{"id":8061,"date":"2025-09-19T13:45:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T17:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/?post_type=team_member&#038;p=8061"},"modified":"2025-11-20T13:05:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T18:05:54","slug":"ellie-owner-instructor","status":"publish","type":"team_member","link":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/member\/ellie-owner-instructor\/","title":{"rendered":"Ellie &#8211; Studio Owner | Instructor"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8061\" class=\"elementor elementor-8061\" data-elementor-settings=\"{&quot;ha_cmc_init_switcher&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-elementor-post-type=\"team_member\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d4e1aa6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2d4e1aa6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c1e9594 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c1e9594\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA proud Chicago native, Ellie first discovered her love for ballroom dancing as a student at Fred Astaire Dance Studios. With a background as a competitive figure skater, the transition from the ice to the dance floor came naturally\u2014blending athletic precision with artistic expression. What began as a personal passion quickly grew into a thriving professional career.\r\n\r\nEllie has earned numerous professional titles, including Regional Closed Rhythm Champion, Regional Closed Smooth Finalist, Regional Open Rhythm Finalist, and National Closed Rhythm Finalist. Beyond the competition floor, she has been recognized as one of the Top Female Teachers in Illinois, earning the award multiple times for her dedication, skill, and leadership.\r\n\r\nBefore opening Fred Astaire Wilmette, Ellie played a key role in operating one of Illinois\u2019 most successful studios. With the help of her guidance, the school earned both regional and national recognition for excellence at events and competitions.\r\n\r\nEllie brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and artistry to her students. Known for her supportive teaching style and her ability to motivate and inspire, she strives to make every lesson both educational and unforgettable. Whether helping beginners find their rhythm or guiding competitive dancers toward their goals, Ellie\u2019s mission is to share the joy, confidence, and community that ballroom dancing brings.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f93d2d ha-toggle--icon-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-ha-toggle happy-addon ha-toggle happy-addon-pro\" data-id=\"6f93d2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"ha-toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__wrapper\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1161\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1161\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Which dances do you love the most?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1161\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1161\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tI\u2019m drawn to the sensuality and fluid motion of the Rumba. It\u2019s such a beautiful blend of softness and strength. I also adore the bold drama of the Tango. Its intensity and precision are absolutely exhilarating.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1162\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1162\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What is the all-time best \u201cDance\u201d\u00a0Movie?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1162\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1162\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFor me, nothing tops the classic Dirty Dancing. It\u2019s timeless, inspiring, and always reminds me why I fell in love with dance in the first place.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1163\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1163\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Who is your favorite dancer?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1163\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1163\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael Jackson\u2014hands down. His artistry, musicality, and innovation were unmatched, and I love that his biggest dance mentor was Fred Astaire himself.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1164\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1164\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Favorite weekend binge-watch guilty pleasure?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1164\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1164\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSeinfeld. I can watch it for hours and somehow the episodes never lose their charm. It\u2019s the perfect wind-down!\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1165\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1165\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What do you love most about Ballroom Dancing?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1165\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1165\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBallroom has a truly transformative power. It can shift my entire mindset\u2014mentally and emotionally\u2014and reconnect me with a sense of joy, creativity, and presence every time I step onto the floor.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1166\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1166\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What is the most rewarding part of your career?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1166\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1166\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe most fulfilling part of my work is knowing that dance gives me a way to genuinely impact people\u2019s lives. Whether someone wants to learn a new skill, get active, build confidence, find community, or pursue a passion, I\u2019m honored to help guide them on that journey.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1167\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1167\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Piece of advice for students\/new students?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-1167\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-1167\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJust go for it\u2014don\u2019t hold yourself back. It\u2019s always better to say \u201coh well\u201d than \u201cwhat if?\u201d Dance rewards courage, and every step forward counts.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"featured_media":8137,"template":"","class_list":["post-8061","team_member","type-team_member","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member\/8061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/team_member"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member\/8061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}