Meet the Faculty

Dianne (Candy) Braden received a BFA degree in Dance from Texas Christian University, and has done graduate work in dance at American University. She has performed with the Fort Worth Civic Ballet, at Disney, and with the Jan Taylor Dance Company in Washington, D.C. Miss Braden brings her widely recognized strengths in tap and jazz to the faculty and is a founding member of BalletNova Center for Dance. Her choreography has been featured in several Center concerts.

Silvia Burstein-Hendi was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she studied at the National School of Dance, obtaining her degree as National Teacher, and studied at the prestigious Teatro Colon where she obtained her Diploma as Professional Dancer. Ms. Burstein performed extensively in Canada with Le Ballet Classique de Montreal, Theatre Ballet of Canada, P.M. Ottawa Jazz and Le Groupe Lab (Le Groupe de la Place Royale). Ms. Burstein's teaching experience includes  Le Groupe de la Place Royale,  Elaine Hunter Dance School, Le Petit Ballet, Dance Educators, Atelier de Dance Carole Brouard, and Ottawa University. She choreographs and performs with Choreographers Collaboration Project.

Shu-Chen Cuff was born and raised in Taiwan, where she studied with the Tsoying Dance Division in Kaoshiung, Taiwan's highly respected performing arts school. After relocating to the United States, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Florida's New World School of the Arts (NWSA). Ms. Cuff performed at the International Dance Festival in Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia. She performed professionally with the Miami Ballet (1996-1998), the Nevada Ballet Theater, (1998-2002), and Dana Tai Soon Burgess and Company (2003-Present).  Ms. Cuff taught at the Tsoying Dance School in Taiwan, and the Nevada Ballet Academy prior to joining the faculty at Arlington Center for Dance in the spring of 2002. She currently performs professionally with Dana Tai Soon Burgess and Company.

Jackie Doherty is from England where she trained at Bush Davies and London Studio Center. Her performing career started in Israel as a soloist with the Israeli Ballet Company where she toured extensively throughout Israel and Europe. She also danced with the Cwmni Ballet Gwent, Classical Productions and Opera North in the UK. She started teaching ballet when she arrived in the US initially teaching in California. Ms. Dougherty recently moved to Virginia and looks forward to pursuing her teaching here on the East Coast. 

Tiffany Haughn graduated from Jacksonville University (Jacksonville, Florida) with a B.F.A. in dance and a B.A. in psychology, and earned a Masters of Fine Arts in dance at George Mason University. Ms. Haughn performed in New York City with The Lindt International Ballet, Saltare Dance Company, Jennifer Walker & Company, and Threshold Dance Company. In New York, her choreography was presented at Dance Space Center, The Bridge, and New Dance Group Arts Center. She has been on the faculty of George Mason University, Florida Community College of Jacksonville, Episcopal High School, Levine School of Music, and The Virginia Ballet Company. 

Mary Henley grew up in Reston, Virginia and received her training with Mary Day at the Washington School of Ballet and spent summers studying with Melissa Hayden at her studio in New York City and the San Francisco Ballet school.  At age 16 Mary joined the Louisville Ballet where she danced for two seasons.  Mary has also danced as a member of the Chicago City Ballet which later became Ballet Chicago.  Since returning to the DC area, Mary has taught and performed with several local companies and schools including Bowen McCauley Dance, Tony Powell Music and Movement, the Fairfax Ballet, Russell School of Ballet, and many others.  In addition to teaching ballet Mary is also a comprehensively certified Pilates Instructor.

Karen Lewis studied ballet under Elan Diehl Cooper with the Arlington Youth Ballet, under Maureen Basta with the Washington School of Ballet, and at Maryland Youth Ballet. Her training continued in college, and she has been a student of Leigh Ann Tahash for the last several years.

Alexa McKenrick holds a BA in Art History and an MT in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia. She began her ballet training here in Northern Virginia and has been dancing for more than twenty years. During her four years at UVa, she taught ballet to students ranging in age from three to nine. Ms. Kane also choreographed and performed with the student-run Virginia Dance Company and currently teaches kindergarten in Fairfax County.

Lynne Mulligan studied dance, drama and voice at Laine Theatre Arts, Epsom, Surrey, England, a professional theatrical school. She received a teaching diploma from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) upon graduating from Laine.  Ms. Mulligan has extensive professional experience in the U.S. and England as a dancer, choreographer and teacher of ballet, modern and jazz. 

Chih-Lan Olson comes to us from a background of competitive gymnastics where she acquired extensive dance training. She is a nationally certified fitness professional and personal trainer with accreditation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the YMCA of the USA. Chih-Lan has close to twenty years of experience in the fitness industry and teaches Pilates and other forms of group exercise such as sculpting, abs/stretch and cardio interval to help students build their strength, core stability, stamina, balance and flexibility – all of which greatly enhance a dancer’s capabilities.
 

Carmen Perez began her training with the Ballet of Santiago, Chile.  She continued her studies with Ivan Nagy, Julia Prokofieva, and Alicia Targarona. As a soloist of the Ballet of Santiago, she was awarded the Medal of Outstanding National Talent.  Ms. Perez-Rowe was the Silver Medalist of the Latino- American Ballet Competition and was a Semi-Finalist at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.  She has danced with the Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Dallas Ballet and with Ballet Dallas. 

