Ms. Xiao Yun Li
Artistic Director
Ms. Xiao-Yun Li was the formal Director of Shanghai Ballet Theaterand the Artistic Director of Shanghai Dance Troupe. She is also a first class Choreographer conferred by the government of China. In 1987, she adopted a brand new performing style and choreographed "Golden Dance & Silver Ornament". This performance notched up the level of Shanghai Dance Troupe and brought Ms. Li the "Highest Achievement in Art" award from the Shanghai municipal government. In recent years, her work includes "Rose," "Spring Rain," "Straw Hat,” "Beauty Song,” "Little Mouse," "Peacock," and "Rain." She received medals in the Best Choreography category in the American Dance Award Competition (ADA) in 2009. Among those dances, the "Straw Hat" and the "Peacock" had helped Li's Ballet win their semi-finals in YAGP in New York in 2015 and 2016.
Sophy Zhao
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sophy started her training at the age of 5 at Li's Ballet Studio. During summers, she trained at Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive. In New York, Sophy Zhao was a dancer for Arim Dance Company and the Second Avenue Dance Company. She was also a dancer in Grammy award-winning violinist
Miri Ben Ari's latest music video, Quiet Storm. She graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Anthropology. While at Tisch, she had the opportunity to perform works by Sean Curran, Pamela Pietro, and Paul Taylor. She also spent a summer studying in Berlin, Germany and worked with renowned dancers and choreographers including Johannes Weiland, Ayman Harper, Meg Stuart, Judith Sánchez Ruiz, and Dominique Duszynski. She was also a dancer in South Coast Repertory’s production of the Tony-Awarding winning play, M. Butterfly. Sophy's choreography has won several awards at competitions including 3rd place at YAGP 2022 Regionals and top 24 at YAGP 2021 National Finals. Her solo choreographies have also placed top twelve at multiple YAGP competitions.
Dasha Tertova
Growing up in the heart of Russian Ballet world over the years she has worked with companies such as Moiseyev Ballet, Ballet RATI, Ballet Moscow and Riverdance Company. Dasha also became known in Europe as a principal dancer and actress in world famous productions like "Cats", "Romeo & Juliet", "CHICAGO", "Burn the floor", and more. She received her degree in Choreography from one of the oldest and most renowned art and dance programs in the world - Russian Academy of Theatre Arts GITIS. After graduation she continued her career first in the EU and then in the US. Today Dasha is a professor at one of the renowned dance programs in the country - American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA LA) and is also part of the faculty at Orange County School of the Arts. Known as a great educator and mentor she travels the world and country in search for the next up & coming dance stars, teaches at dance festivals and conventions all across the US (LAB Dance Convention, HSDF etc.) Her professional credits include work with: Madonna, Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Cirque Du Soleil (MJ), MTV Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Pharrell , Daft Punk, etc.
Roberto Almaguer
A native of Cuba, Artistic Director and Ballet Teacher, Roberto started studying Ballet at the age of 9. He graduated in 1984 and toured Europe and Latin America under the leadership and direction of Fernando Alonso, the father of the Cuban Ballet. In 1989 he became a Soloist with National Ballet of Cuba under Alicia Alonso, after winning 2 Gold Medals in International Ballet Competitions. He came to the United States in 1994 and became a Principal Dancer with Cleveland San Jose Ballet and Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, State Street Ballet, Los Angeles Opera and other dance companies. He has been a featured dancer in TV and Opera. He has danced nearly every major role of the Classical repertoire in Ballet. In 2004 was invited by Placid Domingo and the LA Opera to choreograph Queen of Spades in Madrid for the Teatro Real performed by Mr. Domingo and Tatiana Obratsova along with other world Opera singers. He is a staff member of the "Extreme Ballet" summer sessions at the Kaatsbaan, NY since 2005 where he works every summer with Kevin McKenzie and Martine Van Hamel, American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director and former Prima Ballerina respectively, and other ABT members. He has been a Guest teacher at Lis Ballet since 2005.
