Stacey Smith - Lead Instructor & Youth Showcase Coordinator

Stacey grew up in Baltimore, MD, and received her early dance training at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts and Spotlight Studio of Dance. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and contemporary throughout her childhood and competed regionally and nationally. Stacey graduated in May 2017 from George Mason University with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Kinesiology. During her time at George Mason, she had the privilege to perform and choreograph works for the Mason Dance Company. She also had the opportunity to attend Parsons Dance Summer Intensive and study Afro-Cuban dance abroad in Cuba through George Mason’s field study program.

In July 2017, Stacey attended Triple Arts Musical Theatre Intensive as a Moving Story Apprentice. She choreographed her own original musical theatre piece and assisted Triple Arts Faculty such as Terrence Mann, Mary Ann Lamb, Charlotte d’Amboise, Christopher d’Amboise, and Kelly Crandall d’Amboise in their own rehearsals. Stacey performs locally with Ash & Elm Dance Company and RawArts Dance Company. In May 2022 her piece “Pleiades” was presented at the Richmond Dance Festival. 

Stacey has been a dance teacher in the Arlington area since 2016. She is also a 200hr registered yoga teacher and believes that yoga is a great method of cross training for dance. Stacey has been a part of the Virginia Dance Conservatory team since its opening in 2020 and strives to create a nurturing and inclusive space for her students. Let’s dance!

Skylar Smith - Full Time Faculty

Skylar Smith, a Rochester, New York native, grew up training, competing, and later teaching at Strike It Up Artistic Center. As a recent graduate from Slippery Rock University, Skylar has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Concentration in Performance and Choreography. 

Through her studies, she had the opportunity to work with guest artists and faculty such as Nora Ambrosio, Jesse Factor, Christine Funsch, Andrew Hasenpflug, Jennifer Keller, Francine Ott, Ursula Payne, Lindsay Viatori, and Melissa Teodoro, taking classes in African Colombian, Ballet, Composition, Improvisation, Laban Movement Analysis, Music for Dance, Modern, Teaching of Dance, and Somatics and Kinesiology. As Student Director of SRU's Dance Theatre Program and a Palenque Colombian Dance Ensemble leader, Skylar worked closely with Lindsay Viatori, and Melissa Teodoro. In 2018, Skylar had the opportunity to work closely with  Jesse Factor,  as an understudy in a rendition of Martha Graham’s “Celebration” performed at the Joyce Theatre in NYC and Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts. 

Most recently Skylar created and presented an Independent Concert, “Forced Proceeding” based on research she conducted titled “Ritual Symbolism and an Archaic Depiction of Marriage in Nijinska’s Les Noces.” She has presented her solo works “1:6” at the Koresh Artist Showcase in Philadelphia, PA, and “Altered Existence” at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Women’s Conference. During SRU's BFA Dance Concert, “The Epilogue” Skylar was awarded the “Outstanding BFA” Scholarship. 

As a dance instructor, she strives to create a happy, safe, and healthy learning environment for all! Skylar is very excited to share her love for dance and teaching with the students of Virginia Dance Conservatory! 

Lyssa Wopat - Pre Professional Division Faculty

Originally from Baltimore, Marlyand, Lyssa Wopat began dancing at age four at EMC Performing Arts Studio in Pennsylvania. In 2013, Ms. Wopat began studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) as a ballet major. While at the school, Lyssa studied under Susan Jaffe, Susan McCullough, Jared Redick, Jennet Zerbe, Laura Martin, Dayna Fox, Mikhail Tchoupakov, Nina Danilova, Fanchon Cordell and Frank Smith. After graduating in 2017 with her BFA, Ms. Wopat began dancing professionally with The Georgia Ballet, under the direction of Daet Rodriguez, where she danced until the spring of 2020. Lyssa has performed roles in Paquita, Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations, the first regiment of Stars and Stripes, Donizetti Variations, Napoli, La Bayadere, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Serenade, as a soloist in Les Sylphides, a Cigarette Girl in Carmen, and as Flower, Spanish, and demi- soloist in Snow in The Nutcracker. In the summer of 2020, Lyssa began working towards earning her master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology from Lock Haven University, and is set to graduate with this degree in August 2021.

Naomi Smith - Pre Professional Division Faculty

Naomi Ruth Smith has been a ballet program director, dance instructor, and choreographer for over a decade in her home state of Connecticut. She is a certified Pre-Primary through Level 3 teacher in American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Quinnipiac University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Naomi began her dance training at age three in all styles until receiving a full scholarship to the Hartt School Community Dance Division’s (previously Hartford Ballet) classical ballet program where she trained under the expertise of Susan Brooker, Hilda Morales, Debra Collins-Ryder, and Alla Nikitina. Additionally, Naomi was a dancer with Poet’s Feet, a modern dance company that toured across New England.

