Faculty
Linda Strutz - Executive Director/Founder
Linda, the daughter of a ballet instructor, started dancing at age 7. For 17 years, she taught Early Childhood Education in the Broward Schools, teaching pre-first grade up to grade 5 at Hollywood Central Elementary, Larkdale Elementary and Sheridan Hills Elementary. In 1993, she combining her years of dance training with her Masters in Early Childhood Education to open her own dance academy. She purchased the Broward Ballet Academy and made it into Academy of Dance, in downtown Hollywood. There she taught ballet and special programs to all ages, and put on annual performance productions to rave reviews. In 2004, she expanded that Academy into a full performing arts curriculum for all ages, the Arts Academy of Hollywood. For over 11 years Linda has been an entrepreneur, ballet teacher, educator, administrator, and business owner.
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Dance Instructors
Erzsi Salamon - Dance Department Director
Erzsi, a native Hungarian, started dancing ballet at age 8. She trained under Hungarian tutor Zsuzsa Vegvari in the Russian Ballet Technique, Vaganova. She is a graduate of the Professional School of Dance, Music & Art, specializing in ballet, music, art history, theatrical dance, Hungarian folk dance and teaching techniques. Erzsi spent 13-years performing as a dancer, vocalist, actress and choreographer at the Katona Jozsef Theatre. It was during this time that she was recognized six consecutive times as the recipient of the “Best Dancer” award. While dancing under Andrea Ladanyi with LA Modern Dance Company, Erzsi had extensive training in jazz, Martha Graham, José Limón and other modern dance techniques. Outside the dance world, Erzsi can also be seen on the big screen in Hungarian and American movies. In the theatres, Erzsi has performed a Bob Fosse Review with Jane Owen for the past eight years throughout South Florida. Here at the Arts Academy, Erzsi teaches ballet, jazz, ballroom and Latin dance. She also specializes in choreography of wedding dances. She is also the proud director and producer of two in-house performing companies - Enerzsi & Enerzsi Jr. dance repertory companies for adults and teens.
Mandy Keeley Cerrone - Arts Education Director
Mandy Keeley Cerrone was born and raised in Cranford, New Jersey where she studied dance and drama from a very young age. She has attended various master dance classes in New York, New Jersey, and Florida studying with Bob Rizzo, Lynda Gache, Frank Hatchett, Patricia Dickerson, Savion Glover, Patsy Swazye, Mallory Graham, Darrin Henson and others. She has taught classes (ballet, hip hop, tap, jazz, drama) at various dance studios, preschools and elementary schools throughout New Jersey and South Florida. Mandy graduated with a BFA from Florida Atlantic University with highest honors. She is currently seeking a Master’s Degree in Education. Though her first passion is dance, Mandy also found a passion for academic education as well. She believes in a well-rounded education for children, which of course must include the ARTS! Mandy looks forward to an exciting year at the Arts Academy of Hollywood! “Tomorrow’s dreams begin today.”
Anita Macbeth
Anita Macbeth has been a dancer and dance educator for over 17 years. She is a native of New York, where she studied ballet, modern, jazz and African dance. Ms. Macbeth danced with Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble and the Forces of Nature Dance Company. As a dance instructor, she has taught and choreographed for several New York agencies and organizations including the Bronx Council on the Arts, New York Artists in the Schools Program, New York City Housing Authority and Community School Board No. 4 East Harlem Repertory Company. Ms. Macbeth currently teaches in the Broward County, Florida school system at Bethune Elementary School of Visual and Performing Arts. Anita’s Afro-Caribbean class will combine elements of Catherine Dunham, Primus and African influences that are strongly rooted in the techniques today. Her style and cultural based elements are well renown in the Florida Area. Anita has a simple mastery of conveying technique to beginners and advanced alike.
