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 the Miami Ballet. Alicia has received college training in dance therapy and kinesiology. In 2001, Alicia received the Bronze choreography award for her lyrical dance “Jungle Bird”.
Amy Reffie - Ballet & Lyrical Instructor
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". This is Amy's seventh year with the Academy.
Tracy Mosingo - Advanced Ballet and Pointe Instructor
Tracy Mozingo is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Explore Dance Theater. He hopes to bring a wealth of knowledge and a vision that continually sets the standard for the dance world. The company’s broad repertory of dancers, musicians, and artists with extraordinary range and skill, will be the heart beat of Explore Dance Theater. Mr. Mozingo graduated from
Joyce Hurley - Ballet, Intermediate & Advanced Tap Instructor
Joyce Hurley, formerly the Artistic Director of the Lighthouse School of Ballet and Artistic Director of the California Dance Theatre joined the Dance Academy in 2005. Joyce brings with her more than forty years of experience in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, instruction, choreography and performance. She studied with Leon Danielon, Maria Swoboda, Mme Svetlova, Melissa Hayden, Meredith Baylis, Nolan Dingman and Patrick Frantz. Joyce has extensive tap training with Jack Stanley, Danny Daniels, Louis DaPron and Pat Rico. Her Jazz instructors include Luigi in NYC, Jack Baker and Tap LA, and Jon Gregory in NYC. Her choreography credits in ballet, opera and the theatre are numerous and her performances credits include NY USO shows, Bob Hope Show, Frank Sinatra Show, Ray Heatherton TV and Dallas Civic Opera Ballet to mention just a few. This is Joyce Hurley's fifth year at the Dance Academy of Stuart.
Carol Andrew - Intermediate Ballet Instructor
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 sixth season with the Academy. scan0016.jpg
Charlotte Hamer - Master Ballet Instructor
Charlotte began her training at the Thomas Studio of Dance in Lake Worth, Fl. She studied at the School of American Ballet founded by George Balanchine in New York City under the tutelage of Anatole Oboukoff, Peirre Vladimiroff, and Muriel Stuart. Charlotte performed on Broadway shows through "Make A Wish," in the original musicals casts of "My Fair Lady", "Paint Your Wagon", "Make a Wish", and danced the lead role of Laurie in the London and South Africa companies of "Oklahoma". Her television credits include The Ed Sullivan Show, The Patti Page Show, The Pat Boone Show and The Firestone Hour. She was invited to join and became a member of the New York City Ballet Company where she danced under Artistic Director, George Balanchine and Assistant Artistic Director, Jerome Robbins from 1952-1959. Charlotte has instructed at the Community Ballet School in Mountain Lakes, NJ; Thomas School of Dance in Lake Worth, FL; and has been a Guest Teacher and has conducted Master Classes in Florida. This is Ms Hamer's sixth season with the Academy.
Sonya Hoffman - Ballet Instructor
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 resumed teaching at "Mission in Motion" in March of 2004. This is Ms. Sonya's sixth year at the Academy.
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 eighth year teaching at the Academy.
Anna Preston - Lyrical, Modern/Improvisation
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 second year at The Dance Academy of Stuart.
Maria Lanzetta - Hip Hop Instructor
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 televition 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 attend the Performing Arts High School in Manhattan while continuing dance studies at Ridgewood Dance Studio in NYC. Maria began her teaching careet 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 third year on the Dance Academy of Stuart's faculty.
Debra Daley - Substitute Instructor - Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical
Debra started performing various styles of dance and musical theatre at the age of 13. She received her BFA from George Wathington University and earned scholarships to the Philadanco and the Alvin Ailey School of Dance. She attended summer workshops with Lars Lubavitch, Bella Lewitsky, Daniel Lewis, and Nina Weiner. Debra has learned the art of dance from many influential American and International artists and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge with the students at The Dance Academy of Stuart. This is Debra's second year at the Academy.
Kim Lorenzatto - Jazz, Lyrical Instructor
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 first season with Dance Academy of Stuart.
Genevieve La Gratta - Adult Tap Instructor
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. We welcome Gen as she begins her first 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 second year with the Dance Academy. For more information, you can visit her website at www.musictogethertreasurecoast.com
Paige Adams - Student Teacher
Lauren Brannom - Student Teacher
Lauren began dancing at the age of four with Alicia Chodera before she founded the Dance Academy of Stuart. Lauren has studied with Charles Russell, first assistant to Robert Joffrey, Martha Faesi, Tyrone Brooks, Adam Sage, and Petrus Bosman. She has attended the intensive summer dance program at Virginia School of The Arts in Lynchburg, VA for three years and was invited each year to become an academic student at VSA for the regular school year. Lauren has assisted and substitute taught various dance classes at the Dance Academy of Stuart since 2006. This is Lauren's thirteenth year at the studio and her fourth year teaching.
Gabriela Hughes - Student Teacher
Gabriela began dancing at the age of four with Cecilia Serra. At age five she began studying with Tatiana Kopp until joining the Dance Academy of Stuart in 2006. Gabriela has attended numerous summer dance intensives - Orlando Ballet, Central Florida Ballet, and Sarasota Ballet. She is looking forward to teaching creative movement at the Dance Academy of Stuart.