Mila continues a strong family dance tradition. After receiving her initial training with her parents Juanita and Nikolai, a Bolshoi trained star of the famed Don Cossack Chorus. Ms. Makarova studied at the NC School of the Arts and later in Chicago with Gus Giordano. During her career, she has performed principal and soloist roles with many of the outstanding choreographers of our day. Among her favorites were Ann Reinking, Lar Lubovitch, Claire Bataille, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Randy Duncan, Frank Chaves, Pattie Obey, Andre George, Wayne Bascomb, Zeeva Cohen and Dwight Rhoden. Ms. Makarova is a highly ranked Women's Gymnastics Judge.

Casey Saxon

received her early training in Gainesville under Nina Cameron. At the age of 18, Mrs. Saxon set her sights on Chicago. She spent 3 years there, training, teaching and performing with world renowned Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. While there, Saxon had the opportunity to study under and/or perform works by Michael Taylor, Eddy Ocampo, Kirby Reed, Gus Giordano, Nan Giordano, Jon Lehrer, Anna Czajun, Billy Siegenfeld, Susan Quinn Williams, Joel Hall, Claire Bataille, Randy Duncan, Frank Chaves, Sherry Zunker and Harrison McEldowney. After that chapter came to a close, she returned to Florida and earned an AA from SFCC as a Creative Arts and Humanities Dance scholar. She also received her BFA in Filmmaking from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she experimented with ways in which to combine the art forms of film and dance.

Saxon founded CineDance Jazz Dance in 2005, and is the Artistic Director of the company. CineDance uses projection and live dance performance to tell stories with motion. Since its inception just 2 short years ago, CineDance has produced 4 full-length programs of its own, performed at the 2nd-4th Annual Red Chair Affairs, All Hallows 10 for Fringe 2006-2008, Happenstance I-V and the 2007 and 2008 Orlando International Fringe Festivals. For the past three years, Saxon has been invited to teach at the Florida Dance Association's Young Dancer's Workshop at SFCC and UF in Gainesville, FL. She is currently a professor at both Valencia Community College and Seminole Community College. She also teaches various master classes statewide and is noted for her analytical, yet compassionate teaching methods. Mrs. Saxon's choreography has been described as athletic, captivating and moving; while her dancers are described as fine and fearless.

was born in New York and studied dance since age 3 at some of the most prestigious dance studios including Broadway Dance Center. When she moved to Florida, she continued studying at Showtime, where she was a member of their elite company Pro-Dance. Heather then went on to college where she was the captain for The University of Central Florida's award winning dance team "The KnightMoves". Heather has taught at many studios including Showtime, & Turning Point, as well as taught & toured in many dance conventions & companies including National Dance Assoc., Universal Dance Assoc., Tremaine, Spirit Dance, and LADF. She has been featured on the cover of many magazines including Dancer & Fitness Magazine, as well as becoming the spokesperson for a fitness equipment company. Besides dance Heather also acts, models, and is a TV host. You can see her in commercials, print work, movies, and on television.

Laura has just completed her ninth season as a Radio City Rockette. As a member of Actors Equity and American Guild of Variety Artists she has performed in scores of musicals including Beauty and the Beast, My One and Only, 42nd Street, Pajama Game, and Evita. Her training includes scholarships to studios in LA, Broadway Dance Center (NYC), and graduating Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University.

She has performed with dance companies, industrials, and musicals in Texas to as far away as Malaysia and Singapore. Her work in New York includes workshops at Radio City, Lincoln Center, and the National Tap Extravaganza with Buster Brown, Jimmy Slyde, and Savion Glover. Laura has taught over twenty "Rockette Experiences" and "Rockette Intensives", presented by NYC's Broadway Dance Center and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Now residing in Orlando, Laura teaches, sets choreography, and directs shows for several universities, high schools, and dance studios across the country. Currently, Laura is on faculty as a judge, teacher, MC, and stage manager for NTG Dance Conventions, VIP Dance Competitions, and Legacy Dance Championships. She has also taught and judged for Starpower, Florida Dance Masters, Cathy Roe's Ultimate Dance, Creation Dance Champs, Dance USA, and more.

