LEADERSHIP
Artistic & Executive Director, Stephanie Pizzo
Detroit Metropolitan Dance Artistic Director, Stephanie Pizzo, joined the company as a founding member in 1991. At various points in her dance career with DMD, she served as Resident Choreographer, Associate Artistic Director, and Co-Artistic Director. Ms. Pizzo now leads the company into her 7th season as Artistic Director. She focuses on collaborating with the highest quality national and international artists and creating strong ties within the metro Detroit community through the art of dance. Her dance for film work, The Five Tangos, inspired by the music of Astor Piazzolla and created in collaboration with the Detroit Institute of Art and Zazu Creative Studio, was selected as the winner of BEST EXPERIMENTAL film, 2022 Dancecentric Film Festival (Florida); semi-finalist, 2022 Inspired Dance Film Festival (Australia); and featured online in Dance Magazine’s “Friday Film Break.”
Ms. Pizzo also believes in educational programming and youth mentorship as key tools to develop community connection. She works to use the art of contemporary dance both as a means to present beautiful, athletic, and engaging repertory and as a vehicle to reflect on and explore issues of social significance. She has set her choreography at Illinois State University, Texas A & M University, Texas Christian University and Wesleyan University, along with having staged numerous works by Laurie Eisenhower on companies and universities throughout the United States. Her work has been presented in Tel Aviv as part of Detroit Metropolitan Dance’s production of The Light Show, at international dance festivals in Poland, and the Inside/Out Stage at Jacob’s Pillow. A native of Clinton Township, Michigan, Ms. Pizzo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Oakland University. In 2009, she received a Distinguished Alumni or “MaTilDa” award from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. She served as a special lecturer in dance at Oakland University for 12 years.
Assistant Executive Director, Lindsay Chirio-Humenay
Lindsay graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Oakland University and has been deeply involved in the organization since 2012. Training directly under Founder, Laurie Eisenhower and Artistic Director, Stephanie Pizzo, from 2012-2020, Lindsay had the pleasure of touring, teaching, and performing with Detroit Metropolitan Dance (formerly Eisenhower Dance Detroit). Lindsay stays active in the studio space as well and teaches company class; educating and training current company dancers in DMD movement philosophies and methods.
In 2018, through DMD’s Beyond the Stage Initiative, Lindsay was promoted to Company Manager, eventually transitioning to the Director of Operations. Serving in many capacities within the organization, Ms. Chirio-Humenay, now Assistant Executive Director, leads Detroit Metropolitan Dance alongside Artistic Director Stephanie Pizzo. She is proud to guide and develop much of DMD’s programming, including; DMD’s Annual Intensive programs, See and Be Seen, the DMD Next Initiative and the Rising Philanthropist initiative.
Christina Tasco, BHS, MES, is the CFO for Detroit Metropolitan Dance. Additionally, Chritina serves as the co-assistant director of the Detroit Metropolitan Dance Youth Company and the director of the Ballet Focus program. Christina danced professionally with the company from 1997-2004 and during her time with DMD has held various positions within the organization. Currently, Christina continues to work for DMD both administratively and as a director, teacher and choreographer.
Throughout her career, Christina has taught numerous master classes and residencies across the state and country. She has choreographed for and taught within a variety of studios, school districts, Universities and special events including various fundraisers, musicals and after school programs.
In addition to her position at Detroit Metropolitan Dance, Christina is a special lecturer at Oakland University where she has been on faculty since 2002. Christina teaches several technique courses as well as Kinesiology, Dance History and Appreciation and Dance Production. At the University, Christina received the Most Inspirational Professor award in both 2014 and 2015 and was nominated for a Teaching Excellence Award in 2016. In 2018, Christina received the Order of the Plume for igniting “inspiration within the students.”
Chief Financial Officer, Christina Tasco
Allison Armfield grew up in Michigan and was a student at the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet and the School of Detroit Metropolitan Dance. She attended Texas Christian University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in modern dance and a minor in business. While at TCU, Ms. Armfield was a rehearsal photographer for the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance, as well as Editor-in-Chief of the Horned Frog yearbook. Her choreography capstone work, of the mind made up, was selected for adjudication as a guest artist work at ACDA’s regional festival in 2018 and was performed in several dance festivals in both New York City and Michigan. Upon graduating in 2017, she relocated to New York City to work as Studio Manager for the world-renowned dance photographer, Lois Greenfield. During her time in New York City, she continued to photograph dance performances throughout the city for clients such as Bridge for Dance and Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre. In 2021, after relocating to Michigan, she accepted a position as Marketing Associate for Detroit Metropolitan Dance. In addition to becoming Marketing Director for the company’s 31st season, Ms. Armfield became the resident photographer for Detroit Metropolitan Dance. Her photograph of former DMD dancer, Kyle Halford, recently was the grand prize winner for ‘Best Studio Portrait’ in the Inspired Dance Photography Competition in Australia.
Marketing Director & Resident Photographer, Allison Armfield
STAFF
Executive Assistant & Summer Intensives Coordinator, Emily Moreira
Emily "EmM" Moreira (she/her) is originally from Richmond, Virginia, and is a graduate of James Madison University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. EmM has the privilege of wearing several hats within the organization, serving as Administrative Assistant, Company Member with Detroit Metropolitan Dance, and Intensives Coordinator for NewDANCEfest, U.P.rootEDD, and our Winter Intensive. She also teaches at the School of Detroit Metropolitan Dance and serves as the Junior Company Director for the Detroit Metropolitan Dance Youth Company. A former ImmersEDD intern turned Administrative Assistant, EmM is thrilled to continue supporting the organization's growth and legacy.
Executive Assistant, Meagan Cubides
Originally from Miami, Florida, Meagan Cubides earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts through the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program after training at the Miami City Ballet School and New World School of the Arts. Her professional experience includes performing with Ballet Hispánico Dos and Visceral Dance Chicago. Meagan is currently in her fourth season with Detroit Metropolitan Dance, where she also serves as Co-Assistant Artistic Director of the Detroit Met Dance Youth Company. In addition to her work as a performer and educator, Meagan is proud to serve Detroit Met as Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director.