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Instructors
LEA MOORE, Director, Instructor 
Mrs. Moore holds a Bachelor of Arts from George Mason University and has been
teaching since 1986. She is a professional dancer with a strong background in
jazz, lyrical, classical ballet, hip-hop, and tap. In August of 2006, Lea
was contacted by
Cirque du Soleil to provide a contemporary class to their dancers the day of their
show at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville!
Lea's professional performing career was featured with several top jazz and tap companies throughout the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia areas. Lea choreographed for and participated on dance teams in the NBA and the AFL (Arena Football League). As a choreographer, her work has won recognition in national competitions and featured in national benefit performances and several industrials throughout the East Coast. Lea choreographed and co-taught at an early age with lead instructors for major dance organizations in the United States including Dance Educators of America, Dance Masters of America, Dance Olympus, and Dance Caravan.
Lea has performed at many venues throughout her career. The scholarship pageant she performed with was asked to travel throughout England, Scotland and Wales by Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher in 1987, for which the group received special commendation from the Prime Minster herself. She has performed at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and the National Lighting of the White House Christmas Tree Celebration with Sherry Lewis and Johnny Mathis. She was also a featured dancer for the Hispanic Designers Fashion Gala & Benefit, a high-level fashion show in Washington that included top designers such as Oscar De La Renta, Carolina Herrera and Fernando Sanchez.
Additionally, she has choreographed and co-produced musical productions in public schools, and for six years was the choreographer of several productions for the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts in Williamsburg such as: Alice in Wonderland, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Brigadoon, Oliver, and the Wizard of Oz. Lea also has experience in modeling and print work, Hawaiian dance, and Martial Arts. Several of her students have become professional dancers with top companies and on Broadway.
Lea's training in jazz, tap and lyrical developed over the years through various instructors. Her classical ballet training was with Vaganova and Legatt techniques, nurtured by Sandra Balestracci of the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts (EVSPA).
TABITHA APPLE, Instructor (Jazz,
Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, Adult Fitness)
Tabitha holds a B.S. degree from James Madison University and is currently a Ph.D. student at The University of Virginia. She was the coach and choreographer for the University of Virginia Dance Team for two seasons, and judge/choreographer for high school dance teams along the East Coast.
Tabitha teaches jazz, tap, and hip-hop styles of dance for ages 9-Adult and has done so for the Boars Head Sport Club, The University of Virginia Aquatic & Fitness Center and most recently for Dance Explosion in Charlottesville, VA. Her specialty is in group/team oriented performance styles and her choreography ranges in fusions of hip-hop, jazz and pom with rock, pop, classical, contemporary and other expressive ideas. Tabitha’s instruction began in Stafford, VA where she received classical dance training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, and pointe from former Joffrey dancer Elizabeth Gauss and director Jan Williams. Early on, she realized her inclination toward group performances and related choreography as a captain and choreographer for her high school dance team, District & Regional Champion Varsity Cheerleader (both at NSHS), and performer and competitor for the nationally awarded JMU Dance Team, The Dukettes. Tabitha has received additional instruction though the Dance Department at JMU, through NDA, UDA and UCA summer intensive camps, and from instructors in Charlottesville, VA. She has performed at Walt Disney World’s Epcot, during the Presidential Inaugural Parade in 2000, and competed throughout VA, FL, and MD in competitions held by the National Dance Alliance and Universal Dance Association.
PATRICK (“PC”) FLEMING, Instructor (Ballroom)
PC is a PhD student in English literature at UVA. He began dancing as an undergraduate at Pomona College, in California, where he was a member of the collegiate national championship formation team. He now dances with the Ballroom Dance Club at UVA, and was captain of the formation team from 2007-2008. PC has been teaching dance since 2003, and enjoys all styles of partner dancing. PC and his partner, Lydia Rodriguez, compete in International style Latin and Standard, and regularly take lessons from Lydia Petrigova and Dan Calloway. PC and his partner Lydia participated in the 2008 Virginia Film Festival's Adrenaline Film Project movie, "Ballroom Boys."
JESSICA GEISLER, Instructor (Ballet and Conditioning)
Jessica
Geisler holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Biochemistry from
Duquesne University. She has seven years of experience as a ballet and jazz
instructor from the Pittsburgh, PA area. Jessica has studied and performed
with the prestigious
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre for six
years. She trained privately under the tulage of Marianne and Renee Irwin
and the Center for Theater Arts where she also participated in musicals such
as Grease and Footloose. She studied ballet and hip-hop at Point Park
University. Jessica is currently a graduate student at the University of
Virginia pursuing her PhD in Pharmacology and is continuing her training in
dance and furthering her skills in dance instruction with Lea Moore.