She is a STOTT Pilates trained instructor, and more information about her can be found on http://www.laurawilliamsdance.com.

Laura's newest creation is Artistic Evolution, www.artisticev.com, a resource that connects amazing, working, professional dancers, teachers, and choreographers with students and studios throughout the country.

Jordan Woods-Robinson

is an actor, musician, and composer. He holds a BFA in Theatre from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, having trained with faculty from Playwrights Horizons Theatre School, The Experimental Theatre Wing and The Classical Studio. Jordan graduated with honors in Theatre from NYU in December of 2006 with a minor in Art History. Jordan has played violin, guitar and mandolin professionally since the age of 10, having played with such music stars as Dolly Parton and Michael Cerveris. He attended Stagedoor Manor from ages 16-18 and it was there that he was introduced to acting.

Shortly thereafter, he was accepted into Tisch's undergraduate drama program where he spent 3 1/2 years studying with current NYC actors, designers, directors and producers. In his time at Tisch, he appeared in over 15 productions, 7 of which were Tisch Mainstage collaborations with outside directors and theatre companies such as Liz Swados, Nick Philippou, and Theater Mitu. Outside of school, he has collaborated many times with Obie-award-winning director/composer Liz Swados on projects such as The Spider Operas (with Taylor Mac and Mabou Mines) and The Reality Show (featured in New York Times article) as actor, musician, composer and musical director.

Jordan has been seen on stage and screen as a Blue Man for 2 years and is currently performing in Blue Man Group at Universal Studios Citywalk, Orlando. Since moving to Orlando, he has played principal roles in multiple feature length films and commercials. He is represented in Central Florida by Melanie Hurt with The Hurt Agency and Traci Danielle with Brevard Talent Group.

Shane Andries

Shane Andries is an actor and musician. He was born and raised in Houston, TX. After graduating high school, he attended North Carolina School of the Arts where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. While at NCSA, Shane studied under the tutelage of Broadway Director Gerald Freedman. He spent four years studying acting, movement, dance, voice, stage combat and mask work. Under the leadership of Fight Director Dale Girard, Shane received certification by The Society of American Fight Directors. During his time at NCSA, he appeared in multiple productions, his favorites being Scoop in The Heidi Chronicles and Bo in Bus Stop. Upon graduating, he was awarded the Kenan Fellowship at Lincoln Center in New York, but decided to move out west.

Shane spent a few months in Los Angeles, where he appeared as Sebastian in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Complex Theatre. Shortly thereafter he landed a job with Blue Man Group, which brought him back to New York. He has preformed as a Blue Man in New York, Boston, and is currently in Blue Man Group at Universal Studios Orlando. Past TV Credits include Frankie in Showtime’s Brotherhood.

Shane is currently represented by Traci Danielle with Brevard Talent Group.

Christina was born and raised in Houston, Texas and started dancing at the age of 4. She attended Texas Christian University as a ballet major and went on to work at Disney/MGM Studios dancing in the Hollywood Hollywood show and Beauty and the Beast. Christina has also performed in the European tour of 42nd Street, the national tour of The Will Rogers Follies, various shows on Crystal Cruise Lines, and played Tess in Crazy for You at the Show Palace Dinner Theatre. She has also had the honor of being a Radio City Rockette for 5 years in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Branson, Chicago, Mexico City, and Nashville. Presently, Christina is the spokesperson for and teaches the Magic Music Days Dancin' Workshop at Disney.

Adam is a Vancouver, BC, Canada native. He started competitive trampoline at the age of 14. He received his training from and was coached by two time Canadian trampoline champion Rusty Pierce. His early international success included winning the Silver Medal at the 2001 World Junior trampoline championships in Odense, Denmark. He then went on to compete internationally winning Gold at the Pacific Alliance trampoline competition in Brisbane, Australia. Adam continued competing and received the title of the 2003 World Champion in Double Mini Trampoline and the 2003 World Junior Silver Medalist Trampoline.

