Sarah Balda, B.A. Dance Studies

Sarah Balda holds a B.A. in Dance Studies and a minor in Business Administration from the University of South Florida and, is currently pursuing her Master's in Nonprofit Adminstration from the University of Notre Dame. Ms. Balda is also a member of the National Dance Education Organization, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting higher standards of dance education. Ms. Balda has trained with some of the country's top dance educators and choreographers. Madame Gabriella Darvash, Gretchen Ward Warren (Penn. Ballet Theater & ABT), Gerri Houlihan, Michael Foley (Sean Curran), Alexandra Beller (Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company), John Parks (Alvin Ailey) and Lynn Wimmer are a few of Ms. Balda's past instructors. Ms. Balda has also had the privilege of taking master classes from company members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Urban Bush Women, Parson Dance Company, and during the summer of 2006 assisted Mr. Peter G. Kalivas (P.G.K. Project, San Diego) with the dance residency at the Maxwell King Center in Melbourne, FL. During the Fall of 2006, Ms. Balda's choreography "Streams" was commisioned by the U.S. Embassy for its international debut in Kazakhstan for the Splash Gala. During the summer of 2008, Ms. Balda worked with the Brevard Cultural Alliance (BCA) teaching dance at various summer programs throughout Brevard County and during the 08/09 school year represented the BCA as an "Artist in Residency" at Sunrise Elementary School in Palm Bay, FL. In the spring of 2009 Ms. Balda worked with the Mosaic Dance Company based in Tampa, FL, to produce Brevard County's first all modern dance concert at the King Center on January 24, 2009. This concert featured DAC Company members, instructors, alumni and the professional dancers from Mosaic. During summer 2009, Ms. Balda initiated and implemented the dance residency with Peter Kalivas at DAC. This weeklong intensive brought twenty dancers from across the state ended with a dance concert featuring dance residency participants. In February 2010 she worked with Versa Dance Company to bring another all modern dance concert to Brevard. In addition, she is working with the Brevard Art Museum and The PGK Project on the 2nd annual collaborative concert to be held in November of 2011. Ms. Balda has a strong desire to educate others on the art of dance, and is thrilled to be carrying on the many traditions of Dance Arts Centre.

• B.A. University of South Florida
• Master's of Nonprofit Administration, University of Notre Dame
• Certified and a member of the PhysicalMind Institute
• National Dance Education Organization member
• Brevard Cultural Alliance "Artist in Residence"

Catherine Alexander, B.F.A. Ballet Performance

Catherine has over 30 years of experience as a dancer and dance instructor. She began studying ballet in high school with Mrs. Jean Moyer in Sunbury , Pa. She continued her dance studies as an Apprentice member of the Virginia Beach Civic Ballet. Upon moving to Cocoa Beach , Catherine enrolled first at Brevard Community College and then at the University of South Florida , graduating with a degree in Ballet Performance in 1981. Returning to Brevard County , she was accepted as an Apprentice with Southern Ballet Theater, but recognized that her real passion was for training young dancers. She began teaching at the Titusville Ballet and Jazz Center , teaching all levels of ballet technique and pointe. During this period she trained in the Vaganova (Russian) style of training, working with Marat Daukaev for 2 years in Brevard, as well as, summer seminars with Victoria Schnieder and Janina Cunova. Other areas of specialized study include the Bournonville technique of the Royal Danish Ballet and Balanchine technique through study with Patricia McBride. Catherine is a charter member of the Florida Dance Association and served as the organization’s President in 1994-95. She is an active member of Florida Dance Masters and a Board Member of the Brevard Cultural Alliance. In addition to ballet technique, Catherine has been a student of Hatha Yoga since 2002 and is working toward certification as a Yoga instructor, utilizing this training as a complement to her experience in training dancers.

• B.F.A. University of South Florida

Samantha "Sam" Scott

Ms Samantha has been dancing in Brevard County for 17 years. Ms Scott has performed in 3 local performances Dracula, Young Frankenstein, and Vampire Ball, with Precision Contemporary Dance. She has also done many various performances within the community such as: Boo at the Zoo, Christmas at the Zoo, Celebration of Dance, and McNair Magnet School. Samantha also has had work experience with the Brevard Cultural Alliance such as teaching dance at Space Coast Marine Institute, Hacienda Girls Ranch, and the Brevard Achievement Center. As well as teaching dance at Dance Art Center she is also teaching at Precision Contemporary Dance and has been for 5 years. Samantha graduated from Holy Trinity Academy in Spring 2008. She is currently attending Brevard Community College to obtain her AA degree then she will further her studies at the University of Central Florida and major in Hospitality Management.

