Rockford DanceMakers Festival 2027 Performances March 19 & 20 RPL Nordlof Center
Rockford DanceMakers Festival
2027 Production Team
Entertain. Challenge. Move. Inspire.
The RDMF Production Team is composed of dance artists and professionals who believe in the vision of a thriving dance community - one that includes opportunities for choreographers to present work and opportunities for dancers to perform.
Founder / Artistic Director
Festival Advisory Committee
Christine Munch
Festival Advisory Committee
Publicity/Marketing
Embellish Creative Company
Makenzie Clayburg
Festival Advisory Committee
NEXT Round Program Lead Mentor
Choreographer
Michelle R. Stolberg
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Festival Advisory Committee
Community Engagement
Anna Friel
Festival Advisory Committee
Photographer
Samantha Behling
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Festival Advisory Committee
Front of House Manager
Emmy Stravinskas
Lighting Designer
Gabrielle Tifft
Tech Director/Lighting Design
Mikayla Miracle
Photographer / Videographer
Luis Hermosillo
Christy Munch (she/her) founded the Rockford DanceMakers Festival in 2025 and serves as its Artistic Director. She has worked in dance for over four decades as a performer, choreographer, dance educator, director, costumer, and administrator. Her choreography has been presented at numerous Chicago dance venues, including five years in Chicago’s NEXT Dance Festival, and has been reviewed in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Dance Magazine, and Chicago Reader. In Chicago, Christy performed with Jan Bartoszek/Hedwig Dances and Timothy Buckley, touring with Buckley to Jacob’s Pillow International Dance Festival and Dance Theatre Workshop in New York City. Among the influential teachers in her dance career have been Stella Applebaum, Birute Barodicaite, Claire Bataille, Greg Begley, Timothy Buckley, Gus Giordano, Laurie Merriman, Paul Sanasardo, Susan Quinn Williams, and Sherry Zunker. Christy holds master’s degrees in Interdisciplinary Arts and the Art of Teaching from Columbia College Chicago. She teaches Level 1 Giordano Jazz Dance Technique (NGCP Level 1 Certification), BeMoved, Adult Ballet, and Active Morning Program classes at the Rockford Dance Company. When not in the studio, Christy teaches BeMoved classes aboard Carnival Cruise Lines as a Certified Artistry BeMoved® Instructor and assists Sherry Zunker as an Artistry BeMoved Certification Mentor.
Makenzie Clayburg is a founding member of the Rockford DanceMakers Festival and a Rockford-area arts and communications professional. In 2025, she founded Embellish Creative Company, a publicity, marketing, and events firm serving national and local clients. Her career has included campaigns for three Grammy-nominated albums, Marie Osmond’s first No. 1 Billboard debut, and the opening of The Judds’ Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit. She also served as Dennis Quaid’s publicist for more than five years, securing features with Good Morning America, TODAY, People, Rolling Stone, and Billboard, among others. Makenzie earned her undergraduate degree from Belmont University’s College of Entertainment and Music Business and a Master of Performing Arts Administration from Roosevelt University. After several years in Nashville, Makenzie returned to Rockford and expanded Embellish’s client roster to include the Rockford DanceMakers Festival, Nielsen Chorale, and Rockford Symphony Orchestra. A CAPA Dance alumna, she remains active in the local dance community, taking classes at Rockford Dance Company and West Side Show Room and performing in productions including Dance at the Dells and The Nutcracker.
Michelle R. Stolberg is a founding member of the Rockford DanceMakers Festival and serves as Lead Mentor/Instructor for the Festival’s Next Round Emerging Choreographers Project. Michelle began her studio-based dance training while in college and earned a BA in Dance from the University of Iowa in 2013. After graduating, she performed with several companies in northern Illinois, including Rockford Dance Company, Without Shoes Modern Dance Company, and Bad Wolf Dance Theatre. Michelle serves on the faculty of Rockford Dance Company and is an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Rockford University. Her teaching experience also includes setting work on students in RPS 205’s Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Program. In 2026, Michelle presented choreography in Chicago Dance Company’s fall production, Presence, and We Are Collective’s fall festival, Arts of Lore. Her choreographic work explores intersections among multiple performing arts disciplines and reflects her commitment to advocacy for marginalized communities, themes that also inform her teaching philosophy.
Anna Friel is a founding member of the Rockford DanceMakers Festival and began dancing at age three at Metropolitan Dance Company in Rockford, Illinois, and later continued her ballet training at the Rockford Dance Company. She danced for 15 years before leaving for college to study Exercise Science and later earning a doctorate in Physical Therapy. Her interest in the field grew from her own experiences with dance-related injuries. Anna continues to take adult ballet classes and enjoys opportunities to teach adult dancers. She has also returned to the stage as an adult, performing in productions including The Nutcracker, the Rockford Dance Company’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, and the 2025 Rockford DanceMakers Festival. Anna served on the Rockford Dance Company Board of Directors for four years, including three years as secretary. She is pleased to be part of the Rockford DanceMakers Festival Advisory Committee and to support its work in creating professional dance opportunities for the Rockford community.
Samantha Behling is a graphic designer and photographer. She attended Carroll University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design Management with a minor in Marketing. At age 10, she began studying Irish dance and went on to perform, compete, and teach over the course of nine years. Her dance experience also includes high school dance team, jazz, and hip hop. Performance has remained central to Samantha’s connection to dance. She values it as a means of expression, connection, and storytelling, as well as an opportunity to bring joy to others. Dance also offers her a way to step away from everyday life and be fully present in the moment. Whether through photography, design, or dance, Samantha is drawn to creative storytelling and finding meaningful ways to connect with an audience.
Emmy Stravinskas (she/her) is a Rockford native with a background in the performing arts, communications, and community engagement. She grew up performing with Without Shoes Modern Dance Company and graduated from Auburn High School’s Gifted, CAPA Band, and CAPA Media programs. Emmy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Northern Illinois University and began her professional career as a news director at 13 WREX. She later moved into marketing and communications and currently serves as Operations Coordinator at Rockford Dance Company, where she combines her communications experience with her longstanding connection to the arts. Throughout her career, Emmy has worked with local nonprofit organizations including Rockford Dance Company and the Fire Department Coffee Foundation, supporting community engagement, storytelling, and organizational growth. She brings that experience to the Rockford DanceMakers Festival, where she continues her work in support of Rockford’s arts community.
Gabrielle Tifft is a lighting designer and technician who earned a degree in Theatre Technical Direction from Carthage College. She currently works as a touring lighting technician with Upstaging. Her recent lighting design credits include Rockford Dance Company’s The Nutcracker, SpongeBob: The Musical at Starlight Theatre, and Beauty and the Beast at Starlight Theatre. Gabrielle’s touring production experience includes serving as a Follow-Me Technician for Paul McCartney’s Got Back 2025 tour and as a Lighting and Teleprompter Technician for Paul Simon’s A Quiet Celebration 2025 tour. She is pleased to bring her technical and design experience to the Rockford DanceMakers Festival.
Mikayla Miracle
Luis Hermosillo is a professional videographer based in Rockford, Illinois, specializing in high-quality visual storytelling, event coverage, and commercial video production. With a sharp eye for detail and a passion for cinematic narrative, Luis works closely with local businesses, organizations, and individuals to bring their unique visions to life on screen. Known for his technical precision, creative direction, and seamless end-to-end production process, he delivers compelling content that resonates with audiences across digital and broadcast platforms.