Pablo Malco
Internationally recognized Hip Hop expert, Pablo is the Founder and Executive Director of Pfuzion Entertainment Inc. Pablo is one of the first to introduce the eclectic Pfuzion style of dance to the greater Miami, Florida area, and has built a reputation and a significant fan base as a result of being an exceptional performer and instructor. Through his unique funky fusion blend of Hip Hop/Jazz/Ballet, he has taught a number of recording artists and dance programs in America, Austria, Germany, Amsterdam, London and Scandinavia. Currently on a yearlong tour as solo performer for Budweiser, Pablo has also spent the summer of 2004 teaching in Austria and Amsterdam. Pablo has worked with such famous names as Ricky Martin, Paula Abdul, Will Smith, Jessica Simpson, Immature, Jean Michel Jarre, C&C Music Factory and others. Pablo is currently a dance instructor at the Arts Academy of Hollywood and the University Center.
Ali Bramwell
Alison (Ali) Bramwell has extensive training in classical ballet and is a qualified associate ballet teacher in the Cecchetti method. A member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing London, Ali has studied Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) under Mignon Furman (Director of the American Academy of Ballet) and is a graduate of the University of Cape Town Ballet Faculty, South Africa. Performing professionally for over 20 years in ballet companies, television, music and large Vegas style extravaganzas, Ali and her dance partner/husband (Roy Bramwell) gained international recognition as featured principals and Adagio teammates worldwide. The couple has performed in such venues as: Le Lido - Amsterdam, Farrington Productions - Las Vegas and Japan, San Remo Casino - Italy, Japanese touring company of the famed Paradis Latin (Paris), Atlantis Casino - Bahamas, Donald Trumps Mara Largo and for numerous mega cruise lines.
Rosario Nené Ortega
Nené, as she prefers to be called, is a native Venezuelan, lives to dance! Her passion is Argentine Tango, Latin Ballroom and Bellydancing. She has been actively performing nationally and internationally in opera houses, ballrooms, universities and at community events for several years. Nene began her dance education at Pine Manor College in Boston as a modern dance major. She continued her education in Paris at the Universite La Sorbonne de Paris. Currently, Nene attends Tango workshops in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is the recipient of Dance Heat USA Best Talent Award in 2005 and USA Dance Association Best Choreographer in 2006. She teaches group and private lessons at the Arts Academy.
Omoniyi “Niyi” Osoba
Omoniyi began training at Pofahl Dance Studio in Gainesville, FL studying extensively in ballet/pointe and later began also training rigorously in jazz, hip-hop and modern. In 2002 the school gave her a full scholarship which she received for the following 4 years thereafter. Also in 2002 she was selected to be apart of the Corp de Ballet of Dance Alive National Ballet where she performed in works such as Firebird, Carmen and Balachine’s infamous Nutcraker. She’s trained at multiple intensives including Santa Fe Dance Intensive (FL), The Ailey School (NY), Columbia City Jazz (SC), South Carolina Dance Conservatory (SC), Complexions Contemporary Ballet (NY) and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane (NY). She’s had the opportunity to work with teachers such as Merrill Ashley, Finis Jhung, Desmond Richardson, Dwight Rhoden, Matthew Rushing, Jennifer De-Palo, Dee Caspary, Jason Parsons, and Nick Lazzarini, to name a few. She started her Professional career in Columbia, SC at the University of SC where she made history by being one of 12 dancers in the world to ever perform Martha Graham’s “Sketches from Chronicle” in it’s entirety. A documentary of her work on the project is schedule to air May 2008. She’s a former member of Vibrations Dance Company (SC) and is now a student at FIU studying Dance Education and Pre-Physical Therapy.
Brian Anthony
Brian Anthony is CO-owner of Mambo Con Cache Dance Company and is one of Florida’s most exciting salsa dancers. Brian is a native born American who has been teaching for the past 4 years and been has performing since he was a child. He started off dancing folk and jazz in early childhood and danced hip-hop and modern throughout college. An active member of Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, Inc. Brian found Salsa in 1998 and quickly became well known in the Salsa community. He became CO-owner of the New York based dance school in 2002. Brian has won many dancing awards, step-shows, and salsa competitions. Performances include New York City Salsa Congress, International Hustle and Salsa Competition, Will Smith back-up dancer, Miami Salsa Congress, and many more. Brian takes pride in being one of Florida’s best salsa instructors, and the Mambo is what he calls home.
Sheri Wilcox
Sheri graduated from Adelphi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre. Following graduation, she continued to study acting at HB Studios and Stella Adler Conservatory, dance at Steps 74th and Broadway Dance Center, and had the opportunity to do theater, television, commercial, voice-over, and industrial work. She is a member of AFTRA, and has performed in several off-off Broadway shows, musical revues, summer stock productions, a Far East tour, children’s theater, and with “Chezzam Entertainment” and “Plays for Living” Theater Company. In addition to Sheri’s career in the Performing Arts, she has also worked as an ACE and AFAA certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer for over fifteen years. She has enjoyed teaching fitness and dance classes to students ranging in age from toddlers through seniors in several locations throughout New York, including New York Sports Club, New York Health & Racquet Club, and the 92nd Street Y. Sheri holds a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Fordham University, and before re-locating to South Florida, she was an associate first grade teacher at St. Luke’s School in Manhattan. Sheri has also co-written and choreographed “Aesop Rocks,” a children’s musical which currently tours throughout elementary schools in New York. Presently, she takes great pleasure in teaching Kindermusik and adult fitness classes at the Arts Academy of Hollywood, pursuing professional acting work, and being a mom to her eight year old daughter, Rebecca, and three year old twins, Christopher and Emily!
Nejila Innerarity
Nejila, a native Jamaican, has been performing professionally since the age of 15, first in Jamaica at the Little Theatre Dance Company productions, and later in Washington D.C. for the African Dance Company, Adadaa Memories of Africa with Djimo Kouyate. Nejila an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and poet has performed with several companies in African, jazz, modern and ballet - Tony Powell/Music & Movement (Modern/Ballet), Motion Mania Dance Theatre Company (Jazz/Modern), CityDance Ensemble (Contemporary Jazz/Modern) and Pfuzsion Entertainment Dance Company (Hip Hop). She has performed at notable theatres in Washington D.C. such as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Theatre, Smithsonian Baird Auditorium, Ford Theatre, National Theatre, Ward Theatre, and others. She has trained under world renowned artists such as Anna Sokolow (orig. Graham Dancer), Katherine Dunham (Dunham), Milton Myers (orig. Horton Dancer), Don Martin (orig. Horton Dancer), Rex Nettleford (Jamaican Kumina) and others. Nejila is the Development Director at the Arts Academy.
Chipo Chemoyo
Chipo Chemoyo started her performing dance career at a very tender age, while living in St. Croix, USVI, with the esteemed Milton Payne Cultural Dancers. The Company served as the Territories official dance ambassadors, performing traditional dances and songs. She studied dance at the St. Croix School of the Arts. Chipo’s academic training is in science and has served as a Research Scientist for the past 18 years. With Art and Science keeping her balanced, Chipo has continued to make valuable contributions while learning and sharing her culture. Her residence with performance companies such as Kazak, Hezoule Ghanaian Dance Ensemble, Haizien Creole; a Haitian Folklore Performance Co., Children of the Caribbean Dance Company, ReCreate & Move Cultural Ensemble, and presently Delou Africa Dance Ensemble are small kaleidoscope of the various dances traditions Chipo brings to her art. She continues to live and share her talents to educate and entertain African Culture through dance in South Florida.
Art Instructors
Kyle Butler-Harris
Kyle Harris, Director of Communications and Visual Arts Department, joined the Arts Academy family in 2004. She majored in Art during her college years and held a career in television production spanning over 20 years working in sports, news, entertainment and politics in New England. In Massachusetts she was a community activist for children’s services, cultural and arts organizations and the rights of abused women and children. Kyle has been recognized nationally for her commitment to her community and her career. At the Arts Academy, she keeps the lines of communications open between our customers and staff while overseeing the visual arts department.
Barbara Benezra
Barbara, professional artist, combines a variety of techniques and mediums to produce a multi-faceted collection of work. She works primarily with welded steel to create unique one-of-a-kind sculptures for indoor and outdoor use. Paintings with oils and acrylics, collage and mixed media also engage her creative spirit. Her style is distinctive for its energy, use of color and novel integration of forms. Barbara’s works have been exhibited in juried shows and galleries thoughout the United States and Porugal. Her art enhances private as well as corporate collections. She lives in Hollywood, Florida and teachers her love of art to students of all ages.
