DANCE FACULTY

HYEREE JEONG

Hyeree Jeong is the Director of Edgewater Performing Arts.

Hyeree studied at the Elmhurst Ballet School, in association with the Birmingham Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom.

She earened her Masters in Ballet from Sejong University and has performed as a dancer in the Korean Ballet Theatre.

Hyeree is 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 and Affiliated teacher from American Ballet Theater.

She also possesses various experience in contemporary, tap, jazz, and flamenco, korean traditional dance as well as dance choreography and drama.

JUYEUN LEE

Ju Yeun, Lee went on to Hanyang University in Seoul where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Ju Yeun

came to New York to continue her dance training and education. She graduated from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, with a Master of Arts in Teaching Dance in Higher Education and American Ballet Theatre Pedagogy. As a student in the NYU Master’s program,

Ju Yeun continued her dance studies and gained a p rofessional certifica tion ABT’s National

Training Curriculum Primary Level to Level 7 in dance education from American Ballet Theater and Ballet Teaching for Kids from Korea Kids Physical Association.

YUKA KAWASAKI

Graduated Osaka University of Arts with a degree in Ballet at theatrical performing arts devision. Yuka is American Ballet Theatre Certified teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT teacher training intensive in pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT National Training Curriculum and affiliated teacher from American Ballet Theater.She is a certificated pilates teacher by Pilates Academy International. She is currently teaching ballet and body conditioning in NYC and teaching anatomy and yoga posture for yoga teacher training at Body Tone Yoga NY. She has various experience in Ballet performances, events as a dancer and a choreographer.

SANGHEE LEE

SangHee Lee is originally from Seoul, South Korea and holds BA in Dance while currently studying for her Masters Degree in Dance Convergence Contents from Dongduk Womens University. She graduated from Deokwon Arts High School, majoring in ballet, after starting her training at Vaganova Ballet Academy in Seoul with perfect attendance in every workshop/class. Sanghee is also trained in ‘Dance and Arts effects’ and holds Arts and Culture Education Instructor Certificates in Expressive Arts Therapy, Dance Movement Therapy, and as an Expressive Arts Counselor. Sanghee performed many roles in both classic ballet and contemporary dance pieces with SEO Ballet Company. With other dance companies she has performed solos and pas de deux roles. In addition, she has choreographed many pieces in drama ballet and contemporary ballet. Sanghee recently trained at Broadway Dance Center in New York and is currently dancing with Roxey Ballet.

KARA CHAN

Kara Chan is from Vancouver, Canada, where she received her formal training at Pro Arté Center before earning her BFA from The Juilliard School. Well versed in both classical and modern genres, Kara has performed and toured internationally with Pam Tanowitz Dance and Twyla Tharp Dance since 2017. She assisted Twyla Tharp in staging two repertory works on American Ballet Theatre in 2019: Deuce Coupe and GHOSTCATCHER. She has additionally performed with Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Janis Brenner & Dancers, Merce Cunningham Trust, Kathryn Posin Dance Company, Gleich Dances, Trainor Dance, and MorDance. She was named one of Dance Magazine’s 2020 "25 to Watch”. Kara has taught across Canada and the US and is an ABT® Certified Ballet Teacher in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

VIOLETA ANGELOVA

Violeta Angelova, as she is affectionately called, was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. She made her first steps in ballet in her mother’s dance school, later also attending the "K.Koldamova" dance studio with which she frequently performed in concerts on stage and TV. She was accepted into the National School of Dance Arts after a rigorous audition process and graduated with high honors. She received a scholarship to and also graduated the Vienna State Opera Ballet School in Vienna, Austria. She has extensively toured the United States, dancing as a guest artist or with a company, and has danced at the International Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Opera and Ballet Festival in St.Petersburg, Russia among others. The companies she has performed with include The Vienna State Opera Ballet, Volksoper-Vienna, Ballet Internationale, The New Jersey Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, as returning guest with the National Ballet of Bulgaria, Eglevsky Ballet, Ballet Metropolitan, California Ballet, Ballet Minnesota and many others. She is fully certified American Ballet Theater NTC teacher, for all levels and partnering.

NICOLE ZADRA

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.

ALICE WU

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 Whitfield

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.

MUSIC FACULTY

HEE JO KIM

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

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.

GRACE KIM

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.

MICHAEL YUN

Michael Yun has served as cover conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and has assisted with the Lyric Opera of Baltimore, Opera Theatre of Montclair, Mannes Community Orchestra, and Miami Music Festival Symphony Orchestra. He has also taken part in festivals in Spain, Italy, and Canada. As a pianist, Mr. Yun has won first prizes at the New York Music Festival Competition and the New Jersey Teachers’ Association Competition. He is also a two-time recipient of a scholarship award from the Council of Korean Churches of Greater New York. He earned his Master’s degree in orchestral conducting at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with the legendary Gustav Meier, and Markand Thakar, a protégé of Sergiu Celibidache. Other conducting teachers include Agrippino Bellino, Scott Jackson Wiley and Ronald Braunstein. Mr. Yun received his degree in piano performance from the Mannes College of Music where he studied with Yuri Kim. Currently, he is conductor of the Heritage Choir.

DONGHYUN PARK

Donghyun Park received his Bachelors in Music at the Mannes College of Music and his Masters in Music at the Brooklyn College of CUNY. He has performed at numerous venues in NYC including Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, etc.

He has taught more than 100 students over 10 years in NYC and New Jersey.

Sooyoun Jin

Sooyounjin earned her Bachelor of music In piano performance and pedagogy from California State University Fullerton.

Her master of music in piano performance from Ewha Womans University in Korea.

She worked as an instructor at Alfred’s piano book main company in Korea. She has completed the lessons of many original piano textbook authors, Taught many piano teachers through seminars.
She worked as a competition cordinator in the US. She is now helping to perform at Carnegie Hall in several competitions.

Lu Meng

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.

STEPHANIE CHAN

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

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.

LANGUAGE INSTRUCTOR

TAMA NAKATA

Ms. Tama Nakata, a native of Japan, earned her Bachelors of Arts from Osaka University in Osaka, Japan, where she concentrated in Germanistik (German Studies) and English. Under Dr. Koji Sonoda, Ms. Nakata completed the Method of Teaching Japanese program at the Japanese American Society in New Jersey, and has certification to teach Japanese as a Second Language. Ms. Nalata has been teaching Japanese at language schools, weekend schools, and American companies since 2001. She has experience instructing all manner of students, including children as young as seven, college students, and adults. She is a skilled and proficient instructor with the ability to teach Japanese at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level.

Art instructor

Mia Buchanan

"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. "