Mark P. Rubin began his training with David Howard, Dolores Brown, Robert Christopher, and George Chafee for Ballet; Luigi, Fred Benjamin, Nat Horne and Ron Forella for Jazz; Joyce Tristler, Bertram Ross, and Milton Myers for Modern. Mr. Rubin is Lifetime Certified in the Floor-Barre® Technique, and studied with Zena Rommett, the Originator of the Floor-Barre®. He performed with Ailey II, the Joffrey Ballet, Bertram Ross Dance Co., the Batsheva Dance Co., Nat Horne Musical Theater,Yiddish Theater on Broadway,  and the Fred Benjamin Dance Co. He has taught in New York at Steps, the Zena Rommett Ballet School, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Ballet Academy East. Mr. Rubin is a certified Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Yoga teacher.

Liesl Swogger is originally from England where she trained at Elmhurst Ballet School (now Elmhurst School for Dance).  She danced with Boston Dance Company and enjoyed perforing with Boston Ballet as a supernumerary in several producitons including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote.  Her teaching career also began in Boston where she taught at Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, Acton-Boxborough Dance Center, and several other area schools.  After moving to Northern Virginia, she begain teaching at BalletNova in 2005.  Liesl is an American Ballet Theater Cirtified Teacher, having successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 3.  She has degrees in Political Science and Graphic Design, and an MA in English Literature.

Constance Walsh began her training in New Jersey with Michael Fokine Jr. The French School of Ballet and with William Inglis at the New Jersey School of Performing Arts. After working with Daniel Nagrin, Ms. Walsh moved to New York City to attend the Martha Graham School on full scholarship. Ms. Walsh danced with Martha Graham, Pearl Lang, Sara Rudner and John Goodwin. In NY she started her own company Lacey/Strom. Her work was chosen by Martha Graham to be in The Young Choreographers Series in 1975. She began her teaching career in the 1980s and in 1991 she started her own studio, Classworks, in Easton Maryland. Designing a four studio/theater space, she created a new company, Dance Harrison Street. Her work was honored by Gov. and Mrs. Glendening at the Governors mansion in 1998, and she served on the Maryland State Arts Council. 

Maria Watson is a professional theatre-director, choreographer and dancer. A New York City-based dancer and actor for 15 years, Ms. Watson studied with Ann Reinking, Chet Walker, Tony Stevens, and Chris Chadman. Ms. Watson was classically trained at the Washington School of Ballet and the North Carolina School of the Arts. In New York, she studied directing with Tony Award-wining director Vivian Matalon and at the Acting Studio with James Price. She served as Artistic Director of the Mohawk Theatre Guild in Massachusetts, Millbrook Playhouse in Pennsylvania,and as Director/Choreographer at the Forestburgh Playhouse in New York. Ms. Watson's professional jazz-dance company will debut this November at Joy of Motion in Washington DC.

Paul Wegner received his bachelor's degree cum laude from the University of Maryland. After training with Thomas Hanner, as well as under full scholarship with the Pennsylvania Ballet School, School of Richmond Ballet and Nutmeg Ballet, Mr. Wegner went on to dance professionally for several years with Charleston Ballet Theatre and to guest with Tampa Ballet, Buffalo Ballet Theatre and Ft. Wayne Ballet. Since retiring from the stage over ten years ago, he has worked as a full-time ballet instructor. Mr. Wegner has choreographed several pieces for the Center Dance Company and has had his photography published in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine.  Many of Mr. Wegner's photographs are displayed on the walls outside the studios.

Hilary White is a local dance professional and arts administrator whose dance training started with a  strong foundation in ballet, jazz and tap.  She studied modern dance at Dickinson College under Amy Ginsburg and holds a Master of Arts in Dance from The American University, studying under Ed Tyler, Peter DiMuro, Daniel Burkholder and Sherrie Barr.  Ms. White has taught at Dickinson College and CityDance Center, works at The Music Center at Strathmore, and performs with local contemporary company DanceAntonini.

Harriet Williams is a graduate of the University of Richmond.  She trained at the Richmond Academy of Ballet and was a leading dancer with the Virginia Ballet Theatre. Ms. Williams is a faculty member at The Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet and has taught at Randolph-Macon College, George Washington University, Dance Place, and Dance Downtown.  She has choreographed for a number of regional companies and performed for many seasons with Perlo/Bloom and Company. 

Nancie Woods (Artistic Director) is from England, where she trained at the Elmhurst Ballet School and the Rambert Academy in London. Ms.Woods holds the Advanced Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dancing. Her performing career began in France with the Ballet du Rhin, where she toured extensively throughout Europe. Ms. Woods is a former soloist with Dallas Ballet and Ballet Oklahoma, and has appeared as principal with the Santa Fe Opera. Her diverse repertoire includes works by Bournonville, Balanchine, Limon, Ailey, and many of the full length classics. Ms. Woods previously taught at the Dallas Ballet Academy and the School of Ballet Oklahoma. She has choreographed and staged numerous works for the Center Dance Company, including Les Sylphides, Act II of Giselle, Act II of the Nutcracker, and Paquita. Following the retirement of Kathryn Fredgren, company co-founder, in the fall of 2002, Ms. Woods became the Artistic Director after having served on the Arlington Center for Dance faculty for 11 years. She is married to architect Paul Solon and has twin daughters, Amelia and Maria.

Irina Wunder was born in Turkmenistan where she graduated from the State School of Dance. She holds a Masters degree in Dance Science from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London where she also taught the conservatoire's community outreach creative dance program for young children. An accomplished dance scientist, Ms. Wunder brings a thorough knowledge of physiology, psychology, biomechanics and somatic disciplines relating to safe and injury free dance training.