When he retired from competition, Adam spent four years touring with world renowned, "Cirque du Soleil", in Saltimbanco, was trained into a "Target" Character for Quidam, and was also a Flyer in the "Paradise act" for Corteo. After leaving Cirque, he toured with the international horse show, Cavalia.

As tour life became exhausting, when offered the position, Adam jumped at the chance to plant some roots. He is currently performing at Pirates Dinner Adventure here in Orlando FL, as the current acrobatic consultant and Purple Pirate. We are excited Adam is sharing his enthusiasm, assurance, and expertise with our Tumbling and Acrobatic classes!

Between 1993 and 2004, when Benji graduated as an Acrobatic coach for The National Sport Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, she also won titles in woman's pairs at the European and World Championships, including 1st Place at the International Tournament. In 2004 she also placed 3rd in mixed pairs at the world championships in Levin, France.

Subsequent to her graduation she has become an Acrobatics Referee and a Physical Education Teacher in addition to performing as a pearl diver at Sea World; Aerial Acrobatics/Cradle/Lyra/Tissue/Rope, and Hand Balancing, Contortionist at Pirates Dinner Theatre, as well as at Hard Drive Productions, Epcot and on What Not To Wear in 2009. She also garnered a part in the Comedy Ace Ventura 3.

Additional Special Skills include: Trapeze, Trampoline &Mini Trampoline, Swimming, Diving, High-Board Jump, Sky Diving, Break Falls &Reaction Falls, Stunt Fighting, and Judo/Sambo-professional level.

Claire Hodge

Claire Hodge is a high profile private voice teacher with over twenty-five years experience as soloist, teacher, conductor, clinician, and vocal coach.

A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Mrs. Hodge has enjoyed performing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra under renowned conductors, as well as the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mrs. Hodge is the current director of the Orlando Deanery Girls Choir, which has toured Canada, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and the United States under her direction since 2000. In conjunction with her work with the ODGC, Mrs. Hodge has served as voice teacher and vocal coach for courses with the Royal School of Church Music in America in New York City, Boston, North Carolina and Alabama.

A former staff member of Orlando Opera, Claire has performed supporting roles in numerous operas and currently serves as the liaison for "Orlando Opera in Residence" at several local high schools for opera education and outreach. She has served as voice teacher for Youth Programs since the fall of 2008 and trains the Orlando Opera Children's Chorus for Orlando Opera productions.

Claire is the Vice President of the local chapter of the National Association of the Teachers of Singing and currently enjoys teaching private voice lessons in Southwest Orlando.

Lourdes Cordero, RYT
Certified & Registered Yoga Teacher, Group Fitness & Personal Trainer

Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, Hatha, Kids, Seniors, Chair Yoga, Yoga en Espanol, Thai-Bodywork, Meditation... Yoga for everyone! All levels welcomed...

Yoga is an integral part of my life. Whether it is my daily meditation, practicing yoga poses, teaching or studying it, Yoga has brought me to a better place physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I know how much of a gift this experience has been in my own life and I love to share it, so that others can explore their own consciousness and fulfill their purpose of being happy and healthy beings...

I began teaching Yoga in 1998 in Los Angeles, California where studied and practiced under several teachers such as Rodney Yee, Mark Blanchard and Larry Payne. I enjoy a variety of styles - Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Hatha... Since 2005, I have been teaching and practicing in Central Florida where I teach a diverse age group as well as a variety of styles including Iyengar, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Kids Yoga, Power Yoga, Seniors, Chair Yoga and Meditation. I also teach a variety of Fitness classes, Private Yoga Instruction and Personal Fitness Training.

I consider each of my students to be unique and tailor the classes to suit. My unique approach to teaching allows me to adapt to a variety of environments and fitness levels. With grace and passion, my students and I take a journey through a dynamic and eclectic blend of yoga postures, transitions and sequences with a focus on breath and movement. Each class represents a wide variety of yogic styles which are integrated to create a balanced, creative, fun and spiritual experience. I feel blessed to continue my studies under tutelage of Professor Subhas Tiwari, ERYT500, MA Yoga Philosophy, and the International Vedic Hindu University.

Namaste!

