LEAPING LIZARDS PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

Robin Michelle Berger      Studio Owner

Advanced Teen Tap, Int. /Adv. Adult Tap, Adult Beginner Tap, Musical Theatre Dance, Private dance instruction, Leaping Lizards Theatre Works - Artistic Director

Director/Choreographer of the Leaping Lizards On Stage performing group; choreographer and member of the professional tap company, Diva La Tap Professional Tap Group; 1994 graduate of Webster University receiving a BFA degree in Visual Arts & minor emphasis in Dance; performed in community and professional theatre for over twenty years including: the MUNY and Radio City Music Hall in Branson, MO; attended master Tap classes with: Jimmy Slyde, Cholly Atkins, Fayard Nicholas, Debbie Dee, Spencer Prince, Leonard Reed, Robert Reed, and Robert Reed, Jr.; choreographer/member of KLOU Oldies Revue; choreographed for Max and Louie Productions, Insight tTheatre Company, Crestwood / Kirkwood Youth Theatre, C&C, New Jewish Theatre, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, American Legionettes, CBC, Clayton Cor Jesu Academy,  Nerinx Hall High School;  and CBC High School. Robin was a member of the arts faculty of Thomas Jefferson School teaching Tap and Drama.  Studied at the Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago, IL; studied privately with Robert Reed; Joel Hall scholarship recipient; 2000 Arts For Life Award recipient;  former resident choreographer for New Line Theatre; choreographer for Miss Illinois 2010. Nominated for a 2012 St. Louis Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography.  Nominated in 2023 for Best Choreography at The St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards representing CBC High School.

Current choreographer and substitute teacher for Lutheran High School South.

Mother of three children.

Cecily King

Sat. Ballet, Sat. Lyrical Jazz, Wed. Adv. Jazz, Wed. Adv. Ballet, Guest Instructor

Ms. Cecily is a classically trained ballet dancer from California. Her studies include companies such as Westside School of Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, where she received a full scholarship. She was a semi-finalist for the Music Center’s Spotlight Award in Los Angeles, CA. Ms. Daguman has toured with Off Center Dance Theatre in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Performance credits include: Oklahoma, The Shooting of Dan McGrew, Hello Dolly, and The Music Man in both LA and NY productions. She has appeared onstage with performers such as Barry Williams, Barbie Andretti, Tom Hatten, Ruta Lee, and Jacques D’Ambroise.Upon moving to St. Louis she joined the staff at Leaping Lizards in 2007 and has been a Special Guest Instructor at Webster University. Currently, Cecily is the director/choreographer  of Leaps N' Bounds a dance performing group in the St. Louis area.  Cecily is a member of the Rhythm Queens adult tap performance group. 

Mother of four children. 

Shelley Kohlman

Adult Intermediate/Advanced Tap, Burlesque classes, Sound Bath,Workshops, Guest Instructor

Ms. Shelley has been engaging in dance for over 25 years. Through childhood to adulthood, tap has been the (dance) love of her life. Even though she claims that she “wasn’t built for ballet”, she enjoys infusing jazz and ballet elements into her rhythmic work.  Ms. Kohlman joined LLPAS’ professional tap group, Diva La Tap, in 2009 where she loves learning and collaborating with her colleagues. Shelley is a tap instructor at LLPAS; she primarily teaches adult learners, from beginning to advanced levels.

Ashley Pavlige

Preschool, Doodlebug,Combination Classes, Guest instructor

Ashley has been a dancing and performing at Leaping Lizards Performing Arts Studio for over 12 years.  She has performed in numerous musicals around the St. Louis area, including: Damn Yankees, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Beauty and the Beast, The Music Man, Annie, Once Upon a Mattress. Suessical, The Little Mermaid Jr., Hairspray, The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicals of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Once on this Island Jr.  She takes weekly vocal lessons from Taylor Pietz and currently attends Grand Center Arts Academy as a junior, to pursue musical theater as her major.  Out of state practices include, performing in New York City's 2011 Macy's Day Parade, and performing in a pre-game show for a woman's basketball game in Madison Square Garden. Ashley has served as a Teacher's Assistant for many years with Leaping Lizards, been a lead performer with Leaping Lizards On Stage, and has always loved working with the kiddos.

Has choreographed for CBC High School, Alfresco Productions and many other St. Louis area theatre companies.