FACULTY
AKASHA ALVAREZ
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & STUDIO OWNER (contemporary and choreographer)
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Akasha Alvarez was born and raised right here in Bucks County. She grew up in this studio formerly known as The Spirit In Motion Ballet Theatre under the direction of Terri Garcia Lee. She also studied under the many artists at this school such as, Kristin Scott Naylor, Ryan Beck, Larisa Saltsova, Denise LaPointe, and many others. She soon found that dance was not only a passion of hers, but also her life calling when she started teaching and choreographing. Akasha graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Elementary Education and Dance. During her time at West Chester, Akasha was a key member of the University Dance Company and choreographed for the company four times. Her choreography was selected and presented at the regional conferences for the American College Dance Association (ACDA). Akasha has been the company choreographer for The Pennsylvania School of Performing Arts Company for over 8 years now. Akasha has performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Fest, with Ballet Magnificat, and been involved with ComeUnity's collaboration with Lustig Dance Theatre. She has also studied ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, pointe, lyrical, theater dance, and tap. When Akasha is not at the studio, she is a first grade teacher at a local school district in Bucks County. Akasha has been teaching children dance for over 14 years.
JULIA CAPALDI
TAP, COMPANY CHOREOGRAPHER, & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Julia Capaldi is from Bucks County, PA and has been dancing for 16 years. In high school, she was a dance assistant for Neshaminy Summer Stock and choreographed for local middle school musicals. She currently attends Temple University where she is pursuing a Bachelors of Science in bioengineering. At her time there, she has danced for the Temple Tappers dance team where she was the dance captain for the past two years and has become well known for her choreography. She is excited to be joining PSPA as a faculty teacher and is grateful for the opportunity to share her passion for dance. Julia is looking forward to becoming a mentor to her students and helping them grow as people and dancers.
KAT SULLIVAN
JAZZ, BALLET, COMPANY CHOREOGRAPHER
Kat Sullivan was raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania where her passion for dance began at a very young age. Starting out as a heavily competitive dancer and performer, Kat shifted her focus to more technical training by joining The Pennsylvania School of the Performing Arts as a full-time company member in 2008. Performing at the Philadelphia Fringe Fest and at ComeUnity in collaboration with Lustig Dance Theatre, she has studied dance under Kristin Scott Naylor, Richard Pierlon, Denise LaPoint, and others. Eventually Kat began Classical vocal training under the tutelage of soprano Maria Pappas, later to perform in a production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Esmerelda. Kat is excited to again be part of the PSPA family, as well as encourage and guide her new students!
ANN CORRAO ESPOSITO
BALLET
Ann Corrao is originally from Westchester, New York. She has spent the last 10 years developing her teaching philosophy and practice as well as performing in New York City and Philadelphia. She began her dance journey studying ballet with Fronda Sobel, Simon Kasantsev (Bolshoi Dance Academy), and Diana White (former soloist of the New York City Ballet). She then received her BA in Dance from Muhlenberg College, concentrating in education, choreography, and stage management. Ms. Corrao was greatly influenced by her professors, Karen Dearborn, Teresa Van Denend Sorge, and Megan Flynn, to utilize her knowledge of creative movement pedagogy, somatic techniques, and knowledge of anatomy to create a unique ballet experience for her students. She has recently worked as an educator and choreographer for Standing Ovation Studios (Westchester, NY) and dances for the Megan Flynn Dance Company (Philadelphia, PA). Ann or, to her students, Ms. Annie has taught Creative Movement, Ballet, Pointe, and Modern dance for all levels in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. She has performed in works by Heidi Cruz-Austen, Jessica Lang, Trinette Singleton, Jeffrey Peterson, and Amanda Selwyn Dance Theater. She has also presented work at the American College Dance Association Festival and the International Dance Festival presented by Nickerson-Rossi Dance. Ann is thrilled to be finishing her dance graduate studies at the University of the Arts this fall, while teaching and performing in Philadelphia. She hopes to be a catalyst for her students and fellow emerging artists through her explorations, shared experiences, and joy of movement.
MOIRA ESPOSITO
JAZZ/MUSICAL THEATRE, CONDITIONING
Moira Esposito is a founding member of Terri Garcia-Lee’s Pennsylvania School of the Performing Arts (PSPA) and is proud to see all of its amazing success for the past 25+ years. PSPA was her home away from home as she studied dance under the mentorship of Ms. Lee and all the incredible teachers that helped cultivate her love for dance and theatre. Moira graduated from West Chester University with a BA in Theater Arts: Technical Production and a minor in Dance. While she attended WCU, she was a prominent member of the dance program there serving in various positions of the dance company and choreographing for her peers along the way. Upon graduating, she spent many years as a full-time dance instructor in the surrounding West Chester area, teaching an array of styles to kids of all ages. Moira is now a proud mom to a wonderful daughter, Maeve, and is thrilled to have her second generation PSPA dancer a part of this amazing studio.
RACHEL NEIZKE
BALLET, MODERN
Ms. Rachel Neitzke is a Philadelphia-based dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. She gained much of her early professional training at Koresh Dance Company in Philadelphia and was fortunate enough to experience many different styles and training methods while traveling through the United States in her childhood. Ms. Neitzke has danced professionally since the age of 15 and was a founding member of the Koresh Youth Ensemble. She was invited to train at Joffrey Ballet School as a Jazz/Contemporary Trainee under the direction of Michael Blake on scholarship. While there she was able to work in collaboration with Louis Vuitton, Parsons School of Design, The New School of Music, and Ailey II Artistic Director Francesca Harper. Ms. Neitzke holds a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she performed works by Milton Myers, Andrea Miller, Douglas Becker, Roni Koresh, Meredith Rainey, Jesse Zarrit, and Sidra Bell. Upon graduating Ms. Neitzke’s passion for teaching and dancing alike has taken her throughout the United States and abroad. She has served as the Broadway Dance Teaching Artist and Ballet Assistant at Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School, Guest Teaching Artist and Dancer throughout the country of Israel, and Teaching Artist at The School of Philadelphia Ballet and The Rock School for Dance Education. Ms. Neitzke is currently the Artistic Director of The Collective Dance Project in Philadelphia. She has been awarded highly for her choreography at many competitions such as Youth America Grand Prix, Universal Ballet Competition, Puerto Rico Classical Dance Competition, Artist Simply Human, and more.
TENEE ASHLEY
HIP HOP
Born in Trenton, New Jersey Tenee Ashley began her dance career at the age of three. A
former award winning competitive dancer, upon graduating from high school, she chose to
continue her college education at the Studio School LA, in Los Angeles California where she
completed her BFA in Commercial Dance in May of 2020. Classically trained in multiple genres
of dance such as Ballet, African, Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Pointe, Tap and Hip Hop. She
has over eighteen years of dance education and her talents has earned her the honor of being
selected to train at the prestigious Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York. Tenee Ashley has
also served as a Dance Ambassador for Dancer Inc. in Neptune, New Jersey.
Revered by many of her dance peers as a fierce competitor, known for her precise hard hitting
sassy movements earning her the nickname “Teyonce” Tenee Ashley is a well-rounded
performer known to dance with extreme passion while adding her own flavor to each
performance. She has performed in music videos but is most notable for her work in the music
video for international recording artist Iggy Azalea and Brazil MTV Awards with sensation;
Ludmilla. Tenee Ashley has captured the attention and performed choreography of some of the
industry’s top choreographers such as Napoleon and Tabitha, Joe Brown, Jamal Sims, Ambrose
Respicio, Brooklyn Jai, Nicole Kirkland, Donyelle Jones, Rudy Abreu and many more. She has
performed three times in the Choreographer’s Carnival in Hollywood, California and the Dizzy
Feet Foundation Gala (presently known as the American Dance Movement) in Los Angeles,
California. Since college graduation, Tenee Ashley plans to tour the world nationally and
internationally inspiring others through dance and staying true to the person she is.
