Christina (McArthur) Rongey is a professional performing arts artist, entertainer, and talent. She is a dancer, singer, actress, choreographer, director, and educator in the performing arts. Christina began her dance training at the age of three in St. Louis Missouri, where she was born and raised. She studied at Steps of Grace Dance Academy, the St. Louis Ballet Company, and Day Spring School for the Arts. Christina spent her summers studying dance and musical theatre at summer intensives with Ballet Magnificat, the Tulsa Ballet Company, and at Stephens College. She worked with prestigious artist such as Kathy Thibodeaux, David Howard, Mary Price Boday, and Michael Sims. At the age of thirteen, Christina began student teaching and choreographing for Steps of Grace Dance Academy and led an outreach dance group, the Dancers of Grace, performing in the community at nursing homes, children’s hospitals, festivals, and for her church, Grace Church St. Louis. When she entered high school she joined the nationally ranked varsity dance team at Pattonville High School, and her senior year as a dance captain, helped choreograph and lead her team to be awarded and ranked 2nd in the nation by the Universal Dance Association (UDA). She also danced in her high school musical productions and sang in the choir.
Christina received a dance scholarship to attend Lindenwood University (LU), in St. Charles, Missouri, and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Performing Arts. She was the Student Dance Coordinator working with the Dean of Arts and the Director of Dance on all dance concerts and musical productions, marketing and organizing as well as choreographing and directing. Christina was also a member of the highly-regarded LU Lion Line Dance Team, and the University Choir. Her junior year she was selected to perform with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in the historic modern dance piece “Esplanade.” This honor led to her prestigious dance internship with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York City. Upon graduation, Christina was awarded the distinguished Dance Achievement Award and chosen to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Post-college, Christina began her professional career dancing with the Alice Bloch and Dancers Dance Company in St. Louis, dancing the exquisite repertoire of the “mother of modern dance,” Isadora Duncan; becoming a 4th generation Duncan Dancer, and teaching dance and musical theatre at Day Spring School for the Arts. Opportunities continued to arise, and she was hired by Six Flags St. Louis as a choreographer, performer, and face character in the Entertainment Department, and received many awards and accolades throughout her seven years at the theme park. Christina met her soul mate and future husband, William, while they both were performers at Six Flags in a variety of capacities including shows, parades and characters. She became Mrs. Rongey in her “Meet Me in St. Louis” themed fairytale wedding at the historic World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. Christina continued her performing arts career directing, choreographing, performing, and dancing for many companies in Missouri, including the Annonya Arts Dance Company; CMI Productions; FamilyWise Productions, and the Windsor Opera Theatre Company. She worked as an artist with the Missouri Dance Organization developing dance education and performance programs and after school dance/arts classes. She taught dance and musical theatre programs for New City School; Grace Christian Academy; Becky David Elementary School, and United Methodist Pre-School. She went on to become the Founder and Director of The Ekklesia Dance Theatre Company (2005-Present) and the Ekklesia School of Arts, owning and operating her own dance studio for many years.
In 2011, Christina and her husband moved from St. Louis to Wheaton Illinois (William is originally from the western suburbs). Christina became the Dance Coordinator/Instructor/Choreographer for the Glen Ellen Park District Dance Academy, directed and choreographed the Nutcracker Ballet and musical productions for the Fox Valley Park District, was a dance instructor for Steppin’Out Dance Studio at the Fox Valley Park District, and a dance instructor for the Naperville Park District and choreographed for the Elan Dance Company.
With a desire for open spaces, woods, and nature, Christina and William moved from Wheaton to St. Charles in 2016, and have fallen in love with the amazing community and all it has to offer.
In 2017, after a special princess appearance request for an event, which was a huge hit, Christina saw an opportunity, and founded Character Appearances by Christina, an extension of the Ekklesia Dance Theatre Company, offering Character Entertainment and Educational Programs.
In 2020 Christina and her husband William founded R Studio of Performing Arts: a performing arts studio for young aspiring artist to be inspired to be creative and develop their technique in the performing arts! Together Christina and William perform, choreograph, and train young performing arts artist.
