DANCE FACULTY

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Nicole Zadra completed her ballet training in the USA and Russia. In 2012 she graduated from Manhattan Youth Ballet on merit scholarship under Daniel Ulbricht. In 2014 she graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia under Marina Leonova. She then joined The Hong Kong Ballet in 2014 as a member of Corps de Ballet where she performed in Don Quixote, Swan Lake Act III, the Choreographers Showcase, the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Turandot. In 2016 she joined Ballet Memphis where she performed in various pieces including Giselle, Peter Pan, George Balanchine’s Square Dance, The Wizard of Oz and several contemporary works. Over the years she has worked with numerous directors and choreographers including Nina Ananiashvili, Deborah Wingert, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Brian Reeder and more. She guest danced with the Atlantic City Ballet and most recently was a member of the California Ballet Company.

Nicole is an ABT certified teacher, National Training Curriculum, Pre-primary to level 3 and ABT Project Plie scholarship recipient. She is the recipient of numerous scholarships and her training includes time spent at The Alvin Ailey School, NYSSSA, The Rock School, Boston Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Nicole gained extensive performance experience during her training, with highlights including roles in La Fille Mal Gardée at the Bolshoi Theater, The Sleeping Beauty and the Hungarian Rhapsody at the Kremlin Palace in Russia, and Jerome Robbins Interplay, as well as other contemporary, character dance and jazz pieces. 

In 2011 Nicole was awarded an Alvin Ailey Fellowship. In 2012 she was a NSLI-Y Russian American Foundation, Bolshoi Ballet Academy Scholarship Award Recipient. In 2013 she was a Grishko USA Rising Star. 

With a diverse dance background, Alice has learned much about discipline, poise, grace, technique, and most importantly expression through movement. She has a ten year background in Chinese cultural dance and has trained in many different styles to date. She’s also had the privilege of dancing with RDT, A Rhythm Company, VEN15, aKompany, and BOLD - all companies based in the East Coast Dance Community.
As she continues to grow, she feels privileged to receive opportunities to take part in a range of projects and gigs, such as dancing for BTS at MetLife Stadium, choreograph and dance for various brands, as well as being able to teach classes and intensives. Currently she teaches in New York City as she takes on upcoming projects. She is always looking to better herself as a dancer by finding new ways to develop her craft. Alice is very thankful for all the love and support she has received throughout this journey and hopes to be a role model and an inspiration to those who watch her move. 

Yesseña was born and raised in New York and began her ballet training at The Dance & Music Design School, where she successfully passed her Grade 6, 8, Intermediate and Advanced I Royal Academy of Dance exams. Yesseña continued her training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Broadway Dance Center. She holds a B.A in Sociology from Hunter College. In 2013, she moved to Charlotte, NC where she danced professionally with Kinetic Works Ensemble, TAPROOT and several local theatres. Yesseña is an American Ballet Theatre certified ballet teacher in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She successfully presented students for ABT exams for three consecutive years. Yesseña is in her last semester of graduate school at Baruch College, where she will earn her Master’s in Arts Administration. She currently works part-time at ABT as the Exams Assistant.

 Hee Jo Kim earned her Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, and her Masters of Music in Piano Performance from the Mannes School of Music(The New School) in New York. 

She has taken a number of masterclasses with Haejeon Lee and Sookmyung women's university professor Mikyung Kim. 

She has performed at the 20th Eumyoun Summer Music Festival and the 2007 Euro Music Festival.

Louis Day has studied with Karen Tuttle at the Mannaes Clollge of Music, with Wolfgang Krist at Wofang Hoch Orchester Schule in Germany, and with Berrd Kadinoff at Boston University. Mr. Day has performed on violin and viola with numerous orchestras in the Tri-State area and abroad, including the American Symphony, Philharmonica Virtuosi, the Stamford and Fairfield symphony orchestras, the Connecticut Gand Opera, the New York Pops, the Opera Orchestra of New York, and the New York Virtuosi. He has also played in the orchestras of the musical shows Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and Phantom of the opera. Internationally Mr. Day performed with the Oquestra Syphonica Portugiesa ' Soa Carlos' in Portugal, the Orchestra Sinfonica de Sevilla and the New American Chamber Orchestra in Spain.

Born in New York City, Grace has been playing the viola since 8 years old, studying under Kikyeong Lee. Grace then continued her studies at Mannes School of Music with Daniel Panner, viola principal of New York City Opera and the Mendelssohn Quartet, receiving her Bachelors in Music. Grace has been involved in many music programs such as Acro, which she has been a part of since the foundation of this program, NJ Regionals, and All States. She received awards from KRB competition and Crescendo receiving first and second places. These gave her the chances to perform at Carnegie and at the Lincoln Center. Grace also studied Chamber works with the members of The Jack Quartet, Anne Setzer, Chin Kim, Peter Prosser, and Daniel Panner. Other than being active as a performer, Grace has also been teaching violin and viola.

Lu Meng was born into a musical family. Both her parents were music professors. She started to learn piano at 4. She has a B.A. in Piano from Beijing and a M.M. in Piano Performance from the Florida State University under the direction of Mr. Leonadas Lipovetsky, a student of the late Madame Rosina Lhevinne. Lu Meng believes piano study is a process of learning and integrating concepts and ideas. For students, it is as important to grow the intellect as it is to excel in both technique and interpretation. Learning piano is to improve students' concentration, control, accuracy, and to develop a mind that can multitask. Most importantly, students must learn to make their hearts sing in their playing. Lu Meng's students has won First Places at the following competitions: Crescendo International, Golden Key, Cecilia, Mid-Atlantic Music Teacher's Conference, American Protege, Little Mozart, and the Elite Music Competitions. Her students also do well in the ABRSM exams. Majority of them tested Distinction on all levels. One student received highest mark on Grade 8 in the region of NJ, PA and DE.

Pianist Stephanie Chan is a recent graduate of SUNY Purchase. She finished college with a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music with an Outside Field. The outside field consisted of business, psychology and education classes. Although piano became her main focus in college, she was also an active violinist from the ages of 9 through 18.

At the age of 7, Stephanie was inspired by a close family member and decided to start taking piano lessons. Music has always been a big part of her life, through private lessons, ensambles, music classes, and recitals. Since 2012, Stephanie has helped many young students with recital pieces. It was through these experiences that she decided to become a teacher.

Heeya Kim majored in Voice and Musical at the University of Arts in Philadelphia. She began her career as Kim in Miss Saigon in The Broadway Theatre of Pitman, NJ.  She also has been performing as a choir soloist, A cappella singer with various musicians. She is now performing in various Equity Shows, had her NYC debut in 2019. She has been teaching both music theory and vocal performance as a professional music artist.

"Mia Buchanan studied academic art and graphic design in Japan and continued her education at Parsons New School in New York. She has achieved a Bachelor honors degree in Graphic design at The Art Institute in Philadelphia and specializes in visual arts.  After many years as a graphic designer she decided to focus on her art career. She has exhibited her art works in New York and New Jersey Art galleries.  For the past 4 years, Mia has been teaching students of all ages with varying skill sets ranging from beginner to advanced artists.  "