Alicia Chodera – Artistic and Executive Director
Alicia began her training in Chicago, Illinios at the Ellis-Duboulay School of Ballet at the age of 8, studying the Royal Academy and Cecchetti ballet technique on full scholarship. She was awarded a full scholarship to the Boston School of Ballet under the direction of Violette Verdi and E. Virginia Williams and became a member of the company. She continued on to the School of American Ballet where she received extensive training on scholarship in the Balanchine technique from such masters as Stanley Williams. She danced with the Zurich Ballet and Ballet Concerto in Miami. Alicia has received college training in dance therapy and kinesiology. In 2001, Alicia received a Bronze choreography award from for her lyrical dance “Jungle Bird”. This is Alicia's 15th year as Owner, Artistic Director, Executive Director and Instructor!
Amy Reffie - Ballet and Lyrical Ballet Mistress
Amy began her ballet training at the age of 4 under the instruction of Margaret Bisegli in Westport, Conn. At the age of 10, she was awarded a scholarship with the Ballet Etudes Repertory Co, under the direction of Russell Fratto, Jeanette Lauret (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) and James Zynda (American Ballet Theatre). She went on to recieve a scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York City where she studied for 3 years before joining the City Center Joffrey Ballet. Amy also credits her training with Melissa Hayden and Choo San Goh as "just amazing". Amy serves her ninth year as Ballet Mistress with The Dance Academy of Stuart.
Lindsay Leigh Davis - Creative Movement, Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre
Lindsay began her dance training at the age of 4 at the Georgia Academy of Dance with Sherri Costales. She returned to Florida in 1997 and began studying all forms of dance at the Dance Academy of Stuart. Lindsay has attended various professional summer camps throughout the years as well as auditioning for "So You Think You Can Dance". She spent a summer in the hills of Cherokee, NC performing in the outdoor drama "Unto These Hills" and returns with her AA Degree in Fine Arts to the Academy. Other choreography credits include Shiloh Theatrical Productions and local high schools. She is a member of Anna Preston & Dancers and "Reach" Dance Company. She spent the past two summers in NYC enrolled in intensive musical theatre and dance workshops. This is her tenth year teaching at the Academy.
New York City Ballet
Vincent Paradiso - Guest Instructor/Master Ballet Classes
Vincent Paradiso was born in Ardsley, New York, and entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in the fall of 1996. As a student, Mr. Paradiso performed in Peter Martins' Les Gentilhommes and The Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird) in SAB's annual spring workshop performances. In the spring of 2003, Mr. Paradiso performed in the corps of Mr. Martins' Swan Lake as a guest artist with New York City Ballet, and in the fall of that same year he became an apprentice with the Company. Mr. Paradiso joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in the fall of 2004. This is Vincent's fifth year guest teaching with the Academy.
Carol Andrew - Ballet
Carol Trained at London's Royal Ballet School. While at the Royal Academy of Dancing, she studied and worked with dance legends Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev. She was also certified to teach all grade levels through advanced while at the Royal Academy of Dancing. Carol taught at the Elmhurst Ballet School - one of England's finest ballet schools. She came to the US and taught at the National Academy of Arts at the University of Illinios. She has taught ballet in south Florida for the last few years.She loves dance, arts, and theatre and holds a degree in theatre from Florida State University. Carol is excited to share the artistry, technique, and beauty of "The Royal" with her students. This is Carol's eighth season with the Academy.
Susan Horton - Ballet - Flamenco
Susan Horton brings 10 years of experience in ballet instruction to The Dance Academy of Stuart. Her training and professional dance experience include dancing for: Ballet Florida, the Iranian Nivaran Ballet, State Ballet of Augsburg, Germany, the Harkness Ballet Co., and a Trainee at the Joffrey Balley School in New York City. She has attended ballet teacher seminars at Purchase College in NY and received the American Academy Certificate of Excellence. She also received a Dance Teacher Magazine Certificate of Recognition. She currently has taken a strong interest in Flamenco styhle of dance and will offering Flamenco and ballet classes in Stuart and Palm City. This is Susan's second year with the Dance Academy.
