Pointe Safe Certified Ballet Teachers
Our global network of Pointe Safe Certified Ballet Teachers organized by location.
Click a region below to see
Pointe Safe Certified Ballet Teachers in that area.
Canada
Sarah Mills
Cohort 5 - Winter 2023
Toronto, Ontario
Sarah Mills is a ballet teacher based in Toronto, Canada. She is a graduate from George Brown College receiving a Diploma in Dance Performance Studies and the Certificate of Achievement. She also trained at summer intensives at Ballet Jorgen, Cadence Ballet and Arts Umbrella. She danced with several Toronto companies and in independent projects. Sarah graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies and is a ballet teacher at Ontario School of Ballet in Toronto.
Courtney Smith
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
Unity, Saskatchewan, Canada
Miss Courtney Smith resides in Unity, Saskatchewan, Canada and is the owner and creative director of STAND OUT Dance Collective in Unity, where she is also an active instructor and choreographer. Miss Courtney is a Master Certified Instructor and Adjudicator with the Acro Dance Teachers Association and a Licentiate member in Tap with the Canadian Dance Teachers Association. Miss Courtney also has teaching qualifications with Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), Alixa Flexibility (Module One), and is proud to add Pointe Safe to her list of credentials. In the future, Miss Courtney plans to begin education towards becoming a certified teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. https://standoutdancec.wixsite.com/sodc
Aurora Thompson
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Falher, Alberta, Canada
Hello :) I am Aurora Thompson from Falher, Alberta, Canada. I am currently the head instructor of Falher's dance studio: Smoky River Dance Society! We are a recreational dance school with a welcoming environment that encourages all dancers to strive for their best at any point in their journey. I am also certified in Modules 1 and 2 of the Acrobatic Arts syllabus and currently certifying with the ADAPT Jazz syllabus.
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Denise Belzile
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Denise Belzile has classical training in ballet, jazz, tap, modern and other disciplines. Denise performed with the DancEast Young Company from 2003-07, travelling throughout the Maritimes and across Canada. In 2010, Ms Belzile attended the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program, where she successfully completed her Advanced 2 Cecchetti Ballet Examination and became an Associate with the Cecchetti Society of Canada. She graduated from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School with special merits and continued to teach at the RWB. In 2015 Denise returned to her hometown of Moncton to continue teaching and is now Artistic Director of Atlantika Dance. She is proud to be part of the arts and dance community in Eastern Canada.
Megan Loppe
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Ontario, Canada
Megan has been teaching ballet for over 25 years. She is a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and graduated with distinction in 2003 from Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) in their Teacher Training Program. Upon graduation, Megan continued to teach at NBS in the unique role of History of Ballet Teacher. Since 2000, Megan has taught at high schools and dance studios across southern Ontario, and has been leading the ballet program at The Guelph Academy of Dance since 2014. Megan has a passion for helping dancers gain a strong foundation in technique using focused conditioning exercises and applying up-to-date dance science knowledge. Megan finds that Pointe Safe fits into this model seamlessly.
France
Ann-Charlotte Colomb
Cohort 4 - Spring 2022
L'etang-la-ville, Yvelines
Born in Paris, Ann-Charlotte started her dance studies at the age of 10 with Paris Opera teachers. At the age of 13, she was awarded a 1st Prix (Médaille d'Or) of the National Conservatory with special authorization from the Ministry due to her young age. She continued her training abroad with various companies, prestigious Ballet Masters, and renowned Choreographers (V.Nebrada, A.Danielson...), before starting her professional career at the age of 16. An accident brought her career to an end in 2004. Approached by several professional dancers to become their coach, Ann-Charlotte has taught Ballet, Contemporary and Partnering throughout France, Italy, Switzerland, Latin America, the USA and Morocco. She is the founder of First Act, a pre-professional Ballet and Contemporary dance studio in the Paris area, where she also teaches the GYROTONIC® Method.
Mexico
Cesar Briseño Beltran
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Cesar Briseño Beltran is a ballet teacher and pointe shoe fitter in Hermosillo Sonora, Mexico. He holds a bachelor's in Performing Arts Contemporary Dance from Sonora State University. He is a certified ABT teacher(pre-primary to level 3) and PBT instructor. He holds a ballet teaching degree in technique from the Cuban National Ballet School with Fernando Alonso in Habana, Cuba. He is a certified pointe shoe fitter by The Pointe Shop and certified by the Mexican Technique School for Ballet. His students have won YAGP scholarships for Houston Ballet, Rock School for Dance Education, Canada National Ballet School, and Princess Grace Academy in Monaco. He works with many local studios to promote healthy and secure pointe readiness and ballet technique. Instagram: @cesarbeltran0112
United Kingdom
Sophie Day
Cohort 5 - Winter 2023
Chester, England
Sophie Day, an accomplished dancer and revered teacher, began her dance journey at age three. Her early training at The Hammond School Associates led to her joining the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain. At 11, she received a scholarship from MBNA for her vocational dance training at the Hammond School, Chester. By 16, she had a Dance and Drama Award and eventually graduated with Distinction, the title of Most Improved Dancer, and a Level 6 TRINITY diploma in Professional Dance. However, Sophie's real passion was teaching. After gaining her Registered Teachers Status from The Royal Academy of Dance, she founded SGDA, a dance academy dedicated to creating a fair, positive, and encouraging environment for children. Her skills in recognising and nurturing talent have guided many young dancers to realise their potential. Sophie was awarded the 'Recognised Teacher' status by the UK’s Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) in 2016, and soon after, her academy also received the CDMT's 'Recognised School' status. Among her many qualifications, Sophie holds certifications with The Royal Academy of Dance, the Acrobatic Arts, and several other professional and safety certifications, underscoring her commitment to providing a secure and nurturing learning environment. Sophie is based in Chester, England, UK. https://www.sgda.org.uk/
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James Liley
Cohort 4 - Fall 2022
Ellesmore Port, England
James is a professional Dance and Musical Theatre teacher from London. He studied dance at The Hammond School in Chester from the age of 11-16 and continued his professional training in London at Millennium Performing Arts where he graduated in 2012. Favourite credits include Bob Enright in 9 to 5 The Musical (West End, Savoy Theatre), 42nd Street (West End, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) Mungojerrie in CATS, Eddie in Mamma Mia! (Cyprus) and Mamma Mia! (International Tour). James most recently played Link Larkin in Hairspray, and is now very happy to be a permanent teacher at the Hammond. @jameslyley
Arizona, USA
Emily Sosangelis Tylecote
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Arizona
Emily Sosangelis Tylecote is the Founder and Artistic Director of Yavapai Ballet Theatre, where she leads the company’s artistic vision, community partnerships and long-term development. Trained under the direction of Jerzy Golek of the Lodz Ballet, she continued on to Yale University where she danced for the university’s ballet company. In addition to her work with YBT, she maintains an active career as a freelance dancer and ballet teacher.
