Meet The Director
Laurel Allen
Owner/Director and Ballet Instructor
Laurel has devoted her life to ballet and the arts. From the eight year-old little dreamer at Rochester School of Dance in Michigan, and on to summer programs with The Royal Ballet in London, New York City Ballet and Cleveland San Jose Ballet. She enrolled full time at the School of American Ballet in New York at 16 years of age. By age 17, she was hired into the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, and was performing principal and soloist roles less than a year into her career. Her list of roles and performances is long, and includes well-known ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Apollo, Carmina Burana, Serenade, and many more. After retiring to have a family of her own little dancers, she has been teaching ballet for over 25 years. She is dedicated to helping others achieve their dreams, and is a passionate, hands-on teacher who inspires greatness in others, and leaves them excited to learn more
Ms. Laurel's experience on stage dates back to 1985 where she started just like your little "petite performer". Her advancements landed her on stage in front of thousands, sharing her talents with the world.
Her passion continues today in the form of hands-on, passionate teaching. Her goals for her performers are not only to improve their dancing, but to give them confidence, poise, and a drive to succeed.
Meet the Staff
Heidi Yancey
Heidi Yancey is from Newark, Delaware, she is the only daughter of four brothers to Joe and Diane Yancey. At the age of five years old, Ms. Yancey started watching the hit musical television show "Fame" and became inspired by well known performer and star of the show, Debbie Allen. Upon watching the show, she took up her first dance class, ballet. Ms. Yancey was the only African American girl in her class, and faced many difficult challenges such as racism, classism, and favoritism from fellow classmates as well as teachers. By age thirteen, Ms. Yancey was taking ballet, tap, and jazz. Ms. Yancey then soon became Delaware's first African American ballerina and danced as a soloist in the ballet "Cinderella."
At the age of thirteen, Ms. Yancey was selected to attend Duke Ellington School of the Arts, in Washington, D.C. She was one of the fifteen out of three hundred students selected. During her junior year of high school, Ms. Yancey ran for "Ms. Washington, D.C. Teen USA 1988" and finished first runner up. Immediately after graduation, she moved to New York City to dance with The Alvin Ailey Dance Company. Ms. Yancey enjoyed her time with the company, but decided to go to college, and study ballet. Ballet has always been her first love. Ms. Yancey enrolled at The Philadelphia University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, where she became the first African American dancer to major in ballet.
Casey Laughman
Casey Laughman
Casey Laughman
Ballet and Contemporary Instructor
Casey started dancing 19 years ago and hasn’t stopped. She grew up in a creative, inclusive, performance-based studio where she studied contemporary, jazz, tap, and trained under the Cecchetti Method of Ballet. Casey went on to study at Dr. Phillips High School’s dance magnet program, under the direction of Kathy Follensbee. There, she was exposed to numerous professional residencies such as John Lehrer/Lehrer Dance Company, LINES Ballet, Holly Johnston, Gina Hatch, Pilobolus Dance Company, Paul Sadler and more. Casey also studied ballet and modern techniques through Valencia College’s dual enrollment program under Prof. Lesley Brasseux Rogers. She began her free-lance career shortly after high school; performing, teaching, choreographing, and also writing an original children’s production. Today, she is a teaching artist for Orlando Ballet’s Community Enrichment program, where her goal is to bring the art of dance to underserved communities who may not otherwise have access to performance opportunities. At Perform Orlando Arts Academy, Casey’s pursuit to share the passion of dance with the next generation continues.
Kyra Bauske
Casey Laughman
Casey Laughman
Ballet Instructor
A local of the sunshine state, Kyra has spent her entire life as a performer. With her experience as a commercial and film actor including film credits for Disney as well as theatrical credits as a soloist in Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miracle Worker, and many others. She went to school at the Rollins department of music and has a deep appreciation for classical repertoire, rhythm, and musical artistry which she applies in her teaching methods. Her years of dance training include competitive Irish Step Dance with the Watters School of Irish Dance where she took second place with her team at the 2015 World Championships of Irish Dance in Montreal and won a Solo Regional Champion Title in 2017 in Dallas, TX. Following Irish Dance, Kyra fell in love with ballet. She trained at the Russian Ballet in the Vaganova method with a heavy focus on injury prevention and expressive technique. She studied under the instruction of professional Vaganova dancers including Henry Hernandez, Vadim Fedotov, as well as guest soloists from the Ukraine. Her ballet performance credits include the Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, Cinderella and many others. Kyra is an enthusiastic teacher and choreographer who prioritizes technique and musicality and tailors her pace to her students’ individual needs. She loves working with students new and experienced and works hard to help her dance family grow and achieve their best in a friendly, fun environment.
Nadia Allen
Nadia Allen
Nadia Allen
Ballet and Contemporary Instructor
Nadia has been dancing for 13 years, and is already a blossoming choreographer. Nadia is currently a senior at Dr. Phillips High School (DPHS) and has trained through the dance program in ballet, modern, contemporary, and jazz techniques. Nadia loves various forms of dance, and exhibits a fun and enthusiastic style that her students love. She also has experience choreographing through DPHS, and has recently attended an emerging choreographers workshop though Brenau University. She has worked with choreographers and teachers including: Kathy Follensbee, Leslie Brasseux Rodgers, Jon Lehrer, Tiffanie Carson, Aretuza Garner, and Holly Johnston.
Ian Allison
Nadia Allen
Nadia Allen
Partnering and Ballet Instructor
Ian has been dancing for over 14 years. He took his first dance class at the age of 6. He has trained with notable teachers such as Vadim Fedotov, Vasile Petrutiu and Vladimir Bykov. He started partnering at age 14 and has danced in many ballets including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Carmen, Don Quixote and Esmeralda. He has been working with Ms. Laurel for the last two years and has helped the many young men become good partners.