MEET OUR VOLUNTEERS

Jenna Galien

Holland, MI

Jenna Galien is from Holland, Michigan, and has been dancing since the age of three. She has taken ballet for 16 years and some other dance styles such as jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop. Jenna danced at a local studio in my hometown and was a member of my high school's varsity dance team for four years. Currently, she is a Dance Studies major at Central Michigan University as well as a teacher's assistant at a dance studio. She is so excited to be part of this program and she can’t wait to share my passion for dance with others.

Alexis Valbuena

Yorba Linda, CA

Alexis Valbuena has experience in both classical ballet and other non-classical styles of dance. She is currently a rising freshman at Point Park University, where she hopes to receive her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Modern. She hopes to inspire the younger generation to love dance as much as she does.

Tanvi Mavuri

Bangalore, India

Tanvi Mavuri is a young 16 year old ballerina who learned to be herself in the dance world by being unique. She lived in South Korea and New Zealand, pursuing Vaganova and RAD before moving to Bangalore where she currently is learning ballet at the TLFCB. She is a dance model aspiring to be a cardio thoracic surgeon.

Sabrina Sierens

Clinton Twp., MI

Sabrina Sierens has been in love with ballet since she was two. After dancing for 13 years, Sabrina is now 15 and still expanding her training with experience through the Joffrey Ballet (2019), Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive (2020/2021), and the Youth American Grand Prix Finals (2019/2020). Sabrina’s ballet foundation comes from the Cecchetti Council of America ballet method as a Grade VI student. Today, Sabrina trains with the Macomb Ballet Company and is looking to continue her passions beyond high school.

Mckaia Spangenberg

CA

McKaia has danced with Joffrey Ballet, Logrea Dance Academy in New York, and Splitz Dance Academy in California. She loves to spread her love for dance and spread smiles to everyone. She is truly passionate about dance and teaching and is excited to work with everyone.

Isabel Zapata

Dallas, TX

Isabel Zapata began her dance training at Contemporary Ballet Dallas, where she would later join the Youth Ballet company. She is a recent graduate of The Hockaday School, and she performed with Hockaday Dance Theater during her time in high school. At both CBD and Hockaday, she has had the opportunity to perform roles in Clara’s Dream, Cinderella, Variations, Tarantella, and Peter Pan, to name a few. She has also attended several summer training programs with The Jillana School, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School, which allowed her to travel to Italy. She is currently preparing to move to Maryland to attend Towson University to study dance and political science.

Abby Nagy

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Abby Nagy is a sophomore at Central Michigan University. She is studying dance and business and hopes to open her own dance studio one day. She has been dancing since the age of two and I am currently training in ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. She loves teaching and adores working with kids. She is outgoing, easy to talk to, and super excited to start classes in June.

Annabelle Hulbert

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Annabelle loves to dance and she has danced for 9 years, with the pronouns are she/they. She loves to watch movies; her current favorite movie is Ocean's 11. Annabelle also loves to read comic books and is starting to build a collection of them. She is from Michigan, and I do both ballet and contemporary dance.

Maria Hogle

Commerce Township, MI

Maria is a high school student that lives in Michigan. She has been doing dance for ten years in all styles and is currently a rhythmic gymnast. In her free time, she likes to draw, watch tv, and stretch.

Melinda Matticoli

Skillman, NJ

Melinda Matticoli (she/her/hers) is a dancer and choreographer from Skillman, New Jersey. Melinda was part of Broadway Dance Center’s Online Choreography Program and has trained with the Radio City Rockettes and Ballet West Academy, to name a few. This summer, she will be attending The Princeton Ballet School Summer Intensive in New Jersey and The Joffrey Pre-Professional Jazz and Contemporary Summer Intensive in New York City. Melinda is excited to be training at BDCCTP next year in New York City.

Tessa Gourdin

Mauritius

Tessa has been dancing ballet for 19 years. She passed all RAD grades and she is currently studying the Intermediate Syllabus. She regularly takes part in online dance events like international competitions, workshops, shows. Furthermore, she passed her dance teacher training program with distinction and she is now a certified dance teacher! Also, she works with kids in artistic gymnastics, helping them to build a strong base through ballet.

Maddie Demos

Dublin, OH

Maddie Demos is a pre-professional dancer for CDA in Columbus, Ohio. There is nothing more that she loves than being able to spread her love and ambition that she hold for dance to others. She has worked with kids for many years, both in and out of the dance studio, and she really value every conversation and engagement she has with who she has helped. She is looking forward to being able to meet everyone and I believe that people, of all ages, should be given the opportunity to dance.

Katherine Raymond

Rochester Hills, MI

Katherine love ballet and she has been danced for as long as she can remember and know that she will keep dancing for the rest of her life. The idea of being able to share my love for ballet with new dancers makes her endlessly happy- and she can't wait to get started!

Grace Hospenthal

Bolingbrook, IL

Grace Hospenthal loves to dance and contemporary is her favorite genre. She is a Shades of Ballet Ambassador as well as a Jump VIP and Ash Apprentice Scholarship Winner .

Elaine Shi

Greensboro, NC

Elaine is a high school student that has a passion for performing arts. She is here to spread her love of creativity and changing the world giving everyone an equal opportunity!