California, USA
Sonja Dale
Cohort 1 - Winter 2022
Bay Area, CA
Sonja Dale is a Bay Area native, trained by Sally Streets at Berkeley Ballet Theater. She later attended UCLA and the Boston Conservatory, and then began her dance career in San Francisco, where she performed with Peninsula Ballet Theater, FACT/SF and The Mark Foehringer Dance Project. Sonja moved to New York City in 2010, where she performed with SYREN Modern Dance and began teaching contemporary dance for Notes in Motion Outreach Dance Theater. She then moved to Boston, where she taught ballet at The Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Sonja moved back to the Bay in 2015 and is currently dancing for Liss Fain Dance, Sharp and Fine, and the Mark Foehringer Dance Project, and teaching for many ballet schools around the Bay Area, including Steppin’ Out, Marin School of the Arts, and Conservatory of Classical Ballet. Sonja also has over 400 hours of training as a yoga instructor, and is completing prerequisites for physical therapy school.
Theresa Knudson
Cohort 8 - Winter 2024
Bay Area, CA
www.blackboxstudiosoakland.com
Theresa Knudson received her training from Lois Ellyn in southern California. She attended intensive programs at American Ballet Theatre, NYC, Boston Ballet, Ballet Austin, Maple Conservatory, José Limón West, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Theresa began her professional career with Nouveau Chamber Ballet under the artistic direction of Lois Ellyn. As a freelancer Theresa has performed with Diablo Ballet, Oakland Ballet Company, Wonderbound, ARC Dance, Mark Foehringer Dance Project | SF, Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet, and with many independent choreographers. She has taught for over a decade for several schools including: Lois Ellyn Ballet Studio, Academy of Dance Redwood City, Moving Arts Studio, and ODC School, Orinda Ballet Academy and San Francisco Youth Ballet Academy. Theresa holds a BA in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton. She is the owner of BlackBox Studios, a ballet studio based in Oakland, CA, and the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Ballet22. Ballet22 is a professional ballet company dedicated to presenting men and nonbinary artists en pointe as well as commissioning new works to bring LGBTQIA+ representation to the ballet stage.
Mindy Krasner
Cohort 6 - Summer 2023
Pasadena, California
Mindy Krasner, a professional ballet dancer trained in New York City, was a member of major ballet companies in the United States and Europe, including Dutch National Ballet, Basel Ballet, Le Grand Ballet Canadian, American Ballet Theatre II, and Pennsylvania Ballet and toured internationally. After her professional ballet career Mindy traveled to India to become a yoga instructor and then studied other modalities of movement such as Laban/Bartenieff movement studies and creative dance to incorporate into her teaching. She has been teaching for over 25 years. Mindy currently resides in Pasadena, CA and is teaching ballet, pointe, dance history, and choreographing at the California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley. She also teaches a virtual gentle yoga class for adults, sees private clients, and offers specialized workshops for Posture and Foot Care and Balance. Her unique approach to teaching combines a high standard of technique along with a holistic viewpoint, which embraces the whole person and encourages self-expression. To see a more detailed Bio go to: https://www.mindykrasner.com/professional-bio
Marinna Kus
Cohort 3 - Summer 2022
Bay Area, California
Marinna Kus is a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in San Francisco. Born and raised in South Florida, she spent her early career with Ballet Palm Beach, during which time she also completed her B.S. in Accounting online. Over the course of her carrier, she has performed and toured nationally with multiple companies, including Ballet 5:8, Charlottesville Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, and Oceanica Ballet. During the COVID lockdowns, she also completed her 200 yoga teaching certification and co-founded and directed Digital Dance Project.
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Christopher Lam
Cohort 1 - Winter 2022
Bay Area, CA
Christopher Lam was born in Brisbane, Australia and studied with Betsy Sawyers before joining the Australian Ballet School. A recipient of the prestigious Graeme Murphy Scholarship Christopher graduated from his studies passing the Royal Academy of Dancing's Advanced examination with Honours. Performing with The Australian Ballet he covered a vast classical repertoire and worked with illustrious master teachers and choreographers including Eugene Polyakov, Natalia Makarova, Gelsey Kirkland, Johnny Eliasen, Olga Evreinoff and Sonia Arova. Christopher has danced for the Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve, Gothenburg Ballet, Croatian National Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal expanding his repertoire to include ballets by Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato and Jean-Christophe Maillot. Since retiring from the stage he has taught dance and staged works in Australia, Europe and the United States of America. A resident of the Bay Area since 2016 he has taught in youth and adult divisions as well as the professional companies of Smuin Ballet, Oakland Ballet, ODC, BayPointe Ballet, Dance Theater of San Francisco, Diablo Ballet, Jessica Lange Dance and Alonzo King Lines Ballet.
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Maddie Mendes
Cohort 1 - Winter 2022
Bay Area, CA
Miss Maddie has been practicing and studying ballet since the age of three. After studying human physiology at the University of Oregon she returned to the Bay Area and has been teaching dance ever since. Currently, Maddie is a full time instructor at Lareen Fender’s The Ballet School Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, Ca. She teaches ballet, contemporary, dance conditioning, Progressing Ballet Technique, and pointe. In 2017 she helped implement a pointe preparation class into The Ballet School’s curriculum and has since successfully and safely transitioned many young dancers onto pointe.
