Michelle Leininger

Michelle Leininger is an accomplished dancer and educator whose career spans international stages and more than 25 years of teaching experience. She has performed with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and appeared in productions across Montreal, Tokyo, and the United States, as well as in Canadian television and film.

Michelle trained at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance, the Broadway Dance Center, and the University of South Florida, where she majored in dance. Her technical foundation includes extensive study of Vaganova, Horton, and jazz techniques, and she has had the privilege of training with renowned artists such as Frank Hatchett, Celia Franca, Jürgen Schneider, and Ana Marie Forsythe.

An experienced educator and leader, Michelle has held directorships at dance schools in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from West Chester University and her Master’s degree in Education from Cabrini University, and holds Pennsylvania State Certification in Dance. Over the past three decades, she has taught throughout the Philadelphia region and led the dance program at Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, for ten years. In 2013, Michelle founded Balance Dance Center in Exton, Pennsylvania, where for thirteen years she mentored and inspired generations of young dancers. She is deeply committed to dance as a means of empowerment, creativity, and connection, encouraging her students to find their unique voice through movement.

After returning to Canada in 2025, Michelle is proud to join The Landing Dance Centre, where she looks forward to sharing her passion for dance with a new generation of students.