Our Instructors
Dawn Wolf
"Miss Dawn", originally from the suburbs outside of NYC began her passion for dance, the arts, and especially ballet at a young age. She began her early training under Diane Frankel's Coupe Theatre Studio with Diane Frankel, Robert Pagent, Helen McLennon, Natasha Fisher and Bernadette Erlon, later training exclusively in classical ballet, on scholarship, in the Pre-Professional Trainee program the Joffrey Ballet NYC under Trinette Singleton, Francesca Corkle and Jacques Cesbron, David Howard, Briansky Ballet, Boston Ballet, NYC Ballet & Kirov Ballet Dancers. She has performed around the NY metropolitan area.
Ms. Wolf also has experience in various radio/ television commercials and movies as spokes model/actress for Time Life Cd, Arizona Lottery, Healthy Nail, Powerade with Dion Sanders, "Bad Boys" and "Just Cause" and special extra parts in "The Specialist" with Sylvester Stallone, on-air talent as "Tommie Storm" on Coast 97.3 FM in Miami, FL and MIX 102.5 in Florence, SC, along with print work for Revlon, American Express, Ton Sur Ton and DuPont Flooring.
She received her B.A from the University of Arizona and has been a member in good standing of the International Association for Dance Medicine since 2012, with International Sports Science Association (ISSA) certifications in Senior Citizen Training, Youth Fitness Training and Specialist in Martial Arts Training and continues her instructional ballet training and injury prevention. She is the creator of FUSION Ballet © and Dance Bod Fitness™. Ms. Wolf was the recipient of the 2008 Hermitage Ballet Teacher Scholarship in St. Petersburg, Russia and 2010 Ponte Vedra Hero for the Arts. She is a trained martial artist 3rd Dan, 2005 U.S Open Karate Tournament winner 1st place weapons and forms, 3rd in sparring, along with Battle of Atlanta and various other martial arts competitions.
After over 20 years in the Ponte Vedra community, she continues her passion for inspiring and teaching proper technique to local students from Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, Jacksonville, Saint Augustine and surrounding areas through South Florida. Ms. Wolf is the executive director of Ignite Artist Collaborative (501c 3), which hosts free outreach programs for senior citizens and has also spearheaded the Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company's Tendu Scholarship program for gifted students since 2007. She is committed to our children and community to provide the highest quality instruction, whether dancing for enjoyment or enroute to a professional career. She has been guest speaker at various community events regarding posture and grace at any age.
Ms. Wolf's students have gone on to dance professionally at Houston Ballet, received scholarships, admittance and graduation to some of the highest level Pre-Professional Ballet Conservatories and Universities around the nation, ABT in NYC, UNCSA, Houston Ballet, Dallas Ballet Conservatory, Kaatsbaan Summer Intensive, Miami City Ballet Summer Intensives, Bolshoi Ballet Intensives, Kirov Academy DC, Governors School, SC, Joffrey Ballet Chicago & NYC, Next Generation Ballet at Patel Conservatory, FSU, USF & Wake Forest University. She accepted a 2017 seat as Board Member of the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra in order to continue to foster dance and the arts in our community and is an entrepreneur and Co-Founder/Creative Director of Ballet Rocks® dance fashion/dance accessories. She continues her studies in dance physiotherapy under Lisa Howell, BPHTY . Dawn is the founder/executive director of Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company/Fusion Performing Arts Academy and is the creator of Posture Perfect ™.
Sandy Leland
Sandy Leland joined Ponte Vedra Ballet in 2008 and began instruction in 2009. In addition to instruction of ballet and flexibility, she also taught classes of her own creation, including: FloorEx, Cadence, and Rhyme Time Ballet ™ Elsewhere, Sandy voluntarily taught a class of her own creation, "Suppleness & Balance" at The PLAYERS Community Senior Center in Ponte Vedra from 2008-2013. Additionally, she developed an after-school tumble program at the Ponte Vedra YMCA in 2009, lasting until 2020. The program expanded to include introductory level ballet instruction in 2016.
