Suzann Siler DeLay received her early dance training in California with Deane and Barbara Crockett, founders of The Sacramento Ballet. She went on to dance a variety of contemporary and classical roles while a member of The Sacramento Ballet. She also had a brief career with Pacific Northwest Ballet until injury forced her to retire. She has been fortunate to study with some of the master teachers of our time such as Violette Verdy, Robert Barnett, Robert Joffrey and Janet Reed just to name a few. Mrs. DeLay has appeared in several musicals including Princess an the Pea and Lil’ Abner. She has also appeared in several PBS specials in the California area.

Mrs. DeLay has taught, choreographed and performed throughout the United Sates, including the official School for Sacramento Ballet and occasionally teaches for the Contemporary Dance Department at Indiana University. She has been recognized with numerous awards for choreography works in ballet and lyrical. In December of 2008, she was honored by being selected for the cover story for the Indianapolis Woman magazine. Recently, she was selected to attend the 2^nd Annual National Teacher’s Weekend at the School of American Ballet in New York City.

Mrs. DeLay is Membership Chairman for Regional Dance America Mid-States Regional Board of Directors. Mrs. DeLay is currently the owner/director of the Central Indiana Academy of Dance and is the founding director of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble celebrating their 10^th anniversary season.

Michael Casey Clark is originally from Fishers, Indiana, Casey started dancing at the age of 19. He attended Ball State University graduating with a BS in Dance Performance with a minor in Theatre. While at Ball State, he was encouraged to attend dance classes and audition for the Ball State Performing Dance Company where he was accepted as an Apprentice. A year later he became a company member. While studying at Ball State, he also performed with the Anderson Young Ballet Theatre, directed by Lou Ann Young. He received many scholarships and was the first to receive the Lynette Jordan Schisla Scholarship.

At Ball State, Casey developed his choreography skills. He was one of several students to have their works adjudicated and performed at the American College Dance Festival, representing Ball State. Casey also choreographed many musicals at Ball State. “Dancing at Laughnasa” was adjudicated and presented at the American College Theatre Festival. He was also voted Best Student Choreographer.

Casey has studied and worked with many outstanding choreographers and master teachers including Gail Gilbert (David Parsons Dance Company), Franciose Martinett (Joffrey Ballet), Sylvia Waters (Alvin Ailey), Trinette Singleton (Joffrey Ballet), Luigi and Twyla Tharp, just to name a few.

Summer of 2003, Casey was accepted to the Glenda Brown Choreography Project in Austin, Texas, where he worked with Margo Sappington. Casey attended this project as a choreographer where he was inspired to create eight dances in thirteen days.

Casey is very excited to be expanding his teaching and choreography responsibilities at Central Indiana Academy of Dance. Casey would like to thank Suzann DeLay for her insight and astute knowledge she has shared with him.

Ashley Jones began her formal ballet training at the age of 10 with her mother, Suzann DeLay and was a founding member of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She diversified her training and competed in many local and national dance competitions in jazz, tap, lyrical and modern and was recognized with countless regional and national awards. Prior to her senior year she was selected to study at Butler University in their Gifted and Talented Dance Program. Ashley graduated from Carmel High School in 2005 with an academic honors diploma.

Ashley attended the University of Utah as a ballet major, and in her sophomore year she transfer to Indiana University to study in the Contemporary Dance Program. While at IU she danced with The Ben Munisteri Dance Company of New York City, Connie Denapoli from Paul Taylor Dance Company and The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange of Washington D. C. In addition to performing she was a featured choreography in IU’s “Hammer and Nail 2008”. She has choreographed for the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble and in 2008 it was recognized at the Regional Dance America - MidStates Festival. In the spring of 2008 Ashley was awarded the Jane Fox Dance Scholarship from the Kinesiology Department at Indiana University. Ashley has taught in many local studios, Indiana University’s Pre-College Dance Program, and was an assistant teacher for the freshman dance major’s modern class. Last summer she was selected for internship with the Boston Ballet. Ashley graduated in 2009 from Indiana University with a B. S. Dance Performance.

Originally from Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Tashpulatov graduated from the Uzbek School of Choreography. He performed as a Principal Dancer with the State Academci Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet for ten years.

In 1997, for his outstanding achievement in the field of dance, Mr. Tashpulatov was awarded the national title of “Honored Artist of the Republic of Uzbekistan” by the country’s President. In February 1998, he came to the USA and was offered a position of Principal Dancer and Ballet Master in the International Ballet at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has also performed with Ballet Theatre of Boston, Dance at Holy Trinity and Ballet Internationale.

In July of 2008, Mr. Tashpulatov joined the artistic staff of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble.