10 Broadway shows, 3 national tours, 2 platinum selling bands, and 2 professional ballet companies.
Experience sets us apart.
OUR MISSION
Because your child deserves joy.
At Broadway Arts & Dance Academy, our mission is to shape the minds, bodies and spirits of the performing artists of tomorrow. We help instill discipline, improve physical conditioning, and expand imaginations by teaching children and young adults how to focus their minds, strengthen their bodies and conquer their fears through the performing arts. Our classrooms are your child’s gateway into a world of expression, a garden of friendships and a sanctuary for their minds.
Meet the Team
APRIL BERRY
Owner / Dance Instructor
April trained extensively in the Los Angeles area and at Dancemaker Studios, where she began at the age of 5. Her dance education covered all areas from ballet and modern to tap and jazz. She began working as a professional dancer and singer at the age of 18 on the national tour of Saturday Night Fever and moved to New York where she was in the original casts of Legally Blonde and Wonderland on Broadway as well as appearing on television in Ugly Betty and on MTV. She has been a member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the past decade performing for millions of people in arenas around the world, including at Amalie Arena in Tampa, every winter.
As an educator, her pedagogy skills have been honed over the years through teaching numerous classes, workshops and private lessons in Los Angeles and New York and by working alongside Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winning directors, choreographers, authors and composers.
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JASON WOOTEN
Owner / Vocal and Theatre Instructor
Jason graduated Magna Cum Laude from Shenandoah University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Music Theatre and received the Cecilia award for vocal excellence. He immediately moved to New York City and over the course of 18 years starred in 8 Broadway shows including Jekyll & Hyde, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, Grease and The Rocky Horror Show: Live and was known as "one of the most alluring voices on Broadway". In Las Vegas, he sang and worked extensively with rock royalty Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen. He has toured the world performing with shows, bands, and symphony orchestras. He has appeared on Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU and been voice-over talent for Rockstar Video Games and many cartoons. He is the composer, lyricist and librettist of the musicals Goodbye, Dali!, Imposter, and That Kid Dylan! as well as co-author of the rock musical The Existents.
As a Director he studied under Hal and Linde Herman at Shenandoah University. He honed his craft working with Tony Award winning directors Jeff Calhoun, John Rando, Diane Paulus, Christopher Ashley and Twyla Tharp. He has since directed productions of The Wizard of Oz, Into the Woods, Annie, as well as all his own original works. His style blends classical and modern theatre elements to truly focus on storytelling.
As an educator, Jason has been teaching vocal and acting lessons as well as being an audition coach for the past 15 years. He's worked with and studied under Tony Award choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Jerry Mitchell, and Jeff Calhoun and award winning composers/song writers such as Stephen Schwartz, Charles Strouse, Kander & Ebb, Jim Steinman, Frank Wildhorn, Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt.
His students have also gone on to perform on Broadway and in National Tours.
Nicole Assaad
Nicole Assaad started dancing ballet at age 8 at the Patel Conservatory. After a year, she moved to All American Classical Ballet School in Tampa, Florida where she received training from Julio Montano and Gisell Durand.
She won many awards and scholarships from competitions such as the Youth America Grand Prix, American Dance Competition, as a gold medalist and a recipient of the Fernando Bujones Award, and World Ballet Competition, receiving the bronze medal in the final round.
At age 15, she moved to New York City to study with the Gelsey Kirkland Academy under a full scholarship.
At age 16, she joined the Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Studio Company, performing various roles, such as “Marie” and “Sugarplum” in The Nutcracker, “Columbina” in Harlequinade, the Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, “Kitri” in Don Quixote, Diamond and Charity fairy in the Sleeping Beauty, along with many other roles.
At age 18, she joined the Hong Kong Ballet’s corps de ballet under the direction of Madeleine Onne, where she performed in many productions such as Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, Pinnochio, Carmen, Lady of the Camelias, and many other original productions that toured in Canada, the US, Macau, and Mainland China.
Now she is teaching in the Tampa Bay Area and has been dancing with the Tampa City Ballet for the 2020-2021 season.
Alexandra Lahaye
Alexandra, also known as Alex grew up in Salem, New Hampshire were she fell in love with dance at the age of two. She danced at Nancy Chippendales Dance Studio where she studied: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Tumbling & more. At a young age she auditioned for her studios competition team and she was able to travel all around New England each year to compete for 10 years. Along with traveling with the competition team she was able to take classes taught by; The Rockettes, Victor Smalley and Angel Armas from Dance Moms: Miami. After moving to florida, Alexandra decided to pursue a career in dance. She has found her passion for teaching at Broadway Arts and Dance Academy and her passion for dance has grown strongly throughout the years. She feels teaching is so rewarding and her favorite part is watching her students shine on stage. She hopes to express her passion and love for dance with her students. You can catch her dancing with Odd O T’s Entertainment at Lowry Park Zoo tampa for their holiday events!