Previously, she developed gymnastics programs for Jeanne Benson Dance Academy, Ocala, FL; Salem Gymnastics, W-S, NC; and ALLSTARS Cheerleading and Gymnastics, Roswell, GA. Sandy studied ballet at Academy of Dance in St. Petersburg, FL, the Jeanne Benson Dance Academy and the Academy of Dance Arts, Inc., under Wanda Moore. She performed with Marion Performing Ballet, Ocala, FL. Sandy began gymnastics as a young child and competed at advanced levels. She began her ballet as a young teen. Sandy studied economics and received her Bachelor's degree from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Sandy's relevant certifications include: USGF Safety Certification, 1987; National Association of Woman's Gymnastics Judges, 1992- 1994; USA Gymnastics Level 1 professional development program 2003; Redwoods Institute Safety Certifications, ongoing, including: CPR, basic first aid, emergency oxygen, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, Blood borne Pathogens, and “Heads Up" Concussion in Youth Sports Training. Current certifications include ongoing studies under Lisa Howell, B.PHTY dance physio philosophy. Sandy is the Director of Acrobatic training for Ponte Vedra Ballet Fuse Elite dance program. Sandy enjoys spending free time with her family and being a Grandma.
Carolina R. Rodriguez
Carolina R. Rodriguez M., Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company faculty since 2012, sometimes credited as Carolina de Santiago, is of German/Puerto Rican descent. She initiated her studies in classical ballet at the age of 6 in Germany under the instruction of M. Seconde and A. Doganis. She continued professional training with Ballet Masters Mario Leyes ( - 2016) and Marta Torrico, among others. Carolina resided in South America where she performed and taught for many years. During that time, she pursued another passion, Spanish Dance. In 2004, Carolina moved with her husband to Jacksonville, Florida. She has been actively working on establishing a close-knit Flamenco community, which comprehends collaborations with schools and artists from both the US and Spain and includes the development of structured and officially approved teaching programs for Bolero School Dances, Classical Spanish Dance, Classical Castanet interpretation as well as Flamenco. She was trained by Jose Landry (-2021), Loli Sabariego and Adrian Galia, who also collaborated with her on class curricula and under whom she continuous to further her studies.
In 2010 she joined Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company where she and Mrs. Dawn Wolf, director of the Company, developed and introduced the classical Spanish Dance program, Flamenco Perspective of Ponte Vedra Ballet in the area, a completely new and unique style of dance for Jacksonville. She also developed a classical Castanet program for students of all ages. This has earned the school a continuing invitation to represent Jacksonville in the Flamenco Schools Festival, which is held every year in the US, as well as requests for private workshops for local and out of state students. Carolina teaches Spanish Dance classes for all levels including non-Ballet students. When she is not teaching, she is frequently offering artistic presentations, including a 2013 feature with the Jacksonville Symphony String Quartet as Castanet soloist as well as didactic presentations for schools and lectures for colleges and collaborates frequently on Spanish Dance projects with other artists. Carolina acts as the US counterpart for the American Castanet Society. She is an independent writer and has been featured on TV.
Roxanna Lewis
Roxanna Lewis is an award-winning director, celebrated choreographer, filmmaker, writer and producer. Roxanna's creative approach to filmmaking springs from her expert understanding of motion, composition, and storytelling as a professional dancer and choreographer.
International repertory highlights include: Infinity Dance Theatre, HT Chen & Dancers (NYC) and The National Ballet of Guatemala. Her ground-breaking work Dreambody is archived in the Lincoln Center Library, was remounted off-Broadway at Judson Church and currently the subject of a documentary. Roxanna was a featured choreographer for Broadway's Christopher Reeve's First You Dream - A Tribute to Courage, Diva Diaries and assistant choreographer (to Patti Wilcox of Broadway's Motown) for The Cole Porter Songbook. Roxanna's artistic portfolio expands into music videos for SONY's multi-platinum group Manic Street Preachers, Latin-pop artists VOZ on Rock Records as well as large-scale live commercial industrials for Dow Chemical, National Salute to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Meridian Development. Her work has been presented at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors and the US Department of Agriculture, as well as for dignitaries and audiences in France, Germany, Scotland, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong. Grants include: Art Ventures/NEA partnership (2020 & 2017) and Community First Cares (2017).
Having earned her BFA in Dance at S.U.N.Y. Purchase, Roxanna taught at the prestigious Steps on Broadway (NYC) and adjudicated in the USA and Canada for dance and theatrical competitions and events. She's held positions as Adjunct Professor at FSCJ and led numerous workshops at Flagler College and Universities across the USA.
Roxanna is the Founder/CEO of Roxxiedanz Productions, Inc. which produces commercials, scripted and non-scripted tv-series, and feature films that elevate humanity and re-define human excellence through impactful content.
