Lisa Pelio returned to her native Michigan in 1994 after an absence of nearly a decade.  She had been living and working in Atlanta, New York, and Chicago, building her reputation as a choreographer and master ballet teacher.   Her career has been built upon the firm foundation instilled by her first teacher, regional ballet pioneer, Lena Pelio.  As a principal and soloist performer with the Flint Ballet Theatre and Dance Detroit, Lisa danced in several full-length classical ballets including, "Swan Lake", "Coppelia", "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", and "La Fille Ma Gardee".

She was a featured dancer in the Atlanta Opera staging with "Rigoletto".  Lisa is also an accomplished professional actress and stage choreographer.  She has worked on regional and stock productions of "Brigadoon", "Peter Pan", "The King and I", "Fiddler on the Roof", "Guys and Dolls", and "Gypsy".  She has appeared in the television series "In the Heat of the Night" and has done television and radio commercials in Atlanta and Southeast Michigan.

While still in her twenties, Lisa earned her Grade VII Advanced Teacher Certificate in the Cecchetti Method.  In 1981, she was elected "Young Teacher of the Year" by the Cecchetti Council of America.  The 1995 National Craft of Choreography Conference in New York selected Lisa to choreograph for some of the finest young dancers in the nation.  She has choreographed original full-length children's ballets and staged full-length classical ballets for various companies around the country.  She has taught for the Illinois Dance Festival, School of Atlanta Ballet, Northside High School of the Performing Arts in Atlanta, Barat College, Ruth Mitchell Dance Company, and others.  In 1994, Lisa was named Ballet Mistress for the Michigan Opera Theatre production of "Cinderella".  The following year, she staged "Nutcracker" for the Lansing Children's Ballet at the Wharton Center.

In 1996, Governor John Engler appointed Lisa to the Michigan Humanities Council and she is now serving her second term.  Additionally, she is training Mid-Michigan dancers at the Pelio School of Dance and is the Director of Danse Michigan.