Hilary Pawlik
Hilary Morris-Pawlik, is a dancer, teacher and award-winning choreographer. She is originally from Denver, Colorado where she began her journey into the world of dance studying at various schools including The Michelle Latimer's Dance Academy. She moved to Los Angeles after being rewarded with a scholarship at The Dance Center (formerly Tremaine), then went on to train in New York at Steps On Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Some of her professional credits include: The Young and the Restless, CBS's Smith, Jackass Number 2, the NBA All-Star Dance Team, The Hollywood PinUp Girls, Terry Beeman's Mental Head Circus, and commercials for Target, Old Spice, Sparkle Paper Towels, Pepsi, Party Poker.Net, San Miguel, and more. Her choreography credits include: The Surrogates, Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, Later Days, Tinashe's Who Am I Working For? music video, the CBS pilot A Marriage, Showtime's television series Look, TBS's The Librarians, and Drive A's The World In Shambles music video
Stanislav Tsoy
Dancer, choreographer, model, and actor. Stanislav has over 15 years of teaching experience in Italy, India, Sri Lanka, and Russia. He has worked as a choreographer of the international dance show, "Heart of Storm," the short films, "4 Sides of Love" and "An Attempt to Escape, "the circus show, "Amphibian Man," and TV commercials for LG, IQ0S, MAC, VISA. He has also worked as a performer and actor for TV and music videos, including "Measure of Love" a music video by Crimson Edge, The Ellen Show (guest performer), "Rebels" a music video by Call Me Karizma, movie "Bolshoi" 2017 by Valeriy Todorovskiy, "Feel The Difference" music video, etc. Stanislav is a winner of multiple dance competitions, including "Russian Dance Sensation", "FAM YOUR CHOREO", "INSIDE Dance Festival*, "Generation I, "STAGE IV", "MOVING STAR" etc. He is a creator of “Shake It Out," one of the leading dance companies in Russia. Stanislav studied at the College of Arts in Russia. He is recently based in LA.
Sheila Gonzalez
Miss. Sheila Gonzalez was trained as a dancer and ballet instructor at the National Ballet School of Havana, Cuba. In 2008 she graduated and immediately became a faculty member of this prestigious institution. She received classes at the Cuban Television Ballet, where she was involved with new styles of dances like tap, modern dance, and folkloric dances. In 2011 Miss. Gonzalez was asked to provide professional services as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In 2013 Miss. Gonzalez returned to Cuba and started dancing and teaching at Pro-Danza Cuban Ballet Company under Laura Alonso's artistic direction where she performed "Swan lake" and "Dracula". After moving to Los Angeles, Sheila Gonzalez joined Li's Ballet Studio and Pasadena Dance Theatre as a facultative and company member, performing in the annual PDT's "Nutcracker" since 2014.
Matisse Love
Matisse Love is a professional Ballerina from Los Angeles, California. Matisse began her ballet career at age 7 under the direction of the Kirov Ballet Soloist Marat Daukayev in Los Angeles. At 12 she was cast as "Matisse" as a series regular on ABC Family's TV show Bunheads created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. At 16 Matisse won 1st Place in the Bolshoi Ballet Academy's summer competition and was then offered to study at the world renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia. She studied and trained in the Russian class, graduated in 1.5 years and achieved the highest grades, learning to speak fluent Russian. Matisse went on to compete in national and international ballet competitions, winning 1st and 2nd place awards. She was named "Laureate" after winning 2nd place at the Azerbaijan International Competition in Baku and was the only American to compete. Upon graduating from Bolshoi, Matisse was offered to dance professionally with the Russian State Ballet Theater in Moscow under artistic director Vyacheslav Gordeev. She became the first American Soloist within 2 years and performed in over 250 cities with the Theatre.
Cynara Woolner
Currently based in the Los Angeles area, Cynara is a freelance ballerina. Her formal dance training began as a supplement to her competitive figure skating and Scottish Highland dancing. She quickly fell in love with ballet, training with Philip and Charles Fuller at Le Studio in Pasadena, CA. She then attended the Boston Conservatory and graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in dance performance. Cynara has been able to combine her passion for dance with her love of travel and adventure she has lived in the USA, Canada, and the UK, and traveled extensively throughout Europe all while training and performing. She loves teaching ballet, emphasizing the importance of technique while fostering her students' joy in and love for dance and self-expression. In addition to ballet, Cynara teaches pilates, stretch class, and aerial yoga.