Sonya Hoffman - Ballet - Level I
Sonya began her ballet training at the age of 14 with the Ft. Pierce City Ballet under the direction of Nataly Nijinski. She was Bolshoi/Kirov trained at the age of 17 and went with Ms. Nijinski as an observer at the Olympics of Ballet Competition in Bulgaria and took ballet classes with the American team. She danced soloist/principal classical roles fot the FPC Ballet for 17 years and began teaching beginning/intermediate level ballet to the students during the last seven years she was with FPC Ballet. She taught at "Mission in Motion" for two years. This is Ms. Sonya's seventh year at the Academy.
Anna Preston - Ballet, Modern/Contemporary
Anna Preston has performed throughout the United States and Erope. Presently, Anna choreographs for her own company, Anna Preston and Dancers, which has toured through parts of the United States. Previously on staff at Palm Beach Community College, Klein Dance, Inc. and Palm Beach Atlantic where she developed the dance minor program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Florida Atlantic University, and a Master of Science in Education from Barry University. Anna is delighted to be instructing our students. This is her fourth year at The Dance Academy of Stuart.
Sherilyn Bryan - Pre-Ballet/Tap Instructor
Sherilyn Bryan earned her BFA in Dance Performance at the University of Florida and her dance experience can only be described as diverse. She has choreographed some of the countries most beloved musicals such as " Annie Get Your Gun", and " The Sound of Music " for Shiloh Theatrical Pr4oductions in her home town of Stuart, Florida. She danced with the modern dance company C.D.C. San Francisco, studied Afro-Brazilian cultural dance with Dance Brazil, and worked with several choreographers from West Africa as part of the Agbedidi African Dance Ensemble. She was also an original company member of the Shadow Dance Theater. As a University scholar she received a grant to produce a multi- media full length theatrical performance integrating dance and digital video. After graduation she toured the Eastern United States with Physical Theater Productions as a videographer and creative collaborator. She is delighted to begin her second year with The Dance Academy of Stuart.
Stefanie Natiello- Acrobatics
Stephanie brings more than ten years of dance and acrobatic experience to the Dance Academy of Stuart. Her training includes choreographing and instructing, jazz, modern, musical theater and acrobatic dances for Palm Beach Community College. In addition, she has instructed at Fame Dance and Performing Arts for five years. She has taught at Jupiter Dance Academy where she has developed a strong acrobatic program. She is thrilled to begin her first year teaching acrobatics at all levels at The Dance Academy of Stuart.
Maria Lanzetta - Hip Hop, Tap and Jazz
Maria was born in Switzerland, raised in Italy, and came to America in 1975 at age 6. She began her training at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City with concentrations in tap, ballet, jazz, and hip hop. She has been in television productions such as "Hanging With the Homeboys," and was chosen to be in "Living Color" as a fly girl. She danced a role in "Univision Apollo" while choreographing for K.T.U. Radio Station in NYC. She attended the Performing Arts High School in Manhattan while continuing dance studies at Ridgewood Dance Studio in NYC. Maria began her teaching career at age 15 because of her talent in the hip hop field. Maria received resident choreographer and coach status for National, Regional, and the State of New York with her creative choreography in competitions. She moved to Port St Lucie in 2000 with a desire to continue teaching her love of hip hop dance to children. She is delighted to begin her fifth year on the Dance Academy of Stuart's faculty.
