Faculty

Dario co-founded The Center for Contemporary Dance and has served as its Artistic Director since 2001. He is an educator, humanitarian, and award-winning artist. A former dancer with Ballethnic Dance Company in Atlanta, Mr. Moore holds an M.A. degree in Dance Education from American University and has taught dance of all disciplines at various colleges throughout Central Florida. Named Seminole County’s Artist of the Year in 2006, Mr. Moore also leads teacher workshops for the Florida Dance Educator Organization.

He has been featured locally on PBS Television, FOX News and the Daily Buzz Morning Talk Show; feature articles about Moore have appeared in the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Arts Magazine and Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine. In addition to overseeing CCD’s dance programs and performance companies, he directs U-Turn Dance Company and Moore Dance Project.

Jeré has been dancing for the past 24 years and has more than 8 years of experience in production and rehearsal management. She has been Rehearsal Director for Moore Dance Project for the past 3 years and is responsible for the scheduling of auditions, rehearsals, leading company classes and directing rehearsals as needed.

Ms. James trained under the direction of Joan Miller with the Palm Beach Ballet Center and attended Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s summer intensive program, where she was asked to join their second company, Ailey II. She decided to continue her education and received a B.A. from the University of Central Florida in International Business with a minor in Dance.

Dr. Margo Blake began training over 48 years ago. Her instructors included Lester Wilson, choreographer for “Saturday Night Fever,” and Michael Peters, choreographer for Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Thriller” videos, and the original Broadway production of “Dream Girls.” She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, and worked on the film “The Wiz.” She is a founding artist of the FreshStArts Program at Rollins College, and has owned two dance studios. Dr. Blake holds an H.D.D., B.S. and A.S. in Christian Education, an M.A.A.A. from Goucher College and a B.F.A. from Temple University.

Her dance education includes studies in Ghana, West Africa and Katherine Dunham’s Cultural Technique Seminars in St. Louis, MO. She has been a company member with the Bernice Johnson Dance Company and Arthur Hall’s Afro-American Dance Ensemble. Dr. Blake has served as an adjunct dance professor at Rollins College and Temple University. Notably, she was the first African-American female Associate Show Director for Walt Disney World Entertainment, training both choreographers and cast members for Festival of The Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Dr. Blake is a Teaching Artist for OCAE, FAAE and is been a guest Consultant in African dance for the Clark County School District’s Equity & Diversity Dept. in Las Vegas, NV.

Ms. Gale received her BA from Florida State University where she majored in theater and dance. She has studied dance in its many forms from ballet, jazz and tap to African, modern/contemporary and ballroom. Ms. Gale has had the opportunity to take classes with Robert Joffery, Arthur Mitchell, Robert Barnett, Luigi, Al Gilbert, Reginald Yates, Myles Thoroughgood and Pamela Bolling, just to name a few. Students will see the influence of Gus Giordano and Bob Fosse in her jazz style as well. Ms. Gale owned her own performing arts studio outside of Tallahassee for 19 years prior to moving to Orlando, and taught jazz for the Summer Intensive at Orlando Ballet for 9 years. Although dance in its many forms has been a primary focus of Ms. Gale’s work and interest, she is also an actor, artist, writer and poet. Her articles and poetry have been published nationally in dance magazines with cover articles about Ballet Legend Fernando Bujones featured in Dance Teacher Magazine in 2000 and Dancer Magazine in 2003.

Dawn Branch is a native New Yorker and a graduate of the world-renowned LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts. She holds a BA in Media & Communications from State University at Old Westbury and is DEA Certified Level II. Ms. Branch was a soloist with the Bernice Johnson Dance Company and was a scholarship student with the Alvin Ailey American Dance School. She studied under the guidance of Mde. Darvarsh, Penny Frank, Denise Jefferson, Kevin Austin Hunt and Kevin Iega Jeff, the founder and artistic director of the Chicago-based Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre and artist-in-residence for Howard University’s dance major program.

Ms. Branch co-choreographed with Michael Peters (choreographer for Michael Jackson) for “On Stage America,” performed with Ben Vereen at Avery Fisher Hall in New York and performed with Diana Ross at Central Park, also in New York. She was the rehearsal director for The Chocolate Nutcracker (Orlando, FL) performed with Moore Dance Project (operating out of The Center for Contemporary Dance in Winter Park, FL), and is the Founder and President of Dawn Branch Master Dance Series & Performances.

Ingrid Ferrer-Lozano, professional dancer, choreographer and dance educator has been teaching and inspiring students for over 25 years. She specializes in the Vaganova Method and holds a Masters of Education in Dance & Theater from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. Ingrid studied professionally at Harkness Ballet School in New York, Atlanta Ballet, Caracas Ballet in Venezuela, and was awarded a scholarship at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada.

