Faculty
Branndi Lewis
Contemporary
A graduate from the University of Florida, Branndi studied Dance & Dance Composition and obtained a Bachelor’s of Science from the College of Health & Human Performance in 2013. Upon graduation she attended the Pedagogy program at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where she received extensive training in the implementation of Horton technique education.
In 2015 she began teaching at U.B. Kinsey Elementary School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. Branndi was able to implement arts integrated education through dance. In 2016 she became the Director of Dance at U.B. Kinsey Elementary School of the Arts where she continued to build the program, ultimately making classical ballet, modern and jazz dance training accessible to a community usually deprived of the art-form. While at U.B. Kinsey, Branndi also curated a free after-school training program to provide the students with the opportunity to thrive in dance. Additionally, she resourced several scholarships for her students to attend neighboring dance studios. She then began her 8-year journey as a Dance Educator at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
In early 2020 she was invited by the Artistic Director of the second company at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to choreograph. During her fall semester with The Ailey School, Branndi also instructed contemporary dance repertory lectures at Marymount Manhattan College.
In early 2023, Branndi founded her own dance education and mentorship program, GroundedWPB. Branndi continues to coach and train emerging artists some who have gone on to attend institutions such as The Julliard School, Oklahoma University and New York University. Branndi has also coached several students who have received prestigious national recognitions as YoungArts finalists, as well as, Presidential Scholar in the Arts for modern and contemporary dance. Most recently, Branndi was accepted as a Jacob’s Pillow 2023 Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellow.
Carly LaFlamme
Children's Division
Carly has had a love for dance since she began taking classes at 3 years old. She trained at Florida School for Dance Education and performed with Dance Theater of Florida for many years, and through that developed her passion for teaching the next generation of dancers. Carly holds a degree in Early Childhood Education, and has trained in the Vaganova ballet syllabus program. She has earned her Florida Childcare Professional Credential as well as her Directors Credential. Carly adores working with children and helping them learn, grow and develop a love for dance.
Kenny Easter
Guest Artist
Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Kenny received his professional training in San Francisco and at the Boston Ballet. He has had a diverse ballet career, having danced for Boston Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. Kenny has performed with the San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Ballet Arizona. In 2003 he joined the American Ballet Theatre, and his repertory with the company includes the Young Soldier in The Green Table, and leading roles in Drink to Me Only Thine Eyes, Sechs Tanze, and Sinfonietta, and Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison. Kenny has served as a guest teacher all over the U.S. and internationally and serves on faculty at the ABT Summer Program. He enjoys working with young dancers and seeks out opportunities to teach and choreograph, nurturing new talent.
Lauren Bell-Borro
Musical Theater
Ms. Bell-Borro has extensive experience in dance and musical theater. She performed with The Wick Theater & Museum Club, Palm Beach Dramaworks and Actors' Playhouse. She has a Master of Science Degree in the Entertainment Business from Full Sail University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
.JPG)
Leah Landau
Tap
Leah Landau grew up in Raleigh, NC in the worlds of competition dance, theater, and gymnastics. After gathering a BFA in Musical Theatre from NYU/Tisch/CAP21 Leah performed in regional theaters all around the country. Favorite credits include Nine (Westchester Broadway Theatre), Singin’ In The Rain (North Shore Music Theatre), CATS (PCLO), and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Off Broadway). In 2017 Leah married her husband Tracy and they moved to Florida, welcoming their daughter Haddison into the world in 2018. As a dance teacher Leah has enjoyed working with a variety of students including at NYU and StarStruck where she teaches Jazz, Musical Theater, Tap, and choreographs shows. Outside of the dance studio Leah can be found singing with the families of Ms. Tracie’s Music Together. She loves to inspire all of her students from newborns to teenagers with the joy and confidence that comes with the creative arts.
Lyndsay Turner
Jazz
Ms. Turner’s professional dance training began at the New England Dance Conservatory in Massachusetts. She has performed with Pittsburgh Ballet, Albany Berkshire Ballet, and Hartford Ballet. After graduating from University of New Hampshire, she performed as a dancer and stilt performer with Walt Disney World Entertainment. While at Disney, she became a Staging Specialist and ESQ Specialist, which made her responsible for the “entertainment show quality” of live shows and events. She has collaborated with Broadway affiliates, ABC Productions, MTV Productions, and the Disneyland Entertainment team throughout her teaching career. Projects included the Walt Disney Christmas Parade Filming, Daytona 500 opening ceremony, Tarzan Rocks, Festival of the Lion King, Main Street Trolley Show, Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade, and the opening team of Finding Nemo the Musical. As an AFAA certified group fitness instructor, Lyndsay also teaches adult fitness classes, Zumba, Barre, and is a certified Pilates Instructor with Pilates Life. Lyndsay and her husband, Josh, have two daughters, Kherrington and Katherine, who are dancers with Dance Theater of Florida.
