The Ballet Arts Academy at the Old Waldorf School

Brandye Lee, Master Teacher, Yopilates
Brandye Lee is co-founder of B2 Movement for Change, a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. For several years she was a featured dancer in the national Gazelle Tour of Disney’s Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, The Lion King. In addition to performing, she served as the company’s outreach coordinator, tailoring special “behind-the-scenes” events for diverse audiences throughout the country. She has an ongoing guest artist relationship with The Dance Theater of Lynchburg, directed by Keith Lee, as well as Collage Dance Collective, directed by Kevin Thomas in New York City. Ms. Lee is currently a faculty member at her dance alma mater, the newly named Jones-Haywood School of Dance, and she has been a judge for the Washington Post Music and Dance Scholarship Awards.

Tracy and Paula Kirkham, Instructors, Ballroom Dance
Tracy R. Kirkham (originally from Utah) and Paula A. Kirkham (from California) began their ballroom dance education in 1986 while attending Brigham Young University, a school recognized nationally and internationally for American Social and International Style Ballroom curriculum as well as their award winning formation ballroom dance teams. The BYU Standard and Latin formation teams compete nationally and internationally—winning the U.S. Formation Championships consecutively since 1982 as well as being the first Americans to win the prestigious British Formation Championships, a feat repeated an unprecedented ten times.

While performing as members of the BYU Ballroom Dance Company from 1987-1990, Mr. & Mrs. Kirkham trained in Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels of American and International styles, including International Standard (Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep), International Latin (Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive) and American Smooth and Rhythm, including Swing, West Coast Swing, Mambo, Two Step, and New York Hustle. They received high honors on all adjudicated medal exams associated with these courses. While touring with the BYU Ballroom Company, they performed in the U.S., Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia. They also competed separately and together in amateur Dancesport events in Utah, California, and Idaho.

After an absence from the dance studio (as the parents of seven children), they have dusted off their dance shoes and are excited to partner with the Ballet Arts Academy at the Old Waldorf School in offering Southern Maryland an experience in social dance instruction. Their first session will offer a beginning level experience in Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Waltz, and Swing.

Sherry Santana, Instructor, Pre-Ballet
Sherry Santana studied theater and mime with dance components at Towson University and Ball State University. She has performed at King’s Dominion and with the College of Southern Maryland Theatre Company, Port Tobacco Players, Tantallon Community Players, Hard Bargain Players and the Chesapeake Bay Floating Theatre Company. Her performances include:

Alligators, Same Time, Next Year, A Doll House, Tartuffe, Lend Me a Tenor, The Miss Firecracker Contest, No Sex Please-We’re British, The Trip to Bountiful, The Mousetrap, Nightwatch, The Miracle Worker, Bye, Bye Birdie, Oliver, and Mame.

Ms. Santana has directed Driving Miss Daisy, Lady Be good, 6 Rms Rv Vu, and several one-acts. In addition to acting and directing she has conducted mime and stage makeup workshops for high school and community theater groups and has served as acting coach for students of the Santana Studio of Music and Drama.

Ms. Santana continues to broaden her professional talents with her ongoing interest in teaching dance, mime and the theatrical arts to students, most recently studying and mastering the Pre-Ballet syllabus which is used at the Ballet Arts Academy for the training of our youngest dancers in the Pre-Ballet program. It is the goal of the BAA to guide all students to be technically skilled as well as expressive and artistic individuals and Ms. Santana’s expertise in these areas guarantees that result as our youngest dancers progress through the levels of training.