She has danced professionally with companies in the United States, South America, Europe, Canada and the National Classical Ballet Company in Mexico City. She has served as director/owner/ballet mistress of professional companies, dance centers and dance divisions at private and public schools, universities and professional companies.

Craig W. Johnson has more than 15 years of experience in arts management, arts marketing, fundraising and event production. A graduate of Rollins College, his philosophies in arts administration have been featured in university textbooks, international magazines, and local newspapers. Johnson co-founded The Center for Contemporary Dance and has served as its Executive Director since 2001; Creative Director for U-Turn Dance Company in Washington, DC (1994-2001); Development Director for the Little Red Theatre in New Jersey (1990-1994). He has served as a consultant for several Florida arts organizations, including Nao Dance, Emotions Dance Company, the Asian Cultural Association, Yow Dance, DRIP and Patelworks Dance Theater.

He is the co-founder of the Florida Dance Education Forum, which ensures quality dance programming at the public school level. As Executive Director, Johnson has successfully launched partnerships and produced major projects with more than 50 Florida organizations, including the Orange County Arts Education Center, United Arts of Central Florida, the Orlando Public Library System, the Osceola Center for the Arts, Rollins College, Bethune-Cookman University and dozens of local public schools.

A former professional ballet dancer with Boston Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Arizona, Ms. Shulman has been teaching ballet and modern dance for more than a decade. She was a student of Magda Aunon in Ft. Lauderdale, FL before attending the State University of New York at Purchase, where she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance.

In 2000, Ms. Shulman left the stage to focus on teaching the next generation of aspiring professional dancers. In addition to private instruction and coaching, Ms. Shulman was on the faculty of Miami City Ballet and was a professor with Florida International University’s Department of Dance. She has taught at several notable dance schools in South Florida and is a frequent guest of the Florida Dance Masters Association, serving as both an adjudicator and master teacher for their annual conventions.

Jennia Shanley is a dance educator, choreographer and performer. She has over twenty years of training and educational experience. Ms. Shanley graduated Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Dance from Florida State University. There she studied with internationally celebrated artists including Gerri Houlian, Dan Wagoner, Anthony Morgan, Lynda Davis and Suzanne Farrell. After graduation, Ms. Shanley performed with Staib Dance in Atlanta, GA. Originally from Chattanooga, TN, Ms. Shanley honed her passion for dance under the direction of Karen Smith at Baylor School. Professionally, Ms. Shanley returned to Baylor as a member of the dance faculty. She was also on faculty at Ballet Tennessee and was a guest artist at various schools and organizations in Chattanooga. Additionally, Ms. Shanley owns Ascension Dance, LLC which brings exciting dance education to early childhood learning centers.

Through dance education and performance, Mrs. Shanley creates a learner-centered environment where students are both challenged and inspired. She believes dance is an enriching medium for physical, intellectual and artistic growth. This is Ms. Shanley’s first year with The Center for Contemporary Dance, and she looks forward to an invigorating year within the dance community.

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon!

Marsha Montgomery has studied, taught, performed, and choreographed in Florida for many years. Locally, she has appeared in productions with Southern Ballet Theater, Ballet Orlando, The Orlando Opera and numerous musical theater groups. In 1985, she founded The Abba Dancers and was ensemble’s artistic director for 12 years. During that time she was resident choreographer for The Dance Arts Center of Melbourne, owned and directed The Ballet School, taught for several dance schools, special interest groups, and for the Morning Star School, teaching children with special needs in an after school program. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and resides in Longwood with her husband.

Mila Makarova continues a strong family dance tradition. After receiving her initial training from her parents Nikolai, Bolshoi trained star of the famed Don Cossack Chorus, and Juanita, who performed for Michel Fokine in New York in the 1940s, Mila continued her studies at the North Carolina School of the Arts and later with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. During her career, she has performed principal and soloist roles with many of the leading choreographers of our day. Among her favorites are Ann Reinking, Lar Lubovitch, Claire Bataille, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Randy Duncan, Frank Chaves, Pattie Obey, Andre’ George, Wayne Bascomb, Ze’eva Cohen and Dwight Rhoden.

Lily Vi has trained in Latin ballroom, modern, and various hip-hop and jazz styles. She received her professional training at the University of South Florida in ballet, modern and Latin ballroom. She also performed with Moore Dance Project and various artists including Salera, Group 1 Crew, and Martha Munizzi. In 2011, Lily Vi joined Studio One Dance Company and had contributed tremendously ever since. In 2012, she was selected to intern at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, where she received further technical training.