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Academy of Ballet Arts focuses on developing and training well-rounded dancers in classical ballet and contemporary dance. The Academy provides a superior faculty with teachers who have received college degrees or have danced professionally.
In addition to the structured ballet cirrculum the Academy offers an extensive contemporary program. Classes include ballet technique, pointe, pre-ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, lyrical, ballroom, tap, creative dance, adult classes and more.
ABA produces dancers that are fit for a professional environment. Students have gone on to receive scholarships and to have professional
careers with such institutions as: Ballet West, Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, New York City Ballet,
Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Burklyn Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Houston Ballet, Ballet Oklahoma, Julliard, RDT, University of Utah
Ballet and Modern Dance programs, BYU's ballet program.
In addition to an annual performance, the Academy offers students the opportunity to perform in the non-profit performing
company Intermountain Ballet Theatre. The most recent productions have been The Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, and more.
Intermountain Ballet Theatre performs locally throughout the Salt Lake valley.
Sheila Cramer - ABA/Head Instructor & IBT Artistic Director
Sheila began her training in Rapid City, South Dakota. She then danced with University of Utah's Ballet Department and at Point Park
College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the American Dance Ensemble. Sheila began teaching at the Academy
of Ballet Arts in 1986, under the direction of Karen Chatterton. She served as Ballet Mistress (1988-2000) and Artistic Director (2000-2004) with Mountain West Ballet.
Sheila is currently Artistic Director of Intermountain Ballet Theatre.
Amanda King - Ballet & Tap Instructor
Amanda has been dancing since she was five years old. She began her training under Gaye Stevenson, at Gaye’s Dance Academy (later known as Broadway Rhythm). While at this studio, she trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. In 1993 she began further training in Ballet at the Academy of Ballet Arts. Amanda also went on to study under Jennifer Wunderli, in Masquerade Dance Company. She has also studied at the Wasatch Front School of Dance and at Center Stage Performing Arts Studio in Orem. Amanda has studied dance privately under Reparatory Dance Theatre (RDT) and Gilles Maidon; former principal dancer of The Paris Ballet and of Ballet West. She has attended many professional dance workshops and has participated in many competitions, in which she has won numerous awards, including scholarships and the Class Act Award for Tap from Dance Educators of America in 2003. She has continued her dance education by attending classes at Salt Lake Community College. Amanda was a member of Mountain West Ballet from 1996 to 2002. During that time, she performed many roles including Snow Queen in the Nutcracker. From 2003 to 2007, she performed Thriller for Odyssey Dance Theatre at Rocky Point Haunted House. She has participated in many charitable dance performances, including benefit concerts for Primary Children’s Medical Center and for The Spinal Bifida Foundation. Amanda began regularly teaching at the Academy of Ballet Arts in 2006. She joined Intermountain Ballet Theatre in 2004 and remains a current member of this company.
Michelle Merrell - Ballet Instructor
Nina Hauber - Modern, Creative Dance & Jazz Instructor
Nina has 15 years of experience in Jazz and Modern. Nina was a former dancer at the Academy of Ballet Arts. Nina was a member of Modern Works Dance company at the Academy of Ballet Arts. She was a member of Jordan High School's Dance Company for 3 years. While on Jordan's Dance Company Nina served as the President and the Secretery. Nina was a principle choreographer for Jordan's Dance Company and after Nina graduated Jordan High School brought her back to choreograph for the dance company. Nina was also a teaching assistant for the high school dance classes at Jordan High School. Nina received a scholarship to train with Ririe Woodbury Dance company while in high school.
Chandra Hugo - Hip-Hop & Ballroom Instructor
Chandra grew up in Rigby, Idaho and started dancing at the age of 3. She began early with lessons in ballet & tap and progressed to gymnastics and ballroom dance in elementary school. In junior high, she continued her studies in ballroom and also took a new interest in the drill team. As a drill team requirement, she was required to take ballet lessons and this is where she discovered her passion for ballet.
By this time she had auditioned for and joined Extreme Ballroom Company, the top ballroom team in Idaho ranking second in the nation. Because of the opportunities this company provides, Chandra has been able to be involved with several tours to places such as Disney World, Los Angeles, St. George, and Mexico (a cruise).
During her exciting time with Extreme Ballroom Company, Chandra made time to perform in ballet productions such as "The Nutcracker" and "Sleeping Beauty" with her ballet studio. She also fit in time for Jazz lessons along with her other dance lessons in high school. It would be an understatement to say that Chandra loves dancing.
Sheelena Rogers - Lyrical & Jazz Instructor
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