ABOUT
FACULTY
Jessica Keller
Owner /Director
Jessica is a New Jersey native who started dancing at the age of 3. Ballet has always been her passion. She trained at the Academy of Dance Arts in Red Bank, NJ under Jennifer Church, Sori Gottdenker, Victoria Green, and Charles Nicoll.
Jessica is Royal Academy of Dance trained and passed all exams from Primary to Advanced with Honors. She performed several lead roles including, Clara, Lead Marzipan, Snow Queen, and Mouse Doll in the Nutcracker, and other lead roles in various performances.
During her studies, Jessica attended summer programs at the School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. She continued her pre-professional ballet training at the Miami City Ballet School. Her instructors included Edward Villella, Nancy Raffa, Geta Constantinescu, Truman Finny, and Carter Alexander. During her time at the school, she performed most notably as the Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty and Russian Girls from Balanchine’s Serenade. Mrs. Keller danced professionally with Miami City Ballet performing in ballets such as Symphony in C, Western Symphony, Symphony in Three Movements, Don Quixote, Giselle, and The Nutcracker.
Kristen Rulison
Kristen was born and raised in Palm Beach County where her love for dancing and performing started at the age of three. She trained in various styles of dance including ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, and musical theatre. Throughout her elementary and middle school years, Kristen danced competitively at Boca Dance Studio. She toured across the country for two summers with Hoctor’s Dance Caravan as a Caravan Kid and was a dance model for So Danca. She competed on her school’s dance team in high school, The Eagle-ettes and Company, while training at Southern Dance Theatre. It was during this time that she had the privilege to perform in the Superbowl XXXIII Half Time Show. Kristen has been teaching dance and choreographing since high school. She was the Artistic Director for the Starlets Dance Company at Southern Dance Theatre for eight years and co-directed The Eagle-ettes and Company for two years. She also served as a judge for F.D.T.D.A.’s competition. Kristen took a hiatus on teaching dance to focus on her career in public school education and starting her own family. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a second Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. Kristen is very excited to be back teaching dance and is looking forward to fostering her love and passion for dance with the next generation of dancers at Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts.
Nicolette Forkel
Born in Whitestone New York, Nicolette moved to Florida at the age of five, which is when she started dancing. Nicolette started competing at the age of five and continued till graduation. She is trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop. Nicolette graduated from Wellington High School Fine Arts Academy majoring in dance with honors. She started teaching at the age of fifteen and has always had a passion for working with children.
Kelley Reid
Kelley Reid was raised in the competition scene in Central Florida and has taught all over the Tristate area in NY as well as in the city. She is a Guest Faculty Member in NYC at Peridance Capezio Center and is apart of the NEW YORK BODIES faculty. She also is on faculty with BOLD dance and RESURGENCE INTENSIVE where she travels and guest teaches in numerous studios. “Her credits include; The U.S Regional Premiere of The Bodyguard in White Plains, NY (Regional), Holland America Line, Rupauls Drag Race Season Finale Tour NYC and has opened for Iggy Azalea with Silky Ganache. She has performed in numerous benefit shows such as Night of Life for Leg Up on Life as well as for numerous drag queens in NYC and is currently signed with MSA Agency. This is Kelley’s 4th season with PBADA and she is so happy to be apart of this family.
Bradley Dunlap
Bradley Dunlap grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and began training at Cleveland City Dance with Paul Wilson, Linda Adolphi and Sarah Savelli, and continued at Cleveland School of Dance with Gladisa Guadalupe. He attended summer programs with full scholarships at Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp with Jefferson Baum, The Rock School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet.
During his training, Dunlap toured Germany and France with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Ballet Ensemble at age 14.
He was accepted to Miami City Ballet School with a full scholarship in 2004 and became a student apprentice in 2005, a company apprentice in 2006 and was promoted to the company in 2008.
In 2011, he was a dancer in PBS’s Great Performances “Dance in America: Miami City Ballet Dances Balanchine and Tharp.”
Dunlap has performed around the world including at the Koch Theater at Lincoln Center and New York City Center (NYC), Kennedy Center (DC), The Music Center (LA), and Théatre du Châtelet (Paris).
