She is proficient in Cecchetti and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD).  She is the founder of Indiana Ballet Theatre NW, Inc. (IBT), that opened its doors in 1978 as Imperial Dance Studio, becoming a 501 (c) 3 non-profit ballet and contemporary dance company in 1998.  She has designed costumes and choreographed nine full length original ballets that have been staged over 40 times during the 38 years the company has existed, 20 years have been at the Star Plaza Theatre.  Many students have toured with her to countries in Europe and across the USA, taking classes, performing and competing. In 2012, they competed in the Grand Prix in Italy winning 1st place.

Mrs. Tuohy has worked with the children in the Safe Harbor Program, Boys and Girls Clubs, Merrillville Parks Department, Healthy East Chicago, etc, teaching classes and establishing outreach programming.  She is a 29 year Master of Dance member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, a Leaders as Hero’s and ATHENA nominee. Mrs. Tuohy was a recipient of the CALA Award for Arts Professionals (2012) and nominated for Influential Women of NWI and the Society of Innovators (2017).

Mrs. Tuohy has lobbied the Lake County Commissioners and was donated the Lake County Sanatorium Nurses Home that is the last remaining of it’s kind in America that has not been destroyed or renovated. The building will become the Classical Arts Centre and will house many arts organizations as well as IBT.

From 10 students in the basement to teaching over 8000 students and reaching 550,000 audience members, with now 3 schools in DeMotte, Merrillville and Valparaiso, a ballet company and so much more, Mrs. Tuohy says, “It was all from the dreams of the children.”