Maria Hernandez Cordoba
Hip Hop
Maria Hernandez began her dance training in 2010 at the age of sixteen in West Palm Beach, Florida at Sean’s Dance Factory under the direction and training of Sean Green. In 2012 she became a Hip Hop instructor at Spotlight of Wellington, and shortly after became an instructor at Sean’s Dance Factory. Her training and dance experience have led her to come up with her own distinctive style of Hip Hop, believing that dance is an art form of expression and a lifestyle. She has performed on productions at the Broward Performing Arts Center, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, and was featured her own piece at the choreographer’s showcase in Miami. You might have seen her as a backup dancer for James Cove, and dancing on stage with Sugarhill Gang. She remains a continuous student training with some of the top choreographers in the Hip Hop community such as Dondraico ‘Draico’ Johnson, Ellen Kim, Jillian Meyers, Marty Kudelka, Dexter Carr, Chris Grant, Chuck Maldonado, Aisha Francis, Kevin Maher, Nick DeMoura, and many more. Her training has allowed her not only to perform but also to train and direct her students onto the World of Dance competition, never forgetting the main elements of Hip Hop to be the base of their elaborate pieces of competition and performance. Maria believes that her love for dance can be spread and can help dancers of all ages grow and develop their craft with strong self-confidence, allowing them to build their passion and follow their dreams.
Maxey Bormuth
Children's Division
Maxey received her BFA in Dance from Florida State University. She graduated from A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and danced with REACH Dance Theatre Collective. She attended summer training programs with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Thodos Dance Chicago and then continued her training at Florida State University and guest performed with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After college she lived in Chicago, Illinois performing for freelance projects, outreach in the Chicago public schools and professional dance companies: Chicago Verge Dance Company, Esoteric Dance Project, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Piel Morena Contemporary Dance and Tapestry Dance Company. Maxey toured to Queretaro, Mexico with Piel Morena Contemporary Dance to perform at “Encuentro Danza Contempanea”. Maxey then returned home to South Florida and has since performed at “Project Dance” in Orlando, Florida with Tapestry Dance Company. Maxey is also a certified 200 RYT yoga instructor and a member of the Yoga Alliance. She has the privilege and joy of teaching dance and yoga in the local community.
Shizu Yasuda
Contemporary
Ms. Yasuda is a passionate choreographer, dance educator, and dance coach. She moved to Florida in 2022 to join the dance department of Palm Beach Atlantic University as an adjunct professor. Before she moved to FL, she was a long-time member of Ad Deum Dance Company, where she danced as the company’s principal dancer and served as the artistic director of Ad Deum II, a professional/ professional training dance company. In 2011, she served as a coordinator and performer, conducting a fundraising dance concert called “Dancing for Hope” with Houston Ballet, Ad Deum Dance Company, and local artists to raise money for the Japan Tsunami Relief Fund.
As a choreographer, she has enjoyed working with young artists of multiple levels, including professional dancers in the Houston dance community and across the US. Her works were commissioned by institutes and companies such as Belhaven University, Vitacca Ballet Houston, Atlanta Professional Dance Academy, Movements In Time Dance Artistry, and Ad Deum Dance Company. Ms. Yasuda was also selected as a choreographer for Houston Choreographer x 6 in 2019.
After she resigned from the artistic director position of Ad Deum II, she began coaching and choreographing young dancers in contemporary and ballet who compete in the Regionals and Grand Finals of the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the World Ballet Competition(WBC), the Universal Ballet Competition (UBC), and the semi-final of the Prix de Lausanne. Her students have achieved elite awards in these competitions, including the Outstanding Ensemble Award in the Grand Prix Final of UBC 2022 and the Grand Final and gala at the 1st Asian Youth Grand Prix 2022 in China.
As a dance educator, she has also enjoyed teaching Modern, Contemporary, and Ballet classes at dance institutes such as Vitacca Vocational School for Dance, Mitsi Dancing School, Payne Dance Academy, and Houston Ballet Academy Summer Dance Intensive. She is an American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum certified teacher and a recipient of the ABT Facilitated Teacher Award 2018-2020. She obtained an MFA degree in choreography at Jacksonville University in 2024.
Susan Freedman Londoner
Ballet
Susan Freedman Londoner (Susie) studied ballet at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet for 10 years. She began her professional ballet career at The Geneva Ballet Company in Geneva Switzerland under the directorship of New York City Ballet’s Principal Ballerina Patricia Neary and George Balanchine. At the age of 18, Susie was chosen by George Balanchine to join The New York City Ballet with whom she danced from 1974-1986. Ms. Londoner performed in over 40 Balanchine Ballets, as well as numerous Jerome Robbins Ballets. She lived in Israel for eight years and taught at the Israel Ballet, as well as many other schools throughout Israel. Susie was responsible for bringing George Balanchine back to Israel after an absence of seventeen years, and as a Repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, set George Balanchine’s Masterpiece “Serenade” on the Israel Ballet. Ms. Londoner has first-hand knowledge of The Balanchine Technique from her years of studying with teachers at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet, and her many years as a dancer working every day with the New York City Ballet under the direction of Mr. Balanchine. Susie continues to spread her direct knowledge, appreciation of the Balanchine Technique, the importance of musicality, and love for ballet with all of her students. Susie is delighted to be working with the students of Dance Theater of Florida.
Toni Lipscher
Jazz
Ms Lipscher began her dance education in Homestead, Florida. While a student there she participated in Miss Dance of Florida finishing in the top 10. From there she attended Florida State University where she danced for the Golden Girls and was voted Captain by her peers. In 1988, she was selected by College Dance Championship board to perform in the Opening Number. After college, she danced with the Miami Heat Dancers (captain, 1 year), the Eagles Cheerleaders (chosen to be in the video, NFL’s Hottest Cheerleaders, and the New Jersey Nets. She has also danced with Xanadu Dance Company. Toni has taught Hip Hop and Jazz at Atlantic Arts Academy and is proud to be a current member of REACH Dance Company and thrilled to be a teacher at Dance Theater of Florida.