Company Members Emeritus

Max has studied with Homer Bryant and Reginald J. Harris.  Max has studied at The Joffrey Ballet Academy and spent four years at The Giordano Dance School in Evanston studying with Elijah Gibson, Kim Cunningham, Eugene Peabody, Fury Gold, and many of the Giordano Dance Company members.  He is happy to have been a part of such a dedicated group of dancers and studying with Lizzie MacKenzie at Extensions.

Emily Brudner

Emily Brudner is a graduate of Lincoln Park High School and is currently attending the University of Miami (FL). She fell in love with dance at age three and has continued to explore her passion ever since. She studied at Academy St. Cecile, Nancy Pattison's Dance World, and The Dance Barre in Windsor, Ontario CAN as well as Visceral Dance Studio in Chicago. She also travelled and competed for one year independently throughout North America with a dance partner, competing in regional, national, and international level competitions. She has taken many master classes from various choreographers at dance conventions, at The Edge in Los Angeles and Broadway Dance Center in New York City.  Emily feels honored and blessed to have been a part of the Extensions family and would especially like to thank Lizzie for recognizing her love for dance.

Jaime Borkan

Jaime Borkan is a graduate of Chicagoland Jewish High School and now attends Fordham University in the Ailey/Fordham BFA program pursing her dream of becoming a concert dancer.  Jaime feels that Extensions helped her to find herself and the artist within her. One of her favorite things about Extensions is the teamwork and effort that go into the product of the company. Her summers have been spent attending the Houston Ballet Summer program, the Joffrey Ballet Summer program in New York, Interlochen Arts Academy, and The Faubourg Ballet Summer program. Jaime hopes to become a professional dancer in the future and continue with her love of dance. She would like to thank her family for their incredible love and support.

Robin Aren

Robin Aren is a graduate of Stevenson High school and currently attends The Boston Conservatory. She began dancing when she was 11 years old and absolutely loves it!  She started at Denise Sabala Dance Studio and then studied at Faubourg School of Ballet, Visceral Dance Studio, the Academy of the Dance Artsand has taken numerous workshops and master classes throughout Chicago.  She feels fortunate and deeply appreciative to have danced under the direction and inspiration of Lizzie MacKenzie with Extensions Dance Company.

Miranda Borkan

Miranda currently attends Fordham University in the Ailey/Fordham BFA program pursing her dream of becoming a concert dancer. She began dancing at the age of 3 and started training with Lizzie in 2003. Miranda is proud of being a founding member of Extensions Dance Company. In addition to training with Lizzie, Miranda also danced at Visceral Dance Center. Miranda participated in summer programs at the Joffrey Ballet School and received a summer scholarship at Lou Conte Dance Studio. Miranda is honored to have been allowed to participate in the River North Summer Intensive for the past two summers and for having been given the amazing opportunity to apprentice with River North Chicago Dance Company last summer.

Julie Brown

Julie Brown grew up in Naperville, Illinois.  She began training with Lizzie as a sophomore in high school, and was immediately inspired by her loving spirit and encouraging words.  She had the privilege of membership in Extensions Dance Company for two years before moving to Pittsburgh, PA to attend Point Park University.  She is currently a third year B.F.A. dance major and business minor.  She has been seen in the Student Choreography Project shows of 2008 and 2009 with the Conservatory Dance Company.  She has had the privilege of training extensively with companies such as Doug Varone and Dancers, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, River North Dance Chicago, Gallim Dance, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.  She would like to thank her family for their constant love and encouragement, and her friends for the love, laughter, and joy they constantly share.

Garth Johnson

Garth Johnson is a young dancer and choreographer, a recent graduate of the Chicago Academy for the Arts, and now attends The Juilliard School. He danced with Extensions Dance Company from 2007-2009. He has worked with many choreographers such as Nick Pupillo, Lizzie Mackenzie, Gregory Dolbashian, Eddy Ocampo, Randy Duncan, Andrea Miller, as well as others. Garth is beyond thankful for his blessings and hopes to have a long lasting career as well as choreograph and travel all around the world!

Natalie Pearson

Natalie Pearson is a graduate of Community High School in West Chicago, IL.  She is currently attending the Ailey/Fordham BFA program in New York City to pursue a career in dance.  Natalie began training with Lizzie her freshman year in high school and joined Extensions the following year.   Natalie loved the hard work and dedication necessary to succeed in Extensions. It made her realize dance should be part of her life forever.  She would like to thank her family, Lizzie, and everyone who has believed in her and helped her pursue her love of dance.  Natalie feels lucky to have been able to share her love of dance with her Extension’s family and will miss them.

Shannon Washington

Shannon was one of the original members of Extensions Dance Company. While dancing with Extensions, she loved working and performing with Lizzie and the other dancers. Shannon started dancing at the age of 4 and realized her passion for dance at 9 years old. She has worked with numerous choreographers, and trained at Faubourg Ballet, The Academy of Dance Arts, Homer Bryant School of Ballet, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Joel Hall Dance Center, the Edge Performing Arts Center, and Visceral Dance Center. She also attended Ballet Camp Illinois for several summers and the Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive in the summer of 2008. Shannon was an honors student at Marian Catholic High School. She was member of her high school Forensics team, the positive peers program, the International Club, the Track team, and the Recruitment Corps. She was also a senior buddy, a retreat leader, a teacher’s aide, and a peer tutor in Math, Spanish, and Chemistry. Shannon was actively involved in a community outreach program for at-risk teens in the Homewood-Flossmoor area called the Peer Jury Program with her twin sister Taylor. Along with her love for Math and Science, her passion is dance. She now attends Pomona College in Claremont, California. Her plans are to double major in Dance and Chemistry while also being on the Pre-medical track. She dreams of advancing to a top medical school and ultimately pursue a career in dance and medicine.