09/19/2026
DIRECTOR FEATURE: MISS LISA
Founder and Artistic Director Lisa Kalinowski began dance as a young child at the Mary Byrne School of Dance in her hometown of Rutland, Vermont. She studied under the tutelage of Mary Byrne, and Sherry Adams, Founder and Artistic Director of the Vermont Chamber Ballet Company. Lisa had the honor of being a founding member of the Vermont Chamber Ballet Company, as well as the distinguishment of being the company’s youngest Principal Dancer at the age of 12.
After moving to PA in 1982, she continued her dance training with Judy Williams Henry of Movement Laboratories, and later with John Kalina, Tina Stauffer and Chevelle Vagnoni Klee of the Marie Shaw School of Dance in Reading, PA. Lisa was invited to join the staff of Marie Shaw’s, completing their Teacher Training program, and began her teaching career in 1987. She became a teacher in the school’s Reading, West Lawn and Lebanon branches, as well as manager of the school’s Hershey branch. She later moved to Central NY, where she became a Senior Teacher for the Susan Alvarez School of Dance. She was a Principal Dancer and Assistant Choreographer for the Mix-n-Motion Dance Company, performing all over Central New York. Lisa and her students competed in many dance competitions, winning many first place titles.
Following the Kalinowski family’s move to Lancaster, PA, The Lititz Academy of Dance was founded in October 2002. Shortly thereafter, the CoJoMotion Dance Company, named after their beloved sons, came to fruition. Having a professionally – run dance company with passionate dancers – using their art for the benefit of others – is a dream come true for Lisa. CoJoMotion’s signature event has become “A Season for Wishes”, an annual holiday show to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Susquehanna Valley. In the past 21 years, this show has raised over $615,000 for Make- A -Wish.
Lisa continues her training through dance classes in NYC, seminars and master classes. She studies at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, where she is a student of Heather Rigg, Sue Samuels, Tracie Stanfield, Slam, Ray Hesselink, Dorit Koppel and Michelle Barber, among others. Lisa has also had the honor of studying with such greats as Jason Samuels Smith, Sascha Radetsky, Dana Moore, Ginger Cox, Kristin Sudeikis, Jeff Amsden, Elizabeth Parkinson, Karen Hebert, Sheila Barker, Avi Miller and Ofer Ben, and others. In 2013, she had the thrill of completing Finis Jhung’s Ballet Teacher Training seminar.
Lisa has taken students to various dance conventions, as well as to Broadway Dance Center (NYC), the Rockette Experience (NYC) and The Broadway Experience (master classes with Broadway performers in NYC.) In addition, Lisa loves to bring Master Teachers to LAD : NYC master teachers Heather Rigg and Eric John Campros (jazz and contemporary); NYC Jazz legend Sue Samuels, and her son, the “Prince of Tap”, Emmy winner Jason Samuels Smith; NYC professional dancer and LAD dance mom, Kimber Hampton (Musical Theatre); VCBC’s Sherry Adams and Joel Hodgen (ballet), The Koresh Center’s Tyger B (hip Hop) and colleagues Allison Sale (Lyrical / Contemporary) and Ron Wood (capoeira); former student / professional dancer Shaun Moe (jazz / tap); Steps on Broadway’s JT (jazz / hip hop); Broadway’s / Billy Elliott’s Jeff Kready (jazz / tap / musical theater); “A Few Good Men… Dancing” Choreographer & Director / Broadway Dance Center’s Jeff Amsden (jazz / lyrical); NYC Master Teacher / Choreographer / Director Tony Bradford (tap, jazz, leaps and turns, and musical theater; and Radio City Rockette / Dance Captain Melinda Farrell (Jazz / lyrical).
Lisa was also a featured online instructor in Adam Boreland’s Facebook group, Dance Accepts Everyone.
Lisa loves teaching students of all ages and levels. She feels incredibly blessed to have this wonderful school, and to be able to work with people she truly loves – people who love and respect dance, as well as children of all ages, as much as she does. She hopes to bring all of the amazing lessons her 40 years of teaching experience and 50+ years of dancing have given her, to HER students. In addition, she hopes to give to them the love and encouragement that Miss Mary gave her, the incredible ballet technique that Sherry taught her, the passion for performing that WAS Susan, and the inspiration that Chevelle continues to give her to this day in a studio run as amazingly as John and Tina taught her to run it. To these beloved mentors and friends, as well as to her parents, Doris and the late F. Richard Goeke, Lisa dedicates the Lititz Academy of Dance.