Catherine Middaugh-Field
Cohort 8 - Winter 2024
San Diego, CA
Catherine Middaugh-Field began her ballet training at the age of five at Yuma Ballet Academy with Kathleen Sinclair. Here, she was given the opportunity to study Horton technique under Emma M.K. Cong and quickly fell in love with contemporary artistry and movement. Subsequently, Catherine was accepted into the academy’s pre-professional ballet company, Ballet Yuma, an Honor Company member with Regional Dance America, under the artistic direction of Kathleen Sinclair and Jon Cristofori (late). Ballet Yuma has since transitioned into being a company member of The Ballet Alliance. Upon graduation, Catherine began teaching for Yuma Ballet Academy with the guidance of Kathleen Sinclair. Here, she truly developed her passion and ability to teach proper technique with an emphasis on the development of true artistry in young dancers. Catherine strives to lay a solid technical and artistic foundation for all of her students so that dancers and audience members may experience true communication and connection through performance. With over 15 years of teaching experience, Catherine has taught and built ballet curriculum for local dance programs, taught overseas in Japan, and in San Diego, CA with The Ballet Institute of San Diego, Artistic Director Eglė Špokaitė. Catherine is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), Pointe Safe, and professionally fits pointe shoes alongside her mentor, Gg Muir-Robinson. As of Summer 2024, Catherine will rejoin Yuma Ballet Academy and Ballet Yuma as a staff member. She looks forward to sharing her unique experiences in hopes of guiding and inspiring the upcoming generations of dancers.
Raina Sacksteder
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
Santa Cruz, CA
Raina began dancing at the age of 5 in the small town of Grass Valley, California. She went on to train with schools across the country including Capitol Ballet Company, American Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, and LINES Ballet. She then attended Reed College, where she studied biology and developed and performed several choreographic works while training in contemporary dance, and then obtained her master’s degree in microbiology from UC Santa Cruz. She is now a performer, choreographer, and ballet instructor in Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas. Raina is passionate about sharing her love for dance with her students and strives to emphasize excellent technique and artistry while maintaining a caring and supportive space where every dancer can thrive.
Rachel Spivak
Cohort 2 - Spring 2022
California
Rachel’s love for movement began at an early age when she started dancing. Throughout her dance experience, Rachel witnessed the immense need for healthcare practitioners who understand the unique demands of dance, which ultimately led her to pursue a career in physical therapy. Rachel earned her B.S. in Kinesiology, Exercise Science at California State University, Long Beach and she is set to graduate from the UCSF/SFSU Doctor of Physical Therapy program this June. Rachel has trained extensively in a multitude of dance styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz and tap. She has also spent several summers in NYC attending dance intensives such as the Rockettes Summer Intensive and Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Intensive.
Amy Schultze
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Sacramento, California
Amy Schultze is currently the Lower School Division Lead at the School of Sacramento Ballet, CA. Ms. Schultze began dancing at a young age, trained on scholarship at Virginia School of the Arts and received her BA from Hollins University with a major in dance. She danced professionally for thirteen years with companies such as Orlando Ballet, FL, Charleston Ballet, SC, Roanoke Ballet Theater, VA. Ms. Schultze has been teaching dance for thirty years. She has received her Professional Teaching Certificate (Dance K-12) from the State of Florida and is also certified to teach Progressing Ballet Technique.
Colorado, USA
Andrea Basile
Cohort 1 - Winter 2022
Broomfield, Colorado
Andrea Basile is originally from Albuquerque, NM. Ms. Basile began training under the direction of Karen Alwin and Lynn Cox. After high school, Ms. Basile continued her training at the San Francisco Ballet School before starting her professional career. During her time in the Bay Area she enjoyed a 20 year professional dance career and was able to work with many dance companies such as The San Francisco Ballet, ODC Dance, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Kate Weare Company, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Smuin Ballet, The Lawrence Pech Dance Company, and The Foundry. Alonzo King also choreographed "Pas" for Ms. Basile and Homer Avila which premiered with Axis Dance Company, toured across the United States, and was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine. Ms. Basile’s teaching career spans 23 years and she has taught at many dance schools including LINES Ballet School, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Cincinnati Ballet Academy, Marin Dance Theatre, the ODC School, and Magnify Dance Center. She moved back to New Mexico in 2015 and became Co-owner of Magnify Dance Center. She also led Magnify Dance Ensemble as Artistic Director before taking on her most recent move to Colorado. Ms. Basile now serves as School Director at the Boulder Ballet School where she is integrating The Five Point Dancer Method into the school. This multifaceted program works with students to create a more mindful and well rounded dancer through workshops, trusted resources, and a curriculum based on five points of wellness; Mindset, Work Ethic, Nutrition, Injury Prevention, and Cross Training. Ms. Basile is excited to continue to keep dancers safe and strong by integrating The Pointe Safe program into her Injury Prevention curriculum.
Rebekah Gasparovich
Cohort 5 - Winter 2023
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Rebekah was born and raised in Amarillo Texas. She started dancing at Doxa Dance Ministry under the instruction of Brittanie Wooten and Laci McCreary. While at Doxa she studied ballet, pointe, and contemporary and performed various corps and lead roles in Doxa’s original ballets. She was also a part of Doxa Coterie, a pre-professional training program led by Mark and Karrina Leber. While a part of Doxa Coterie she had the opportunity to perform locally, nationally and internationally. Rebekah attended Ballet Magnificat’s summer dance intensive in 2016, 2017, and 2018 where she received instruction from Jiri Voborsky and Kathy Thibedeux in addition to other members of their professional company. In addition, she had the opportunity to perform several pieces from the company for the student galas. In 2020 she moved to Madison, Wisconsin to join the trainee program with Magnum Opus Ballet where she received instruction from Abigail Henninger and Karen Chu. She performed alongside the company in all four productions for the 2020-21 season. From 2021- 23 Rebekah danced with Reverent Rhythms, a Modern/Jazz company located in Grand Junction, CO directed by Cameron Cunningham in addition to teaching at the school of the arts. During this time she toured to six different states performing the company's repertoire. Rebekah currently teaches at Colorado Ballet Society in Colorado Springs. She is grateful for the knowledge she gained from Pointe Safe so she can help her students prepare safely for pointe work.