Roxanna Lewis is a member of New York Women In Film & Television, Women Independent Producers, Film Independent, The Gotham, Video Consortium, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and Co-chair of the Purchase Women's Leadership Network at S.U.N.Y. Purchase. More info: www.ROXANNALEWIS.com IG/Twitter@roxannalewis. Roxanna has been instructing at Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company/Fusion Performing Arts academy since 2020.
Hilly Bodin: Contemporary Ballet
Hilly Bodin was born in 1993 in Miami, Florida. Started ballet at the age of 2, and attended local art schools in Jacksonville under a dance concentration. Graduated with a BFA in dance from State University in New York at Purchase College, and is former dance artist with New York City's Company XIV, and the Artery Collection (NYC) Bodin is freelance dancer, creator and martial artist currently, but has had the experience of working with many people of all ages and backgrounds around the globe, exchanging and working towards a world more incorporated with the performing and martial arts.
Bodin performed extensively and internationally, in places such as Italy, Austria, Greece, Germany, and Brazil. Trained with ballet and contemporary choreographer William Forsythe and the former Frankfurt Ballet/Forsythe Company, in Frankfurt, Germany, as well as trained in the martial art of Muay Thai with Lumpinee stadium champions in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is currently Head of Dance at the Bolles School and a resident choreographer for the Florida Ballet. She is also an ABT National Training Curriculum and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) certified instructor. Hilly has been instructing at Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company since 2019.
Ashley Shepps
Ashley began her dance training under Marta Jackson-Maduro, who studied under George Balanchine directly and was a dancer in the Metropolitan Opera and the National Ballet of Cuba. Under Marta's instruction, she studied extensively in Vaganova and Cuban techniques. Ashley also trained locally at the Florida Ballet under the direction of Laurie Picinich-Byrd.
In order to expand her dance training, Ashley spent the summers of 2009-2013 attending Joffrey Ballet School summer intensives and pre-professional programs in NYC.
Ashley is an alumnus of The Governors School for the Arts, where she studied classical ballet and modern dance under renowned artists Todd Rosenlieb, Joni Petre Scholz, and Kathy Brenner-Lasakow. During her time at GSArts, she was both a participant and volunteer at the National High School Dance Festival in Norfolk, VA and Miami, FL. This is also where she was introduced to the world of inclusive dance. Under artistic director Todd Rosenlieb, Ashley assisted in Adaptive Dance Classes. These classes were designed specifically for dancers with special needs, to ensure that everyone has the access and ability to take dance classes in a safe space. Ashely has been an instructor with Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company / Fusion since 2021.
Ashley continued her dance education at the University of South Florida where she obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Dance Studies. While there, she continued her research into the healing properties of dance and completed her honors thesis on Dance For Parkinson's disease.
After graduating college, Ashley combined her passion for dance with her love of sports and returned to Jacksonville as a member of The Roar of the Jaguars, the cheerleading team for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In her three seasons with the Jaguars, she has traveled around the world and performed with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, New Kids on the Block, 69 Boyz, 95 South, and more. She made her choreographing debut in the 2021 season, with her original work performed on TIAA Bank Field during a pre-game show. Ashley's extensive dance training has been recognized with her Veteran Outstanding Dance Technique award for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Ashley has been an instructor at Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company/Fusion Performing Arts Academy since 2020. She is the 2023-2024 director of PVBallet's FUSE Elite Dance Team.
Krishelle Edwards
Hip Hop Instructor, Krishelle Edwards teaching method starts with understanding and utilizing the mechanics of the fundamentals of hi hop in order to find their way into freestyle dancing and choreography. She creates a fun and high energy experience. She continues her studies in Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance, and has competed in 2022 dance battle "Time is Money” and “Thesis” in 2023 with her main dance styles specializing in hip hop and whacking.
From talent shows to praise dances and concert opening performances, Krishelle has danced with Three Hearts Dance, Morgan Brown Dance Company, In the Midst, F.O.U.R. D., back up dancer and member of GUDGUDMUSIC and much more. Creative storytelling through dance, to experience connection with the human spirit is what important to her.
Karolina Malota
Karolina Malota received her BA in dance with minor in chemistry from Jacksonville University in 2018. Her dance studies began in theatre and dance at Edward R Murrow school in Brooklyn, NY. She was trained in Modern/Contemporary under Lana Heylock, Michael Lomeka, Tiffany Fish, Rebecca Levy. Yidi Lin, James Boyd and Michael Lomeka for Jazz & Hip Hop, and Roberta Raymond, Brian Palmer, Cari Coble, and Paige Ricci at JU. Karolina has also studied ballroom dance under Joseph's dance studio and Heels under Janelle Murphy. She has performed professionally with company Ooh La La Revue Cabaret Showcase (August 2021). Karolina has been a guest instructor/choreographer at Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company/Fusion Performing Arts Academy since 2019.