Alice Kim
Alice trained at Everybody Dance LA! and The Marat Daukayev School of Ballet, under the tutelage of Vera Ninkovic and Marat Daukeyev. She graduated from the Los Angeles High School of the Arts and has since performed in multiple TV and ballet productions including Agent X starring Sharon Stone, ABC's TV show Bunheads starring Sutton Foster, Runway Ballet, Nutcracker, La Bayadere, and more. Alice is also passionate about instilling proper technique and appreciation of ballet to the younger generations of Los Angeles. Alice has been professionally teaching ballet in Los Angeles for the past thirteen years and currently teaches at Los Angeles Ballet Academy, AMDA College of the Performing Arts, Everybody Dance LA!, and Li's Ballet.
Yelena Zerkovska
Mrs. Yelena Zerkovska is a Ukrainian- American professional ballerina and has travelled internationally performing as a soloist with companies from Ukraine and Russia. She began her ballet training in Ukraine at the age of 5. Mrs. Zerkovska was fortunate to be educated and mentored by some of the best ballet instructors who were graduates of the world-famous schools such as Vaganova, Bolshoi, Armenian National and Perm. After moving to the USA her zealous work ethics and talents led her to be accepted and graduate with a B.F.A. in ballet from the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Her repertoire includes soloist roles from ballets such as: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Le Corsaire, Nutcracker, Paquita, Firebird, and various original works. In addition to performing in more than 400 different cities, she worked with companies in Los Angeles, CA, and New York, N.Y. Yelena's teaching career began when she was only 15 years old. She uses Vaganova method and constructs her classes in regards to her students' needs. Yelena is proficient in teaching beginning to advanced levels of ballet, pointe, variations and conditioning.
Chasen Greenwood
Dancer, singer, actor and choreographer, Chasen is bicoastal primarily in L.A giving him opportunity to work with artists such as Lady Gaga's choreographer Richy Jackson, and Director Neal Brennan for Xbox Super Bowl commercial. Chasen has been featured in Dancer Magazine as "one to watch," completing a nationwide tour as soloist with State Street Ballet.
His choreography won "Best Young Choreographer" at Regional America Southwest. Chasen began his career performing with Leann Rimes, and in the musical Casper (national tour), training on full scholarship with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Ballet Austin. Since moving to LA, Chasen has worked with coaches such as John Clifford and Melissa Barak as mentors. Chasen performed in the West Coast premiere of "Newsies," as well as on the East Coast cast of "Newsies". His most recent project was with National Geographic's director Roger Fishman." Chasen has been a soloist with "Barak Ballet" for many seasons.
Emily DeVito
Emily DeVito Goodman grew up right outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She spent her last year of high school into college at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, under the direction of Susan Jaffe. Emily was fortunate to train with Gillian Murphy, Natalia Makarova, and Ethan Stiefel on lead roles at UNCSA such as the Sugar Plum Fairy from Ethan Stiefel's "The Nutcracker" and Nikiya from "La Bayadere". Emily danced at American Ballet Theater, NYC and Charlotte Ballet, NC on her summers off. After receiving her BFA in Dance and Pedagogy from UNCSA, Emily was hired as a professional dancer at San Diego Ballet. She was a Soloist in the company for 4 years. Some of her favorite roles she performed with San Diego Ballet include Diana from Diana and Actaeon, and Drew Drop from "The Nutcracker". She was fortunate to dance abroad in Japan and Denmark, as well as tour the United States with San Diego Ballet. During her time with San Diego Ballet, she was a Guest Artist with Dance Theater of Pennsylvania, where she performed principal roles and taught master classes. Emily is currently dancing professionally in Los Angeles, CA where she and her husband live.
Isabella Browne
Isabella began her training under the Vaganova method in Colorado. After graduating from Colorado Ballet Academy, she danced professionally with Colorado Ballet Company for two years. She also spent time working with Ballet Rhode Island and Boston Ballet. During her professional years she had the opportunity to dance under masters such as Maina Gielgud, Zenaida Yanowsky, David Makhateli, and Sarah Reynolds. She now resides in Los Angeles as a freelance artist and ballet teacher while pursuing her degree in Marine Conservation and Biology.