Nicole O'Farrell
Cohort 9 - Fall 2024
Conifer, Colorado
Nicole O’Farrell has been dancing since 1988. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater. She has had the opportunity to receive training from Kit Andree, Phan Peterson, Thommie Walsh, Bill Hastings, Chet Walker, Jenny Schiff, and Jacob Mora (just to name a few). Ms. O’Farrell has performed in many events such as competitions, parades, festivals, showcases, and most of The Schiff Dance Collective’s evening length works. She was with The Schiff Dance Collective for it’s duration (2005-2019) as a teacher, choreographer, and performer. Nicole has been a teacher and choreographer at Peak Academy of Dance since 2008 and at Infinite Dance Inc since 2010. She has also been the elementary school choreographer at Ovation West's Summer Music Camp since 2015. In the Fall of 2017, Nicole was promoted to be the Director of the Talent Group Program at Peak Academy of Dance. Ms. O’Farrell has taught all over Colorado since 1998, was a guest teacher at 2 Studios in Oregon for a summer, and attended the Dance Teacher Summit in New York in 2009. In 2020, she created The Essential Dance Company for dance teachers and alumni that needed a safe space to explore their passion for dance. As of September 2024, she is Pointe Safe Certified. Nicole strives to help dancers of all ages live their best life. www.peakdance.com
Kathryn Van Riper
Cohort 5 - Winter 2023
Conifer, Colorado
Kathryn Van Riper currently the Ballet Director at Peak Academy of Dance in Conifer, Colorado. She completed her Pointe Safe training in 2023. She graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Liberal Arts. She majored in Dance and minored in Theater. She had a private massage therapy Practice in New York City for ten years. Kathryn focuses on injury prevention and dancer wellness. She is passionate about her dancers, her family and her Shih Tzu, Tucker. www.peakdance.com
Florida, USA
Kelly Mathieu
Cohort 2 - Spring 2022
Southwest Washington State + Central Florida
Kelly Mathieu has studied dance nationally in San Jose, Seattle, San Francisco & New York, and internationally in Paris, France and Zurich, Switzerland. In 2002 she completed her BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, with an emphasis in teaching and arts administration. Kelly has danced professionally with Seattle based companies: Fusion Dance Company, Deborah Birrane's Unexpected Company, Heart & Soul Dancers and International Ballet Theatre. She has worked with Seattle Choreographers Wade Madsen, Llory Wilson, KT Niehoff, Amii LeGendre, 33 Fainting Spells, Mark Kane, Deena Dunning, Maureen Whiting and Vera Altunina. Mrs. Mathieu was also the Artistic Director and lead Ballet Instructor of Rainier Ballet Academy from 2006-2012. Kelly’s dance teaching styles includes ballet, pre-pointe, pointe, jazz, modern and introduction to choreography and anatomy. Most recently she has also become a Certified Personal Trainer and Physical Therapy Aide, to help dancers increase their strength and conditioning, endurance, and flexibility with a focus on injury prevention. She is currently a member of Doctors of Dancers (DFD) and the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) encouraging all dancer to be happy and healthy. Mrs. Mathieu is currently based in SW Washington and enjoys teaching at local studios and online. All her dance classes are taught with fun, creativity, musicality and caring, while emphasizing proper body alignment, core support, and building strong dance technique.
Madeline Tyser
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
Daytona Beach, Florida
Madeline Tyser grew up in the Daytona Beach, FL area where she trained under the direction of Nobuko Walls from the age of 5 until she joined the USF Dance Department. Upon graduating from the University of South Florida in 2010 with her BFA in Performance and Choreography she spent the summer training and dancing in Paris, France through the USF Dance in Paris Program. She danced professionally with The Tallahassee Ballet, Nashville Ballets 2nd Company, Columbia Classical Ballet, South Carolina Ballet (formally Columbia City Ballet) and continues to dance with RAKR Modern Dance Company. She moved back to the Daytona Beach area in 2017 where she currently teaches ballet, pointe, modern and aerobic barre at two studios: Freed Performing Arts and Orbit Performing Arts Academy. Madeline has been teaching dance for over ten years and enjoys working with students of all ages. Currently having students from 2 years old to 65 years young, Madeline enjoys incorporating the Pointe Safe curriculum not only with her pointe students but also teaching health and safety to all her genres of dancers. “My main objective as a teacher is to train the next generation of dancers with health and safety as a foundational part of their training. The knowledge I acquired through the Pointe Safe certification has made me feel more confident and capable as a dance teacher.”
Maria Brigidi
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Tampa, Florida
Maria Brigidi has recently earned her BA in Applied Dance and BS in Entrepreneurship from The University of Tampa. She grew up studying dance in the Philadelphia area at Metropolitan Ballet Academy and Beth Jacobsen School of Dance. While In school, Maria studied Anne Green Gilbert’s brain-compatible dance education curriculum and was able to work closely with students at Focus Academy. She has both choreographed for, and performed many works at UT’s David Falk Theater. Since graduating, Maria has continued to expand her experience and knowledge by earning her certification in PBT, or Progressing Ballet Technique. She has also gained a great passion for preschool education, as she brings dance to many schools in the Tampa area. Maria hopes to positively impact her students’ lives and aims to fully recognize each student’s individual needs and unique potential.
Idaho, USA
Carmen Heap
Cohort 10 - Winter 2025
Sugar City, Idaho
Carmen Heap graduated from Brigham Young University with her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, and spent many hours in ballet and modern classes during her university years. Carmen has been teaching dance for over 15 years. In Middletown, Connecticut she created the ballet program for the city's recreation department and taught ballet at Wesleyan University's Green Street Center for the Arts. In northern Utah, she was a dance and tumbling instructor at Bravo Arts Academy and was also the ballet teacher for the after-school enrichment program at the elementary school where she taught second grade. Carmen is currently a member of the Idaho Dance Education Organization (IDEO) and the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and is proud to be the sponsor of the local chapter of the National Honor Society of Dance Arts (NHSDA) which recognizes dancers with outstanding performance in both academics and dance arts. She opened her own studio, Legacy Dance Academy, in 2023 in Sugar City, Idaho and is the artistic director there. She loves to share her passion for dance and the performing arts and hopes to continue to inspire future generations of dancers www.legacydanceacademyidaho.com
Illinois, USA
Molly Strom
Cohort 8 - Winter 2024
Chicago, Illinois
Molly Strom graduated from Columbia College Chicago, Magna Cum Laude, with a BA in Dance. She trained with Robert McKee, Emily Stein, Paige Cunningham, Dardi McGinley, Carrie Hanson, Sarah Shaffer and Joanna Rosenthal-Read. She performed works by Lisa Gonzales, Debra Levasseur-Lottman, Teena Marie Custer, Fara Tolno and a restaging of Charles Weidman’s “Lynch Town” under the direction of Gail Corbin in 2013. Since graduating she has performed in works by Rachel Vogeney, Kaitlyn Dessoffy, Lydia Feuerhelm, Mags Bouffard and Cattywampus Dance. She has been a company member of Zephyr Dance since 2014. Alongside performing, Molly teaches dance around the Chicagoland area bringing the power and joy of movement to a variety of populations. Her education engagements include private studios, various outreach programs, arts integration, and choreographing for musicals and youth ensembles. She is currently on staff at Viking Gymnastics & Dance and the Joffrey Ballet Academy.