Grande Dame, Instructor assoluta Dulce Anaya
In 1947, Ms. Dulce Anaya started her professional career as a ballet dancer at age 15 dancing in New York City for American Ballet Theatre. In 1947, at the age of 15, Ms. Anaya started her professional career as a demi-soloist in New York City for the American Ballet Theatre. She was an original member of the 1948 Ballet Alicia Alonso, later named Ballet Nacional de Cuba, where she gained soloist status. She obtained her Prima Ballerina title in Europe after dancing Sleeping Beauty with the Stuttgart Opera Ballet. Ms.Anaya has been an instructor at Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company since 2015.
Title that she maintained when was invited to join the Bavarian State Opera Ballet in Munich, Germany, where she created the role of Ondine.
At age 7, Dulce’s mother, Dulce Ventayol, a Cuban schoolteacher with a great appreciation for the arts, took her to study under George Milenoff and Alicia and Alberto Alonso at Sociedad Pro-Arte Musical. Ms. Anaya never had a perfect ballerina physique. She didn’t have the height, the extensions, the natural turnout, or the feet for ballet. She had to work harder than the other naturally talented girls.
Ms. Dulce Anaya was invited as Prima Ballerina to the Hamburg State Opera Ballet. Her repertoire included Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Fire Bird, and many others. Ms. Anaya’s career took her all over the world, dancing for illustrious audiences such as President Peron in Argentina and the Prince of Albania. George Balanchine and other great choreographers created ballets specifically for her. She has performed with illustrious partners such as Erik Bruhm, Edward Villella, Ted Kivitt, Rudolf Nureyev, Heino Hallhuber and OlegBriansky.
In 1970, Ms. Anaya founded the Jacksonville Ballet Theatre, producing the first Nutcracker in Jacksonville at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre. She was also one of the directors of the First Coast Nutcracker. She is currently the founder and one of the artistic directors of the Community Nutcracker. As owner and director of the Dulce Anaya School of Ballet, she continues teaching students and staging professional level performances for the Jacksonville community. She was awarded the 1998 GEMS International Television Woman of the Year Award for Dance.
In 2012, she was honored in Miami for her career accomplishments and received an award from the citizens of her hometown of RanchoBoyeros in Cuba for promoting and teaching ballet around the world. Ms. Anaya has influenced hundreds of dancers over the past 40 years, passing on her exceptional technique and artistry and her experience as a Prima Ballerina to her students. Her students have gone on to stand out in auditions, workshops and performances, and have gained recognition and scholarships to national and international professional dance companies and schools.
Emily Poli
Guest Instructor
A Florida native, Emily joined Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company in 2019. She graduated from Jacksonville University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a minor in Kinesiology. Trained in classical ballet she expanded her training at JU with various Modern dance &, commercial styles, and collaborated with MFA candidates on their choreographic thesis projects. Post university experience she joined the second company of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble (Cleo II). She has also been a company member in Hannah Kahn Dance Company and Wonderbound in Colorado. Emily is currently performing with Jacksonville Dance Theatre (JDT), choreographing and teaching at studios in the Jacksonville area.
Joanna DeFelice
Guest Instructor
Joanna DeFelice is a producer, artist, dancer and teacher. A graduate of The Kirov Academy of Ballet she trained under Alla Sizova, Nikolai Morozov and Adrienne Dellas. Joanna has worked with Debbie Allen on numerous shows at the Kennedy Center and in Los Angeles and has toured internationally with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. She has performed works by Igal Perry, Ohad Naharin, Robyn Mineko Williams, Bryan Arias, Sidra Bell and Kristin Sudeikis, among others.
As a producer, Joanna has worked on projects with major brands such as Travel and Leisure, Target, and Honda. She has been commissioned as a set and technical designer for multiple art installations across the United States.
