Our instructors:

Elizabeth Lee Miss Lee is a seasoned performer and teacher with over 40 years of experience. She has danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Eliot Feld Ballet. She has taught at various institutions, including California State University, Long Beach, Loyola Marymount University, Westside Ballet Academy, Lichine Ballet School and the School of Cleveland Ballet. Elizabet . She has been with the Westchester Dance Academy ( now Legacy) for the past 17 years, teaching students from 8- 80yrs. Her goal is to give the students a solid foundation in technique and a strong sense of commitment to the Art of Ballet.

Natsuo Tomita Born in Tokyo, Japan, to a family of an opera singer and a journalist of NHK and educators, Natsuo Tomita began her ballet training at the Tokyo Ballet Company Junior School. Wanting to broaden her dance education, she moved to New York City in her teens to attend the New York Conservatory of Dance and study with several renowned teachers, including David Howard, Robert Denvers, Finis Jhung, and Magi Black and Rebecca Wright of ABT, and Ballet and Barre au Sol from Marc du Bouays of Paris Opera. As a professional dancer, she has performed and traveled with companies such as the Garden State Ballet, Omaha Ballet, Nevada Dance Company and Aponte and Friends. Inspired by Christopher Aponte of Roland Petit and Alvin Ailey. Natsuo started to choreograph with Mr. Aponte and creating her own works, drawing her influence from neo-classical contemporary dance. Following a move to Los Angeles, Natsuo began working extensively in front of the camera. Natsuo has appeared in many commercials. Immersing herself in the Hollywood film and entertainment industry . She worked with several music video and shows with Michael Jackson. She embarked on acting and joined Sal Romeo's Friends and Artists theater group, where she received training for film and stage acting, directing and producing. Her feature film appearances include “For the Boys” with Bette Midler, “I’ll Do Anything” with Twyla Tharp, and the “Memoirs of Geisha,” directed by Rob Marshall. She was also a guest star on the TV dramas “VIPER” and “Vengeance Unlimited,” and has appeared in the original plays “American Way” and “King of Darkness.”

Grace Fulton

Emily Ruggio- Award winning choreographer. Regional Judge at KAR. Team Director

Jacquelyn Diaz

Gracie is from Holland, Michigan, and began her ballet training at age five at Turning Pointe School of Dance. She danced there until graduating high school early to train at Miami City Ballet School on scholarship. She has spent summers studying at Ballet West, Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, Boston Ballet Choreographic Intensive, Carolina Ballet, the American Academy of Dance in Paris, Joffrey Midwest, Joffrey Ballet Chicago and Grand Rapids Ballet School. In the spring of 2012, Gracie joined Grand Rapids Ballet, under the direction of Patricia Barker. During her two seasons with GRB, she performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Kirk Peterson, Brian Enos, and Mario Radacovsky. Gracie joined Ballet Next, under the direction of Michele Wiles, in the summer of 2014, where she performed works by Michele Wiles, Brian Reeder, and Peter Quanz. She began working with New Chamber Ballet, directed by Miro Magloire, in the summer of 2016 where she danced until moving to LA in spring of 2017. Since moving to LA, Gracie has performed Lady Capulet in Contempo Arts Productions' Romeo and Juliet, and is currently a Principal Dancer with Inland Pacific Ballet.

Sean KaminskiSean grew up in Lombard, IL, where he trained primarily under Donna Johnson, Ashley Goletz, and Jay Fagan. He was able to study with and share the stage with masters such as Jimmy Slyde, Jason Samuels Smith, Derick Grant, and Sam Weber as a Chicago Human Rhythm Project scholarship recipient from 2004-2010. Around Chicago, Sean has performed at legendary venues such as the Jazz Showcase, Navy Pier, the Studebaker Theater, and the Millenium Park Pritzker Pavilion, where he was joined by the Grant Park Orchestra. At the age of 16, Sean started choreographing and teaching for Steppin’ Out Dance Company. Quickly, he knew exactly what he would commit his life to. In 2011, Sean moved to Iowa to finish his Finance Degree while also taking on the role of Tap Director at Nolte Academy, Iowa’s largest dance studio. He taught students aged 6-75, in addition to being the Co-Director of Affect Dance Company. Outside of Iowa, Sean has taught or performed at Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Motor City Tap Fest (Detroit), Tap University (Atlanta And Raleigh), Rhythmic Souls (Dallas), Nick Young’s Tap@10 (Los Angeles), American Tap Festival (Long Beach), Phoenix Tap Festival, and Little Rock Tap Fest. For the last couple of years, he has been a primary performing member of Nico Rubio’s 333. Sean is also a graduate of the School at Jacobs Pillow under the direction of Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia.

Myles Lavallee was born and raised in sunny Phoenix, AZ, where he trained at various dance studios. He grew up competing in dance competitions and won many awards including JUMP’s Teen National Title and NUVO’s Teen 1st Runner Up. In high school he attended Arizona School for the Art before moving away to NYC to study at the School of American Ballet. In 2011 Myles joined Ballet Arizona where he danced for four seasons. In 2014, he moved to Canada to join Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and in 2016, Myles joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for two seasons. Some of the choreographers he had the pleasure of working with and performing their works include, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, and George Balanchine. He was commissioned twice to choreograph for Ballet Arizona's Innovations program, and created pieces in both LGBC and HSDC choreographic workshops. Myles now lives in Los Angeles as a freelance artist and choreographer and travels frequently to teach and work with dancers around the country. He has recently been seen dancing with Body Traffic, Post Ballet, Ishida Dance, Heidi Duckler Dance, & Para Mar Dance as well as in several music videos and on Netflix and YouTube. Myles was recently awarded the outstanding choreography award at YAGP’s Phoenix Semifinals. He is extremely passionate about teaching, choreographing and sharing his love for dance!

Aaron SmythAt 17, he left home in Australia to chase his dream to be a professional ballet dancer. Since then, he has been a company member with the American Ballet Theatre II In New York, The Royal Ballet in London and The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago as well as being an original cast member in London's West End production of An American In Paris choreographed and directed by Christopher Wheeldon. He has danced for royalty, the Obamas and beautiful people like you as he now travels the globe as a guest principal artist. He's also danced on TV, appearing on two series of the Got Talent franchise, coming third in Australia and making the quarter finals in America. He is also featured on the Netflix ballet documentary First Position. He won the Gold Medal and audience choice award at the prestigious Genee International Ballet Competition and have won 5 X medals at other International Ballet Competitions. He recently received the Special Jury prize for Best Performer at the Shanghai International Ballet Competition. He is the founding director of his company Dance For Humanity and he recently played the role of the Snow Cavalier in Disney’s The Nutcracker in the Four Realms feature film dancing with Misty Copeland. Aaron currently performed in Billy Elliot the Musical as Older Billy in the 10th anniversary tour of Australia.

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