About Us

South Florida Dance Company is the newest dance training facility on the treasure coast. Classes are available for students ages 3 years through adult.

Our mission statement

To offer all individuals the ability to receive formal top quality dance instruction unlike anywhere else on the Treasure Coast.

 

Our Instructors

Brian Spector: Executive Director

                           Adv. Jazz and Lyrical/Contemporary Instructor

Brian Spector is very excited to open a new studio on the Treasure Coast. Mr. Brian holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Florida International University. He moved to Florida after studying dance extensively throughout New York and at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He has taught dance throughout South Florida for the past twelve years and has been the director of the Port St. Lucie High School Dance Department since 1999. Mr. Brian prides himself on the success of many former students. His past students have received full scholarships to prestigious colleges, entrance into highly competitive dance and musical theater college programs, employment with ballet companies as well as performance careers with Walt Disney World. He is pleased  to be able to use  South Florida Dance Company to help many more students pursue successful careers in dance.

 

 

Camilo A. Rodriguez: Fall Director of Ballet

  
Camilo trained at Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, and The Eric Hawkins Dance Company. He has performed with Eglevsky Ballet, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Mark Morris (The Hard Nut), Ballets Grandiva, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Guestings at Dances Patrelle, North Star Ballet (Fairbanks, AK), Ballet Arts (Minneapolis)  and Albany Berkshire Ballet. His teaching experience includes:  faculty positions at Virginia Ballet Theatre and Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. Camilo has also taught master classes at Virginia School of the Arts and Bucknell University. His expertise include: Ballet, Pointe, Men’s Technique, Pas de Deux and Modern (Hawkins Based). In 1999 he became Pilates certified at The Pilates Studio in NYC by Romana Kryzanowska and Bob Liekens, and Sari Mejia and has taught Pilates at Ultimate Body Studio NYC, Uptown Pilates NYC, Real Pilates NYC, Power House Norfolk, VA (Co-Owner), Governor's School for the Arts VA, JCC and YMCA Norfolk, VA. We welcome Camilo as he begins his first year teaching  with SFDC and we are excited to have him as part of our outstanding team!

Caroll Dodd: Past Director of Ballet and Guest Instructor

Ms. Dodd received her ballet training at the School of American Ballet in New York. She performed with the New York City Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet. She danced with the North Carolina Dance Theater. There she was featured in such Ballanchine Ballets as Concerto Borrocco, Valse Fantasy and Allegro Brilliante. Ms. Dodd began her teaching career as Ballet Mistress for the Richmond Ballet in Virginia. She later became a licensed physical therapist assistant and worked with Health South and Sheltering Arms Hospitals. There she assisted in the rehabilitation of both in-patient and out-patient orthopedics. She specialized in spine stabilization, dancers injuries and womens health issues. She went on to become certified in Pilates for rehab and post-rehab through the Polestar Neuromuscular Education System. In total, Ms. Dodd has taught all level of Ballet for 20 years and has been a Pilates instructor for 10 years.

 

Loretta Miller: Guest Ballet Insructor

Loretta Miller, former soloist of the Boston Ballet, will be the ballet director for South Florida Dance Company’s summer intensive. She has had a professional career spanning more than 20 years as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Before she began performing professionally, she studied with the American Ballet in New York. City.  She has held faculty positions at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Santa Fe Community College and the University of Florida. She is presently the Artistic Director at Florida Arts and Dance Company in Stuart, Florida. Loretta is thrilled to be able to give back to our community this great art form that she loves so completely.

 

Tom Ciaramitaro: Hip-hop Instructor

Tom Ciaramitaro has taught Hip-hop for over seven years and has trained with some of the most prestigious names in the industry. He has worked with top choreographers Mia Michaels, Laurie Ann Gibson, Wade Robson, Shane Sparks and Brian Freidman. In addition to Tom’s dance ability, he has also taught gymnastics, cheerleading and martial arts throughout South Florida. Tom is excited to bring his teaching ability to South Florida Dance Company.

 

 

 

 

 

   

Genevieve La Gratta: Tap Instructor

                                   Instructor for all Beginning Ballet through Ballet I

  Genevieve La Gratta brings almost forty years of dance education and executive directorship to South Florida Dance Company.  Her drive and vision in serving special needs children through the art of dance is unique and exemplary.  We are thrilled to have her bring her expertise in Tap to our students at SFDC.

                                                                            

 

                                     

 

Steve Zimmerman- Hoofing Tap Instructor

 

Originally from New York, Steve Zimmerman received his Bachelor Degree in Music Education and Fine Arts at Delaware State University. He continued his education at Ohio State University where he received his MA. and PhD in Fine Arts Education. Steve then went on to play  percussions for the Broadway Show The Tap Dance Kid  where he later landed a lead role(Uncle Dempsey). His Broadway performance career also includes: Black and Blue, Jelly’s Last Jam, One O’clock Jump and Bring in the Noise Bring in the Funk. Steve was also a principal dancer in the Tri-Star Movie TAP staring Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. Steve has opened shows for Luther Vandrous, Janet Jackson, Gladys Knight and the Pips and Gregory Hines. We are excited to have someone of Steve’s caliber join our team!

                                                                               

 

Anna Preston- Modern Instructor

 

Anna has performed throughout the United States and in Europe. Besides having her own Contemporary Dance company, Anna Preston & Dancers (choreographer, artistic director) credits include Florida Atlantic University Dance Theatre (artistic director, performer), Morse Donaldson and Company (performer), Demetrius Klein and Dancers (founding member, rehearsal director, performer), and Walt Disney World, Orlando, (performer, staging specialist). Performance highlights include TV appearances (Morse Donaldson and Dancers), "Florida Dances" in Montpellier, France, shared concert with Mia Michaels dance company, "Ocean Dances 2000", a joint concert with Mikhail Baryshnikov and his White Oak Dance project, (Demetrius Klein and Dancers) and making magic in the parades and shows of Walt Disney World, Orlando. Most Recently Anna collaborated choreographically with Aerial Experience Productions of Los Angeles and Milan for a contemporary/ aerial dance for Soaring and was commissioned for the closing event of ZoraFest.  Anna created Jump at de Sun for the event, an hour long dance theatre piece that paired professional dance artists with community youth allowing the teens to work alongside the professionals. Her company also appeared in Modern at the Modern in Ft. Worth TX on a mixed bill that included companies and solo artists from all over the United States. Committed to education, Ms. Preston has given master classes throughout the United States and was previously on staff at Palm Beach Community College, Palm Beach Atlantic University and Klein Dance Inc. Ms Preston is a member of the Florida Dance Association and  board member for St Lucie Cultural Affairs.

 

 

 

Vincent Paradiso: Guest Ballet Instructor

 

Current featured performer with the New York City Ballet

 

Vincent entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in the fall of 1996. As a student, Mr. Paradiso performed in Peter Martins' Les Gentilhommes and The Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird) in SAB's annual spring workshop performances. In the spring of 2003, Mr. Paradiso performed in the corps of  Mr. Martins' Swan Lake as a guest artist with New York City Ballet, and in the fall of that same year he became an apprentice with the Company. Mr. Paradiso joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in the fall of 2004. Since joining New York City Ballet, Mr. Paradiso has performed a featured role in George Balanchine's George Balanchine's: The Nutcracker (Soldier), Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and La Sonnambula. He has also had a featured role in Richard Tanner's Episodes & Sarcasms and originated a corps role in Christopher Wheeldon's An American in Paris. Mr. Paradiso is a 2003 recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award. SFDC is grateful to have Vincent share his talents with our students.