Suncoast Academy of Dance

April has established a solid foundation of quality dance instruction and an outstanding dance curriculum for Suncoast Academy of Dance. She is the Artistic Director and choreographer for the award winning Art In Motion. April is well respected in the dance industry and has formed relationships with Suzi Miller (LA), Rhonda Miller (NYC/LA), Chebar Williams (LA), Finis Jhung (NYC), and many others through annual dance conventions.

April began her classical ballet training locally. She spent her early professional career with Princess Cruise Lines as a dancer and line captain. She continues her dance training with such greats as Finis Jhung and Chebar Williams.

April's commitment to the community, the arts, and our dancers is unparalleled. Each year April participates in "The Great American Teach In", "Relay for Life", and the Pinellas County Schools "Adopt a Class" program as well as other community projects.

Jenny's exciting tap, jazz, and lyrical classes and personality are loved by all. Jenny is also the coordinator of Suncoast's performing company, Art in Motion. Jenny's innovate AIM choreography has won numerous awards.

Jenny began her dance education at Suncoast Academy of Dance when she was 3. She continued her dance education by attending The Edge, Millennium Dance Complex and American Performing Arts in California. Jenny's performing experience includes: Super Bowl XXXV Pre-game Show, The Art & Spirituality Festival, The Oft Told Story Stage Production, and Katurah & Co. (a modern Dance company).

Upon her return to the Tampa Bay area, Jenny enrolled at USF and continued her studies in Ballet, Modern, and Improvisation while earning a BS in Industrial Engineering. When Jenny is not teaching dance, she teaches math at Largo High School.

Jenni has a passion and love for dance that she passes on to the students she teaches. Jenni teaches jazz to all ages as well as pre-school classes.

Jenni began as a student at Suncoast Academy of Dance. She has performed in several industrial shows in the Tampa Bay area including Nexus. Jenni attended classes at the Edge and Millennium Dance Complex in California. Jenni has been involved with our performing company, Art In Motion, as both a student and now as an instructor. Jenni's warmth, encouragement, technical skills, and positive attitude towards our students is a benefit to all.

Nicole Dalia, originally from Clearwater, Florida, attended Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. She then continued her studies by attending The Boston Conservatory as a scholarship student. In 2004, she received her BFA in both Ballet and Modern and went on to apprentice for the summer with Verbs Ballet in Cleveland, Ohio. Nicole then joined the modern dance company, Elisa Monte Dance in New York City, where she performed nationally and internationally. Her tours brought her to dance on the stages of Germany, France, Italy, and England. While residing in New York she also danced for Randy James Dance Works, Metropolitan Repertory Ballet Company, and Ballet for Young Audiences.

Nicole taught ballet for children of all ages at the prestigious Ballet Academy East in Manhattan. Continuing her teaching path, she became a teaching artist for Rioult Dance Company, where she auditioned and set choreography for children to perform on the big stage with the company. Since 2009, Nicole has been a certified Pilates instructor and currently teaches at LA Fitness and Access Fitness.

Colleen is very excited to be back in Palm Harbor teaching dance at her home dance studio. In addition to pre-school classes, Colleen teaches tap and jazz to all ages.

Colleen began dancing at a young age, taking many forms of dance. Colleen auditioned and was accepted into Suncoast's Art In Motion performing company for numerous years. Colleen became an assistant instructor and then promoted to an instructor based on her technique and dedication. Colleen has studied under tapping experts Gregg Russell, Ryan Lohoff, and Angela Carter. 

Colleen is a graduate of Florida State University with a degree in Family and Child Sciences.

Tayler is originally from Lilly, Pennsylvania. In 2011, Tayler graduated from Slippery Rock University (SRU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. While attending SRU, Tayler had the opportunity to work with exceptional dancers and professors including Ursula Payne, Teena Custer, and Nora Ambrosio. In 2009, Tayler was one of three SRU students chosen to travel to India. In India, she studied Bharata Naytam under Revathi Ramachandrin. More recently, Tayler had the opportunity to travel to Paris, France where she explored the culture and participated in master classes from Alexandre de la Caffinière.

Melissa is from the St. Louis metro area where she first received training in ballet, jazz, modern, and Broadway dance. As a student, she received her Advanced Professional certification in Cecchetti ballet under the training of Lisbeth Brown. She is a Qualified Cecchetti teacher (Grade V) and an Associate Member of the Cecchetti Council of America. As an undergraduate, she founded and was president of Cedarville University’s first student choreography collective, Ayo. In St. Louis, she was a trainee at The Big Muddy Dance Company, a contemporary jazz company in St. Louis and a member of the Downtown Dance Center Performing Company. Prior to moving to the Bay area, she also taught at several studios in the St. Louis metro-east and choreographed for competitive and non-competitive student companies.

Cleo, formerly on the Suncoast faculty and a member of Art In Motion, returns to teach and choreograph when her schedule allows. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Commercial Dance from Pace University in NYC with concentrations in both Choreography and Pedagogy. She has trained extensively in New York with renowned teachers such as Rhonda Miller, Lauren Gaul, Jess Hendricks and Scott Jovovich, and at Pace Commercial Dance’s inaugural Los Angeles intensive with Mandy Moore and Jerry Evans. She now works as a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer in New York City while also holding an administrative internship at Peridance Capezio Center.