Anna Bundschuh

Anna is originally from Buffalo, New York and has recently moved to Melbourne Beach, Florida. She has been dancing since the young age of 6 and has continued her education with dance through college. She graduated from SUNY College of Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Letters wit her focus in dance. While in school, she was trained in Modern, Ballet, Jazz, African, dance composition and dance education. She has been trained by 4 wonderful dance professors; Joy Guarino, Janet Reed, Leanne Rinelli and Carlos Jones. Throughout her four years she has participated in many performances and has had many teaching opportunities. She has performed in her college’s dance company’s annual dance concerts for the first three years(Illumination, World Within, Myth of Miles) and chose to stage manage her last years concert(Fantastic Voyage) for a different perspective. She has also danced for the opening of one of Buffalo’s greatest art museums, The Burchfield Penny. Anna has also participated in two faculty showcases at her college as well as at The Anne Frank Project, which is a 3 day conference on campus about genocide. Anna has taught all around buffalo; Buffalo Public Schools, Assarese Matters Community Center, Buffalo-Niagara YMCA, and has even substituted for a professor at her College. Though Anna will be continuing her education in Marine Biology she will always love and spread her love for dance.

Patrizia Storelli

Patricia Storelli is a professional Ballet Teacher and choreographer who taught in most European countries and is currently a freelance Teacher in the United States. She received her professional training at the "La Scala" Theatre Ballet School in Milan (Italy) and became a Member of the Company where she performed in most ballets of the classical repertoire. She danced many leading roles like The Lilac Fairy and Blue Bird Pas de Deux in Sleeping Beauty, Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, Giselle and many others. She continued her training with world-renowned teachers Yvette Chauviree and Daniel Frank from the Paris Opera, Anne-Marie Holmes, former Bolshoi's principal Irek Muhamedov, David Howard, Rosella Hightower and English National Ballet's Artistic Director Wayne Eagling. Patricia Storelli started her teaching career at age 25 and studied with the Royal Academy of Dance to obtain her teaching qualifications. She became a Registered Teacher and Member of the Royal Academy of Dance ( 1985) after obtaining the RAD Teaching Certificate and Teaching Diploma with Anatomy and History of Ballet. She has been entering students for RAD exams since 1985 with a 100% rate of Pass and recently obtained a BA (Hons) in Dance Education from the University of Surrey (England). In 2006 she was appointed as a Mentor of the Royal Academy of Dance for candidates enrolled in the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies. She is a free-lance writer and ballet historian and writes ballet articles for the Diary of the Royal Academy of Dance and other dance publications. She is the author of "The Magic of Pointe Shoes", a compete manual about pointe technique and she is working on a new book about nutrition for dancers.. Miss Storelli has been Artistic Director of West Florida Youth Ballet in Safety Harbor (Florida) for two years and she is was of the principal teachers at Etudes de Ballet in Naples and Leggz Dance Academy in Kissimmee. She is currently in the teaching faculty at the Patel Conservatory in Tampa under the direction of Peter Stark and regularly guest teaches at Miami City Ballet. She has been staging the Russian version of Nutcracker every year for several schools and she is a Member of Dance Masters of America. Miss Storelli's main focus is now on education and teaching students professionally at all levels. She is also an adjudicator for Dance Competitions.

Emily Frazin

Emily began performing at the age of 3 in Atlanta, Georgia where she first began taking dance lessons. Shortly after arriving in Melbourne, Emily joined Dance Art Centre and has been with them for the last 10 years taking dance classes and as a company member. Besides performing in a yearly recital, Emily has also danced in many shows such as: Celebration of Dance, The PGK Project, an all Modern Dance show at the King Center, and in the Nutcracker with the Moscow Ballet. Emily presently attends Eau Gallie High School and is dual enrolled at Brevard Community College.

Mikhael Maynard

Mikael Maynard has been dancing in Brevard County for 12 years, 10 of which have been with Precision Contemporary Dance. Mikael has been a company member and has performed in many venues in addition to a lead role in last year's "Vamp Ball". She has attended various regional conventions including JUMP and NUVO, and in 2008, received a full scholarship through FDA for the Miami Summer Dance Program at New World School of the Arts. Mikael is currently attending college and is planning on pursuing a degree in Environmental Engineering.

Christy Morton, B.A. Elementary Education

Christy Morton is the founder of Dance Arts Centre. She received her B.A. in Elementary Education, and a minor in Dance from Florida State University. Ms. Christy began her ballet training with Alpheus Koon, a former soloist of Ballet Theatre, now American Ballet Theatre. She has previously attended numerous summer programs with various dance companies such as: Munich Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, National Academy of Ballet and Atlanta Ballet. Throughout her career, Ms. Christy has instructed at a number of community and state colleges throughout Florida. She is also a former company member of Dance Alive, based out of Gainesville, FL. Ms. Christy met her husband Greg in Gainesville, and in 1981 they moved to Melbourne, FL and started Dance Arts Centre.

• B.A. Florida State University
• Former company member of Dance Alive