Celebrating 21 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Celebrating 21 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Mary Brennan has spent nearly four decades teaching young dancers that artistry requires more than technique.
“Flawless technique is empty without the sharing of your soul on stage,” she says.
That philosophy has shaped Barrington Dance Ensemble since Brennan created the nonprofit company from Barrington Dance Academy, the school she opened in 1984. Her goal was to bring high-caliber dance professionals to Barrington while creating an intimate, nurturing environment where young dancers could grow. Barrington Dance Ensemble followed, expanding that vision through performance opportunities, community outreach, and deeper roots in Barrington. Its beginnings were anything but assured.
When planning began for BDE’s first production of “The Nutcracker,” Brennan recalls, “We had no available funds.” Dancers, designers, production professionals, friends, and volunteers stepped forward. Parents built sets. A local businessman offered his barn as a construction space. Materials were donated, and funding gradually arrived through word of mouth.” What began through a collective effort became one of Barrington’s most enduring holiday traditions.
“Feeling the positive energy in the air from both audiences and performers during our shows tells the whole story,” Brennan says. “I could not be more grateful to our artistic and production teams, volunteers, funders, and dancers.”
Over 37 years, generations of young people have passed through Brennan’s studios and productions. Asked what those dancers have taught her, her answer is strikingly simple: “Humility.”
“Dance training teaches emotional and intellectual intelligence,” Brennan says, adding that dancers also inherit a responsibility to those who came before them.
“We all stand on the shoulders of the dancers who came before us and have an obligation to inherit the gifts with gratitude.”
Now Brennan is applying that philosophy to the organization itself. She is stepping aside as artistic director of Barrington Dance Ensemble and becoming Founder Emerita, while continuing to lead Barrington Dance Academy and serve BDE in an advisory capacity.
“There always comes a time when an organization must move forward into the next generation,” she says. “I have been honored to serve as the temporary custodian for what has been built over many years.”
That next generation is already taking shape. Jacqueline Moscicke, who first connected with BDE when she danced as the Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker,” now steps forward as artistic director. Over the years, she returned to teaching master classes, judging auditions, and choreographing new work, building a relationship with the organization long before assuming leadership.
Brennan’s advice to her successor reflects a founder who understands that preservation and evolution must coexist.
“Let the company’s history of success serve as her guide as she adds her creative passion into BDE’s future endeavors,” Brennan says. “Our organization is not set in stone but a living canvas to be breathed into.”
That continuity is reflected in another familiar face. Molly Knecht, BDE’s new development director, grew up in Barrington and once danced at Brennan’s school. She now returns to a leadership role, helping support the organization that helped shape her as a young dancer.
Together, Moscicke and Knecht represent two sides of the next chapter: artistic leadership and organizational stewardship, both rooted in what Brennan built. For Brennan, dance has always been a “long game”—one shaped by daily practice, discipline, patience, and gratitude.
“Dance has taught me to experience the world with poise, intention, and a profound reverence for the moments of beauty we labor to create,” she says. After 37 years, Mary Brennan has created many of those moments. Now, these women who follow her are ready to create the next ones.
This responsibility means honoring the core values of artistic excellence, education, and community that have defined BDE for generations, while thoughtfully evolving to meet the needs of our dancers and families today. I am excited to encourage the next chapter of this organization, ensuring we continue to provide a space where dancers can grow in confidence, character, and talent.
I have loved everything about ballet and dance since I can remember. It feels like a fundamental fiber woven into the fabric of my identity. Whether I’m dancing, choreographing, or directing, dance has served as both my language and my compass. I have gained a supportive community, learned important life experiences, and given the opportunity to express myself through the world of dance.
Having worked with the faculty as a guest artist, I had the unique privilege of seeing the BDE culture in action from the inside. I was struck by the fun personalities of the team, and the thoughtful organization that goes into everything they do. I also love how dedicated the dancers are to learning and showing up for each other.
I am prioritizing honoring the traditions and community warmth that define this organization. I am focused on listening, learning, and the continuity for our dancers and families so that they feel supported during this transition.
My hope is that our BDE families and dancers will experience a supportive community where they build lifelong friendships, gain the confidence and discipline to thrive in any future endeavor, and most importantly, develop a deep enduring love for the art of dance.
In five to 10 years from now I would love to see BDE thriving within the community, and to start branching out further. It would also be great to add a new full-length ballet eventually.
Dance provides a sanctuary where confidence and character are built not through words, but through movement. For some dancers this can mean gaining the confidence to speak for themselves and discovering their strengths as an individual, as well as in a group.
To me artistic excellence is when someone onstage can make the person observing feel what they are feeling. Or when the observer comes out of the class or performance with a new perspective and openness to the world.
Barrington is unique because it holds a rare balance between being a close-knit supportive hometown and a community that has a deep-rooted sophisticated appreciation for the arts. For an organization like the BDE, this is the perfect soil for growth.
Growing up I experienced firsthand how a youth dance company can serve as a catalyst for community connection, and those are memories I hold very dear. I’m confident that the BDE team shares this same commitment to outreach. I’m really looking forward to working with them on upcoming projects that will deepen our relationship with Barrington, ensuring that we aren’t just a school, but a true resource for our neighbors and families.