Kentucky, USA
Amanda Whites Keller
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Frankfort, Kentucky
Amanda Whites Keller began dancing at the age of four in Eastern Kentucky and continued throughout her life, performing with Dance Theatre of Tennessee, Lexington Ballet, and Movement Continuum. She is the Academy Director and founder of Kentucky Dance Academy in Frankfort, Ky and is excited to implement the Pointe Safe methodology into her ballet classes!
Louisiana, USA
Gwendoline Cardone
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
Shreveport, Louisiana
Gwendoline Cardone started dancing in 1989, under Kelli Foster at Cricket InCompany in Southeast Georgia. Gwendoline traveled all over the South East Coast performing and competing as a soloist. After being accepted to Northwestern State University with a dance scholarship she left Georgia and moved to Louisiana. Gwendoline graduated from Northwestern in 2010 . Gwendoline went on to grad school at LSUS for psychology. She has traveled all over the United States attending workshops, Master Classes and conventions; Including: The Joffrey Ballet, ABT, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet West, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Boardway, The Ailey Studios, Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, The School of Classical Russian Ballet - Showstopper, Termaine, and many more. Gwendoline cares a lot about education and holds over a dozen certifications. @gwendolinecardone
Massachusetts, USA
Kelly Maccioli
Cohort 9 - Summer-Fall 2024
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Kelly grew up dancing at the Ceil Sharon School of Dance in her hometown of Marlborough, Massachusetts where she spent 14 years studying Jazz, Tap, and Lyrical. Kelly began studying Ballet as a college student, and quickly fell in love with it. On top of Ballet classes, as an undergraduate she was very active in the dance community, choreographing for the Dance Club and rose through their ranks to become first a supporting officer, and then President her Senior year, producing 2 shows, and managing over 100 dancers. Since graduating in 2003, Kelly has taught Tap, Jazz & Ballet at various studios throughout Massachusetts, and from 2017 - 2022 she lead the Elementary Dance Program at a small studio in her hometown. Here she spent her time teaching, choreographing and designing curriculum, as well as creating and running the summer programs for dancers up to age 13. Kelly is a Pointe Safe certified teacher and is also certified by Dance Masters of America to teach Ballet, Tap & Jazz. She is an active member of the local chapter, Dance Masters of New England Chapter 5 and is dedicated to continuing to learn and grow as a teacher and dancer. Taking advantage of her membership to DMNE she attends workshops multiple times a year, and was awarded a scholarship to NDEO, and to attend the Unity Dance Conference in New York City in the Summer of 2023. She was also a performing member of Dance Movement Worcester, a dance collaborative for adults, from 2020 - 2022. She will forever be a student of ballet, and continues taking Ballet classes as regularly as her schedule will allow. Kelly is currently teaching at Spirit in Motion Dance Academy where she’s part of a team that is dedicated to fostering a love of dance in individuals of all ages and abilities, and believes that everybody can dance, and movement is a universal language.
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Emily Zimmermann
Cohort 5 - Winter 2023
Westford, Massachusetts
Emily Zimmermann is the owner of Dream Ballet School in Westford, Massachusetts. Emily has been a dancer, choreographer and dance educator for over 20 years. She danced with Peninsula Ballet Theatre and Cabrillo Stage in the Bay Area, California. She then became Ballet Mistress and Director of Development at Missouri Contemporary Ballet Company and School. She founded Dream Ballet School in 2021. Emily is certified in Pointe Safe, Progressing Ballet Technique and American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. Emily believes that ballet is for everyone and strives to promote total dancer wellness. Please visit www.dreamballetschool.com to learn more.
Mary Davis
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Melrose, Massachusetts
Mary has been studying dance since childhood, with a strong focus on ballet and pointe. She began assisting classes and working with young dancers in high school, which sparked her passion for teaching. Since beginning her teaching journey at Above the Barre in 2020, Mary has been developing ballet curriculum at a growing studio while sharing her love of ballet with the next generation of dancers. She is passionate about building strong technical foundations, helping students progress safely and confidently, and creating a supportive environment where dancers can grow in both strength and artistry.
