects of creating their own work of art while learning various techniques and approaches. 

Kalleen Chilcote, Youth Art, Life Drawing, & Paint Instructor

Kalleen joins us for some fresh and terrific art classes. She is an artist and educator who relocated from Austin, TX to Indianapolis, a little over a year ago. She received her BFA in studio art from Tulane University and an MFA in studio art, with a concentration in printmaking, from the University of Texas at Austin. In Austin, she played roller derby with the illustrious Putas del Fuego under the pseudonym, Death Vallery. Today, she splits her time between raising a toddler, drawing and making fantastical papier mache sculptures.  Kalleen's classes this year include Youth Art, Paper Mache Sculpture, Introduction to Painting for Teens & Adults.  She also leads our Life Drawing Co-op on Wednesday nights as instructor and organizer.During the Summer, Kalleen leads are 

Beth Ann Thomas, Piano Flute, Oboe and Marimba Instructor  Beth Ann is a highly experienced teacher and International performer. A graduate of Butler University, with a degree in music performance and education from Butler University.  Her musical training and performance background is extensive, training in private lessons since 2nd grade, performing in McDonald’s All American Band, Butler University, Indiana University, Cedar Point Amusement Land, performances coast to coast on cruise lines, Internationally, Birch Creek Music Academy, ISSMA State Adjudications, Radio, Television, Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra, Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and Community Band. Having taught many years at Greenwood Community Schools and Decatur Township Schools, Ms. Thomas enjoys students of all ages and abilities and loves sharing many styles of music to enrich their lives through the Arts. She is available for private lessons for Oboe, Flute, Piano & Marimba. She resides in Greenwood.