Academy Leadership
Sara Jansen Clayborne, Co-Founder and CBA Director
Originally from New York, Sara trained at the Ballet School of New York under the direction of Diana Byer and Sallie Wilson. In 2001, she graduated from the Professional Children’s School in New York City and began to dance professionally with New York Theatre Ballet. While dancing with NYTB, Sara had the opportunity to tour the United States and perform at the Florence Gould Hall in New York City. In 2004, Sara moved to Richmond, Virginia to join the Richmond Ballet trainee program. While at the Richmond Ballet, she performed with the professional company in such ballets as The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and original choreography by Richmond Ballet faculty. She danced with Richmond Ballet for two years before being asked to join Starr Foster Dance Project. In 2007, Sara co-founded the Charlottesville Ballet, putting her myriad of experiences to work while keeping her love of performance alive in her dual role as dancer and director. She retired from the stage in 2012 in order to devote her time to the growth of Charlottesville Ballet. In addition to her role as Co-Director for the professional company, Sara is the Director of Charlottesville Ballet Academy (CBA). She has taught dance for over twenty years and is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT National Training Curriculum. Sara is also active in the community and enjoys supporting local entrepreneurs. She serves on the board of Community Investment Collaborative and is a graduate of the CIC entrepreneur workshop. Sara looks forward to nurturing the growth and appreciation for dance among peers and in the community.
Keith Lee, Artist Laureate and Director of Diversity & Inclusion
Mr. Lee hails from the Bronx, NY and began training at the High School of Performing Arts in NYC. In 1969, Mr. Lee was the first Black soloist to join the American Ballet Theatre and he went on to dance with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. His repertory included the choreography of such luminaries as Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Agnes DeMille, Lar Lubovitch, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor, as well as performance credits in theater and broadway musicals. He has served as ballet master for Ailey and Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and Capitol Ballet, and has been teaching and choreographing for dance companies across the world.
Mr. Lee has called Central Virginia home since 1994, and he was named Artist Laureate by the City of Lynchburg where he continues to work as a freelance choreographer, master teacher, and performing arts coordinator. He has shared his vision and 50-year dance legacy with the Charlottesville Ballet since 2008, and he serves as Resident Choreographer and Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the entire organization.
Heather Rogers, CBA Principal
Heather began dancing at the age of four at her local dance studio in Ridge Manor, FL. She then moved on to dance with South Georgia Performing Arts, the South Georgia Ballet, and later at Charlottesville’s Wilson School of Dance. Heather spent two seasons as an Apprentice with Charlottesville Ballet and began teaching with Charlottesville Ballet Academy when they opened in 2011. Heather is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT National Training Curriculum as well as Boston Ballet’s Adaptive Dance Teacher Training course. In 2021, she helped launch CB’s Adaptive Dance program and was promoted to CBA Principal after a decade of coaching thousands of students. She now oversees 700+ students in multiple locations with Charlottesville Ballet’s growing education programming.
Cordelaine Klyne, Operations Manager & Stage Manager
Originally from Marshall, VA, Cordelaine began their dance training at the age of three. They studied under Cynthia Kiehnau at Virginia Civic Ballet, and they are certified through Grade 7 in the Cecchetti Council of America syllabus. Cordelaine graduated from the University of Virginia, receiving a major in Commerce with concentrations in Marketing and Management and a minor in Dance. Cordelaine had the honor of being named a J. Sanford Miller Family Arts Scholar for Dance. In 2021, they started as a summer intern with Charlottesville Ballet and have worked as an Administrative Assistant, Academy Manager, and Stage Manager over the past three years. In 2024, Cordelaine was promoted to Operations Manager for the entire organization, and they also continue their role as Stage Manager making magic happen from backstage!