Dunlap served as Company Representative for 4 seasons, starting in 2017. He also served on the Re-Entry Task Force for MCB and Dance/USA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dunlap choreographed “Everybody Step,” for MCB’s “To Miami, With Love,” in 2021 and “Rondo alla Turca,” in 2023.
Brooke Moody
Brooke Moody is a graduate of the University of South Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education. Following graduation, she performed with two modern dance companies and became Dance Director of a magnet school for the arts in Tampa, Fl. In 2009, after relocating back to South Florida, Brooke took the full time position as Director of After School Dance at Pine Crest School, Boca Raton. As a choreographer, teacher, performer, and stage manager her career spans more than 20 years. She is also an active member of Florida Dance Masters and Dance Educators of America. Aside from her accomplishments in dance, she is also very proud to be a mother to Natalia & Landon. Brooke is excited to have the privilege of working with and choreographing for the dancers at Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts.
Emily Karell-Chu
From Saratoga Springs, NY, Emily Karell-Chu found her love of dance at an early age. She began her pre-professional career at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, where she graduated with a major in ballet, directed by former ABT Dancer Michael Owen. In 2015, she received her BFA in ballet from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), directed by former Ballet West dancer Qi Jiang. In 2016, Emily joined Ballet Florida and continues to perform with the company today while teaching the next generation of dancers.
Diana DiFranco
Diana Di Franco was born in Portugal. She started ballet at 8 years old and did with Royal Academy Of Dancing up to Grade 7 and with Imperial Society Of Teachers Of Dancing. She found her passion in Dance with Ballroom and Latin Dancing, doing National and International Dance Championships and Training in Ballroom Dancing abroad (Spain, Denmark, Italy and England). She loves being a Dance Instructor, Choreographer for Wedding Couples and also working with children and seniors as often as possible. Arts is such a fascinating world for Diana aside from pursuing dance physically she also makes clothes for competition and practice. She also has a masters degree in Architecture!
Jasmine Wright
Jasmine grew up competitively dancing in Rochester NY. She was trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Acro, and Musical Theater. During her training, she traveled to numerous workshops and conventions such as NYCDA, ADA, and DMA to be trained under master teachers. She attended the University at Buffalo where she expanded her dance training and was additionally trained in choreography, improvisation, and Aerial Arts. During her time in college, she was given the opportunity to perform in various showcases and with their in-house dance company and graduated with a Bachelors of Dance in 2016. Since then, she has continued her dance education through Dance Masters of America’s Teacher Training School and relocated to Northern Virginia where she taught at various studios, choreographed for competitive dance companies in the area, and was a choreographer in residence for a local theater company! Jasmine is so excited to continue her dance journey here in South Florida and cannot wait to share her passion for dance with our students.
Ria Rae
Ria is a professional dancer as well as a choreographer. Her dance training began at the age of 4. She has trained in numerous styles such as Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Ballroom, and Pointe. She is gratefully humbled to have danced for many artist such as, Mary J Blige, DJ Khaled, Lil Baby, Pitbull, Gente de Zona, and more. She loves dancing and loves to share her knowledge as a choreographer. Ria has been teaching at PBADA for 5 seasons going on her 6th!
Kaitlynn Bossie
Kaitlynn Bossie is a current dance student at Palm Beach Atlantic University majoring in Dance Performance. Dancing for 18 years and teaching for over 5, she has been versed in all styles of dance. Dancing with the Robison Ballet Company and performing in their notable shows of The Nutcracker and Giselle. Kaitlynn grew up in Houlton, a small town in Maine, where dancing was the center of her life. Now, dancing is a part of her everyday life. Kaitlynn has taught various styles of dance with various ages. Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Pointe are all classes taught by her. Ranging in ages from kindergarten to senior high schoolers. Being fortunate enough to be able to go on into a professional dancing career while teaching others the joy of dancing.
Doreen Fortman
Doreen scheinpflug started dancing ballroom and Latin dancing at the age of 5 in Germany where she was born and raised. While In Germany she won several National and international awards before she joined fred Astaire dance studios in the US in 2006. She was opening her own franchise in 2008 in west palm beach and a second location in 2019 in wellington. Besides competing professionally for the US nationwide and winning multiple regional and National awards she also taught many amateurs and other professionals in ballroom and Latin dancing for competitions in all levels as well as theater productions.