Many students coached by Naomi placed in the Top 12 at Youth America Grand Prix’s semi finals, were invited to Finals in Tampa, FL, and are training in some of the top college dance programs in the country. She has choreographed numerous award-winning pieces and her choreography has been commissioned by Ballet Hartford for their annual Awakening Dance Festival. Naomi has a passion for teaching children and is thrilled to be joining the Virginia Dance Conservatory team!

Emily Walling - Youth and Young Children’s Division Faculty

Emily grew up in Nashville, TN and moved to the DMV area for college and never left! She started dancing at age 3 at a small local studio. She began her pre-professional ballet training at Nashville Ballet, and moved to Dance South Performing Arts at age 16. She attended several summer intensives, including Nashville Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts. In college, Emily danced in Georgetown University's academic dance company. She started teaching ballet in 2020 at her home studio, where she taught all ages and choreographed multiple full-length ballets. Emily is thrilled to be teaching again at VDC! Outside of dance, Emily is in her third year of law school at GW Law and looks forward to keeping dance in her life through teaching.

Kyrylo Kruhlov - Pre Professional Division Faculty

Mr. Kruhlov is originally from Kyiv, Ukraine.  He received his training at the Kyiv State Ballet School and graduated in 2014.  Kyrylo has danced multiple soloist roles with the National Opera of Ukraine, Novosibirsk State Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre, and with the Ukrainian Classical Ballet in Kyiv. Mr. Kruhlov joined Manassas Ballet Theater in 2022 and guest dances and teaches across the US. 

Laurie Sara Oliver - Youth Faculty

Laurie Sara grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where she began her training at Ballet Virginia International at the age of three. In high school, in addition to pre-professional training, she attended the dance magnet program at the Governor's School for the Arts. There she expanded her training to jazz, tap, and contemporary. She also began teaching and coaching younger dancers and quickly discovered her love of teaching. 

Laurie Sara has over a decade of experience teaching all ages in many styles. She has choreographed for recitals, concerts, community performances, and full-length ballets. Now working full-time, Laurie Sara applies skills learned as a professional leadership coach to continue teaching and sparking creativity through dance. She is excited to join VDC and empower dancers to challenge and express themselves through their love of dance! 

Shannon Slaughter - Pre Professional & Youth Faculty

Shannon Slaughter began her dance training at the age of five at Ballet Caliente Classical School of Dance, studying ballet, modern (Graham-focused), and jazz. She later taught and choreographed there for multiple years, teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary to students ages 8 to 18. She received opportunities to train with the Washington Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Alabama, and attended summer dance intensives with the Dance Theater of Harlem and the American Academy of Ballet. Shannon is a graduate of the University of Florida, where she continued her dance education at the UF College of Arts, School of Theatre and Dance, training primarily under Isa Garcia-Rose for ballet, and Joan Frosch in modern techniques. While at UF, she also taught classes, choreographed, and performed pieces as a member of the university's original student-run dance company, Floridance, and volunteered with Dance For Life, teaching a free, weekly dance class to Parkinson's patients.

In addition to working full time, she continues to take ballet, contemporary, jazz, and dance fitness classes. She's excited to join the Virgina Dance Conservatory family to share her love and passion for dance with students!

Trina Navarro-Kronzer - Young Children’s Division & Youth Faculty

Trina began her dance career in San Antonio, Texas as a student of Dr. Kathleen Tenniswood-Powell studying the Cecchetti style of ballet while simultaneously training with the Ballet Conservatory of South Texas under the direction of Marieli Guardiola Pope. She went on to dance at Goucher College, where she performed in the Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble and graduated magna cum laude.

Most recently, Ms. Navarro-Kronzer has had the privilege of working with local dance companies such as Charm City Ballet in Baltimore and Jane Franklin Dance in the greater D.C area. In addition to her local presence, Trina has performed internationally in Córdoba, Argentina and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. As an educator, Trina is passionate about creating a safe space for dancers to build self-confidence and create lifelong memories.

Laura Doughty - Young Children’s Division & Youth Faculty

Laura Rae Doughty has been a dance educator, performer and choreographer for many years.
She taught for Adagio Ballet in Arlington for more than 11 years. This summer she taught
dance for the Institute for the Arts (IFTA) program offered through Fairfax County Public
Schools. Currently she works as a Family and Parent Liaison in two elementary schools in FCPS.
Born and raised in southern New Jersey; Laura was fortunate to study under Victor Moreno
(Ballet Russe) and Alexei Yudenich (Pennsylvania Ballet) as well as study at the NJ Arts Institutes
each summer in her earlier years. Laura earned her BFA in dance from The Juilliard School in
NYC. She has had a very diverse career as a performer, choreographer and teacher in many
disciplines of dance in many places around the world. Her favorite performance highlights
include; the ’98 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan( Opening ceremonies),Solo
performance/choreography “Things Unsaid” selected to be presented in the New
Choreographers On Point Showcase In NYC as well as receiving various New York Times, Dance
Magazine and Pointe magazine reviews. Laura has extensive training in Classical and
Contemporary ballet, Modern, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tap, Flamenco, Latin dance and Danza
Folklorico de Mexico. She is excited to return to teaching in person this fall at VDC; to share her
love of dance and get to know the dancers and families.