Originally from the DC Metropolitan area, Karla's favorite success is completing 7 months on the Broadway National Tour of WICKED. She started dancing at the age of 3, receiving training from Schumacher's Dance Studio, Fran's Studio of Dance, the Kirov Academy of Ballet, and the Washington School of Ballet. At 12, she had the honor of performing with Debbie Allen and James Ingram in "Brothers of the Knight" - a Kennedy Center production.

Later she received a scholarship to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she attained a BFA in Dance and a minor in Journalism. At Tisch, she performed works by Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, Kyle Abraham, Tracy Lang, and Bridget Moore. Karla became dance chair and choreographer for IFA - the International Filipino Association Hip Hop dance team at NYU. During her senior year of college, she landed a spot in the Broadway show HOT FEET, a dance musical to the hits of Earth, Wind, and Fire, choreographed by Maurice Hines.

Other credits include Carnivale Choreographer's Ball NY and LA; a 2007 Rite Aid Industrial; the Radio City Christmas Spectacular; the 2009 set of Lucille Roberts Fitness commercials; and Fox's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Season 3 Las Vegas Semi-Finals. Karla is also a member of BOOGIE BOTS CREW (Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew season 4 finalists) - a fresh and creative group hailing from the Washington DC area. She is represented by Clear Talent Agency and currently resides in New York, teaching and performing. Karla is blessed to have a loving, supportive family and thanks God for all the gifts He has given her.

T'Kea Le Grande

T'Kea is a Philadelphia, PA native. Starting as a student in a local studio and studying with the original Philadanco School, T'Kea always new she was meant to be on stage. While in high school, she trained at Touch of Class in west Chester PA under the expertise of Mrs. Debbie Apalucci and The 76ers Dance Team.

After High school she relocated to Orlando FL where she received her degree in performing arts from Valencia Community College. At Valencia she studied and performed many forms of dance under the teachings of popular dance companies such as Limon and Ailey II. As a member of Valencia Dance Theater (VDT), T'Kea has performed throughout the state of Florida. During her time in Florida, T'Kea has performed with N'sync and the girl band Cassiopeia. After college T'Kea relocated to her home town where she accepted a position as the artistic director of the dance program at the Healthplex. There she taught Ballet, Hip-Hop and Modern dance to all ages.

Currently T'Kea resides in Orlando Fl. She has taught at several studios throughout the central Fl area. You can find her on the Valencia website, on television commercials and on billboards all over Central Florida campaigning for the "Art of Dance".

trained with many amazing teachers throughout her life including Melba Huber, Bill Martin Viscount, Robert Reed, Joffrey Ballet School and many others. She currently is and has been a Rockette since 2002. She has performed The Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC and on the road for CAA cities such as Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Houston, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Buffalo, and Boston. She also teaches Rockette Experiences for the organization.

Melissa is most proud of her involvement with the Radio City Rockettes but has also appeared in many shows throughout New York including the Miss Manhattan Pageant. She also worked for Tokyo Disneyland as a dancer in 2001. Melissa began teaching dance and gymnastics in 1993 in McAllen, TX, continued teaching in San Antonio, and then moved to Orlando in 2000 to work for Disney. After her time in Tokyo, she relocated to New York City, where she still resides. She was hired as the gymnastics coordinator & office manager for The Circus Gym in New York in 2002, and in 2007 she also began working for the Kidville of New York; she teaches kids 4 months to 5 years old.

is not only a dancer, teacher and choreographer, she also stage manages at Walt Disney World for shows at the Festival of the Lion King. Her educational background includes attending the BFA program at Point Park Collage in Pittsburgh PA and completed approved and certified dance teacher workshop at Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

Ms. Roberts has trained and taught dance for ten years in various schools around Central Florida, New York and NJ, specializing in jazz and musical theatre. With seventeen years of professional performance experience including Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, La Jazz Noir Dance Company, NJ Storm National Lacrosse League, Once Upon a Time Ballet Company, Read Me a Story National Tour, NY Dragons Arena Football League, various community theatre shows, NY Motion Dance Co and choreographer to the Off Broadway show Stripped, she has earned her place in the market.