Kate Arnson, Pre-Professional Program Manager, Manager on Duty
Kate Arnson is originally from San Diego, California. She began dancing at City Ballet of San Diego and then went on to work with Kathryn Irey at Stage 7 School of Dance, where she spent the majority of her training. After two seasons as an apprentice with City Ballet of San Diego and one season with Ballet Tucson, Kate re-joined City Ballet of San Diego as a company member, performing in ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Carmen, and George Balanchine’s Serenade, Emeralds, Four Temperaments, Walpurgisnacht, and La Source. While performing with the company, Kate also taught in City Ballet’s outreach program and coached their junior professional company. In 2017, Kate joined Charlottesville Ballet, performing in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Snow White, and other original works. Kate is BEYOND excited to be back teaching for Charlottesville Ballet.
Izabelly Gleed, By-Placement & Student Division Manager, Manager on Duty
Izabelly began dancing at the age of four in Vila Velha, Brazil. She graduated in 2009 from the School of the Bolshoi Theater in Brazil and then in 2012 from the Escuela Nacional de Cuba. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. Professionally, Izabelly has danced multiple lead and corps roles, and in 2015 she was brought on to Lake Erie Ballet in Erie, Pennsylvania, as a company artist and instructor. In 2017 she moved to Charlottesville to perform alongside Charlottesville Ballet’s professional company and to be on faculty at CBA. Izabelly has since retired from dancing in 2024 and is now on faculty, as well as our Student Division & By Placement Program Manager.
Jessica Grant, Student Ensemble Manager, Manager on Duty
Jessica Grant is a native of Staunton, Virginia. She began her dance training at the Ballet Box and studied under Jann Shenk. She has completed RAD examinations, passing with Merit, from Level 3 through Intermediate. At age fifteen, Jessica began dancing with Rockingham Ballet Theatre, where she was cast in leading roles. She holds degrees in both Dance and Cybersecurity. Jessica attended the Compass Coaching Project with Dominic Walsh during the summer of 2018. Jessica is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a certified Progressing Ballet Technique teacher. Jessica joined Charlottesville Ballet in 2013 and loves sharing her passion for dance with others through performances and teaching the amazing students at CBA. She is excited for her twelfth season with Charlottesville Ballet as faculty and is the Student Ensemble Program Manager.
Mary Hein, Manager on Duty
Mary Hein began her dance training in Maryland at the National Ballet School under the direction of Pamela Moore where she earned her Enrico Cecchetti Diploma. She then attended Point Park University’s College of Performing Arts where she received a BA in Dance with concentrations in ballet and jazz. Following graduation, Mary danced for Charlottesville Ballet as a company artist from 2013-2015. During her time with the company, Mary taught several classes at CBA and choreographed for the professional company including a reimagining of The Firebird in collaboration with Co-Founder Sara Clayborne. She was also commissioned to create Charlottesville Ballet choreography in collaboration with the Oratorio Society of Virginia (Arthur Honegger’s King David in 2015) and the Charlottesville Opera (Oklahoma! in 2017). Mary has taught all over the country and is thrilled to be working with the students of CBA again.
Jane Amend, Student Services Coordinator
Jane was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. She danced at the Boston Ballet School as a child, and in addition to dance took up cross country and track. She attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, where she ran NCAA Division III Cross Country and rediscovered her love of dance. The highlight of her dance education was participating in Disappearing Altogether, a devised outdoor dance marathon directed by Mina Nishimura. She graduated in 2021 with a degree in the Liberal Arts, with concentrations in Urban Planning and Dance. After spending time traveling in Europe, she settled in Virginia and joined Charlottesville Ballet as an administrative assistant in 2023. She’s excited to expand her role at CBA in 2024, both teaching and working in student services! Jane spends her time outside of work going for runs with her dog, Khaleesi, and spending time with her goddaughter, Xena.