Jaden Rivera
Jaden Rivera is a dancer from Los Angeles, California. His favorite hobbies include skateboarding, listening to music, and breakdancing. He's been dancing since the age of 12 years old. He was also introduced to the hip hop cultureearlt on in his dance care and was so inspired by the variety of elements that it became his primary focus. His goal is to choreograph for a sold out show one day and he's looking forward to the future of dance for the community.
Jessica Silva-Culbreath
Jessica is an all-around theater creative. With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies, Jessica has extensive experience in all aspects of theater production. From props managing, costume designing, set production, writing, choreography, dancing, singing, lead acting and directing, Jessica has a wide range of skills that everyone at BADA has benefited from as she has volunteered for six shows including most recently, Annie Jr.
Jessica has a passion for teaching and experience working with all ages. She has shared her skills to produce shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie at the middle school level, guided adults with disabilities at the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center, ran drama summer camp classes at Rollins College and taught after school drama classes at Alegria Montessori School.
Additionally, Jessica is a talented performer that was the director and featured soloist and choreographer of Key Harmony, a collegiate a cappella group that recorded and competed on a national level.
With a keen eye for detail, she was the Technical Director Assistant for multiple productions at the University of Central Florida including Into the Woods, Dames at Sea and Dracula.
With two children currently enrolled at Broadway Arts and Dance Academy, Jessica is excited to share her love of theater and her diverse skill set with all BADA students.
Jen Jennings
Jen began dancing at the age of 8, performed in her first musical at the age of 12, and graduated with a degree in dance from the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts at the age of 17. After receiving her degree in Musical Theatre from James Madison University, she moved to New York City where she spent the next 14 years performing and choreographing professionally. As a performer her credits include National and International Tours of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (starring Lea Salonga), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As a choreographer, she’s worked in regional theatres across the country on shows like A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Paper Mill Playhouse), Snapshots (Goodspeed Opera House), The Music Man (Riverside Theatre), Abraham Lincoln’s Dance Party (Theatre Row, NYC), Swingtime Salute (Virginia Stage Company), and Good News (Goodspeed Opera House). As an educator, Jen has taught classes in jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre at dance studios in NY, NJ, PA, and CT. She’s taught master classes in musical theatre dance at Murray State University in KY, James Madison University in VA, and Hampshire College in MA and she spent three years as the Dance Director for the Columbia Gorge School of Theatre in Portland, Oregon.
Aidana Aneshova
Aidana, is a dedicated and highly experienced piano and vocal teacher with 13 years of teaching expertise. A laureate of numerous international competitions, her students have also garnered similar accolades. She provides comprehensive lessons in music theory, instrument techniques, music history, and more, tailoring her teaching methods and lesson plans to meet each student's unique goals, learning style, and musical preferences.
She emphasizes ear training and a solid musical foundation from an early age, integrating this with a diverse range of methods. She work with students of all ages and skill levels across various genres such as Classical, Jazz, Pop, and more; and incorporates students' favorite and famous songs into lessons, making the learning process engaging and enjoyable. Her approach is designed to make lessons feel like a playground, fostering a fun and stimulating environment.
As a vocal teacher, she offers a wide range of skills, including warm-up techniques, breath control, pitch accuracy, vocal range expansion, diction, and performance techniques. She trains students in a variety of vocal genres, including Classical, Jazz, Pop, and Broadway. This diverse training helps students develop a versatile and well-rounded vocal ability, mastering the unique style and performance aspects of musical theater as well as other genres.
She also specializes in preparing students for ABRSM exams, competitions, and concerts, providing them with the necessary tools and confidence to excel in these areas. Her students benefit from targeted guidance and practice strategies to ensure their success in performance and evaluation settings.
Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson trained with the Classical Ballet Center of Tampa from 1988-1995. She then went on to study with Russian born Kirov Ballet dancers Andre Ustinov and Elena Martinson with whom she traveled to Japan with as a guest artist for 3 months. Mrs. Johnson competed in many dance competitions winning several top awards. She jump started her professional career at 16 years old. She was a principal dancer with the pre-professional ballet company; Tampa Bay Repertory Ballet throughout her teen years. Mrs. Johnson started her professional ballet career with Maximum Dance Company in Miami, Florida in the corps de ballet in 2000. She then moved to Honolulu, Hawaii in 2002 to join Honolulu Dance Theatre as a soloist. Mrs. Johnson has over 20 years of teaching experience for all ages and all levels.
Heather Goldman
Heather grew up dancing in Eastern Massachusetts beginning at the age of four. In high school, aside from dancing at a studio, she also joined her high school’s dance team and became an apprentice for a local Boston-based contemporary dance company. She has a diverse dance background in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip hop, and acro. Following high school, she furthered her dance education at the University of Tampa where she received her BA in Dance and a Minor in Psychology. During her college experience, she was able to choreograph for multiple Dance Department showcases and perform in all of them.