JOSUE JOSEPH, Instructor (Latin)
Josue is a classical pianist, music and film producer, and son of well known Mambo Legend Alfonso "El Panameno" - a bassist of the Palladium-era who recorded/performed with Tito Puente, Cachao, Arsenio Rodriguez, Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco. Taught in-part by his father, the musicality and the intricate, instrumental patterns of traditional Latin rhythms, Josue began teaching Latin dance privately focusing on traditional Mambo (in clave) and traditional Rumbero Cha-Cha-Cha (in clave). He currently is producing a Latin music film entitled "La Epoca - The Palladium Era." Endorsed by Mambo Dance Pioneer "Cuban Pete" and Mambo Influence Barbara Craddock, Palladium Mambo Legends Freddy Rios and Mike Ramos, and the late Mambo Dance Legend Andy Jerrick, Josue travels the globe teaching workshops showing the film and teaching dancers how to interpret, dance to train their ears in recognizing traditional Latin music such as the mambo, son-montuno, guajira, guajira-son and guaguanco rhythms.
TESSA NUNN, Instructor (Jazz, Ballet, Adult Fitness)
Tessa has been teaching ballet, creative movement, hip-hop, tap, musical theater, yoga and jazz since 2003 in the Charlottesville and Tidewater areas of Virginia . She is also an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America certified group fitness instructor. Tessa’s diverse dance training includes ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap, modern, contact improvisation, musical theater, historical social dances, belly dance, and character dance. Her primary training comes from the Chamber Ballet Institute for Dance in Williamsburg , where she was an instructor and member of the Robitshek Dance Ensemble’s touring company. Tessa performed in the L’Art de la Danse tour in various cities in Germany , and was a member of the Institute for Dance’s performing kick line for four years. She has also attended conventions and master classes with Frank Hatchett, Gennadi Vostrikov, Sandra Carlino, and Joan Lather. Tessa is currently a student at UVA pursuing a French and Education major with a minor in Dance and is a member of the Rhapsody Ballet Ensemble.
CANDRA PRESHONG, Instructor (Contemporary, Modern, Jazz)
Candra studied dance at Point Park College for 3 semesters then transferred to George Mason University complete her degree in Psychology. Her primary dance training was with Michelle Sarson, Mark Mejia and Linda Kintz. She possesses extensive training in jazz, lyrical, ballet and contemporary modern techniques and has been teaching since 2000. After forming her own professional contemporary company, Fusion Dance, along with Kellie Payne, she broadened her master teaching and choreographic skills to the pre-professional level with their company Impact Dance. Her pre-professional program allows the younger dancer the opportunity to achieve the highest level of technique and experience concert choreography. She has performed at the Lincoln Theater, the Lisner, the Jack Guidone, Ernst Cultural Center, and the Lang Theater.
MATT STEFFANINA, Instructor (Hip Hop and Breakdancing)
Matt began studying dance at age thirteen, focusing on the styles of hip hop and breakdancing. Since 2003, he has been an instructing locally at community centers, ACAC, Dance Explosion Studio, and the University of Virginia. His style combines many forms of hip hop such as popping, waving, gliding, krumping, and breaking. Recently he spent time training in Orlando, New York, and Los Angeles taking classes from Choreographers such as Dave Scott (You Got Served, Stomp the Yard), Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo (SYTYCD), Poppin' Pete (Michael Jackson), and Tucker Barkley (Janet Jackson). Additionally, Matt enjoys competing with his dance crew Xtasee, is a DJ and a Certified Personal Trainer at ACAC specializing in weight loss, strength training, and athletic conditioning.
CHELSEA VONU, Instructor (Ballet)
Chelsea grew up in Yorktown, Virginia and has been dancing since age four. She received her training from Sandra Balestracci at the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. She attended a summer program with the Orlando Ballet in 2004, and competed and placed in the Youth America Grand Prix in 2005 and 2006. She is currently a student at the University of Virginia majoring in Spanish and Environmental Science. Chelsea performs in productions through the dance program at UVA and Rhapsody Ballet Ensemble.
LORI WILSON, Instructor (Tap, Contemporary)
Lori holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance with a minor in entrepreneurial studies from Muhlenberg College. She has eight years of experience as an assistant and substitute instructor in Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, Ballet and Acrobatics from Rochester, NY. Lori has studied, performed and competed in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe and acrobatics. Lori continued her dance training and performing at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Here she performed in numerous concerts with the Muhlenberg Dance Association and was also a member of the Muhlenberg Ballet Ensemble and Copasetic Rhythms, the tap company. Lori also trained and performed at many conventions and workshops, including the American College Dance Festival and with the Joy of Motion Dance Project in Washington, DC. In 2004, she moved to Orlando, FL for employment with the Walt Disney World entertainment department. At Disney, Lori was a performer in various shows and parades along with additional work at the Disney-MGM Studios and the Magic Kingdom. Lori is currently a member of the Miki Liszt Modern Dance Company
in Charlottesville.