Academy Faculty & Staff
Amelia Anderson, Administrative Assistant
Amelia Anderson grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, and began dancing at age thirteen at Charlottesville Ballet Academy, where she also performed alongside CB’s professional company in The Nutcracker and Cinderella. She began assistant teaching at CBA during high school and eventually taught ballet and tap in the First Steps and Student Divisions at CBA before graduating. Amelia attended a semester at Goucher College as a dance major where she trained in ballet, modern, and West African dance. At Goucher she had the opportunity to help create and perform a piece titled ‘One Ocean’ with Gabrielle Lamb. In January of 2024, Amelia was recruited for the Disney College Program and worked at Walt Disney in Orlando in costuming and creating the magic behind the scenes. She returned to Charlottesville in November 2024 and is excited to be serving administratively at the Ballet.
Jeanne Berthy
Jeanne was born in Paris, France, and moved to Virginia when she was a year old. She enrolled at Charlottesville Ballet Academy (CBA) at the age of three, in its early location in Greene in 2011. She continued her training at CBA, performing student roles in numerous CB professional productions and training on scholarship in the Pre-Professional Program. Jeanne attended summer intensives at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, The Washington School of Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. In 2020, she was invited to join Charlottesville Ballet’s Trainee Program and in 2023, Jeanne was promoted to Company Artist. She is also a faculty member at Charlottesville Ballet Academy, teaching classes for its youngest students, and works as a Social Media Associate. Jeanne is excited to be a part of programs that benefited her so much as a student, and for the upcoming academic year and season!
Abigail Brent
Abigail is from Charlottesville, VA, and began dancing at the age of three at Charlottesville Ballet Academy. She continued her dance training through the Pre-Professional Program and Trainee Program before joining Charlottesville Ballet as a Company Artist in 2021. She spent summers training on scholarship with The School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Chautauqua. In 2022, Abigail joined The Washington Ballet as a Trainee and was promoted to Studio Company in 2023. She enjoyed performing principal roles in repertoire from Paquita and La Bayadère, as well as performing with The Washington Ballet company in The Nutcracker, Theme & Variations, Sleeping Beauty, and new works. She is excited to be returning to Charlottesville Ballet as a Company Artist and faculty member for the 2024-25 season. Abigail has enjoyed teaching multiple ballet levels in the ABT curriculum, ages 3 through Pre-Professional levels, at Charlottesville Ballet Academy and The Washington School of Ballet. She is excited to bring her experience and passion to CBA this year.
Maria Chee
Maria W. Chee received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California, Riverside, and she holds a master of arts in anthropology in addition to a master of arts and a bachelor’s degree in dance. She started dance classes in 4th grade, and went on to study ballet, modern, jazz, and dance production as well as dance history and research. Maria has performed and taught various dance forms, and she has more than ten years of experience as a state-credentialed teacher in adult education and as a lecturer in anthropology as well as ethnic studies at various universities and colleges. She is the recipient of several fellowships and grants including a Fulbright, and has published peer reviewed journal articles, chapters in edited volumes, and a book. Ms. Chee joined the University of Virginia as a general faculty from 2005 to 2019. Maria has served on our IDEA Committee since its inception and you can find her at the barre in CBA’s Adult Ballet classes. She is honored to lead the Ballet’s “Silver Swans” CB Moves classes in partnership with The Center at Belvedere.
Emily Cloyd
Emily grew up in Vienna, VA, training at The Russell School of Ballet. She then attended high school at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, training under Nina Danilova, Kee-Juan Han, and Christine Spizzo. She went on to join Ballet Austin, first as a Trainee and then as an Apprentice, performing in the premieres of Stephen Mills’ The Magic Flute and Thang Dao’s Quite Imprint. In 2011, she joined Nashville Ballet’s Second Company, NB2. After two years with NB2, she returned to her home state of Virginia, receiving her B.A. and Masters of Public Health from the University of Virginia. She joined CBA’s faculty in 2021 and became an Artistic Associate with Charlottesville Ballet in 2022. She is also excited to return as a faculty member for the 24-25 season!
