Todd Rosenlieb Dance | Hampton Roads' Premiere Dance Academy

	Associate Artistic Director, RICARDO MELÉNDEZ is the former Artistic Director for Ballets de San Juan, Puerto Rico. He holds a BA in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University and an MFA in Theatre from Brooklyn College, where he served as adjunct faculty. Melendez has performed with the Alvin Ailey Dance Ensemble, Ballet Hispanico, the Omega Liturgical Dance Company, and Indianapolis Dance Company. He was also principal dancer and rehearsal director for Dance Kaleidoscope in Indiana where he dedicated his efforts in developing arts in education programs. Mr. Melendez served as Resident Choreographer for the American Cabaret Theater, and he has taught, choreographed, and performed in the US and abroad as both an actor and dancer. Some of his acting credits include Puck in the Virginia Arts Festival production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet in Hamlet at Theater 22 in NYC, Rodolfo in A View from the Bridge, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Paul in A Chorus Line. Currently he teaches at The Governor’s School of the Arts, and for Tidewater Community College. Melendez is the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Workshop Theatre Group, named by Hampton Roads Magazine as the area's most promising new theatre company.
	MELANIE ORTT earned her BA in Dance Performance from Goucher College in Baltimore. She is a graduate of The Governor's School for the Arts and has worked as an instructor and administrator for the Dance Conservatory of Maryland and the Harford Ballet Company in Bel Air, Maryland. She is Associate Director of the TRDance Ensemble

	JENNIFER SOMERS- HEABLE, originally from Massachusetts began her formal training with Russell Chambers in Randolph, Mass. She has trained with the Boston Ballet, Boston Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Southwest Ballet School, and the Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company. She has performed with the Lake Erie Ballet, Ballet Concerto in Fort Worth, and Virginia Ballet Theater. Jennifer is a graduate of Mercyhurst College with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Dance Movement/Art Therapy. Jennifer is on faculty at the TRDance Center, and was recently named “Rising Star”, most improved dancer in performance by Portfolio Weekly. *ELIZABETH BLACHMAN* trained at The Governor’s School for the Arts and Virginia Ballet Theatre. She earned her BA degree in Literature at New York University as a National Merit Scholar and graduated magna cum laude. She danced with New York Dance Theatre and several small companies in New York and then at Nashville Ballet as a trainee. Beth was a writer for Portfolio Weekly and continues to write freelance.



	THOMAS FANT is a graduate of The Governor's School for the Arts and began dancing for Todd Rosenlieb Dance in 2009.
LAUREN SINCLAIR is a graduate of the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. Shewas a trainee with Ballet Austin before returning to the local area to dance with Virginia Ballet Theatre. She joined TRDance in 2009 and also dances with Elbert Watson and Ensemble. Lauren received a B.S. from Old Dominion University in Communication and is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. In addition to performing, Lauren teaches ballet at TRDance Center and several other local studios.


	HELEN WATSON joined TRDance in March of 2010. She also dances with Elbert Watson and Ensemble. JOPPA WHITEHEAD joined Todd Rosenlieb Dance in the summer of 2009. She is also a member of the TRDance Ensemble. CHRISTINA YOSHIDA has performed with Second Wind Dance Company and Mina Estrada and Dancers before joining Todd Rosenlieb Dance. She earned her BA in dance from Old Dominion University and is a certified Pilates instructor. Christina teaches at ODU, The Governor's School for the Arts, and the TRDance Center. She is the Academy Director of the TRDance Center. JACQUELINE PATCH earned her BA in Dance from Old Dominion University and her MFA in Dance Performance from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Jackie has been with Todd Rosenlieb Dance since 2004 and is on faculty of Tidewater Community College.

JANELLE SPRUILL graduated with a BFA from Marymount Manhatten University in New York and is a graduate of The Governor's School for the Arts. She teaches for Dream Catchers Dance Studio as well as for the TRDance Center.

RONALD PARKER is a sociology major at Old Dominion University. He began dancing with Todd Rosenlieb Dance in 2010, and is a member of the TRDance Ensemble.

COURTNEY CALLAWAY is a Trainee with Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theatre