Kim Lorenzatto - Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Pre Ballet
Kim Lorenzatto began her training locally at the age of seven in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical and acrobatics with an emphasis on Jazz and Lyrical. She competed throughout her childhood and young adult years on regional and national levels earning National High Scoring titles. Throughout her 14 years of teaching, Kim has choreographed competition pieces that have earned Judges' Choice Awards and Platinum Medals. Kim is certified to teach through Dance Educators of America and is a 2-time attendee of Dance Masters of America Teacher Training Seminar in Buffalo, NY. Kim has continued her education as an adult by attending classes with masters such as Mia Michaels, Judy Rice, Brian Friedman, Judy Rice and others from across the country. Kim spends her weekends in the spring traveling the country with Sophisticated Productions Talent Competitions as an adjudicator and Special Awards Judge. Kim is also currently on staff at Jupiter Dance Academy as their Jazz and Lyrical Company choreographer. Kim is very excited to be starting her third season with Dance Academy of Stuart.
Genevieve La Gratta - Adult Tap and Pre Ballet
Genevieve La Gratta brings almost forty years of dance education and executive directorship to The Dance Academy of Stuart. Her drive and vision in serving special needs children through the art of dance is unique and exemplary. In addition, her love of dance still shines through in weekly morning adult tap classes which she began teaching at the studio this summer. This is Gen's third year with the Dance Adacemy of Stuart.
Jodi Hirth- Music Together of the Treasure Coast
Teaching Music Together® since 1995, Jodi Hirth taught for the founder in Princeton, NJ, as well as the Gymboree play program. At Gymboree she was one of 13 awarded the "International Teacher Excellence Award" in 1996. The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ, awarded Jodi Hirth Music Together Certification Level 1 status for outstanding achievement in teaching, musicanship, program philosophy, and parent education in 2003. The Dance Academy of Stuart is proud to add Jodi and Music Together to our continued growth of exciting arts education offerings. This is Jodi's fourth year with the Dance Academy. For more information, you can visit her website at www.musictogethertreasurecoast.com
Juliana Harris - Creative Movement and Beginning Ballet
Juliana has been dancing at The Dance Academy of Stuart since the age of three. Juliana has attended the Rock School and The Orlando Ballet 5 week Summer Intensives., Florida State University and The Joffrey Ballet, New York City. She recently trained to become a student instructor by Alicia Chodera. This is Juliana’s second year teaching at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Shayna Lanzetta - Hip Hop-Jazz-Tap
Shayna has been studying dance since the age of two. She began training in New York City with her mother Maria Lanzetta. She has been featured on Univision Apollo, and was the opening number at the age of four for the singing group Menudo. She has been in many competitions and has won numerous awards. She has performed in a short clip for University of Miami. Shayna has been a student hip hop assistant instructor at the Dance Academy of Stuart for five years. This is her first year as a student instructor with her own class at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Bailey Murray - Creative Movement and Beginning Ballet
Bailey has been a student at the Dance Academy of Stuart since the age of five. She recently trained to become a student instructor by Alicia Chodera and Lindsay Davis. She recently attended Sarasota Ballet School Intensive. She assisted in the classroom last year. This is Bailey’s first year teaching at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Alexandria Reffie - Creative Movement Beginning Ballet
Alexandria has been dancing at The Dance Academy of Stuart since the age of three. Alexandria has attended the The JoffreyBallet, New York City for 3 weeks and The Orlando Ballet 5 week Summer Intensive. She recently trained to become a student Instructor by Alicia Chodera. This is Alexandria’s second year teaching at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Christina Remian - Creative Movement and Beginning Ballet
Christina has been studying dance at the Dance Academy of Stuart for nine years. She attended the Virgina School of the Arts Summer Intensive camp in 2007. She recently trained to become a student instructor by Alicia Chodera this past summer and looks forward to teaching the youngest dancers of the Dance Academy of Stuart in Stuart and Palm City. This is Christina's second year teaching at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Samantha Weisberg - Creative Movement and Beginning Ballet
Samantha has been studying Ballet at the Dance Academy of Stuart since the age of three. She has advanced through the all levels of ballet at the Academy and has attended various summer ballet Intensives the past few years. These include: Syracuse Universtiy, Florida State Univerrsity. She formerly has been a student teacher apprentice with Lindsay Davis last year. This is Samantha's first year student teaching at The Dance Academy of Stuart.