Michigan, USA
Ericka Goss
Cohort 6 - Summer 2023
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ms. Goss began dancing at Bohaty’s School of Dance in Michigan and was also a member of the Children’s Ballet Theatre of Michigan. She later became a member of the senior trainee division of the Grand Rapids Ballet through high school, working under Laura Schwenk-Berman and Gordon Pierce-Schmidt. Accepted into Pacific Northwest, Boston Ballet, and Joffrey Midwest summer intensives, she attended Joffrey on full scholarship. After four years in Grand Rapids, Ericka was accepted into Atlanta Ballet’s Pre-Professional Division on full scholarship. Promoted to the company as a Fellowship dancer, she danced as a Fellowship for two years under Sharon Story and John McFall. In the summer of 2011 she attended the LINES Ballet Summer Intensive in San Francisco under full scholarship. After 3 seasons with The Atlanta Ballet, Ericka was hired into the Saint Louis Ballet in St. Louis, MO. She danced with SLB for 7 seasons performing soloist roles and had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Christopher D'Amboise, Emery LeCrone, Twyla Tharp repeteur Matthew Dibble, Francis Patrelle, Kevin Jenkins, Pam Tanowitz, Gregory Dolbashian, and Michael Uthoff. She danced roles in Balanchine's Western Symphony, Serenade, and was a tall girl in Who Cares? as well as performing soloist roles in Gen Horiuchi's The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Giselle. She is also a founding member of Deos Contemporary Ballet in Grand Rapids, MI. Ericka is PBT certified and has been teaching for 16 years, both with Atlanta Ballet and Saint Louis Ballet School, as well as at the Belleville School of Ballet, Academy of Performing Arts, and Turning Pointe School of Dance. www.michiganballet.org
Grace Martin
Cohort 9 - Summer-Fall 2024
Canton, Michigan
Grace is a dance educator at Elite Dance Force and Fenton Ballet Theatre and serves as the Assistant Company Director at Fenton Ballet Theatre. She is also the Co-Artistic Director of the Michigan Ballet Festival. Raised in Michigan, Grace has studied dance since 2000 and holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Michigan, where she focused on dance and business. She has trained with prestigious programs such as American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and the Rock School for Dance Education. In addition to her dance career, Grace is a globally recognized advocate for athlete rights as the founder of The Army of Survivors. She has served on advisory boards for International Safe Sport and has been an expert advisor to organizations like the International Olympic Committee and FIFA. Grace is also an Arthur Ashe Courage Award recipient from the 2018 ESPYs. She holds multiple certifications, including ABT® National Training Curriculum Pre-Primary through Level 3, Alixa Stretch, and Acrobatic Arts.
Alex Page
Cohort 10 - Winter 2025
Lowell, Michigan
Alex began her dance training at age four at the Flint School of Performing Arts, where she studied a pre-conservatory curriculum in Russian classical ballet, pointe, and modern dance. As a young dancer, she performed in numerous productions with the Flint Symphony Orchestra, including The Nutcracker, and trained with organizations such as the Alvin Ailey School, Magnus Midwest, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. She continued her dance education at Western Michigan University’s Department of Dance and later at Florida State University, where she performed with the School of Dance, Dance Tallahassee, and participated in international outreach with Movement Exchange in Panama. Alex has performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Darrell Moultrie, Amy Hall Garner, and Tyrone Brooks, and remained an active performer throughout law school as a company member with MSU’s Orchesis Dance Company. Alex balances her legal career as a municipal attorney with her passion for dance education, serving as the Ballet Director and Instructor at LoMI Studios in Lowell, MI. She is proud to be a Pointe Safe Certified Instructor, IADMS member, and is committed to fostering safe, supportive, and technically sound pointe training for the next generation of dancers.
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Jaina Barden
Cohort 11 - Summer/Fall 2025
Ithaca, Michigan
Jaina is a passionate dancer turned teacher from Michigan. She is a senior dance studies major at Central Michigan University, working toward being a full-time teacher once I graduate. She has studied and danced several styles, and she love learning new things about each. Becoming pointe safe certified has made her a better, safer teacher, and she is excited to use it for all her future students.
Nebraska, USA
Rachel Madej
Cohort 8 - Winter 2024
Schuyler, Nebraska
Rachel began taking tap dancing lessons at the age of seven at a small, rural dance studio in Nebraska. After a few years she added jazz and ballet to her studies at the same, small studio. When she was twelve, her dance teacher approached her mother and said she thought Rachel might like to try pointe. She had noticed a gift of gracefulness when she danced. Rachel never doubted ballet was her calling after that first year of pointe. Her dad bought a large piece of plywood and a tall chair, so she could practice pointe at home every day in the kitchen to gain strength. Rachel holds her Cecchetti Teacher Certificates Grades One through Four and is currently training to take her Cecchetti Pre Professional Elementary Teacher Exam. She is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor and is American Ballet Theatre certified in Pre-Primary, Primary, and Level One through Three. In the summer of 2023, she completed the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Teacher Workshop. While her main job is homeschooling and taking care of her eight children with her husband of 24 years, Rachel also teaches ballet, PBT, and trains students for their Cecchetti Ballet Exams. She currently teaches at Studio A in Schuyler, NE and Barbs School of Dance in Columbus, NE. https://www.barbsschoolofdance.net/ https://studioadanceacademy.com/
New Hampshire, USA
Suzanna Derynioski
Cohort 3 - Summer 2022
Meredith, New Hampshire
Suzanna Derynioski is a graduate of Plymouth State University with a Bachelor of Science in Management with a focus in Small Business Entrepreneurship and a minor in dance, with a certificate in dance pedagogy. Suzanna co-founded New Hampshire Dance Movement in 2013 and organized several shows which raised over $10,000 for college scholarships through the Faith, Hope, and Love Foundation. While at PSU, she performed in several works in the Dance Division’s Contemporary Dance Ensemble performances, including those of guest artists from Urbanity Dance, Pantos Project, Refractions Dance Collective, Amy Marshall Dance Company, and JazzArt Dance Theatre. Suzanna has had her work featured with the PSU Contemporary Dance Ensemble, PSU Dance Team, New Hampshire Dance Movement, and at Shaker Village. Suzanna received the Contemporary Dance Ensemble Award, in recognition of contributions made for the development and furtherance of the art of dance at PSU. Suzanna is a Pointe Safe certified teacher and has completed courses with world-renowned dance physiotherapist Lisa Howell, including Training Turnout in Tiny Dancers and the Flexibility Intensive. She incorporates dance science into her classes to help dancers become safer, stronger, and more efficient. Suzanna is currently teaching at The Studio at Meredith Bay in Meredith, NH.
Jacqui Young
Cohort 4 - Fall 2022
Somersworth, New Hampshire
Jacqui Young graduated from the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary (NYC) with a Bachelor of Science degree with concentrations in Choreography and Creative Theory and Deviance and Victimization of Women. She also holds an Associates Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northern Essex Community College (MA) and a Master of Arts from John Jay College in Criminal Justice (NYC). She currently teaches at Sole City Dance, the only non-profit dance studio in New Hampshire. She also teaches online at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She has certifications from American Ballet Theatre, Progressive Ballet Technique and Giordano jazz technique. After obtaining her Masters in Criminal Justice from John Jay College Jacqui began teaching dance classes inside prison. Her first job was at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. An all male maximum security prison. Jacqui has enjoyed an extensive career as a professional dancer, concert producer, stage director, artistic director, choreographer, studio owner and educator. She has devoted her entire life to the field of dance. She feels that dance is therapeutic and brings joy to all who experience it. Dance is life.