I am inspired by the connection of literature and music. I often find that when I hear a piece of music, I can close my eyes and see an entire ballet unfolding before me. Books also serve as a constant source of inspiration; the way a well-crafted sentence can unleash an entire world helps me think about how to translate storytelling into physical movement on stage.
I hope that years from now, former BDE members will be able to look back on their BDE experience and appreciate both the lifelong friends they gained and the skills they learned that continue to shape their professional lives.
Looking back at my time at Barrington Dance Academy and Barrington Dance Ensemble, I remember it so fondly. Mary created something that deeply enriched my life from a very young age. I remember countless
rehearsals with Mary at the helm. She was more than my ballet teacher and has had a touch on my life through every stage of growing up. I wanted nothing more than to pursue dance professionally because of how enjoyable being in the company was. I feel very privileged to have had this experience.
Ballet and the arts are so important because they remind us about what it means to be a human. The arts create an opportunity for unique
connections that many things are not able to do. This is essential for young people, especially as technology continues to evolve and become a greater part of their lives.
It really is my greatest honor to return to BDE in a leadership role. I am very proud to be a part of the organization that provided me with a life-changing experience. I feel touched by the fact that I get to be a part of sharing that same experience with a new generation.
The special thing about BDE is that we value tradition. I had the huge privilege of training under such a distinguished staff during my time there. Those teachers not only taught me how to be a dancer, but also many other things. Ballet teaches poise, discipline, respect, determination, along with many other powerful skills. I think it is among the greatest ways to ensure that a young child becomes well-mannered. I have immense respect for the values Mary instills in her dancers. It is something that I really try to uphold now that I am teaching students myself.
At a time when many dance opportunities are shaped by trends and profitability, the Barrington Dance Ensemble distinguishes itself by creating professional scale art in the suburbs. BDE offers the Barrington community rare access to performances and training of this caliber.
Fundraising is central to the survival of BDE and every other nonprofit organization. Without the support of so many wonderful community members, we would not be able to continue pursuing our mission. I am deeply grateful for all those individuals, as well as our corporate and institutional sponsors. During this time of transition, my role is to help carry forward Mary’s legacy and the values she established.
Simply, I hope that today’s young dancers never forget the feeling of joy that dance brings.
Community support brings BDE to life. One of our greatest needs is meeting the rising costs of our productions, including theater expenses, guest artists, rehearsal coaches, costumes, and sets. By supporting BDE, you also provide scholarships, expand outreach, and make performances accessible to broader audiences. When you give to BDE, you also give dancers the opportunity to pursue what they love while ensuring future generations can experience the same lifelong impact that BDE has provided to so many. Individuals and businesses can give through annual or monthly gifts, sponsorships and underwriting, fundraising events, planned gifts, or the
Whitefeather Endowment Fund.
We invite you to experience BDE. Please join us at an upcoming performance or event!
To reach Molly Knecht, email molly@barringtondance.org or call 847-382-6333.
Ms. Moscicke grew up in Sussex, Wisconsin. She started her training at the age of five at To The Pointe Dance Studio. She continued her training at Milwaukee Ballet School on full scholarship under the direction of Bobby Ball and Rolando Yanes. Her most influential teacher there was Jeanette Makaroff. Ms. Moscicke is a graduate of the Milwaukee Ballet II program and was hired by the Milwaukee Ballet Company in 2005. Ms. Moscicke was also in William Shatner’s documentary “Gonzo Ballet” choreographed by Margo Sappington while at Milwaukee Ballet. In 2009, Ms. Moscicke joined the Joffrey Ballet. While at the Joffrey, Ms. Moscicke danced many roles in ballets including William Forsythe’s “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated;” Gerald Arpino’s “Viva Vivaldi;” Antony Tudor’s “Lilac Garden;” Christopher Wheeldon’s “Swan Lake;” and Yuri Possokhov’s “Bells.” In 2018, Ms. Moscicke’s last show with the Joffrey Ballet was in Paris, dancing Jerome Robbins’ “Glass Pieces.”
Ms. Moscicke is currently the artistic director of Barrington Dance Ensemble. In her spare time, she dances and teaches master classes across the country as a freelance artist; as well as being certified in all three levels of Progressing Ballet Technique. Ms. Moscicke also has created her own dancewear line called MSeam Apparel that is available online and in boutiques in the Chicagoland area.
Born and raised in Barrington, Illinois, Ms. Knecht began studying ballet at the age of 5 at the Barrington Dance Academy. She continued her dance education by becoming a member of the Barrington Dance Ensemble at age 11 under the direction of Mary Brennan. With BDE, she performed in many classical ballets, including “The Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Coppélia.” To continue her training, she studied at a preprofessional level with A&A Ballet of Chicago under the instruction of Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev.
Most recently, Ms. Knecht graduated from the University of Iowa with highest distinction. While at the University of Iowa, she earned a bachelor of arts in elementary education alongside a minor in dance and a certificate in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy. In her time at the University of Iowa, she studied dance under Eloy Barragán, George de la Péna, and Kristin Marrs. Ms. Knecht is honored to now teach at the Barrington Dance Academy, the place where she first found her love for dance. She also serves as the director of development for the Barrington Dance Ensemble.
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