Steps on Main, Inc.was founded by Denise Saponara in 2004. Denise has studied dance for most of her life, beginning at the Illinois Academy of Ballet with Maureen Kilmer.  She has since gone on to study at Moves, Dance Space, Jo’s Footwork Studio, Lou Conte Dance Studio (home of Hubbard Street Dance Company), Joel Hall Dance Center, The Tap Studio, and M.A.D.D. Rhythms.  She has been teaching for over 25 years and has performed and/or choreographed several Chicago productions, including Annie Get Your Gun, Fame, South Pacific, Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, 1940’s Radio Hour, Cabaret, Oklahoma, The Secret Garden and The Nutcracker. Her work as choreographer on Fiddler on the Roof received critical acclaim in On Cue magazine and she has held several small roles in television and film productions in Chicago. She is also a professionally represented model.   This professional experience as teacher, director, choreographer, model and actress has been inspirational to the students in her studio and classes. Her studio performed in the 2008 75th anniversary Chicago McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project.  Also, her Protégé Senior Dance Company performed in the 2009 Capital One Citrus Bowl Half-Time Show. Denise also coached an award winning pom-pon squad, which performed in the 1998 Citrus Bowl in Orlando Florida.

Her teaching is energetic and the energy and enthusiasm she brings to the art of dance is contagious.  Denise continues her pursuit of dance education currently with dance masters Kirby Reed, Jay Fagan, and Lane Alexander, as well as actively participating in the Annual Chicago Human Rhythm Project.