About I Love to (I.L.T.) Dance Studio

Michelle Verissimo

Owner | Director

Michelle is the founder and program director of I.L.T. Dance. Michelle has over 25 years of experience as a dancer and has been teaching children in southwest Florida for 10 years. Through teaching dance and performances Michelle has inspired many young students. IL.T. Dance students have auditioned and performed at Walt Disney World Magic Music Days. Michelle also has choreographed for the South Fort Myers High School dance team and offers an after school dance program in the Gateway community. Michelle is a founding member and a performer of Dance Alliance, the resident dance company at the Alliance for the Arts. Michelle is committed to sharing her passion of dance with her students through her classes, performances and choreography.

Stephanie Espinosa

Dance Instructor / Choreographer

Stephanie Held has a true passion for teaching and because of that she started teaching her first class at the age of sixteen under the mentorship of Joffery Ballet Dancers. Obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale she has been submerging herself in her passion of teaching in the public, private, charter and after-school program settings for the past 20 years. Stephanie is always striving to hone her craft by working on side productions, choreographing and directing over 20 different children's theater productions, choreographing for various South Florida Competitive dance studios and performing and choreographing as a principal dancer for the Body and Soul Dance Company of South Florida. Many of her students have gone on to have successful careers in the entertainment field such as performing for Busch Gardens, Disney, Miami Dolphins, FSU Golden Girls, Broadway, in music videos and So You Think You Can Dance. Stephanie has always felt her calling is to spread artistry and self expression in students of all ages.

Blaire Armstrong

Dance Instructor / Choreographer

Blair Armstrong is a dancer and choreographer. She began her dance career at age two in Topeka, Kansas. Blair has danced and taught at numerous dance studios around Kansas, Missouri, and Florida. For 8 years, she has been teaching dance to both children and adults. She has trained in many styles including: hip hop, jazz, jazz funk, contemporary, tap, and ballet. She is currently located in Estero, Florida. Blair moved to Florida in 2021 and since then, has set her focus to learning more about improvisation/freestyle and the street dance battle culture. Over the summer of 2022, Blair auditioned and participated in a program called SELF, led by the world champion B-girl, Logistix. Blair's main style emphasis when teaching and performing is contemporary, hip hop, jazz, and heels. She has performed and choreographed for many local artists, events, dance showcases, and has appeared in one of Tech N9ne’s music videos. Alongside performing and teaching, one of Blair's long term goals is dedicated to removing the barriers people face that prevent them from experiencing the magic of dance. In the future, Blair wants to be involved in a program that provides individuals of all diversities access to an abundant, true to the culture, dance education.

Teya Schlieffer

Dance Instructor / Choreographer

Teya has been dancing since the age of two and began competing at the age of of nine. She is one of the original dance team members at I.L.T. Dance Studio where she studied ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. Teya also studied dance at Cypress Lake High School Center For The Arts from 2017 through 2021. Teya studied under many influential teachers and choreographers mainly Michelle Verissimo, Director and Owner of I.L.T. Dance Studio. Teya has performed in many recitals and dance competitions throughout her dance career winning many awards ranging from scholarships, top placements, judges special awards to winning best dancer at her performing art school. She has taken many workshops including Showstoppers, Turn It Around Tour, FDPA, Broadway Dance Center and others in New York. Teya's love for dance grew from performing to wanting to share her passion with younger dancers. She was given the opportunity to volunteer at I.L.T. Dance Studio under the influence of her mentor, Michelle Verissimo. She then graduated from volunteer to teacher and now choreographer for I.L.T. Dance Studios dance team. Teya is currently enrolled at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and is in her third year choreographing for I.LT. Dance Studios dance team. Her routines have won top placements and judge’s awards. Teya loves to work with her old team members, to help them improve technique, to inspire them to be their best. She enjoys being a positive role model to these dancers in life as well as in dance. Her goal is to be sure her dancers feel strong and confident before each performance and to always have good team spirit and good sportsmanship towards one another.