Faculty | pofahl

ABOUT THE FACULTY

The faculty has been carefully selected for their professional knowledge of a particular dance discipline as well as the ability to teach a particular age or ability level. The studio only employs instructors with professional experience and/or dance degrees.

THE PRIMARY CONCERN of the faculty is the development of each student's skill and appreciation for the art of dance, respect for their teachers and fellow students, and the development of their own personal self-esteem.

BALLET

Kim Tuttle - (Intermediate through Advanced Ballet) See "Directors"

Carla Amancio - (Adult Ballet) Born in Brazil, Ms. Amâncio trained at the Grupo Corpo Ballet School until joining Ballet Cristina Helena where she was featured soloist. Ms. Amâncio was then invited to join Sesiminas Dance Company where she performed as First Soloist until beginning a freelance career as guest artist. She stands out in roles in “Esmeralda”, “The Corsaire”, “La Bayadere”, “Coppelia”, “Don Quixote”, and “Diana and Acteon” which she performed in Havana, Cuba at the Closing Gala in 1997. Ms. Amâncio was awarded 1st Place at the III Junior Capezio Festival, Brazil; 1st and 2nd places at the CBDD Unidanca Competition, Brazil; and Finalist at the Concours Internacional de Danse de Paris, France. Ms. Amancio joined Dance Alive National Ballet in 2008, and quickly rose to the position of Principal Dancer with her beauty, brilliant technique and charismatic stage presence. She is on the faculty of Pofahl Studios, Official School of Dance Alive.

Marilyn DeIorio (Pre-Ballet and Ballet) grew up in Ocala, FL training both in Ocala and at Pofahl Studios in Gainesville, as well as summer intensives at various locales. With her long-limbed beautiful line, and technical strength she quickly moved into pre-professional training, and subsequently joined Dance Alive as a soloist in the fall of 2021. Ms. DeIorio has performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lady Bug: Action Hero, and particularly loves classical roles such as Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. She has proven her skill in both neoclassical and contemporary works as well.

Rosemary Deiorio (Beginning & Intermediate Ballet) Prinipal dancer DANB. Ms. Deiorio began her training with Pofahl Studios in Gainesville, FL. at age 12. During a summer program at the prestigious Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, FL. She was awarded the Director’s Outstanding Student Award and a full scholarship to stay for their year-round program. This is the only time this award has been given. At Harid she received three years of rigorous training - specialized ballet training as well as the diverse styles such as Spanish/Flamenco, Character, Modern and Jazz. She enjoyed dancing roles such as Waltz soloist and Mirlitons in The Nutcracker, Raymonda in Raymonda, Giselle friends, and corps works in Le corsair, as well as in modern pieces by choreographers Mark Godden and Lauren Carey. While at Harid, Ms. Deiorio received the Dance Study and Music Study awards, as well as numerous scholarships for summer programs nationwide.

Beatrix Povoas, (Beginning through Intermediate Ballet:) Principal DANB. Povoas joined DANB in 2016. She participated in numerous ballet competitions (Argentina, Berlin, Brazil) and worked professionally since 2015 at Ballet Marcia Sampio/Cabo Frio-Rio, Cia Jovem de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro da Dalal Achcar and Sesiminas Dance Company since 2013. She conducts a dance program in Brazil when not performing with DANB

Rachel Ridley, ( Ballet, Contemporary, Tap/Jazz and Hip-Hop: Principal DANB. Trained at Pofahl Studios, the Official School of DANB, Ms. Ridley performed in DANB’S production of The Nutcracker since she was a child, and has toured with DANB from the age of 12. She co-directs The Next Generation and is that complete dancer – able to perform and teach almost any dance form. Ms. Ridley graduated from USF and has her degree in speech therapy.

Andre Valladon - (Partnering/ Advanced Ballet/ Boys Class) Mr. Valladon, Principal Dancer and Assistant Artistic Director for Dance Alive National Ballet, studied at Studio de Danças Cristina Helena in Brazil before joining Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Company. One year later he became Principal Dancer at Minas Gerais Dance Company. In 1995 he represented Brazil at the International Dance Competition is Osaka, Japan where he received the Lift Prize and a contract with Jeune Ballet de France. Mr. Valladon was then invited to join first the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Ballet and then Sesiminas Dance Company as Principal Dancer. Mr. Valladon has been awarded several Gold Medals, Revelation Prize, Character Dance Revelation Price and Grand Prix at the Joinville International Dance Festival, Brazil; Gold Medal Classic and Contemporary at the Brazilian Dance Council Competition, Brazil; Lift Prize at the International Dance Competition in Japan; Finalist at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, and Concours de Danse de Paris, France. Mr. Valladon has danced the lead roles in all of the great classic ballets and is a descriptive and expressive contemporary dancer. He is technically brilliant, artistically profound, and loved by all audiences. His favorite role is the challenging role of Robin Hood in Kim Tuttle’s full length ballet of the same name.