Amelia Danehy
Amelia Danehy is from Saco, Maine, and started her dance training at Steppin’ Out Dance Center. She continued her studies at Portland School of Ballet, Exchange Street Studio, Scarborough Dance Center, and Dance Studio of Maine. She attended summer intensives at the Joffrey Ballet School, Festival Ballet Providence, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. In 2020, Amelia moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia to study dance and business management with a concentration in innovation and entrepreneurship at James Madison University. While there, she completed two internships at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, one of which expanded scholarship funding. Additional accomplishments include multiple team awards in the 2023 Rainey-Shepard Business Plan Competition. Amelia completed her B.A. in Dance in May 2024. She is currently completing her business degree and is excited to join Charlottesville Ballet.
Sophie David, Patron Services Associate
Sophie David grew up in Franklin, Massachusetts and has been dancing since the age of three. She trained at various studios near her hometown and has a strong foundation in ballet, contemporary, and modern techniques. Sophie recently graduated from Elon University with a BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography, and a BA in Arts Administration with a minor in Business Administration. Sophie attended summer intensives at Richmond Ballet, American Dance Festival, and Bossov Ballet Theatre and has had the opportunity to perform in pieces by Casey Avaunt, Courtney Liu, Jen Guy Metcalf, Ming Lung Yang, Jiwon Ha, Lee Edwards, and many others. Sophie works as the new Patron Services Associate on the development team.
Gabriella Fedewa
Gabby began her training at the age of three at the River Raisin School of the Arts. During this time, she studied the Cecchetti method and completed her grade 6 ballet exam. She also performed lead roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Coppélia, among others. She received a BFA in dance with a concentration in ballet at the University of South Florida and was awarded a General Business Certificate. She has also attended several ballet summer intensives such as Orlando Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, Cincinnati Ballet, and Tampa City Ballet. This is Gabby’s second year as a trainee with the professional company and she also teaches at Charlottesville Ballet Academy.
Eden Heille
Eden Heille started dancing at the age of eight in Minneapolis, MN and spent the last seven years of her training at Ashley Ballet Arts Academy in Golden Valley, MN. Eden spent various summers at the schools of Boston Ballet, Ballet West, San Francisco Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet, where she trained under the direction of Peter Stark, Larissa Ponomarenko, Patrick Armand, Christopher Hird, and Sofiane Sylve. She had the opportunity to perform leading roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Le Corsaire, Dracula, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Little Humpbacked Horse, Sylvia, Cinderella, Paquita, Giselle, and Raymonda. Eden joined Tulsa Ballet as a trainee in 2019 and Twin Cities Ballet as an apprentice from 2021-2023. She joined Charlottesville Ballet as a trainee at the start of the 2023-24 season and was recently promoted in February 2024! Eden also serves on faculty at Charlottesville Ballet Academy to share her years of experience teaching dance and the joy that it brings to students of all ages.
Eli Hiton, CBA Accompanist
Eli Hiton is a pianist from Portland, Oregon. He studied music and mathematics at Kenyon College. He specializes in modern and contemporary classical piano repertoire. Since moving to Charlottesville in 2023, he has worked as a piano teacher, accompanist, and performing pianist. With the Charlottesville Ballet, he provides live piano accompaniment for Academy classes. Eli is also a math tutor at Tandem Friends School. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and saying “Hi” to neighborhood cats.
Sofia Jardim
Sofia fell in love with dancing at the age of nine. She joined Charlottesville Ballet Academy in 2020 as a student, training in ballet and contemporary. She is continuing her training at CBA in the Student Ensemble program. Sofia has performed as Daylight in Coppélia and the Silver Fairy in Sleeping Beauty in CBA Spring Performances. In 2023, Sofia began assistant teaching alongside faculty members where she discovered her love for teaching dance. She is excited to join the Charlottesville Ballet Faculty for the 2024-2025 season and share her love of dance with her students.
