Karissa Machacek
Instructor
Karissa trained in ballet from an early age with the School of Continental Ballet in Bloomington, Minnesota, and later danced as a member of their Junior Company. She attended Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, and graduated with honors in 2011 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While at Belhaven, she had the opportunity to dance a variety of works by faculty and guest artists, as well as performing with the university’s Dance Ministry Ensemble and participating in Project Dance New York. She danced for two seasons as a member of Continental Ballet Company in Bloomington, Minnesota, performing and touring full length classical ballets. She has several years of experience teaching ballet and pointe technique at studios across the Twin Cities and New Prague. In 2013-2014, Karissa spent a year dancing with Elevate Dance Company, the apprentice company of Springs Dance Company in London. Here she trained in contemporary, ballet, and street and had the opportunity to perform and teach workshops in schools and churches all over the United Kingdom. In addition to dance, she loves to share her creativity in the form of latte art as a barista and cook at Rustica Bakery in Eden Prairie. Now in her third season with To The Pointe, she is so excited to share her love of dance with students this year!