Professionally, Heather has danced for the Tampa Bay Rays MLB Team and has had the opportunity to choreograph for and perform in Break the Mould Dance Company’s “Our Stories” performance this past fall. She currently performs at ZooTampa seasonally and is also a member of VYB Dance Company. Heather is looking forward to dancing in the Busch Gardens Mardi Gras Parade beginning this spring.
Heather was previously an assistant teacher at New Heights Dance Academy in Tampa, and she currently teaches at Dancing for a Difference studio in Brandon and Karl & DiMarco South in Tampa. Heather loves to learn and grow as a teacher, dancer, and choreographer, and is very excited to take her skills and expertise to the Broadway Arts and Dance Academy community and begin teaching this year.
Bela Souza
Bela Souza received a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts (concentration: Musical Theater) from the University of Tampa in 2011. She has 10 years of private vocal studies and has had the privilege to work with amazing vocalists such as Bobby McFerrin and Josh Groban.
She has extensive professional performance experience with various regional theaters and production companies, such as Freefall Theatre, Show Palace Dinner Theater, and Stages Productions Family Theatre. Bela has also performed at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay as a vocalist and Dorney Park in Allentown, PA. Bela has been singing for weddings and corporate events since 2016 and continues to perform all around the Tampa Bay Area.
Bela has over 7 years of teaching experience in voice and beginner to intermediate piano and she enjoys working with students of all ages, levels and genres.
Tabatha Brembs
From a young age, Tabatha’s life revolved around dance. Starting at the tender age of two, she immersed herself in various dance styles, from ballet and tap to jazz, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, and pointe. Her passion for dance grew stronger as she progressed, leading her to compete in dance competitions across New York. During these years, she participated in an average of four to five competitions annually, honing her skills and building a solid foundation in performance and technique.
One of the highlights of Tabatha’s dance journey was the unforgettable day she spent dancing with the Rockettes. This incredible experience included a mock audition, giving her a glimpse into the world of professional dance. Additionally, she had the privilege of auditioning and being accepted to perform at the prestigious Citrus Bowl, a testament to her dedication and talent.
At thirteen, she began student teaching, sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with younger students. Tabatha’s commitment to dance extended beyond the studio; during high school, she danced on the dance squad with the marching band. This role gave her the unique opportunity to perform in the 4th of July parade in Washington, D.C., an experience she cherished deeply.
After college, Tabatha began teaching preschool, incorporating dance and movement into her lessons. This innovative approach enhanced her students' learning experiences and allowed her to share her passion for dance in a new and impactful way. By integrating dance into the curriculum, Tabatha helped her young students develop their motor skills, express their creativity, and foster a love for movement from an early age. Dance is not just an activity; it is an integral part of Tabatha’s identity and a source of immense joy and fulfillment. By teaching, she aims to cultivate a love for dance in her students, helping them discover the joy of expression and creativity that dance offers.
Janelsy Elicier
At a very young age, Janelsy Elicier always showed interest in dance. During her middle school years is when she was able to officially take it seriously, and expand out of her little dance performances from home. For the next eight years, Janelsy would begin to study all types of dance and involve herself within many different dance environments and cultures to expand her knowledge. Janelsy has been lucky enough to have knowledge in not only studio/competition dancing but also street style dancing as well and has experienced and participated in the two worlds. After graduating and leaving her teachers at John Hopkins Middle School, where she studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, and Hip-Hop dance with Erin Cardinal and Dreama Davidson, she went on to do competitive dancing where she was able to gain more experience choreographing, competing and teaching. During this time she would also venture out immersing herself completely within the Hip-Hop dance community here in Florida. Participating in many dance battles/events not just locally but out of town and out of state. She’s studied many street styles like, Vogue, Litefeet, and Hip-Hop in its true essence learning under Florida pioneers of these styles. Janelsy continues to strive to share her knowledge with the people around her and the younger generation to create a better, and more knowledgeable dance community!
Nicole Estima
Nicole Estima is a vocalist and pianist with fifteen years of teaching experience in both voice and piano. She has had the privilege of performing throughout the United States and internationally as a classically trained soprano, as a soloist in collaboration with other musicians and orchestras as well as in choral music and opera. After receiving her Masters of Music Performance at the University of South Florida, she moved to Boston where she specialized in Baroque period performance and was lucky to work with world class artists of the genre. Some notable performances include appearances with Opera Tampa, Newton Baroque, The Henry Purcell Society of Boston, Choral Artists of Sarasota, and premiering new music at Carnegie Hall in New York. Nicole is a dedicated instructor that caters to each individual student to find their musicality in both technical skill and expression, focusing on healthy vocal production, a theory based approach, and personal growth through music.