Yui Kaito
Yui Kaito is originally from Tokyo, Japan. Yui began her training at Tateda Ballet Studio, before moving to Calgary, Canada to complete her education at the Alberta Ballet School. She was invited to join Alberta Ballet’s Trainee Program, which led to her dancing with Alberta Ballet. She also took the Cecchetti Advanced 2 exam. After she graduated school, she joined Kentucky Ballet Theatre in Lexington, KY. She has performed leading roles in the company; some of her most memorable roles with the company to date include The Nutcracker, William Tell pas de deux, Carmen, Diana and Actaeon Pas de deux, and The Little Mermaid.
Michael Knight
Michael (Mr. Mikey) began his training in Green Bay, WI. Upon graduation, he relocated to Chicago, IL for an apprenticeship at Elements Contemporary Ballet. He later moved to Madison, WI to join Kanopy Dance Company. While there, he studied the Martha Graham technique under the guidance of Co-Directors Lisa Thurrell and Robert Cleary and was named a Principal Dancer. He danced title roles in a variety of premieres and restagings, including Pascal Rioult’s Views of the Fleeting World, Lone Larson’s Song of Tears, Stanley Love’s Adam and Steve, and Lisa Thurrell’s The Maw. During the pandemic, Michael appeared in projects by former Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo originator Brian Norris. After moving to Virginia, Michael joined Charlottesville Ballet and danced the roles of Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Prince Charming in Pedro Szalay’s Cinderella, and as a soloist in Sara Clayborne’s The Silence We Made. He is excited to continue furthering his artistry, and is grateful to perform throughout Virginia!
Derek Lauer
Derek Lauer first began dancing at his mother’s studio in Flagstaff, Arizona. After graduating from the Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg, VA, he joined Milwaukee Ballet II. Derek then danced with New York Theatre Ballet, where he performed leading roles in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. From 2010 to 2013, Derek danced with Ballet Tucson in Arizona, where he appeared in Three Virgins and a Devil, Anthony Tudor’s Continuo and Fairy Doll, and August Bournonville’s Flower Festival. For the next five seasons, Derek danced with City Ballet of San Diego, where he performed Romeo in Romeo & Juliet and Rothbart in Swan Lake, as well as roles in George Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Serenade, Rubies, Emeralds, Four Temperaments, and Square Dance. Derek joined Charlottesville Ballet in 2017 and performed leading roles such as Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Prince Charming in Cinderella throughout his career while also teaching on CBA faculty. Derek retired from the stage in 2023, and he continues to design costumes, develop our Boys Ballet program, and teach in the Academy.
Ayana Leblans, Administrative Assistant
Ayana began her ballet training in her hometown of California, MD at Ballet Caliente Classical School of Dance. After high school she continued her training at Goucher College as a Dance major with a concentration in Arts Administration and a minor in Business Management, graduating summa cum laude and winning the Friends of Goucher Dance Prize for Outstanding Achievement in the Major. While in college, she performed with Ballet Ashani and Charm City Ballet, as well as in works choreographed by students, faculty, and guest artists with the Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble. Ayana spent summers training with the Royal Danish Ballet School, the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Washington School of Ballet, CityDance Conservatory, Goucher College, and Dance Base U.K., attending several of these programs on scholarship. Ayana interned with Charlottesville Ballet in the summer of 2024. You can now see her smiling face at the front desk as one of our Administrative Assistants!
Isaac Lee
Isaac started dancing at age five in Urbana, IL, then finishing his ballet and teacher training with Champaign Ballet Academy under Deanna Doty. After graduating, he became a Trainee at Nashville Ballet for two seasons before being promoted to Second Company. While there he was coached by Anaïs Chalendard, worked with esteemed contemporary choreographers Charlotte Boye-Christensen and Maria Konrad, and performed in Paul Vasterling’s The Firebird, Peter Pan, and Cinderella. Isaac went on to join Grand Rapids Ballet as an Apprentice, dancing soloist roles in Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker and choreographing for their Jumpstart Program. He is excited to begin his professional career with Charlottesville Ballet for the 2024-25 season as well as become an instructor with Charlottesville Ballet Academy!
