Alma Dance School
Alma Dance School, 999 N Main Street Suite 108, Suite 108, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
About
Alma Dance School offers ballet and dance instruction that includes both pre-professional dance training and recreational dance instruction. Students take part in performance opportunities, including two highly acclaimed, professionally produced annual shows, The Nutcracker and the Simply Classic Series, where students of all levels dance with professionals.
• Ages: 1–18 years old
Alma Dance School states that its mission is “to provide professional and recreational dance instruction through high-quality training, performance opportunities and infusion of our core values, in a safe high-quality studio environment”. The school identifies its core values as Quality and Knowledge, Community, Respect, Integrity and Honesty, Professionalism, Positivity, Communication, and Discipline, and describes its programs as focusing on the whole person and developing talents and strengths unique to each student. It is described as Chicagoland’s only Cuban-method ballet studio and the only studio that teaches the discipline of Cuban-method ballet in the Chicagoland area, offering Cuban-method ballet training based on principles of the Cuban method of ballet. The school describes itself as a performing school with two highly acclaimed, professionally produced annual shows, The Nutcracker and the Simply Classic Series, and notes that students of all levels dance with professionals in these shows. Alma Dance School describes its training as personalized, with attention to detail, and states a vision to offer the highest quality dance training to every student, preparing the mind and body for life. The school also describes itself as providing inclusive dance training and performance opportunities and as being deeply committed to its support and partnership with a special-needs community, and it has been celebrated for its commitment to expression through dance. The program notes award-winning ballet instruction, world-renowned, award-winning professional instructors, and two highly acclaimed, professionally produced annual shows.
Alma Dance School is led by former professional dancers Vilma Machin and Guillermo Leyva. Vilma Machin started her training at age nine at the National Ballet School, where she had eight years of training and graduated in 2001 at the top of her class as a dancer, and she received a diploma in ballet pedagogy in the Cuban method of ballet. Guillermo Leyva trained at the Professional School of Arts in Camaguey, Cuba, and danced professionally at the Ballet de Camaguey under Fernando Alonso’s direction as a principal dancer for 11 years. Over the past 15 years of teaching, instructor Katrina Lochridge has taught and choreographed for numerous ballet schools, studios, companies, and park districts throughout the Chicagoland area and has led several volunteer performances. Instructor Jenna Guzy began her ballet training at three years old and, during her years of pre-professional training, gained experience teaching ballet and pre-pointe. Instructor Julia Rzonca is a dancer, teaching artist, and choreographer from the Chicago area and received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University in May 2021.
One parent, Meredith Holt, states that her family has been “blown away by the progress” her child has made in one year at Alma Dance School and describes Alma Dance School as “like a second home” for her child, noting a high standard of excellence and supportive students. Another parent, Mary Lewis, describes Vilma and Guillermo with the word “Joy” and mentions “excellent training, encouragement, discipline, and a true love for their students,” and notes that her daughters have grown in their technique, confidence, and joy, and that she is grateful to have “such an excellent studio in Glen Ellyn.”
Last updated January 11, 2026.
• Ages: 1–18 years old
Alma Dance School states that its mission is “to provide professional and recreational dance instruction through high-quality training, performance opportunities and infusion of our core values, in a safe high-quality studio environment”. The school identifies its core values as Quality and Knowledge, Community, Respect, Integrity and Honesty, Professionalism, Positivity, Communication, and Discipline, and describes its programs as focusing on the whole person and developing talents and strengths unique to each student. It is described as Chicagoland’s only Cuban-method ballet studio and the only studio that teaches the discipline of Cuban-method ballet in the Chicagoland area, offering Cuban-method ballet training based on principles of the Cuban method of ballet. The school describes itself as a performing school with two highly acclaimed, professionally produced annual shows, The Nutcracker and the Simply Classic Series, and notes that students of all levels dance with professionals in these shows. Alma Dance School describes its training as personalized, with attention to detail, and states a vision to offer the highest quality dance training to every student, preparing the mind and body for life. The school also describes itself as providing inclusive dance training and performance opportunities and as being deeply committed to its support and partnership with a special-needs community, and it has been celebrated for its commitment to expression through dance. The program notes award-winning ballet instruction, world-renowned, award-winning professional instructors, and two highly acclaimed, professionally produced annual shows.
Alma Dance School is led by former professional dancers Vilma Machin and Guillermo Leyva. Vilma Machin started her training at age nine at the National Ballet School, where she had eight years of training and graduated in 2001 at the top of her class as a dancer, and she received a diploma in ballet pedagogy in the Cuban method of ballet. Guillermo Leyva trained at the Professional School of Arts in Camaguey, Cuba, and danced professionally at the Ballet de Camaguey under Fernando Alonso’s direction as a principal dancer for 11 years. Over the past 15 years of teaching, instructor Katrina Lochridge has taught and choreographed for numerous ballet schools, studios, companies, and park districts throughout the Chicagoland area and has led several volunteer performances. Instructor Jenna Guzy began her ballet training at three years old and, during her years of pre-professional training, gained experience teaching ballet and pre-pointe. Instructor Julia Rzonca is a dancer, teaching artist, and choreographer from the Chicago area and received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University in May 2021.
One parent, Meredith Holt, states that her family has been “blown away by the progress” her child has made in one year at Alma Dance School and describes Alma Dance School as “like a second home” for her child, noting a high standard of excellence and supportive students. Another parent, Mary Lewis, describes Vilma and Guillermo with the word “Joy” and mentions “excellent training, encouragement, discipline, and a true love for their students,” and notes that her daughters have grown in their technique, confidence, and joy, and that she is grateful to have “such an excellent studio in Glen Ellyn.”
Last updated January 11, 2026.
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