Take Root

Performers

KAITLIN ARENA-GECK

Movement has been a part of Kaitlin’s life for as long as she can remember. Growing up she was a member of Spotlight Dance Work Pre-Professional program. After completing high school, Kaitlin went to Oakland University and graduated in 2021 with a BFA in Dance. At OU, she learned many valuable skills and was able to produce her own show titled “The Things We Feel”. From this, She received the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award. Since college Kaitlin has been certified in Parkinson's Dance. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and a dance educator/choreographer to dancers ages 2-18 at Spotlight Dance Works.

ALIE ASHER

Alie Asher is a Detroit native and a graduate from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance with concentration in modern under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. Alie has traveled internationally for multiple intensive workshops including the B12 festival Berlin, Vim Vigor’s summer workshop and the Rubberband Intensive at Domaine Forget De Charlevoix. Alie has been teaching and choreographing for dance studios around Michigan since 2018 and joined Take Root in 2022. Alongside dance, her other passion includes flying airplanes and is working toward a career in aviation.

ASHTYN BABB OBEY

Ashtyn Babb Obey is a dedicated artist with passions for performance, movement invention and choreography. In 2024, she graduated with a BFA in Contemporary Dance and a Minor in Arts Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Upon graduation, Ashtyn joined Saint Louis Dance Theatre as a Trainee where she performed professionally, choreographed new works and participated in various outreach programs. Throughout her career, she has performed repertory by Trisha Brown, José Limón and Robert Battle, in addition to many new works by Avree Walker, Juel D. Lane, Ashley Lindsey and more. Her vision as an artist is to inspire and cultivate hope, creativity and connection within communities across the globe, specifically through the art of dance.

LENA GRANGER

Graduating from Wayne State University in 2019 with a BFA in Dance, Lena Granger is a freelance movement artist who focuses on highly physical, modern contemporary styles. While attending Wayne State, Lena had the opportunity to perform works choreographed by Twyla Tharp, Pilobolus, Laurie Eisenhower, Ronald K Brown, Jenn Freeman, Molly Shanahan, Trey McIntyre, and more. Since graduating, Lena has pursued training from ConteXture Dance Detroit, Ground Grooves, Baira MVMT PHLOSPHY, Jacob Jonas The Company, and Sidra Bell.

In addition to performing, Lena has also choreographed and presented various solo and group works. During her time at Wayne State, Lena’s choreography received departmental and regional recognition, being selected as a finalist for the Maggie Allesee Choreography Awards in 2015 and 2019. In 2024, with the help of etude Productions, Lena produced an evening-length concert (Fragments in Order) which included two restaged works and a brand new work created in collaboration with a live cellist.

ELIZA JONES

Eliza’s passion for dance began at the age of four and developed through 12 years of intensive training under the guidance of Jacqueline Colledge. She went on to perform professionally with Utah Metropolitan Ballet for two seasons. In 2017, Eliza earned her BFA in Dance Performance from The Juilliard School, where she had the opportunity to perform works by Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor, as well as original creations by choreographers Loni Landon, Zvi Gotheiner, and Matthew Neenan. Now balancing her roles as a mother, ballet instructor, and devoted artist, Eliza remains deeply engaged in exploring the intersection of art and life. She is passionate about fostering connection through artistic expression and is honored to share another season with Take Root.

NINA POLLZZIE

Nina Pollzzie is a graduate of Point Park University, receiving her BFA in Dance concentrating in Modern. During her time at Point Park, she has had the pleasure of working and performing works from choreographers Martha Nichols, Bob Fosse, Maud Arnold and Rennie Harris. Nina also had the opportunity to attend the Hubbard Street intensive where she performed works from Alysia Johnson, Adam McGaw, Ashley Green, James Gregg and Kameron Saunders. In the Fall of her 2022 semester at Point Park, Nina received the Tomayko Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography. She also had the opportunity to choreograph for the University of Michigan Dance Team in the Summer of 2024 for their Home Routine as well as teach Master Classes for their summer Intensives. Nina works as an Instructor and one of the main choreographers for Haja Dance Company where she also spent her life as a dancer under the direction of her mom Selena Williams-Molter. Nina also is currently a member of the company Take Root in Detroit Michigan. Nina has a passion for creating and teaching proper technique to her students.

MADDY PETZ

Maddy Petz is an enthusiastic performer, choreographer and instructor with a BFA in Dance from Wayne State University. She has had the honor of performing works by Twyla Tharp, Pilobolus, Ron Brown, Giordano Dance, and many other renowned artists along her journey, and received Two Copperfoot choreography awards. This past year, she returned to her Alma mater to choreograph “Keep it, It’s Yours” on the Company One students. Maddy has been performing with Take Root Dance since 2020, and now leads their “Soulful Steps” program where she teaches individuals who are navigating their journey with cancer. She is also an instructor at Kercheval Dance, Coach of the Grosse Pointe South Dance Team, and a founder of étude, a non-profit production company in Detroit. Through her work with étude, she has produced two of her own evening length pieces, “BEYOND THE SOUND” and “A ‘Pretty. Odd.’ Experience”. Maddy adores all styles of dance, and cherishes the powerful community that is created through movement!

BRAYDEN SCHMITT

After graduating high school in 2021, Brayden was invited into the Greater Lansing Ballet’s young professionals group. Brayden trained and performed lead roles of The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet and various contemporary ballets. Brayden has attended intensives and workshops from contemporary artists such as Ohad Naharin, FLOCK, Andrea Miller and Robyn Dekkers. In 2024, he joined the company as a professional apprentice where he simultaneously received his associates degree from Lansing Community College. For the 2025-26 season, Brayden was thrilled to become a full member of the company. Outside of Take Root, Brayden guest performs in ballets and projects around Michigan.