Lily Lischke
Lily began taking dance classes in second grade at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and fell in love with it. She joined Charlottesville Ballet Academy in 2017 as a student, training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, Broadway jazz, and tap. She is continuing her training at CBA in the Pre-Professional Program. Lily has also attended summer intensives at Burklyn Ballet, Joffrey, and UNCSA and performed as The Bolero Doll and Carabosse in CBA’s Spring Performances. In 2022, Lily began assistant teaching alongside faculty members where she discovered her love for teaching dance. She is thrilled to join the Charlottesville Ballet Faculty for the 2024-2025 season and share her love of dance with her students.
Natalie Macbeth
Natalie’s passion and dedication to dance started at age 4. She became a student at Charlottesville Ballet Academy (CBA) in 2019, where she trained in ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. She is continuing her training at CBA in the Pre-Professional Program. Natalie has also attended summer intensives at Charlottesville Ballet, Burklyn Ballet, Shenandoah Dance Conservatory and performed as Carabosse in CBA Spring Performance of Sleeping Beauty in 2024, as well as one of Coppelia’s friends in CBA’s 2023 spring performance of Coppélia. Natalie began assistant teaching alongside faculty members where she discovered her love for teaching dance. She is excited to join the Charlottesville Ballet faculty for the 2024-25 season and share her love of dance with her students in hopes it will bring them as much joy as it brought her.
Tabitha Newman
Dr. Tabitha Newman began dancing in Stafford, VA at Barton & Williams School of Dance. She trained in and performed jazz, ballet, lyrical and pointe including with the company troupe. She then served as a captain on her high school dance team and took ballet courses at James Madison University, while competing with the national award-winning JMU Dukettes dance team and earning a degree in physics. She later coached the University of Virginia Dance Team, earned advanced degrees in Materials Science & Engineering and continued her dance education through immersing herself in modern, contemporary, tap, hip hop and salsa dancing as well as earning a Pilates mat instructor certification. Tabitha is now a civil servant, mother and dance instructor for over 15 years. Her daughters dance at CBA and she enjoys teaching a variety of dance styles to a range of dancer ages and skill levels. She focuses on coordination development in young dancers, self awareness and confidence-building in teens, as well as performance quality and healthy, efficient use of the body to execute special skills for more advanced dancers.
Adriana Portwood
Adriana Portwood, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, moved in 2021 to Charlottesville. She started her dance studies at the age of three and never stopped. Adriana is Silver Swan Licensee and Teacher Member of Royal Academy of Dance, UK. With this renowned membership, she is allowed to prepare students to apply for the Royal Academy of Dance Internacional Exams. Adriana is also a licensed Physical Education Teacher with a permit to teach dance for children with special needs. Over the years, Adriana had the opportunity to participate in several dance festivals throughout Brazil and the world, including Disney Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida (2019), and the Joinville Dance Festival in Joinville, Brazil (which is the largest dance festival in the world), as a choreographer and dancer.
In Brazil, Adriana has her own dance school with over 30 years of experience, which she continues to manage remotely and twice a year she goes to Brazil to closely monitor the development of Brazilian students.
Marlon Proverbs
Marlon Proverbs was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Since the age of 17 he has been gracing stages from New York to Miami with his choreography and excellent dancing abilities. He has also opened up for established music artists such as Trey Songz and Chris Brown. Marlon has choreographed multiple shows including Sybarite, Apollo Live, Showtime at the Apollo, and Culture Shock D.C. and has taught overseas in Sweden and Morocco.
In between performances, he teaches dance in inner city youth centers and has created his own dance company named ‘Dancin wit Proverbs’. About 8 years ago, he started his own dance crew named Str8iLL that has made a name for themselves in the dance industry.