In 2020 Joanna and her creative partners Melanie Hamrick (former dancer with American Ballet Theatre) and Christine Schevchencko (principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre) founded Live Arts Global a company whose mission is to bring dance to a wider audience by collaborating with artists, choreographers and dancers creating works meant to be enjoyed by all. They have produced and choreographed works ranging from Porte Rouge, which debuted at the Mariinsky Theatre, Ghost Light featuring dancers of the Royal Ballet, A Night At The Ballet, which started as a livestream to raise money for workers in the performing arts and has had its live debut at Boca Arts Festival and Festival Napa Valley in 2022. Most recently Joanna and Melanie directed and produced JOURNEY, a new show breaking down the barriers of dance and music featuring choreography by Danielle Agami, Jessica Castro and Kristin Sudeikis. JOURNEY premiered at Kaatsbaan Cultural Arts Park in Tivoli, NY. Joanna has been instructing at Ponte Vedra Ballet Dance Company since 2020.
Kirsty Walker
Guest Instructor
Born in the U.K. Kirsty Walker trained full-time at Elmhurst Ballet school from the age of 11 after completing 3 years as a Junior associate of the Royal Ballet School. Following her graduation from Elmhurst in 2019, Kirsty spent 2 years at Orlando Ballet as a Trainee before joining Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in 2021 as a company member performing principal and soloist roles.
Kirsty joined the teaching faculty at arts ballet theatre of Florida's associate school, Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet where she currently teaches the professional division along with the community outreach program "Arts Ballet Goes to School". Kirsty has recently graduated university with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Practice: arts and creative industries (Professional dance) with first class honors and is working towards completing her sports nutrition certification.
Amanda Boyne
guest instructor
Amanda Boyne: Amanda is a native of Jacksonville and one of Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company’s Home grown instructors. She began dancing in all styles at a young age. At age 13 she turned her focus to ballet where she took privates from Dawn Wolf here at Ponte Vedra Ballet as well as River City Fine Arts Academy and later Britney Boyd Dance Company while also attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.
In 2017 Amanda attended The Joffrey Ballet School Summer intensive where she was invited to join the year round ballet trainee program. In 2018 she left Douglas Anderson after her junior year and moved to New York finishing her senior year online.
She continued her ballet training under the direction of Era Jouravlev, where she got to perform soloist and lead roles such as Snow Queen and Mirliton Soloist in The Nutcracker. After graduating Joffrey in 2022 she became a Company Trainee with The Florida Ballet at Jacksonville under the Direction of Roberto Forleo. She’s had a lot of performance opportunities such as Pas De Quarte, and Pas De Trois from Le Corsaire for Amelia Island Dance festival as well as Roberto Forleos Carmen, Dracula and The Nutcracker as well as Jill Bahrs Romeo and Juliet. Amandas Summer intensives include Next Generation Ballet (2015-2016), Ponte Vedra Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, and Joffrey Ballet Academy.
Amanda will be attending American Ballet Theaters and Cincinnati Ballets collegiate programs this summer. In the Fall 2024, Amanda will be joining De La Dance Company as a company member in Cincinnati under the Direction of Meridith Benson and Mario De La Nuez.
Anna Torres
Guest Instructor
Anna received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Nutrition from The University of Alabama, December 2021. Her dance training was under the instruction of Cornelius Carter (Jazz), Lawrence Jackson (Jazz), Rita Snyder (Ballet), Qianping Guo (Ballet), Fenella Kennedy (Modern), Rebecca Salzer (Modern), Sarah Barry (Modern and Choreography), Aidan Nettles (Jazz).
Anna’s dance experience includes: Southern Ballet Theatre/Orlando Ballet Apprentice/Corp 1996-2001 Director: Fernando Bujones and Vasili, Orlando FL Repetoire: Balanchines Serenade, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, Nutcracker, Paquita, La Bayedere, Le Sylphide, The Four Seasons and Sleeping Beauty Ballet South Company member from 1998-2000 under direction of Russell [expand]Sultzbach Fern Park, FL. Academia Ana Pavlova 1994-1996 Senior Company Member Bogota, Colombia South America. Ballet Municipal Apprentice 1993-1994 San Juan, Puerto Rico. Awards: Silver Medalist of the International Ballet Competition of Havana, Cuba and Scholarship recipient to attend the Academia Anna Pavlova 1995-1996.
Joanna Ursal
Artist in Residence
Trained primarily in Afrocuban Folkloric Dance, Filipino traditional martial arts and dance, and various techniques in contemporary/modern dance, JoAnna Ursal brings a unique global perspective to teaching choreography and contemporary dance that draws from her diverse training in African, Asian and Contemporary dance forms.