New Mexico, USA
Fernando Ramos-Cintron
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fernando Ramos Cintrón is a queer Puerto Rican movement artist based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ramos researches contemporary approaches to movement as a dancer, educator and choreographer. He currently serves as the Chair of Dance at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is also the Artistic Director of Ramos Danza, and co-producer of CONTEMPORA, contemporary dance festival in Puerto Rico and Santa Fe. He has collaborated or danced for Coda 21, BocaTuya/Omar Román de Jesús, Vaga, Rafael Cañals, Gaby Hernández, and Clarosuro.
New York, USA
Kayla Affrunti
Cohort 7 - Fall 2023
New York, New York
Kayla Affrunti is a New York City based dance artist and educator. Growing up in the borough of Staten Island she began her dance career in competition dance, getting the opportunity to build athleticism and discipline and explore various avenues of the art. After deciding to focus on concert dance Ms.Affrunti continued pre-professional training at Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts and received her BFA in Dance from Montclair State University. Some influential artists in her education include Maleek Washington, Christian Von-Howard, Frederick Earl Mosley, Maxine Steinman, Lynne Grossman, and Nancy Lushington amongst others! Kayla greatly appreciates the vast knowledge she received from her past mentors that she can now synthesize and offer to her over 200 weekly students. Professionally, Ms.Affrunti spent a season with the Balasole dance company (director Roberto Villanueva), and two seasons with the Afro-modern company Torch Dance Theatre (directors Kenya Joy-Gibson and Maxwell Louis) as well as freelance performing before taking time to focus on teaching. Kayla Affrunti is currently on the ballet faculty at competitive studios like Horizons Dance Center, Dynamic Dance Academy, AbunDance Academy of the Arts among others. Kayla is currently in the process of writing her own curriculum aimed at creating a strong foundation of elite artistic movement built progressively. She is inspired by Progressing Ballet Technique, the Cecchetti and Cuban schools of Ballet, and of course her own unique journey through dance training. This curriculum and all of Ms. Affrunti’s teaching emphasizes shaping the whole dancer, who is a human first and must be guided into a learning-based mindset that is imperative to successful dancing. She is thankful for all of her hardworking students who help inform this curriculum every day! Recently Ms.Affrunti studied for 8 weeks under Dance DPT Kendall Alway of San Francisco Performing Arts PT receiving the “Pointe Safe” certification for pre-pointe work. Aside from teaching ballet, she is a sought-after technique refining coach helping students get accepted to prestigious training programs like Fiorello Laguardia HS, Joffrey Ballet at Fort Hamilton HS, Pace University Commercial Dance, MOVE NYC, and various other summer intensives. Also, a budding contemporary choreographer Ms.Affrunti recently premiered “Insula” on Brooklyn HS of the Arts juniors, “Human Paradox” a dance film, and has works currently circulating the competition circuit. A lifelong and grounding passion for dance guides Ms. Affrunti through every endeavor which is felt by her students, coworkers, and audience members.
Talmadge Krajowsky
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Finger Lakes Region, New York
Talmadge Krajowsky is an artist and arts educator based in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. She holds an MFA from the Visual Studies Workshop, and has been dancing for over 45 years. Currently, she leads the ballet program at Trinity Performing Arts, a competitive dance studio that focuses on diversity, leadership, and body positivity. When she’s not teaching dance or photography, she is a fine art photographer whose work has been displayed in galleries across the United States.
Ohio, USA
Lucia Mancha
Cohort 6 - Summer 2023
Ashland, Ohio
In Spring of 2024, Mancha will graduate Case Western Reserve University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both dance and human nutrition. Afterward, she plans to further her education with a Master of Fine Arts degree in dance with a focus in pedagogy and dancer wellness. Seasonally, she teaches modern (Graham), ballet (Cecchetti), and tap as a guest teacher at her local dance school. She joined the Pointe Safe community in an effort to supplement her educational passion for dancer wellness and better impact the strength and technique of her students. Although her primary focus is modern dance, she finds the ballet assessment knowledge she took from this program to be invaluable in all studio settings.
Oregon, USA
Asia Bui
Cohort 1 - Winter 2022
Portland, Oregon
Born in Tampa, FL, Asia Bui began her classical ballet training at America’s Ballet School. She continued her training at the Harid Conservatory of Boca Raton, FL and in Houston, TX as a member of Houston Ballet II. Asia is currently dancing professionally with the Oregon Ballet Theater in Portland, OR, following her time in Houston Ballet as a member of the corps and with Sarasota Ballet as a soloist from 2015-2022. As a ballet instructor, Asia enjoys sharing her passion for dance with students of all levels. She has spent multiple summers teaching ballet, repertoire, and pointe work to students in Florida and the California Bay Area. In addition to her dance career, Asia has a Bachelors in Sociology from the University of Florida.
Pennsylvania, USA
Whitney Rowley
Cohort 4 - Fall 2022
Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania
SPT Whitney Rowley is in her second year as a doctor of physical therapy student at Arcadia University. She earned her masters degree in exercise science with a concentration in rehabilitation sciences from California University of Pennsylvania and her bachelors degree in athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh. Whitney has six years of experience working as an athletic trainer with dancers in the conservatory of performing arts at Point Park University where she continues to teach an online dancer wellness and injury prevention course. Whitney has wanted to be a physical therapist since she was twelve years old and could not be more excited to join SF Performing Arts Physical Therapy as a student physical therapist. Whitney's hobbies include open-water swimming, triathlons, and rock climbing.
Virginia, USA
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Susan TalebiSage
Cohort 11 - Summer/Fall 2025
Toano, Virginia
Susan, “Miss Sue”, is a dancer, instructor, choreographer, mother and licensed to practice as a Physical Therapist Assistant. She grew up in Maryland and trained in an intensive program, studying classical ballet technique, pointe, modern, jazz, character, and ballroom at Jane Bitter's Dance Studio in Maryland. She performed with Olney Children’s Ballet Theater and was casted as the lead in Cinderella, soloist White Dove in Hansel & Gretel and Snow Queen in Nutcracker. She studied with ballet master Dawei Zhang of the Shanghai Ballet and performed in his company East West Ballet during it's inception. She later danced on scholarship with Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania and performed with The Lake Erie Ballet Theater. In 2005 she graduated from The College of William & Mary, and two years later began teaching ballet. Later she had the honor or dancing the soloist role “The Spirit of Christmas” in Institute for Dance's production of Christmas Dreams. She also performed with Williamsburg Ballet Theater as a soloist in Paquita and in Les Sylphides, and was later was promoted to Co-Artistic Director. In 2016 she began teaching accelerated courses in Neurological Rehabilitation and Medical Surgical Conditions at ECPI University/MCI for the Physical Therapy Department. While in New York for a while she had the great honor of studying classical ballet at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs with Bill Otto of the New York City Ballet. In Virginia she provides physical therapy services to patients in a skilled nursing care facility and pediatric students in the school system, as well as teaching ballet & pointe work. She is thrilled to now be PointeSafe certified!
Washington State, USA
Molly Davis
Cohort 3 - Summer 2022
Kirkland, WA
Molly grew up on the Eastside in Seattle starting dance training at 4. At 7, she was accepted into Pacific Northwest Ballet School, where she studied classical ballet. During summers she also attended School of American Ballet in New York, San Francisco Ballet, and Alvin Ailey in New York. At 16 she was offered a spot in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division. Molly attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in Arts & Non-Profit Management, a degree she created with faculty and staff at the University of Washington. During university, Molly continued her dance education at UW, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Westlake Dance Center. She also taught Pacific Northwest Ballet and All That Dance. In 2021, Molly founded Eastside Dance, a welcoming and inclusive studio where anyone can learn to dance. Eastside Dance provides high-quality dance training that builds technical excellence, creativity, healthy minds, and healthy bodies. Molly has incorporated Pointe Safe into the Eastside Dance curriculum as part of this mission.
Kelly Mathieu
Cohort 2 - Spring 2022
Southwest Washington State + Central Florida
Kelly Mathieu has studied dance nationally in San Jose, Seattle, San Francisco & New York, and internationally in Paris, France and Zurich, Switzerland. In 2002 she completed her BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, with an emphasis in teaching and arts administration. Kelly has danced professionally with Seattle based companies: Fusion Dance Company, Deborah Birrane's Unexpected Company, Heart & Soul Dancers and International Ballet Theatre. She has worked with Seattle Choreographers Wade Madsen, Llory Wilson, KT Niehoff, Amii LeGendre, 33 Fainting Spells, Mark Kane, Deena Dunning, Maureen Whiting and Vera Altunina. Mrs. Mathieu was also the Artistic Director and lead Ballet Instructor of Rainier Ballet Academy from 2006-2012. Kelly’s dance teaching styles includes ballet, pre-pointe, pointe, jazz, modern and introduction to choreography and anatomy. Most recently she has also become a Certified Personal Trainer and Physical Therapy Aide, to help dancers increase their strength and conditioning, endurance, and flexibility with a focus on injury prevention. She is currently a member of Doctors of Dancers (DFD) and the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) encouraging all dancer to be happy and healthy. Mrs. Mathieu is currently based in SW Washington and enjoys teaching at local studios and online. All her dance classes are taught with fun, creativity, musicality and caring, while emphasizing proper body alignment, core support, and building strong dance technique.
Samantha Weissbach
Cohort 8 - Winter 2024
Renton, WA
Samantha Weissbach, NASM-CPT, YES (she/her) is the Ballet Department Program Director at Body Language Studio. A passionate teacher with over 15 years of teaching experience, Samantha's goal in her ballet classes is to facilitate a safe and evidence-based learning environment that focuses on excellence in technique and artistry while helping dancers cultivate self-awareness, curiosity, and bravery. Over the past 3 decades, Samantha has trained at various establishments and summer intensive programs but received her primary training through BLS (formerly Cornerstone Studio), Ballet Bellevue, and Emerald Ballet Theatre. A lifelong learner, Samantha continues her learning journey with annual continuing education seminars, freelance professional work, and weekly classes & cross-training. Awards & Certifications National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer National Academy of Sports Medicine Youth Exercise Specialist 2022 Dance Educators Association of Washington's Annual Educator of the Year Award Additionally, Samantha is the Owner and a Senior Pointe Shoe Fitter at Dancewear Center, is a member of pointe shoe fitting resource ThePointeShop+ (home of the Progressive Pointe Method, and is a member of Danscend's Council, an organization that brings mental wellness to the forefront of dance training for dancers, educators, and professionals.
Eve Robinson
Cohort 12 - Winter 2026
Tacoma, WA
Eve Robinson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She has worked with renowned choreographers and companies including The Joffrey Ballet School, Ballet West, Ballet Arizona, Spectrum Dance Theater, and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. She has also published original research on the benefits of dance for older adults, presented at the National Dance Education Organization Conference. In addition to her dance background, Eve is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in outpatient orthopedics. She teaches dance and treats patients throughout the greater Seattle area, with a passion for helping dancers recover from injury and return to the stage stronger.
Wisconsin, USA
Tiffany Kadani
Cohort 3 - Summer 2022
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Tiffany Kadani trained in the Royal Academy of Dance method with Pamela Hayes in Sacramento, California. She went on to major in ballet and modern dance at Brigham Young University where she performed with both the ballet and contemporary dance companies and studied dance education. Upon graduation, she danced as a principal with Dangerous Lorraines Dance Theatre for seven years. During that time, she taught dance at California State University, Sacramento and at the Northern California Dance Conservatory. She then accepted a faculty position at the Washington School of Ballet with The Washington Ballet. While there, she was a Performance Ensemble choreographer, ballet teacher, contemporary teacher, and heavily involved in their outreach program. She was nominated for a scholarship at American Ballet Theatre through Project Plie to become a certified teacher with ABT. This experience led her onto a path to focus on helping all dancers achieve their ballet dreams by focusing on correct alignment, dance medicine, and dance science. As well as teaching in the studio, she’s also a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and runs her own practice as a private ballet instructor specializing in corrective movement and injury prevention.