Instructors
Meet the Team
THOMAS DISABATO
THOMAS DISABATO has been an instructor at the Las Vegas Academy for the Performing Arts for over a decade. In his youth, he was a scholarship student with the renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York City and went on to dance throughout Europe. In Las Vegas, he was the men's dance captain for Siegfried and Roy. Thomas teaches Int.-Adv. Modern, Jazz IV, and choreographs the Opening number of our annual end-of-season dance concert.
HEATHER VICTORSON
HEATHER VICTORSON had all her youth schooling and training at the Royal Ballet School in London and went on to become a member of the world-renowned Royal Ballet Company. Upon coming to Las Vegas, she became a principal dancer in many of the famous Fredric Apcar production shows. Heather teaches Pre-Pointe and Beginning thru Advanced Pointe I-III.
CHRISTINE HAYNICK
CHRISTINE HAYNICK brings many years of experience and patience that comes from having her own school of dance back east. Christine teaches Combo age 3-4, 5-6, Tap I-IV, Jazz I 7-10, Jazz III 10+, Jazz I Teens, and Acro I-II.
Keelie Wright
KEELIE WRIGHT competed in gymnastics throughout her youth and performed as a professional contortionist. Her solid dance training adds extra pizzazz to her end-of-season concert numbers. She has been expanding her training by becoming quite skilled with Acrobatic Silks. Keelie teaches Acrobatic levels I-V.
TAMARA MORRISSY
TAMARA MORRISSY began her professional career with the Santa Barbara Ballet Theater, where she danced many principal roles. She then moved to Germany, dancing as a soloist in many music, opera, and ballet productions. Back in America, Nevada Ballet Theater brought her to the rank of Prima Ballerina. Tamara now adds her expertise as a Master Trainer DK in the Body Balancing Method of Pilates to help build a stronger, more flexible ballet pointe dancer. She teaches Advanced Pointe.
ALEX FERDINAND
ALEX FERDINAND has been working as a professional dancer since the age of 13, doing special events at Las Vegas hotels for Missy Cochran Entertainment. At 16, she choreographed her 1st professional number for Carnival Cruise Lines and, at 18, began teaching for us. In her last two years with the UNLV Rebel Girls Dance Team, she was a co-captain and choreographer. In the 2012/13 NCAA National Dance Team Competition, Alex and the team took 1st place in Hip Hop and 3rd in Pom Dance over all the competing universities in the USA. Alex teaches Hip Hop I thru Advanced level V as well as Advanced Tap V, Contemporary/Lyrical, Leaps, Turns, and Progressions, Jazz II 11+, and Jazz III age 12+.
SUSAN CURRIER
SUSAN CURRIER Since she was four years old, Susan Currier grew up around dancing as her father was a professional dancer and an assistant choreographer for the original Mickey Mouse Club. Susan eventually assumed ownership of her father's dance studio in southern California and operated it for 15 years. Coming to Las Vegas, she taught Elise Vallé's adult ballet class at the Backstage Studio for professionals. She teaches ballet I age 7-10, Ballet II, and ballet I age 11 thru teens.
Jolli Neal
Jolli made her professional debut at age 6, were she was featured on the Hollywood Palace show with Bing Crosby and Sid Caesar.
She has acquired many credits in TV, commercial and film credits, but her main interest is the LIVE stage. She toured the world from the age of 18 till her early 30’s.
She has been an educator of the dance world for years. Choreographing, judging and doing master classes for competitions. She currently teaches Int.-Adv Tap for us.
She also has a classic rock band called “Jolli’s Jammers” and a keyboard duo “The ShowOffs!”
Heather Nelson
Heather Nelson was born and raised in South Africa and was trained in the Royal Academy of Dance ballet method. She danced professionally for 20 years prior to moving to the USA. Here Heather became a certified Pilates instructor (BASI) and has taught ballet at all levels for 15 years. She teaches Advanced Pointe III.
Baby Lynn Mazorra
This is our second student that trained with us for 15 years and moved on to become an instructor. She was a skilled student and performer at the highly accredited Las Vegas Academy for the Performing Arts. She is now ending college at UNLV.