Alyssa Robey
Alyssa’s teaching experience began in 2016 as an assistant teacher at Music In Motion Dance Studio in Virginia Beach, VA. Over the years of assisting, Alyssa has learned many teaching skills, tips, and tricks from observing experienced instructors. Starting in 2021, Alyssa has been teaching classes of her own to students ranging from ages 2-12 years old. She has experience teaching many styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary. Alyssa is thrilled to start her first season teaching at the Charlottesville Ballet Academy!
Sophie Satoh, Administrative Assistant
Sophie Satoh was born in Tsukuba, Japan then moved to Massachusetts where her passion for dance continued to grow. She graduated from Mercyhurst University with a double major in Dance and Public Health. At Mercyhurst, she trained with Matthew Christensen, Danielle Kaiser, Jennifer McNamara, Noelle Partusch, Mark Santilliano, Soveig Santilliano, and Lesley Boris-Scalise. During her time at Mercyhurst University, she worked backstage as a supervisor for their production practicum class and as a stage manager for many student-led productions. She also worked as a Healthy for Life intern which implemented nutrition classes within the community. She is excited to join this year as a trainee at Charlottesville Ballet and an administrative assistant at the Academy.
Ruth Sherman
Ruth Olga Sherman has taught and performed all over the world, arriving in Charlottesville in 2021. She performed with the renowned Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company and Chicago Tap Theater for four seasons. After graduating from Northwestern University, Ruth returned as a faculty member for dance majors and taught at Giordano School. In 2008 Ruth moved to Berlin, Germany where she performed with Schindowski Ballet and Sidi Larbi Eastman Company in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Germany and La Scala in Milan, Italy. In 2019, Ruth was the Resident Supervisor for the Alonzo King Lines Summer Program, and in 2020 Ruth received her Masters in Dance pedagogy and choreography from Mills College. She has taught master classes in Hawaii, Florida, Latvia, Germany, Mexico, and Bruges, and she continues to extend her somatic practices with trainings in the Dance for PD program (2023) and her 500-hour pilates certification. Ruth has worked with our professional company, choreographed for the trainee program, and taught in the academy, and she is thrilled to be teaching the Movement For Parkinson’s program this year!
Anna Sides
Anna Sides danced professionally for 14 years and has taught for 40 years throughout the United States. She is from Raleigh, NC and trained at The National Academy of Arts in Champaign, IL under the direction of Petrus Bosman, Robert Dicello, and Christine Hennessey. Anna danced professionally with Ballet West, Ballet Memphis, Maryland Ballet, and Festival Ballet of Rhode Island. Highlights of her performing career were Sir Frederick Ashton’s Monotones II, Swanhilda in Coppélia, Sugar Plum and Dew Drop Fairies in The Nutcracker, Hermia in A Midsummer’s Night Dream along with Balanchine ballets such as Allegro Brillante and Who Cares. Anna was also a guest Ballet Mistress with Missouri Ballet Theatre and ran her own traveling ballet school in Highland and Pocahontas counties. Anna has been an Artistic Associate since 2015 and is delighted to continue her work with the professional company, the trainee program, and students at Charlottesville Ballet Academy.
Audrey Sikes-Dorman
Audrey began taking dance class in preschool and immediately fell in love with the art form. She joined the Charlottesville Ballet Academy in 2015 as a student, training in tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop. Since then, Audrey has taken part in Chloe and Maud’s Youth Tap Company: SoleTalk while continuing her training in the academy. In the summer of 2019, she began assistant teaching alongside several faculty members where she discovered her love for teaching dance. She is so excited to join the Charlottesville Ballet Faculty for the 2024-2025 season and share her love of dance with her students.