Roberto Vega (Adult and Advanced Ballet) Prior to joining DANB, Mr. Vega was first soloist with the Cuban National Ballet. Mr. Vega has performed as soloist and first soloist with ballet companies all over the world, among them companies in the Dominican Republic, Canada, Nicaragua, Spain, Italy, Mexico, England, France, Australia, Puerto Rico, and the United States. He has danced leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Coppelia, Theme and Variations, Napoli, La Fille Mal Gardee, Time Out of Mind, and Flames of Paris among others. Featured and principal roles at DANB include the Firebird in Gerard Ebitz’s Firebird, all principal roles in The Nutcracker, A Haunted Swan Lake, Corroboree, The Ring, Lady Bug: Action Hero, ‘Puck’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, L’Amour, and Don Quixote. Mr. Vega is a virtuosic and versatile dancer and has a beautiful daughter, Valeria.

Tales Robiero (Adult Ballet) Born in Brazil, Tales Ribeiro trained at Studio Arte Dança (Divinópolis - Brazil). He participated in numerous ballet competitions, national and international, such as: "Passo de Arte Internacional", "Festival Internacional de Dança de Goiás", "Passo de Arte Grand Prix" and "Festival de Dança de Joinville". He received numerous prizes in First, Second and Third places, in particular: Festival de Dança de Joinville and Passo de Arte Grand Prix. He also won special Awards, such as "Best Dancer" in 5 different competitions between 2017 and 2019.

Stirling Kolb (Ballet & Boys Ballet) began his training at Pofahl Studios at the age of 8 where he was trained in all styles of dance. Stirling performed with Pofahl Studio’s Next Generation in pas de deux roles in Les Sylphides, Blue Bird from Sleeping Beauty, and Coppelia. He also performed with Dance Alive National Ballet in their productions such as Ladybug: Action Hero, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Firebird, Wonderment, and Carmina Burana. Stirling was privileged to perform the principal role of the Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker. Stirling has also danced with the Sarasota Ballet Margaret Barbieri Conservatory as a trainee where he performed a piece choreographed by Sarasota Ballet’s Luis Gonzalez.

BOYS BALLET

Stirling Kolb (As above)

CONTEMPORARY

Tales Ribeiro (Intermediate & Advanced) , As above.

Rachel Ridley, As above.

Alison Tucker ( Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet) began dancing

at the age of four in Ocala, Fl where she trained in various styles including ballet, contemporary, and jazz. Dancing classics such as Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake, Alison’s artistry deepened in classism. During her training she attended summer intensives at Florida State University, Next Generation Ballet at the Straz, and was accepted into Boston Ballet. In 2019 she started training at Pofahl Studios and joined the Next Generation and quickly began performing in Dance Alive performances such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Requiem, The Nutcracker, and Carmina Burana. Joining Dance Alive as a soloist in 2022, Alison looks forward to sharing her vibrant love of dance with audiences.

JAZZ

Judy Skinner - See directors.

Rachel Ridley - As above

Alison Tucker - As above

ACROBATIC DANCE

Tucker Gokey Intermediate/advanced. See Below.
Mariana Mancuso Beginning. See below.

Stirling Kolb - mSee above.

TAP

Judy Skinner - See directors
Rachel Ridley - See above.
Victor Mancuso - Assists and teaches beginning through advanced tap. Mancuso is a member of DANB and is on the technical crew as ell as performing.

HIP-HOP

Tucker Gokey (Int/Adv Hip-Hop) Guest Artist DANB. Former member Streetz Dance Convention & Competition Company Member.

Marianna Mancuso, Beginning Hip-Hop: Ms. Mancuso, a student at Santa Fe College, trained at Pofahl Studios. She is a member of the Corps de Ballet of DANB. Ms. Mancuso has toured with DANB since the age of 12 and assisted and demonstrated for studio classes for the last 3 years. A well trained dancer, Ms. Mancuso is another one of those dancers who is able to perform and teach almost any dance form.