CLASSES OFFERED
BALLET
The foundation of all dance
Ballet technique class emphasizes placement, ease of movement, and musicality. Careful explanations of exercises and theory help students to use the ballet vocabulary in a simple, practical method. Exercises at the barre prepare for more difficult rhythms and combinations in the center.
jazz
Jazz utilizes sharp and fluid movements to create a visually technical dance and style. It is usually done to popular music. Body isolations, stretch, turning, leaping, and technical steps are taught in this class.
tap
Tap tackles rhythm, syncopation, and musicality. These classes are composed of warm-ups followed by stylized movements across the floor and aggressive, funky, rhythm-oriented combinations.
Modern
This style teaches the body to move as an expressive tool: body/spatial/sensory awareness, structures and alignment, stage presence, and gesture.
Contemporary
A style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical, and classical ballet.
Progressing Ballet Technique
Progressing Ballet Technique is an innovative program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory in achieving their personal best in classical ballet.
Pilates
Pilates is an exercise and physical rehabilitation technique created as a series of controlled movements requiring focus and concentration to develop flexibility, balance, and strength without bulk. The Pilates method emphasizes “centering,” or the abdominal and torso area, balance, and breathing to create good posture and protect against injury.
Ballroom
Ballroom dancing is a partnership dance where couples, using step-patterns, move rhythmically, expressing the characteristics of music. Ballroom dancing consists of two styles: the Smooth, or Standard, and the Rhythm, or Latin. The Smooth, Standard style focuses on the elegance, grace and fluidity of movement. Dancers rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, moving around the entire floor. The couple is constantly moving on the dance floor, transitioning from one place to the next in a fixed pattern. The Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz and Quickstep are danced in this manner.
Combo Class Program
Preschool (1 hour)
For children 2.5 to 3 years old who are potty trained. This class incorporates elements ballet, jazz, tap, and tumbling. This is a foundational class that is super fun and silly, but at the same time teaches children how to take a dance class.
Beginner (1 hour)
For children who have taken the Preschool class and children who have some dance background and must be potty trained. This class introduces ballet technique, tap, jazz, and some tumbling. It follows a similar syllabus to the Preschool class but progresses to more involved steps.
Intermediate/Advanced (1 hour 15 Minutes)
For children who have taken the Beginner Combo class. This class also teaches ballet technique, jazz, tap, and elements of Acro. Following a progression from the level before.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop tackles the combination of three main elements in hip hop dancing, popping, locking, as well as break dancing. Teachers focus on incorporating the rhythmic qualities of music into the dancers’ bodies. As there is no definite technique for hip hop dancing the emphasis is on finding a comfort zone for the dancer and instructors to encourage individuality and confidence in movement. Dancers enrolled in hip-hop classes are encouraged to train in jazz dance to become all-around jazz/hip-hop dancers.
Acro
Acro Dance is the beautiful fusion of classic dance techniques and the precision and athleticism of acrobatic elements. Often defined by unique choreography, acro dancers seamlessly blend musicality, emotional expression, line, and extension with acrobatic movements in a dance context.
Adult Program
We have adult classes throughout the week including pilates, ballroom, hiphop and barre/stretch! No experience required! Ask about our class passes!
Testimonials
Miss Smith and the teachers at Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts are just INCREDIBLE! They genuinely care about every single dancer and we couldn't be more grateful!
Jenna R.
Sophia very eagerly looks forward to class every single week. The teachers are truly amazing. Hands down the best dance school in the area!
Edward B.
Contact Us
ADDRESS
10101 Lantana Road, Lake Worth Florida 33449
Mon – Wed : 8:00am – 06:00pm
Thu – Sat : 10:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday : Closed
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About
Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts is a children's dance studio located in Lake Worth with an award-winning team dedicated to providing the best dance instruction whilst also empowering tomorrow's leaders.
Opening Hours
Monday-Thursday 3:30-9pm
Friday-Closed
Saturday 8:30am-12:30pm
Sunday : Closed
ADDRESS: 10101 Lantana Road, Lake Worth Florida 33449
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +1 561-220-8164
@ Copyright 2024 - Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts - All rights reserved