Julia Timpane - Young Children’s Division & Youth Faculty

Julia Timpane grew up in Arlington, VA and received her training from Adagio Ballet in ballet, jazz, and contemporary. In her time at Adagio, she competed at the international ballet competition Youth America Grand Prix as a classical and contemporary soloist. Julia has attended ballet summer intensives at Ballet West, Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, and Atlanta Ballet.

Working as a counselor at local summer camps, Julia developed her love for teaching. She graduated from George Mason University in May 2024 with a B.A. in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Education Studies. Julia is currently pursuing a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Elementary Education at GMU, where she will graduate with her master’s degree in May 2025. She is also involved with a student dance organization, DanceWorks at Mason, where she choreographs for and competes with a team in lyrical, contemporary, and jazz styles. Julia is so excited to be able to combine her love for dance and passion for teaching at Virginia Dance Conservatory!

Sloan Daley - Young Children’s Division & Youth Faculty

Sloan grew up in Flower Mound, Texas, and began her competitive dance training at age 8. She continued her training upon her acceptance to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, where she trained in a variety of styles including ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, acrobatics, and african. Alongside her education from BTWHSPVA, Sloan also trained competitively and graduated from Dance Industry Performing Arts Center in Plano, TX. During her time at these institutions she worked with guests and faculty including Alex Brooks, Mark Caserta, Gregory Dolbashian, Jess Hendricks, Matt Luck, Mikey Morado, and Chelsea Thedinga. 

Since graduating high school, Sloan has moved to Virginia to attend George Mason University’s School of Dance. She is currently a Junior training under the direction of Karen Reedy. Studying under faculty members Shaun Boyle D’Arcy, Christopher D’Amboise, Lawrence Jackson, Roger C. Jeffrey, Linda Miller, Christina Robson, and Susan Shields, Sloan has participated in multiple performances through the school of dance and been awarded various scholarship opportunities prior to and since joining the program. The past year she had the privilege of learning works by Doug Varone, Rafael Bonachela, and Christina Robson. Outside of school, Sloan continues to seek opportunities to further her training and has most recently completed the 2023 Gibney Summer Study program in New York City where she was fortunate to study under Chelsea Ainsworth, Wesley Ensminger, Annie Rigney, Maleek Washington, and many more professionals in the field.

Sloan thrives on community and is excited to share the passion she has found through this artform with her students. She is thrilled to be joining the Virginia Dance Conservatory family!

Ella Berner - Young Children’s Division & Youth Faculty

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Ella began her dance journey at the ripe age of three. Her
early education took place at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas, where she received her
high school diploma. With a deep passion for dance, she trained at Dance Industry
Performing Arts Center, under the direction of Christy Ryzman and Alex Brooks, spending
11 years as a member of the Performing Company and 4 years with the Pre-Professional
Company.  

After graduating, Ella pursued her passion for dance at George Mason University School of Dance, under the direction of Susan Shields. Throughout her time at George Mason, Ella has been a part of multiple performances, and notably had the privilege of performing ‘Drive’ by Kyle Abraham this past year. Aside from school, Ella has attended the LINES Summer Intensive, SoulEscape
Company Intensive, and Perry Mansfield summer intensive to further her training. This past
summer, Ella dove further into the world of teaching at Dance Industry. She has also been
actively involved in assisting various choreographic processes, working closely with
notable choreographers Jess Hendricks, Eoghan Dillon, and Alex Brooks, over the past
couple years.

Marizza Castro - Administrator

A Falls Church, VA native, Marizza Castro recently graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management. Throughout her high school and college career, she participated in recreational dance classes including ballet, modern, hip-hop and ballroom dance. During her time in college, she further cultivated her natural ability with children, working as both a tutor and nanny. She is currently a business analyst for a government contract and always looks forward to spending time helping the VDC students and teachers!

Addie Wilkerson - Young Children’s Division Faculty

A Northern Virginia native with experience teaching all over the state. She completed 15 years of ballet training with the James School of Dance, and studied modern and contemporary at the University of Virginia in accompaniment to a BA in Politics. In addition to completing an MA in Public Administration, Addie has spent several years performing with world class color guard performance ensembles, including the Colts, the Bluecoats, Carolina Crown, and George Mason University. Currently Addie also works as the color guard caption head and choreographer at Chantilly High School in Chantilly VA, and previously taught at Fairfax HS, McLean HS, Thomas Jefferson HSST, Unity Reed HS, Gainesville HS, Revolutionary Winterguard, as well as serving as a clinician. She believes ballet is the best basic training for dancers, and is excited to share that love with her students!