Letha grew up in Ludington, Michigan. Her early years of dance training were under the tutelage of Genevieve and Marlene Schoenberger. (The Schoenbergers were the catalyst for bringing dance into the Ludington Community.) She studied ballet (Cecchetti), jazz, tap and gymnastics. She passed four Cecchetti examinations highly commended. She later attended Butler University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts and performed with the Butler Ballet. She transferred to Goucher College in Towson, Maryland and graduated with a B.A. with honors in Dance Therapy/ Education.
During her college training, she studied ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap with an emphasis in dance therapy. Her final year of college, she spent her two internships at the Maryland School of the Blind and at an Adult Center for the Mentally Challenged. During her years at college she had the privilege of studying with many guest artists including Violette Verdy, Patricia McBride and Jean Pierrre Bonnefous.
Letha also enjoyed community theatre during her summers and had several dance roles in musicals such as Grease and West Side Story. Letha continues to enhance her training and education through summer studies, master classes with professional artists such as Finis Jung and Mia Michaels as well as dance conventions including NYCDA, Joe Tremaine and Jump.
Letha also has studied the the movement works of Ann Green Gilbert called “braindance” and with her dance therapy as well as continued education in sensory integration, she creates innovative lesson plans to improve a child’s sensory integration and brain “power”. Letha also trained in Power Pilates as well as completed her Reformer 1 training with Balanced Body. She has completed beginner-advanced mat training through Pilates Training Camps. She is USA Gymnastics Safety Certified and has completed Preschool and Elementary Gymnastics Certifications through Patti Komara, and is also trained and certified with Acrobatic Arts.
Letha and her husband, Dan believe that LFSD’S Mission is what God has called them to do because children are God’s most perfect gifts. They have been blessed to raise four children, two foster children and welcome several foreign exchange students to their home. They now love being grandparents to Jayden, Ava and Beckham, and consider all the students of LFSD an extension of their family.
