Encore! School of the Arts Faculty

Maggie Osgood Nicholls

Maggie is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's BFA program in Dance, and also one of 18 to receive UMKC's Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Honor Award. Originally from Minden, Nebraska, Maggie began studying dance at age 3. She started teaching dance in high school at Dance Minden, a studio founded by Maggie & Claire Osgood. Maggie attended UMKC after receiving the Chancellor's Non-Resident Scholarship in Dance. Maggie was a dancer and choreographer for Reach, a Movement Collective, Inc., from 2006-2011.  Currently, she is a Co-Artistic Director for Kansas City Contemporary Dance- KACICO.  Maggie has been honored to have her professional pieces selected for City in Motion's Modern Night at the Folly, 940's Informal Showcase, 940/Lawrence Arts Center's Professional Choreographic Showcase, and the EXCHANGE Dance Festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Her professional works have been performed at the opening of the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity and the opening of the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts.
 

Cassi Chapman

Cassi has danced for nine years learning all genres of dance. She has participated on the dance team at Oak Park High School and in show choir.  She enjoyed performing in the musicals Guys and Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, All Shook Up, and Little Shop of Horrors, all which were venues where her dance talents shined. She is currently attending the University of Missouri Kansas City majoring in Music Therapy after previously spending a year at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. When she finishes school she plans to help people through the use of various form of music including singing and playing guitar and other instruments. She hopes to be able to incorporate her love of music and dance on a mission trip this summer to the Dominican Republic. When she is not working and attending classes, Cassi still finds herself dancing in the kitchen remembering the things she was taught as a child in her dance classes.

Mallory Gittemeier 

Mallory began dancing at the age of three. She continued her studies at Webster University and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, with an emphasis in Ballet, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. Mallory was a guest aerialist and dancer twice in MADCO's (Modern American Dance Company) production of Chimera. MADCO also performed at the United Methodist Wom...en's Convention where she was the guest aerialist and dancer. Mallory was also guest dancer with the Dances of India production of The Little Rani, as well as Thillana at the St. Louis Dance Festival. While at Webster, she performed at the American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) in the faculty, adjudication, and Gala Concerts. She also went on to perform in New York City at Miller Theatre and Washington D.C. at the Kennedy Center for the National ACDFA.

Allison McKinzie    

Allison  is from Olathe, KS and began dancing at the age of three. She majored in dance at Kansas State University for one year and then   transferred to the University of Kansas and graduated with   a BFA in Dance in 2005.  While in college, she took classes from and danced in pieces by Holly Williams, Bill Evans, William Whitener, Patrick Corban and members from David Parsons, Merce Cunningham, and Alvin Ailey Dance companies. She performed in numerous Kansas and American College Dance   Festivals and had a piece adjudicated. In 2005, she danced with the J. Loree Modern dance company for one season and in 2006 traveled to New York for a summer dance intensive with the Amy Marshall Dance Company. Kacico is currently serving as co-artistic director for Kacico Dance.  She is the proud mother of Avery, her assistant for the Mommy & Me Classes. 

Nedra Dixon’s career as a ‘musical aardvark’ began very early when her insightful parents gifted her with piano, violin and guitar lessons, encouraged her to participate in creative dramatics, ballet and art classes, and took her on trips to the symphony, theatres and puppet shows. These exciting creative experiences led to a highly successful adult career as a ‘triple-threat’ (actor/singer/dancer) musical theatre performer which includes productions on Broadway, special performances at the White House to productions for Kansas City’s renowned Coterie Theatre. Nedra has served as an effective guest artist and master teacher of musical theatre performance in several university theatre arts programs. Currently, Nedra appears as a featured vocalist on NPR’s locally produced, 12th Street Jump, a weekly live-broadcast jazz show, and she continues her career as a professional performer, director and choreographer. And now she is sharing her artistic talents and experiences with aspiring pre-school aardvarks and their grown-ups at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City.