faculty
Dance is a activity that affects a child's physical health and development. Here at FDW all classes are taught only by ADULTS, with both the maturity and experience to deem them qualified professionals. Our talented, advanced "high school" dancers offer their services, but only to assist as Class Demonstrators. They only help the teacher instructing the class.
Michelle Labousier
Owner / Artistic Director / Instructor
voted
Charlotte County's "Best Dance Instructor"
2007-2008 by Charlotte Sun readers.
DMA "Board Certified" by test to teach all styles.
Michelle Labousier is an award winning professional performer, teacher and choreographer. She not only received training from the finest teachers at schools in Boston and New York City, but she has had the distinct advantage of having the valuable tradition of dance carefully and “personally” handed down in her professional family. Susan, Michelle's Mom, was trained under Pamela E. Feri, of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and (as the former Susan Neeves), she was a professional ballerina and a respected dance master throughout New England.
Michelle literally grew up in the dance school where many hours of daily classes were a
way of life. It was no surprise, therefore, that at a very young age she appeared with Boston Ballet’s Laura Young and was cast in multiple roles in the Greater Milford Ballet “Nutcracker”. Invitations to perform for civic organizations, industrial shows and roles in musical theater soon followed. Michelle then won FIRST place as a Champion Performer of the WNAC-TV Television program “TALENT SHOWCASE”. She performed at the FOXBORO STADIUM and as a soloist at M.G.M. STUDIOS and also with The Franklin Dance Company. Michelle engaged in intensive study at the DANCE TEACHERS CLUB OF BOSTON “Teacher Education Training School” and is a Board Certified member of Dance Masters of America having passed rigid exams in ALL dance styles. Her Award-Winning Choreography has received recognition from the NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS; she has coached cheerleading and gymnastic teams and served as the official choreographer for the televised “MISS TEEN U.S.A. FLORIDA” pageant. The Girl Scouts of America invited Michelle as an honoree at their “Crystal Heart” award banquet for her contributions of professional expertise to the Dance Badge Program.
Michelle was pleased to serve on the faculties of both the Laurel Oaks Academy and the SEAD Summer Arts School. Michelle and her mother have served as lecturers for schools and civic organizations and judges for pageants and competitions including the Fort Myers “Night of Stars”.
Workshop dance students receive personal instruction from the Director.
Her classes are both stimulating and enjoyable. Motivated by her ability to project her talent, enthusiasm and love for dance, her students’ successes in the form of professional contracts, roles, trophies, awards, scholarships and titles (including DMA State Title Winners) are a credit to her teaching. Students studying Ballet, Tap, and/or Jazz, all receive "personal"
instruction by the Director.
Susan E. (Labousier) Kickbush
Founder / Advisor / Guest Teacher
Susan E. (Labousier) Kickbush was a Professional ballerina with the “Brookline Ballet Company” and the “Village Ballet Workshops”
She will always be indebted to her mentor, Pamela E. Feri, (of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) from whom she received her formative training and the true "gift of dance", as well as the traditions received from Pamela's teacher, Mme. Tatiana Ouroussoff. Susan continued that excellent training at New England’s leading schools including the Boston Conservatory, Boston Ballet, Natick School of Ballet & Theatre Arts and M.I.T., Cambridge, where she studied Psychology and Theatre-craft.. She received a scholarship in Drama, from the Carol Nash School in Boston. She has founded four, successful performing arts schools as well as two “charitable” dance companies. Susan has been certified by the Boston Children’s Hospital, div. of Sports Medicine for intensive studies in the prevention of Dance Injury. Ms. Kickbush implemented innovative performing arts programs while working on Mayor White’s "Summerthing" and for the inner-city youth of Boston under Richard Cardinal Cushing. She appears in multiple listings of the famous Marquis Who’s Who and was selected as the subject of the televised documentary, “The Importance
of Dance”.
Susan has over 30 years of theatrical experience and sat on the Board of Directors of many arts organizations including the Franklin Arts Council, The Greater Brockton Dance Teacher's Association, The Liberty Singers, and Dance Masters of America, Ch. 5 where she served as the Examination Chairperson. Susan has als been affiliated with Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston and the National Dance Council of America. She was one of only 11 dance teachers in the U.S. to receive an invitation from Washington’s Citizens Ambassador Program to serve as a U.S. Representative for cultural exchange with China. Susan has extensively studied drama, film, anatomy, and communications. She has written, directed, produced and/or choreographed countless musicals and has served as a lecturer in schools, libraries and for civic organizations. Ms. Kickbush is also a member of MENSA, the International high I.Q. Society.
Susan also has experience in the Criminal Justice field, and is a graduate of the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy. She earned "Dual-certification” by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in both Law Enforcement and Detention and worked as a Deputy Sheriff and Field Training Officer, at the Lee County Sheriff's Office, where she was employed for over three years.
Susan has attended MIT, the Boston Conservatory, and, Florida Gulf Coast University, She holds an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts (with emphasis in communications), from Edison College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Executive Management, from Hodges University, and a Master of Arts in Education from University of Phoenix. She was the recipient of the Eisenhower Distinguished
Educator Award in 2006. Since working with young people has always been her passion, she loves her current, full-time career as a 7th grade, English, Language Arts Teacher at Murdock Middle School.
Both Michelle and Susan encourage FDW dancers to perform just as well in the classroom as they do on stage. They encourage their young artists to embrace higher education, teaching them to incorporate their love and talent for 'the arts' in their puruit of a college degree. After all, today, college is not a dream; it's a plan!
A Nostalgic Look at
...Susan & Michelle
ANDREA BEHRMANN
Professional Instructor
Andrea is a loving wife, mother, and dance professional who received all of her training at Florida Dance Workshop. She is a former "MISS SHOWTIME", and some of the many roles she has danced indclude, "Snow Queen" in Nutcracker, "Rizzo" in Grease, and lead soloist in the ballet "Stars and Stripes". She has won top awards in dance competitions, including Platinum, Gold, and Overall High Score awards. She is the recipient of the 1st place Sr. Soloist Award (over all others) at the "I Love Dance International Competition". She also placed in the top 10 at Dance Masters of America. Andrea attends Master Classes in New York City, and dance teacher conventions, regularly. Andrea is a graduate of Edison College and she loves passing on her love for dance through teaching.
She teaches Ballet/Tap I, Hip-Hop I, Jazz I, Jazz II, Contemporary/Lyrical I, Contemporary/Lyrical II, Turns & Leaps, Stretch & Flex, and Private classes (by request). She also teaches alongside Michelle for Kinderdance, Ballet II, Tap II, Acro I, and Acro II. Andrea is an integral part of FDW.
Andrea and her husband, Walter, are the proud parents little Andrew Scott. Andrea looks forward to many years of sharing her love of dance here at the Workshop.
"Success isn't measured by the goals we achieve
...but by the obstacles we overcome."
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