Since earning an MA in dance education from UCLA and an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University, Ms. Ursal has taught dance in higher education and from K-12 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Jacksonville FL. Ms. Ursal developed the dance curriculum and taught dance to children in Los Angeles Public Schools for the nonprofit youth arts organization, Equal Opportunity Productions, (EQOP) and was chosen to choreograph and teach dance for their cultural exchange program The Sol Project in Havana Cuba. She has also taught and developed a dance curriculum for the G.A.M.E.S. Division at Stanford University that brought dance to after school programs for elementary girls at risk for juvenile diabetes and was the dance instructor at Berkeley High School in Berkeley CA. Since becoming a mother of three, Ms Ursal has been able to balance her teaching career by serving on the dance faculty at various school K-12 schools and colleges including Emma Willard High School, Douglas Anderson School for the Arts, Jacksonville University, Union College and Miami Dade College. Most recently, she was one of twelve teaching artists in the nation to be chosen for Luna Dance Institute’s summer professional development program for dance teachers based in Oakland CA and currently uses her knowledge and experience to teach children creative movement at Seaside Community Charter and is also honored to be teaching contemporary dance and choreography at Fusion Performing Arts Academy.
Winter Bosenko
Guest Instructor
Winter Bosanko is an educator, dance artist and somatic practitioner who received her Master’s of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A Jacksonville Dance Theatre (JDT) Company member for 7 seasons, she became Company Manager in 2022. A Professor of Dance at Florida State College of Jacksonville, she graduated with a BFA from Jacksonville University. She has instructed at LaVilla School of the Arts, adjunct faculty member at Florida School of the Arts. Winter, alongside Joshua Mora, created JDT’s in-school outreach program, Creative Dance In Schools (CDIS). She instructs Modern and Pilates throughout Jacksonville, including at Jacksonville Episcopal School, and The Florida Ballet. She received Cathedral Arts Project’s Dance Teaching Artist Fellow from 2020-2022.
She began her teaching at Ponte Vedra Ballet/Fusion Performing Arts Academy in 2015.
Colae Green: Classical Ballet
Guest Instructor
Colae began her dance training at the Sarasota Ballet at age seven under the direction of Diane Partiington, Isabel Dubroque and Tessa Williams. She continued training in Tallahassee, Florida under the instruction of Suzanne Farrell, Richard Sias and Katherine Cashi as a dual enrolled student with Florida State University's Dance Department. She attended the North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and. attended summer intensives at Houston Ballet, School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of former NYCB principal dancer Peter Boal. Colae danced as principal soloist in the Tallahassee Ballet for six seasons while completing her B.S in English education at Florida State.
She is the recipient of the John Simmons Award for Excellence in education at FSU. Under the direction of Artistic Director Rick McCullough, Tallahassee Ballet, her repertoire consisted of Tatiana in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Paquita Variations, Cinderella, Wendy in Peter an, Clara, Dew Drop and Sugar Plum in the Nutcrackerm and the Evil Queen in Snow White. In addition to classical works, she has also performed various contemporary works by Henry Hernandez, Rich McCullough and guest faculty from Florida State University. Colae also danced for one season with the Carolina Ballet. Collae joined Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company in 2019 and now resides in California.
Ana Di Fato
Guest Instructor
Anna received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Nutrition from The University of Alabama, December 2021. Her dance training was under the instruction of Cornelius Carter (Jazz), Lawrence Jackson (Jazz), Rita Snyder (Ballet), Qianping Guo (Ballet), Fenella Kennedy (Modern), Rebecca Salzer (Modern), Sarah Barry (Modern and Choreography), Aidan Nettles (Jazz).
Ana has performed with Walt Disney World: Orlando, FL for Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration: Castle Forecourt Stage Show (2019 Cast, Character Performer) and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (2019 Cast, Kringle Crew Elf) Character Performer: Disney College Program (March 2019-January 2020) & Seasonal Cast Member (January 2020-December 2020). She has also performed with the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre: Tuscaloosa, AL Golden Field by Qianping Guo (Soloist) Adjust by Rita Snyder (Soloist) Schumann's Sonatas by Mikhail Ilyin (Demi-soloist) Voyager by Todd Bolender, staged by James Jordan of Sarasota Ballet (Corps) Dream Scene from "Don Quixote", staged by Rita Snyder (Corps) Finish Empty by Qianping Guo (Corps) and with Dance Alabama!: Tuscaloosa, AL She has also choreographed several pieces while dancing in Alabama. She joined Ponte Vedra Ballet/Fusion Performing Arts staff in January of 2022. Anna is currently performing with Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida.