Artistic Director: Mr. Edwin Navarro
Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Mr. Navarro began his ballet training at the “State of Zulia Ballet School”, under the direction of the Artistic Director, Guillermo Gonzalez. After graduating, Mr. Navarro joined “Ballet Danzarte de Maracaibo” as a principal soloist. During that time, he performed in many classical pieces such as “Swan Lake”, “Chopiniana”, ” The Nutcracker” and many others. A few years later, Mr. Navarro received an invitation to join “Ballet de Maracaibo” as a principal dancer under the direction of Nedo Vojkic. Consequently he moved to Caracas in 1996 and became a Principal Soloist of “The National Ballet of Caracas”, directed by Vicente Nebrada.
Mr. Navarro has danced in multiple international tours, galas and ballet festivals in Colombia, Venezuela and United States, including the Wolf Trap Festival in Washington, D.C.
His repertoire includes classical and neoclassical, principal and leading roles in world famous ballets such as “Swan Lake”, “Paquita”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Nutcracker”, “Cinderella”, “Coppelia”, “Raymonda”, “Chopiniana”, “Giselle”, “Walpurgis Night”, “Flower Festival”, “Midsummer’s Night Dream”, “Le Corsaire”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Firebird”, “Fiebre”, “Batucada Fantastica”, to name a few. During his career as a dancer, Mr. Navarro performed for the TV Show Pageant “Miss Venezuela”, as well as TV commercials and plays like “Blood Wedding” by Garcia Lorca, and “The impostures of Scapin” by Molliere.
After discovering his passion for teaching and ballet coaching, Mr. Navarro got trained by Irina Ivanova, a ballet mistress who graduated from The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, he finished the training in 2002 with a certification in Pedagogy and Classical Repertoire under the Vaganova Method. He also completed an intership at the Teresa Carreno Ballet School.
During his career, Mr. Navarro was trained by Sonja Stamberg, Rafael Portillo, Vicente Nebrada, Vladimir Loupujov, Ruta Butvilliene, Rumen Rachev, Sasha Vojkic and Vladimir Issaev.
In 2008, Mr. Navarro received a Certificate in Acting/Drama from the School of Community Education at Miami Dade College.
Mr. Navarro has performed multiple character roles such as Mother Comedia for the Miami City Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker”, Dr. Coppelius in “Coppelia”, Widow Simone in “La Fille Mal Gardee” for the America’s Ballet School in Tampa, Gamache in “Don Quixote” and Stepsister in “Cinderella” for the South Florida Ballet Theater, Soldier in “Carmen” for the Gamonet Ballet, the evil Carabosse in “The Sleeping Beauty”, and Mother Comedia, Mouse King and Dr. Stahlbaum for the Gulfshore Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker”.
Mr. Navarro has worked as a Ballet Teacher for Central Ballet Theater of Greeneville, in Greeneville, TN, America’s Ballet School in Tampa ,FL , Gulfshore Ballet in Fort Myers, FL , The Dance Warehouse in Fort Myers, FL , The Laboratory Theater of Florida in Fort Myers,FL and, most recently, for Robin Dawn Dance Academy in Cape Coral, FL.
Mr. Navarro is also certified in CPR.
Ballet Instructor: Ms. Yelena Sokolova
Ms. Yelena Sokolova has been teaching ballet and character dance for over 40 years.
She graduated with Honors from the University of Art in Ukraine. She is passionate about sharing her experience, knowledge, love and passion for dance with the next generation.
Throughout her career, she has trained students from age 3 to 75! Yelena cares deeply for each of her dancers, creating a very special atmosphere in her classes and a lasting impression on her students. Many of Yelena’s students have gone on to professional dance careers; performing with professional companies, teaching dance and directing programs. Some of her students have continued to train with the Kyiv Ballet Academy and work professionally at the National Theater of Ukraine.
Ms. Yelena has also been teaching ice skaters for the past 20 years. Her skaters have received medals from national and international competitions, including World’s and the Olympics.
Guest Ballet Instructor / PBT: Ms. Vanessa Coste
Ms. Vanessa Coste started her career as a Classical Ballet Dancer in 1985, at the age of eight, at the Gustavo Franklin Ballet School in Caracas, Venezuela. After only three years, she became one of the first ballet students in Venezuela to obtain a scholarship from the CONAC (Venezuelan Cultural Institute), becoming one of the best dancers of her class. When she finished her sixth year of ballet studies in 1991, she was accepted at the Youth Ballet School of Keyla Ermecheo, were she started dancing as a soloist.
At the age of sixteen, she was offered a position as an official member of the Metropolitan Ballet Company and began performing as a soloist and principal dancer in recitals such as “The Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Joropo”, “Fuga con Pajarillo”, “Giselle”, “Don Quixote”, “La Bayedere”, “Una Danza Para Ti” by Vicente Nebreda and many more. Two years later, she auditioned and was accepted as a well-established dancer of the National Ballet of Caracas Teresa Carreno. In 1995, she began dancing neo-classical ballet style by the famous choreographer Vicente Nebreda. During the following years, she performed in several choreographies, such as “Ines de Castro”, “Batucada Fantastica”, “Doble Corchea”, “Pentimento”, “En Concierto”, “Serenade and Concerto Barrocco” by Balanchine, among others. Furthermore, she performed as a corps and soloist on the complete ballet productions of “The Nutcracker”, “Cinderella”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Coppelia”, “Swan Lake” and “Don Quixote”.
During her career as a professional dancer, Ms. Coste performed in many different countries around the world. Reviews about her performance and most relevant work have appeared on different international magazines and newspapers, where she received important critics and awards. In addition, she was invited, in several occasions, as a guest dancer for the Ballet Florida Company between the years 1996 and 1999. During the last years of her career as a professional dancer, Ms. Coste combined her university studies, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. Prior to this, she obtained degrees in Marketing and Advertising and a Digital Marketing Certification from the University of Miami. Today, Ms. Coste is teaching ballet at ASC dance studios as a Ballet Master, as well as private teachings in the South Florida region. Ms. Vanessa Coste is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique as of 2019.