GUEST ARTISTS
WHITNEY KIMBALL LONG
ACTING
Whitney is a New York City based Film and TV Actor. She is known for her work on Madam Secretary (CBS), Elementary (CBS), Limitless (CBS), and The Detour (TBS). Her years spent in the Theatre (NYC and Philadelphia) led her to the feature film Completely Normal, where Whitney co starred alongside Geneva Carr, playing the role of her sister. Most recently she can be seen recurring on the TV series Big Dogs (Amazon), and on Netflix, as Rebecca Wilks in the feature film A New York Christmas Wedding (produced by and starring Chris Noth). She recently wrapped the pilot episode of Nightbirds, playing the role of detective Linda Lupino, opposite Aida Turturro and the feature film The Noel Diary opposite Justin Hartley to be released on Netflix, November 2021. Whitney is a graduate of The University of the Arts and The British American Drama Academy and holds a BFA in Acting.
JULIANNE FLOCKE
BALLET, BROADWAY STARS
A Bucks County native, Julianne had the good fortune of getting her ballet training from a diverse group of seasoned professionals hailing from the Harkness Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Hungarian National Ballet and Kiev State Ballet to name a few. After several summers of pre-professional study at such schools as Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Nutmeg ballet, Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, Nashville Ballet and Joffrey Ballet, and being offered trainee contracts for the latter two, she apprenticed for a year under John White and Margarita De Saa at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society in Narberth, PA. Julianne received a contract with Northern Plains Ballet where she toured North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Minnesota performing such roles as Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, and original contemporary works by Artistic Director Anthony Noa. Her other professional experience includes Hamilton Ballet Theater in NJ under Julie A. Caprio and original contemporary works with Alden Moves Dance Theater in NYC. Upon retiring her pointe shoes Julianne received a BA in Anthropology from CUNY-Hunter College where she discovered a newfound inspiration through the history of dance and its diverse global influences. While pursuing her degree Julianne taught, managed, and created programs in both gymnastics and dance in NYC. She studied ballet and Jazz with various renowned instructors at Steps on Broadway and Peridance Capezio Center. Julianne has been a teacher for over 20 years and values the education of youth above all else. A mother of four boys, she knows the balance of learning through encouragement and enjoyment yet maintaining quality and detail.
MIKEY D'ASTOLI
HIP HOP
Mikey D’Astoli is a Dancer/Choreographer who is signed to Clear Talent Group agency. He
started dancing at age 13 with a focus on styles such as bboying, popping, house, locking,
vogue, waacking, and industry styles. Performances include opening up for American Idol’s
“Jax”, The Red Hot Chili Peppers 2017 Tour, The Cartoon Network Anti-Bullying Tour, Monsters
of Hip Hop, World of Dance, and Good Morning America. Mikey has been featured on Tv
commercials such as “Bop it Tetris”, “Juicy Drop Pop”, and “Jenga tetris”. You can find him in
music videos for artists Jax(LA LA Land), The Red Hot Chili Peppers(Go Robot), Youtube’ Niki
& Gabi (Hair Tie) and Vita Chambers(What If). He can also be seen in the Netflix series “The
Get Down”(Directed by Baz Luhrmann), where he plays the role of ‘Crash’. Also as a principal
dancer in the Feature Film “Going in Style”(Directed by Zach Braff), and in the TBS series “The
Last O.G” and more. Mikey has used what he learned throughout the years to derive his own
unique style, that consists of isolations and storytelling movements.
LESTER HOLMES
MUSICAL THEATER, TAP
Lester Holmes has had a memorable and successful career as a dancer/singer/actor/acrobat on and off-Broadway tours, in national tours and in theaters up and down the East Coast. He has performed on television, in nightclubs, in regional and dinner theaters, and has tumbled at the Met. In addition to his performance credits, Lester has been teaching ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, and musical theater for decades. He has taught at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway and has, through the years, taught numerous master classes throughout the U.S. He had the pleasure of teaching and choreographing in Florence, Italy for three years, Lester once had his own studio and he taught dance at the Peabody Prep, Goucher College and Towson University for almost 2 decades. He is now actively teaching and choreographing in Bucks County and is thrilled to continue collaborating with artistic director Akasha Alvarez at the renowned Pennsylvania School of the Performing Arts.
RAMONA KELLEY
BALLET
Ramona is from Berkeley, CA where she began her training at Berkeley Ballet Theater. She went on to earn a BFA in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ramona danced the principal role of ‘Betsy’ in Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away and went on to dance with the Tharp company creating new roles in addition to performing repertory works. She is a principal guest artist with Oakland Ballet and has also performed with Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris, Dance Lab New York, Minnesota Dance Theatre, Claudia Schreier and Co, Post:Ballet, Sidra Bell, Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance and Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary Tour) among others. Ramona has taught for Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as master classes in Tharp technique across the country. She is an adjunct ballet faculty at NYU’s Tisch Dance.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD
BALLET
Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools, including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The Rock School and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies.
