Elayna Sitzman is a dancer, actor, and trained vocalist who is passionate about telling stories of the human experience and performing generously for her audiences.  At the age of 5, Sitzman began training at CREO Arts & Dance Conservatory under the direction of Christa Anderson-Hill, where she studied for 13 years.  During her time at CREO, she was a member of The CREO DanceVerve: Twin Cities youth performance company.  While dancing with Verve, she performed in works such as Esther (titular role) and The Companion: The Story of Ruth & Naomi.  

Sitzman went on to study at Hope College in Holland, Michigan where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Spanish.  At Hope College, she was a company member of StrikeTime Dance Theater and H2 Dance Co., as well as the director of the Ballet Movement Lab.  During her undergraduate studies, Sitzman trained under the direction of Sharon Wong, Matthew Farmer, Tracy Dunbar, Lindsey (Ferguson) Hanson, Jasmine (Domfort) Mejia, Heather Cornell, Nicole Flinn, Mary Linda Graham, Angela Yetzke, Julie Powell, and Gina McFadden.  Sitzman graduated in December of 2022 with Summa Cum Laude honors, and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society.  

In her post-graduate work, Sitzman has danced with Collide Theatrical Dance Company under the direction of Regina Peluso. Beginning as an apprentice dancer, she graduated to an ensemble company position and has performed works by Peluso, Heather Brockman, Renee Guittar, Rush Benson, and other notable Twin Cities choreographers. 
 

In addition to her performance experience, Sitzman has vast working experience as a dance instructor.  She has worked extensively as a teacher, assistant, and mentor in a variety of different class settings, ranging from Pre-K through 12th grade.  Her strengths in teaching include jazz, musical theater, ballet, and contemporary.  For the 2023-2024 school year, Sitzman returned to CREO to teach and work as their events manager.  In the events role, Sitzman organized, planned, communicated, and executed each studio event of the school year, including various dance-theater productions and the end-of-year recitals.  ​

Sitzman is an up-and-coming choreographer, showcasing works in various theaters and on film.  As the director of the Ballet Movement Lab, Sitzman has self-produced 2 evening-length performances of dance and live music, each focusing on story-telling and high-quality artistry.  Sitzman has also set individual pieces for StrikeTime Dance Theater (live and on film), for the Hope College Student Dance Showcase, The CREO DanceVerve: Twin Cities, and for students performing at Cathedral Dance Festival and Elevate Youth Dance Festival.  

Though her foundational training resides in dance, Sitzman has also trained in acting and singing at Hope College.  As an actor, she has worked with Richard Perez on Detroit 67 in the role of Caroline, and with Daina Robins on Bright Star in the role of Lucy.  Sitzman made her film debut working with StrikeTime Dance Theater on the mini children’s television series The Adventures of Adela, in the leading role of Valentina.  On this project she had the opportunity to not only perform, but also to help design the narrative, write parts of the script, and choreograph various pieces.  As a vocalist, Sitzman trained for 3 years, both classically and in musical theater, under the direction of Dr. Jung Woo Kim.