LUCIANA REZENDEOwner and Artistic Director
Ballet Instructor |
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Instructors
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Luciana Rezende
Owner/Program Director and Ballet Instructor
A former professional ballet dancer, Luciana Rezende studied under the tutelage of internationally respected teachers, as Sulamith Messerer, Elena Kunikova, Martin Putke, Giselle Santoro and Eugenia Feudorova. After finishing her degree at the University of Brasilia (Brazil), Ms. Rezende came to the US on a full scholarship granted by the Joffrey Ballet School (NY).
As a dancer, she has performed principal roles for several professional ballet companies in Brazil and in the US, including Ballet of Brasilia, Brazil; Garden State Ballet, NJ; Mid-Illinois Ballet, IL and Chicago Festival Ballet, IL.
Ms. Rezende has been teaching classical ballet for over twenty years in the Champaign-Urbana area, and guesting with dance schools in the Midwest. As a ballet director, she has staged full-length ballets and conducted ballet classes for students age 2 to adult, levels beginner to professional.
Ms. Rezende has privately coached students to successfully medal at international ballet competitions.
Luciana Rezende also was the Director for the ballet program at the Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana and is as guest teacher for the Faubourg Ballet Theatre (Chicago, IL) and Central Illinois Ballet (Peoria, IL).
As a dancer, she has performed principal roles for several professional ballet companies in Brazil and in the US, including Ballet of Brasilia, Brazil; Garden State Ballet, NJ; Mid-Illinois Ballet, IL and Chicago Festival Ballet, IL.
Ms. Rezende has been teaching classical ballet for over twenty years in the Champaign-Urbana area, and guesting with dance schools in the Midwest. As a ballet director, she has staged full-length ballets and conducted ballet classes for students age 2 to adult, levels beginner to professional.
Ms. Rezende has privately coached students to successfully medal at international ballet competitions.
Luciana Rezende also was the Director for the ballet program at the Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana and is as guest teacher for the Faubourg Ballet Theatre (Chicago, IL) and Central Illinois Ballet (Peoria, IL).
Tanya Picard
Tap Program Director
Tanya Picard is a master teacher and choreographer from the Chicago area. She began dancing at the age of five, and has studied at Gus Giordano Dance in Chicago; modern at the Martha Graham Dance Center in New York; tap with Bob Audy and Charles “Cookie” Cook in New York, as well as Lane Alexander and Chicago Human Rhythm Project in Chicago; and jazz with dance legend Luigi. She currently teaches workshops in Luigi Technique both locally and elsewhere in the U.S. Tanya did her graduate work in directing at the University of Minnesota and served as the Artistic Director of Pasticcio Dance Ensemble and Danza, both contemporary companies. While in Minneapolis, she also worked as a choreographer for the Renaissance Faires in Chicago and Boston, creating the original “Gypsy Dancers.” Her academic area is dance history, with a particular interest in early 20th century dance. She was delighted to discover Jennifer Sprowl’s classes in Isadora Duncan technique at the Joffrey Ballet, and has been studying with Jennifer ever since and is active in Duncan Dance Chicago. Beginning in 2011, Tanya has created unique pieces that fuse text, tap, modern, jazz dance, and music that have been presented at the Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois. She is an active participant in Chicago Human Rhythm Project and studies and works with renowned tap dancer Jimmy Payne, Jr., who has created several pieces for Impulse Tap Ensemble. Her favorite quote is, “To dance, put your hand over your heart and listen to the sound of your soul.”
Alexis Miller
Ballet, Jazz and Private Coaching
Alexis Miller, a native of central Illinois, has been dancing since the age of 4. Her training includes the Joffrey Ballet School, Columbia College Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she received her BFA in Dance. There she trained in all styles of dance offered and worked with choreographers, such as Kendra Portier, Charlie Maybee, and Endalyn Taylor. She also trained with Giordano Dance Chicago, Broadway Dance Center, and the Radio City Rockettes. She earned her MA in Liberal Studies from Rutgers University, where she pursued creative writing and combining her passion for the arts and education. As a dance educator, she became a Teacher’s Assistant at UIUC, was the Assistant Choreographer to Rebecca Nettl-Fiol for Champaign Urbana Theatre Comapany’s production of “Annie” and has taught with Urbana Fine Arts Center, coaching students for YAGP in the classical, contemporary, and ensemble categories.
Tarasina Masi-Giulio Tonolo
Ballet and Private Coaching
Tarasina Masi- Giulio Tonolo is a native of Illinois and has spent the last ten years dancing as a principal ballerina in Europe with the Vanemuine Teater in Estonia. She has toured the US, Europe and China extensively, and has been invited as a guest ballerina to several companies and schools in the US and Italy. Her repertoire includes many classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, Raymonda, Onegin, The Nutcracker and many others, as well as, several new works by choreographers Giorgio Madia, Petr Zuska, Michael Shannon, Par Isberg, Michelle Holmes-Bello, Dr. Ken Bello, Mai Murdmaa, Igor Barberic, Teet Kask, David Sonnenbluck, Silas Stubbs and others. Mrs. Giulio Tonolo’s teaching career began many years ago, having been a faculty member of the USA Ballet Academy in Bloomington before moving to Europe. She continued to share her knowledge with the students of the Vanemuine Ballet Academy in Estonia, and for the past few years as a ballet mistress/coach to her colleagues in the Vanemuine Teater company in Estonia. Mrs. Giulio Tonolo graduated from the USA Ballet Academy, Bloomington, and is a YAGP Gold medal recipient, as well as, a competitor/finalist in world renowned competitions, including South Africa IBC, World Ballet Competition, Moscow IBC and Varna. Besides performing, coaching and teaching, she is the proud mother of a two year old who’s already showing her talent and love for ballet.
Tarasina Masi- Giulio Tonolo is a native of Illinois and has spent the last ten years dancing as a principal ballerina in Europe with the Vanemuine Teater in Estonia. She has toured the US, Europe and China extensively, and has been invited as a guest ballerina to several companies and schools in the US and Italy. Her repertoire includes many classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, Raymonda, Onegin, The Nutcracker and many others, as well as, several new works by choreographers Giorgio Madia, Petr Zuska, Michael Shannon, Par Isberg, Michelle Holmes-Bello, Dr. Ken Bello, Mai Murdmaa, Igor Barberic, Teet Kask, David Sonnenbluck, Silas Stubbs and others. Mrs. Giulio Tonolo’s teaching career began many years ago, having been a faculty member of the USA Ballet Academy in Bloomington before moving to Europe. She continued to share her knowledge with the students of the Vanemuine Ballet Academy in Estonia, and for the past few years as a ballet mistress/coach to her colleagues in the Vanemuine Teater company in Estonia. Mrs. Giulio Tonolo graduated from the USA Ballet Academy, Bloomington, and is a YAGP Gold medal recipient, as well as, a competitor/finalist in world renowned competitions, including South Africa IBC, World Ballet Competition, Moscow IBC and Varna. Besides performing, coaching and teaching, she is the proud mother of a two year old who’s already showing her talent and love for ballet.
Matteo Giulio Tonolo, Courtesy of USA Ballet
Ballet and Private Coaching
Matteo Giulio Tonolo was born in Moncalieri, Italy, and received his training at the Accademia Regionale Teatro Nuovo di Torino, Italy, where he studied under the tutelage of Maria Elena Fernandez, Marisa Milanese, Antonio Della Monica and others. Mr. Giulio Tonolo’s career began early when he was invited to join the Compagnia Teatro Nuovo di Torino, Italy, at just sixteen years old. He has worked with several US companies, including Ajkun Ballet, Albany Berkshire Ballet and USA Ballet, as well as continuing to be a guest artist in Europe. For the past ten years, Mr. Giulio Tonolo has worked at the Vanemuine Teater in Estonia, rising quickly through the ranks from corps de ballet to soloist, where he also began his teaching and coaching career. Mr. Giulio Tonolo’s extensive repertoire includes not only the classics such as Raymonda, Sleeping Beauty, Onegin, The Nutcracker etc., but he has had the honor of working closely with many world renowned choreographers including Giorgio Madia, Petr Zuska, Michael Shannon, Robert North, Jelena Pankova, Mai Murdmaa, Michelle Holmes-Bello, David Sonnenbluck, Igor Barberic, Cedric Lee Bradly Mare Tommingas, and many others. He has had several distinguished roles created on him. He has performed all over the world- touring throughout Europe, the US and China.
This past January, Mr. Giulio Tonolo has joined the faculty of the USA Ballet Academy, Bloomington.
This past January, Mr. Giulio Tonolo has joined the faculty of the USA Ballet Academy, Bloomington.
Corbin Philips
Adult Ballet, Contemporary and Private Coaching
Corbin Phillips is a dancer and choreographer based outside of Chicago Illinois. He received a BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa in 2020, with a focus on choreography. Growing up, he trained heavily in ballet and travelled to schools across the country including Ballet Chicago, Next Generation Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and the Dance Theater of Harlem. His choreographic work explores the contrast between his classical training and idiosyncratic movements, while aiming to create a fluidity between the two.
Jasmine O'Connor
Early Childhood Ballet and Private Coaching
Jasmine O’Connor began her dance training at Christine Rich Studio at the age of 2. She has been trained intensively in ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop by teachers with extensive knowledge and experience in the professional field of dance.
Through her 14 years of training she has developed a love for all dance styles as well as teaching.
She has been a finalist at the YAGP 2019, perfrorming in the Ensemble piece "Unafected When We Join" and she has choreographed contemporary pieces for the UFAC students.
She has previous involvement conducting and directing activities for children of all ages at the Urbana Fine Arts Center Summer Program as well as in various events held by different organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area. Lately she was in charge of the UFAC afternoon summer program, preparing and teaching Musical Theatre, Acting, and Viriety Theatre classes for children ages 6 to 12.
Jasmine O'Connor has been trained to work with pre-school old age children and she has been conducting the UFAC children's ballet classes for over 5 years.
Through her 14 years of training she has developed a love for all dance styles as well as teaching.
She has been a finalist at the YAGP 2019, perfrorming in the Ensemble piece "Unafected When We Join" and she has choreographed contemporary pieces for the UFAC students.
She has previous involvement conducting and directing activities for children of all ages at the Urbana Fine Arts Center Summer Program as well as in various events held by different organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area. Lately she was in charge of the UFAC afternoon summer program, preparing and teaching Musical Theatre, Acting, and Viriety Theatre classes for children ages 6 to 12.
Jasmine O'Connor has been trained to work with pre-school old age children and she has been conducting the UFAC children's ballet classes for over 5 years.
Katie Koprowski
Ballet
Katie Koprowski was born in Chicago into an artistic family. Her mother was a dancer/actor, and her father was a writer/producer. By the age of three, she began her formal dance training at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Under the tutelage of ballet masters Dolores Long, Birute Barodicaite, Patty Klekovic, and Victor Alexander, Katie learned Cecchetti/RAD/Vaganova ballet, character, and contemporary styles. Throughout high school in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, she danced professionally with the Ruth Page Civic Ballet in their Nutcracker, Coppelia, Tarantella, and Midsummer’s Night’s Dream productions. Whilst pursuing her B.S. in Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Katie co-founded (alongside Caroline Fatina) the first college-level ballet company on campus called Pointe Shoe Lab (PSL) in 2019. PSL dancers, who have trained previously at prestigious studios in Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago, have performed excerpts from Giselle, La Bayadere, Serenade, and Coppelia in their bi-annual showcases. Today, as a PhD student in Bioengineering at Illinois, Katie continues to teach and lead weekly ballet classes at beginning-advanced level for new PSL dancers, artistically direct/produce PSL classical and contemporary performances in theater venues across campus, and is excited to teach adult ballet classes at Urbana Fine Arts.
Olivia Drane
Children's Ballet adn Private Coaching
Olivia Drane started her dance training at age 3 at CRS, Savoy, IL, under tutelage of Ms. Christine Rich and Ms. Luciana Rezende. She trained in ballet, jazz, acrobatics, and hip hop. At the age of 11, Olivia began to focus on ballet, under the direction of Ms. Rebekah Von Rathoyni, in Peoria, IL. Olivia was offered a trainee position with Central Illinois Ballet, a professional ballet company based in Peoria, IL. This opportunity facilitated performing alongside professional artists, including a tour to Dallas, TX, where she performed with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. She also participated in many outreaches within the local community.
Olivia has performed at numerous of international ballet competitions where she received training from some of the world’s most renowned dance teachers.
Olivia currently teaches ballet and coaches students in ballet and contemporary dance at Urbana Fine Arts Center.
Olivia has performed at numerous of international ballet competitions where she received training from some of the world’s most renowned dance teachers.
Olivia currently teaches ballet and coaches students in ballet and contemporary dance at Urbana Fine Arts Center.
Richard Smith
Ballet and Private Coaching
Richard is currently a freelance professional ballet dancer and teacher, originally from Peoria, IL. He has taught and coached several YAGP Top 12 winners in Chicagoland and the Champaign/Urbana area. Richard spent the 2018-2021 seasons as a professional dancer for Peoria's ballet company, performing Principal and Soloist roles such as the Prince in Cinderella, Jonathan Harker in Dracula, Jay Gatsby in Gatsby: The Ballet (an all-Company choreographed show), Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, as well as Snow King, Flower Cavalier, and the Cavalier/Sugar Plum Adage in The Nutcracker.
Richard has appeared as a guest artist throughout the State of Illinois, New York, and Florida. His guest credits include: Snow King, Cavalier, and the Prince in The Nutcracker, Albrecht in Giselle, Espada in Don Quixote, and The Wizard/Flying Monkey in The Wizard of Oz. Richard has trained in Peoria as well as at The Rock School and Urbana Fine Arts Center under such names as Bo & Stephanie Spassoff, Phillip Otto, Rachel Butler, Luciana Rezende, Watmora Casey, Altin Naska, Olena Nalyvaiko, Erich Yetter, Don Coven, Mariaelena Ruiz, and Laura Alonso among others.
While Richard currently serves as a faculty member at Virtues in Motion in Yorkville, IL, he is very excited to spend his fifth summer with Ms. Luciana and Urbana Fine Arts Center!
Richard has appeared as a guest artist throughout the State of Illinois, New York, and Florida. His guest credits include: Snow King, Cavalier, and the Prince in The Nutcracker, Albrecht in Giselle, Espada in Don Quixote, and The Wizard/Flying Monkey in The Wizard of Oz. Richard has trained in Peoria as well as at The Rock School and Urbana Fine Arts Center under such names as Bo & Stephanie Spassoff, Phillip Otto, Rachel Butler, Luciana Rezende, Watmora Casey, Altin Naska, Olena Nalyvaiko, Erich Yetter, Don Coven, Mariaelena Ruiz, and Laura Alonso among others.
While Richard currently serves as a faculty member at Virtues in Motion in Yorkville, IL, he is very excited to spend his fifth summer with Ms. Luciana and Urbana Fine Arts Center!
Haley Krause
Children’s Ballet and Hip Hop
Haley Krause is a Chicago-based dancer and choreographer, currently pursuing her B.F.A in Dance, along with a minor in Media and Cinema Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has trained, performed, and competed in hip-hop, ballet, jazz, and contemporary since age six, and began choreographing in high school. Her choreographic debut entitled They Were Wrong, was chosen to represent Evanston Township High School at the IHSA Dance Festival in 2018 followed by her work Somebody To You in 2019. She went on to train at Visceral Dance Chicago under Nick Pupillo and his renowned faculty for one year before starting undergrad in 2020. Since then, she has expanded her training to include modern, house, and Umfundailai, and is working to cultivate her artistic voice through choreography and videography. Krause has performed in works by Bevara Anderson, Anna Sapozhnikov, Dr. Kemal Nance, Jakki Kalogridis, and Laura Chiaromonte. She has also represented her class on the Dance at Illinois Student Board since 2020 and interned for the program under Anna Sapozhnikov since 2019. After undergrad, Krause plans on dancing professionally and expanding her choreographic career through multimedia exploration
Siena O'Connor
Musical Theatre, Children's Contemporary Dance and Private Coaching
Siena O'Connor (She/Her) was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. She began performing at a young age through both a community theater and an aerial dance studio. She began her formal dance training at age 13. Dancing with both Center City Ballet and Movement Arts as well as Dancefx Athens, she trained classically in ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip hop. In high school, she began teaching both jazz and contemporary, as well as private lessons. Siena has attended summer programs at the Joffrey Ballet School, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, as well as The Performing Arts Project.
She is currently a student at the University of Illinois where she is pursuing a BMA in Lyric Theater as well as a Dance minor. She is thrilled to join the faculty at Urbana Fine Arts Center and hopes to inspire students with her love of learning and dance.
She is currently a student at the University of Illinois where she is pursuing a BMA in Lyric Theater as well as a Dance minor. She is thrilled to join the faculty at Urbana Fine Arts Center and hopes to inspire students with her love of learning and dance.
Anna Ginsburg-Sullivan
Teacher in Training
Anna Ginsburg-Sullivan has been training with Luciana Rezende since the age of 10. She has had the opportunity to take classes with internationally renowned teachers such as Watmora Casey and Valorie Lantratov. She has also had the honor of taking contemporary classes with the company members of Philadanco and Mark Morris Dance Center. Anna participated in the Youth American Grand Prix in 2021 and 2022 performing classical and contemporary choreographies.
Anna has a love for acting and performing. She started performing in plays in musicals when she was six. She has participated and starred in performances at Class Act Champaign, directed by Jackie Lowenstine. Recently, she was cast in plays at Urbana High School directed by Alyssa Pavlakis and Jennifer Heaton.
Anna also prides herself on her academic abilities. She has received a lettermen’s letter for academic achievements at Urbana High School. She is currently applying to be a member of National Honors Society, a program dedicated to supporting the academic and leadership skills of high school students nationwide.
Since she was 13, Anna has assisted teaching ballet classes. She is currently a Teacher in Training at Urbana Fine Arts Center.
Anna has a love for acting and performing. She started performing in plays in musicals when she was six. She has participated and starred in performances at Class Act Champaign, directed by Jackie Lowenstine. Recently, she was cast in plays at Urbana High School directed by Alyssa Pavlakis and Jennifer Heaton.
Anna also prides herself on her academic abilities. She has received a lettermen’s letter for academic achievements at Urbana High School. She is currently applying to be a member of National Honors Society, a program dedicated to supporting the academic and leadership skills of high school students nationwide.
Since she was 13, Anna has assisted teaching ballet classes. She is currently a Teacher in Training at Urbana Fine Arts Center.
Dance Program and Classes
The focus of our programs is the student. All classes, recitals and activities are aimed towards the technical and artistic development of each student. Professional artists are often invited to participate in our events, sharing their knowledge and talents to enhance our artistic productions and allow our students to have the experience they need to stay inspired and motivated.
Children's ProgramOur Children's Program was developed to provide classes where children get exposure to dance in a nurturing environment.
Although classes are structured, creativity is encouraged, while they improve their gross and fine motor skills. We offer classes for children age 2 and above. |
Pre Professional Ballet PogramOur Pre Professional Ballet Program is designed for students that desire more hours of practice, more performance opportunities, or want to engage themselves in international ballet competitions. Children over 10 years of age may enroll in this program, after taking a placement class.
This ballet program is based on the Vaganova Syllabus, which is the method taught at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, in St. Petersburg. This method is nowadays used worldwide by teachers and schools of ballet that commit to high quality ballet education and to the preparation of professional ballet dancers, teachers and choreographers. Since the pre professional ballet program's classes are focused on the technical and artistic development of our students, rehearsals for our performances are done in a separate time, free of charge. |
Adult ClassesOur Adult Dance Classes are open to beginners, dancers with some ballet experience and advanced level ballet dancers that seek to take classes after experiencing time off dance for any reason. Ballet technique is taught according to the general needs of the group and expectations vary on an individual basis.
Stretch, Floor Barre, Yoga Dance and Contemporary Dance are open to adult beginners. Tap and Jazz classes are also open to adults depending on previous dance experience. |
Workshops and Master Classes
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We offer workshops and master classes throughout the year, conducted by internationally renowned teachers.
Performance and Recitals
We have one recital per year, usually during the first weekend of June.
All dance classes of our children's program and pre-professional program participate in the recital.
Student's participation is not mandatory.
Click here for recital images.
All dance classes of our children's program and pre-professional program participate in the recital.
Student's participation is not mandatory.
Click here for recital images.
Due to COVID-19, our 2020 and 2021 recitals were changed to video recording projects.
We also provide other performance opportunities for students in the pre-professional program during the year, including scholarship competitions.
Summer
Summer CampsFor children ages 6 to 12 we offer a summer intensive (camp) with full day and half day options. Our summer schedule is flexible to accommodate the needs of families that travel during the summer and prefer not to commit to a full summer enrollment.
Our surroundings have beautiful landscaped grounds where our students can enjoy the outside during morning snack, lunch and other outdoor activities. Indoor classes are stretch, ballet, multicultural dance, dance & art history for children, world art workshop, world music & songs and multicultural presentations. |
Summer IntensivesFor students ages 9 and older with in the pre-professional program we offer ballet summer intensives with internationally renowned teachers.
Ballet technique, pointe, variation and character dance are some of the classes included in the summer intensives. |
Evening ClassesWe enhance our summer by offering with jazz, tap and hip-hop, besides the regular evening classes that are part of our children´s program, pre-professional ballet program and adult dance program.
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Testimonials
“Educators in every sense of the word.
Nurturing, professional and high, yet realistic expectations for every child. We have been so happy with our first experience here!”
(Abby Crull)
Nurturing, professional and high, yet realistic expectations for every child. We have been so happy with our first experience here!”
(Abby Crull)
"I love the atmosphere of the studio! My daughter is shy, and all of her instructors have been great at easing her into ballet. Now, a few months later she loves ballet! Not to mention all of the great friends she’s met in her classes."
(Janna Bundy)
(Janna Bundy)
"They not only treat the little ones with care and respect but us old birds too! I feel so welcome and comfortable here. not only has UFAC been good to me but the ballet itself has started to correct areas of severe back/hip pain. I am very proud to be a student here."
(Candice Sarver)
(Candice Sarver)
"The studio has very high standards for their dancers so that they can grow and thrive, yet they are loving, genuine, compassionate, very diverse, and very accepting. Celebrating all body types and backgrounds is very important to me, and this dance studio gets it!"
(Elizabeth Sptiropoulos).
(Elizabeth Sptiropoulos).