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Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell.
After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist.
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He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls," "West Side Story," "Show Boat," and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked as a principal guesting with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, TranscenDance Group, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo.
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While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to internationally campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film "Step Up" and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.”
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Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for 10 years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix, NYC Dance Alliance, and Showstoppers Dance Competition. He has taught at many studios including Broadway Dance Center, Metropolitan School of the Arts, Princeton Ballet, and many, many more.
COURTNEY COPPER
MUSICAL THEATER, JAZZ
Courtney Copper is a former Radio City Rockette based in New York City. She was raised in
Pennsylvania and began dancing at the age of three. Courtney graduated Magna Cum Laude
from West Chester University with a degree in Education/Dance. While studying, she performed
with many dance companies including Brandywine Ballet. She went on to perform with the
Broadway tour of Annie Get Your Gun and several production touring companies. Courtney also
travelled the world with Royal Caribbean, Regent and Holland America Cruise Lines as a
dancer, singer and dance captain. You may also see her in many television shows and films.
Courtney has been teaching and choreographing for over 20 years, working with all ages and
styles of dance.
SARAH WARREN
CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ
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Sarah Warren, originally from Maryland, currently resides in Philadelphia, PA where she attended Temple University and obtained her BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography. Since graduation, Sarah has continued to perform professionally and teach at local dance and fitness studios. Sarah currently dances and performs with Nickerson-Rossi Dance, Putty Dance Project, Matter Movement Group, ARTIST HOUSE/Asya Zlatina & Dancers and a. dance theatre. She has also performed work for Blanca Huertas Agnew, Keila Cordova Dances, The InterACTion Project, Alana Melene Dances, ContempraDANCE Theatre, Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre and other artists in the Philadelphia and NYC areas. Along with dance, Sarah is a certified Bar Method instructor who enjoys merging both her dance and fitness backgrounds in her teaching.
TERRI GARCIA-LEE
FOUNDER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
Mrs. Lee hails from NYC and is a proud member of all three professional unions: Broadway Actors Equity AEA -Screen Actors Guild - AFTRA. Her students have been cast on Broadway, National Broadway tours, NYC Rockettes, SAG Movies, National TV Series, Broadway Shows on the largest Royal Caribbean tours, and national television.
Lee has lived in Bucks County for over twenty-six years, inspiring her students to reach a new understanding and mastery of musicality in the arts and also reach their personal goals through the use of dance theater education. Many of her students are now living their dream performing on Broadway, in the Rockettes, film, national television, and many national and international tours. Lee founded PSPA with a mission to inspire in young people a lasting passion and appreciation for theater, dance, and music through artistic excellence, exhilarating performances, touching choreography, and dominant lifetime educational programs.

After graduating from the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Lee moved to NYC with a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet and The Gregory Hines - Frank Hattacht Dance studios next to The David Letterman studios on Broadway, now known as the famous " Broadway Dance Center"! Lee made her Broadway debut with The Three Musketeers - with Ed Dixon, Chuck Wagner, Liz Calloway - Mark Bramble - directed by Joe Layton & Tom O'Horgan. From there, she continued to perform in many professional productions including The Big Broadcast of 1944 with Harry James and his Orchestra, the revival of West Side Story with Jerome Robbins - Tommy Abbott Directors with Rex Smith & Luis Perez. Stops in Lee’s extensive professional career in Broadway, film, and TV commercials have allowed her to travel the world and perform with many great dance legends including Bob Fosse, Pat Birch (Grease), Lester Wilson, (Solid Gold) Billy Wilson, (The Sands Copa Girls) Michael Peters (Michael Jackson's Thriller), Judy Kaye, Eartha Kitt, and many others. Additional training throughout her career included the Neighborhood Playhouse Acting (Misner technique) and at Carnegie Hall in NYC. She also trained with Scholarships from The San Francisco Ballet, The Minnesota Ballet, The Pennsylvania Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Steps, and The Broadway Dance Center.