Erica Petro

Erica Zintek Petro is a proud Chicago native who cultivated her passion for the performing arts. She earned her B.F.A. in acting from Wright State University in Ohio, where she delved into various acting methods and styles, including Musical Theatre Performance, Improv, Shakespeare, Stage Combat, Stanislavski, Meisner, and Viewpoints. Her dance training encompassed tap under Joe Deer, jazz under Thomas G. Hellems, and ballet and pointe under Michelle Slitor Goodman, a former Dayton Ballet principal performer.Over the last 17 years, Erica has been a stalwart presence in the Chicagoland area, teaching musical theatre, acting, dance, and voice. She has also traveled extensively, sharing her expertise as a guest artist in over 40 U.S. states, 2 Canadian provinces, and 4 European countries. Erica has collaborated with esteemed organizations such as Missoula Children’s Theatre, Beverly Arts Center, Dance Masters of the Bluegrass, The Stage School, and Play in a Book.In her multifaceted role as a teaching artist, choreographer, performing-arts curriculum developer, and dance judge, Erica is dedicated to leveraging dance and the performing arts as tools for life skills. Her mission includes promoting body positivity, fostering self-care, and nurturing creative expression among dancers. Recently, she achieved her C.Y.T. 200-Yoga certification from Breathe For Change, adding yoga instruction and mindfulness coaching to her repertoire. This expansion aims to empower dancers in achieving their goals and savoring positive experiences in performance and competition environments.