Shania Thorpe
Shania was born and raised in PA, and she began her choreography journey at the age of 15 when she created the first ever dance/step team at her high school. Shania has starred in and choreographed musicals such as Hairspray, In the Heights, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, Moana Jr., and West Side Story. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Strategic Communications and recently completed MBA in Leadership Concentration from Averett University, where she was also the head cheer & dance coach. In 2024, Shania was named the inaugural head coach for women’s STUNT at Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. Shania can teach dancers and athletes of all ages and skill levels, and she continues to run workshops at dance studios all down the east coast, choreograph for competition teams, and work as a featured choreographer for groups like Lynchburg Dance Connections. She also has her own choreography business ‘Shania Lee Choreography’ and works in every area, whether that be with studios, for weddings, “girls night out parties,” quinceañeras, etc. Shania has taught hip hop at CBA since 2022, and you can catch her in different cities throughout the week teaching, coaching, and dancing!
Kathryn Tokar Conley
Kathryn began training with Melanie Szucs at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, OH. She spent summers at Cincinnati Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, and ABT, and graduated from Mercyhurst University summa cum laude with a B.A. in Dance Performance and a minor in Biology. She began her professional career as a founding member of Cleveland Ballet and went on to dance for Lake Erie Ballet, then directed by her mentor Lesley Bories-Scalise. She has experience teaching ballet throughout the Cleveland and Erie areas and served as a faculty member at McDowell Intermediate High School’s Creative Performing Arts program in Erie. Kathryn joined Charlottesville Ballet in 2017 as a Trainee and is now in her eighth season with CB as both Company Artist and faculty member at CBA. Kathryn also helps lead the Movement For Parkinson’s program at Charlottesville Ballet and recently completed a master’s degree in Arts in Medicine through the University of Florida.
Exodis Ward
Exodis Ward is a dancer from El Paso, Texas. She was first introduced to the dance world at age 11, when she took her first ballet class. Since then, she’s attended the Jillana School, Dance Theatre of Harlem’s summer intensive as a scholarship recipient, and was one of the first recipients of the Lauren Anderson Scholarship as a member of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company. Upon joining Charlottesville Ballet in 2023, Exodis began instructing in the academy and has loved every minute. She aspires to create confident, technical dancers by creating a space that encourages creativity and exploration. Exodis is overjoyed to return for her second academic year.
Casey Wash, Patron Services Associate
Based in Mechanicsville, VA, Casey’s passion for dance began at the age of two. After relocating to Central Virginia at nine from Michigan and Connecticut, she trained at Shuffles Dance Studio, honing her skills in jazz, tap, and lyrical dance. By early high school, she was assisting classes and started teaching at 17. In 2008, Casey graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Social Work, but her passion has always been teaching dance. In 2009, she started teaching at The Dance Company in Mechanicsville during their pilot year of classes and began her training in ballet, hip hop, and contemporary genres. She has now been on faculty at The Dance Company for 15 years and has been teaching for a total of 21 years. Casey has personal connections to Charlottesville Ballet and is an admirer of the impactful work they do in the Charlottesville community. She has contributed as an instructor in several CBA outreach programs and participated in the 2024 Summer Intensive. Casey is thrilled to join the CBA staff as Patron Services Associate!
Sherry Whaley
Sherry has been an active student, teacher, dancer, and advocate in the dance community in Central Virginia for over three decades. Originally from Cedar Bluff, Virginia, she attended the University of Tennessee and Grace School of Nursing before working in critical care nursing for 30+ years in the PACU, STICU, and NNICU at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Sherry began her dance training at the age of 5 and studied ballet with Finish Jhung, Michael Vernon, and Dawn Hillen. She has studied jazz with Luigi, Frank Hatchett, Josh Bergasse, and Chet Walker, and many others and she taught dance in the Charlottesville community for over twenty years. In 2011, Sherry began studying the Zena Rommett Floor-Barre® Technique and teaches this highly regarded therapeutic method. In 2019, Sherry completed Dance for PD® training at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn, NY; she is thrilled to be teaching for the Movement For Parkinson’s class and our CB Moves community engagement programming.
Photo credits: Alisa Foytik, Peter Davis, Liz Knutsen, and more!