Renee Livolsi
Renee is presently teaching art at St. Bernadette Catholic school. She works with children in grades pre-k through 8th. Renee founded “The Evening of the Arts” in 1994. This art show features the work of the students at St. Bernadette. In 1999 Renee joined the staff of Broward Community College teaching painting and arts & crafts to students who attended the “Summer College Arts Program“. During the years of 1996 -1998 Renee taught art at St. Thomas High School presenting a summer painting class. As early as 1987 - 1994 Renee started an art program at the First United Methodist Church in Downtown Hollywood. Renee also had her own business “Crafty Ideas” selling a wide variety of uniquely created crafts and gifts. Crafty ideas presented art shows throughout the community.
Joy Levy
Joy Levy is an educator in the S. Florida school system and an avid seamstress for several years. She especially loves to sew things that she cannot find in stores or on the internet. For example, Renaissance garb fit for a princess and beautifully designed unique pillows. Joy approaches fabric as an art medium and sewing as a craft-as-art. During her career as a teacher, Joy has enlightened students of all ages on a wide range of subjects including art, renaissance dance, sewing and math. As a longstanding member of the Arts Academy of Hollywood, Joy is thrilled to be sharing her knowledge and skills as a sewing teacher.
Maureen Hunt Piccirillo - Adult Painting
Maureen holds a Bachelor of Arts from the State University College of New York at Buffalo and a graduate credit in Art from the Centre Universitaire d’Avignon (under the auspices of the Universite ‘d Aix at Marseilles) in France. She has been a painting instructor in the Broward School System since 1985 and is a free lance artist including magazine work and private commissions. She has had numerous juried exhibitions throughout Florida, Virginia, California, New York and other parts of the country since the mid-80’s and has received numerous honors including a piece in the permanent collection at the Universitaire d’Avignon in France.
Enrichment Program Instructor
Terri Goodwin
Terri began her extensive dance career at the ripe age of two. A born performer enrolled in her first ballet and tap classes at Barr Allen Dance Studio in Fort Lauderdale. Her passion of expression though movement took her to explore many different genres of dance and performance. Her years of hard work and dedication paid off when she found her niche at Winter Guard International. The most unknown form of art and expression though dance and skill called Sport of the Arts. This not-for-profit organization teaches children and young adults respect, dedication and an unprecedented drive for excellence. Terri has been an Independent World Class performer and competitor since 1997. She has competed at the highest level World Class for ten years where she has maintained international top ten status. Still exploring different outlets to express her passion she is excited to join the team at the Arts Academy of Hollywood and spread her infectious positive nature. She looks for a brighter future through teaching children how to create imagination and self-expression through the arts.
Voice & Music Instructors
Michael Ross – Music Director, Voice & Piano
Michael Ross is a native of upstate NY and has both a BFA in opera performance and an MA in music education. His musical experience has ranged from arts administration to performing, as well as, teaching. In an administrative role, Mr. Ross was the Rehearsal Administrator at New York City Opera for 6 years after working various positions at Glimmerglass Opera and The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse. He has sung as a member of the chorus at New York City Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Orchestra of NY and currently sings with the Florida Grand Opera, as well as, Palm Beach Opera. After moving to South Florida 3 years ago, he is now the Director of Music at the Arts Academy of Hollywood, where he teaches private voice and piano. Mr. Ross is also a freelance composer/arranger and accompanies various groups throughout the South Florida area.
James “Tate” Earle
James “Tate” Earle – Guitar – has been performing and creating music for the last fifteen years. In 2002, he graduated from Bennington College, earning a BA in Music and Performance. At Bennington, James studied under the reknowned freejazz drummer Milford Graves, notable composer Allan Shawn, and Broadway pianist/horn player Bruce Williamson. His guitar teacher was the well-known classical composer and performer Frederick Hand. Shortly after graduating, James joined SafeArt, a group whose primary goal is to educate children about abuse, racism, homophobia, and drugs, among other issues, through art and performance. James moved to Florida in 2004 to teach guitar and pursue music in an urban environment. During the last year Tate has been performing with his original funk/rock band, Sweetleaf Syndicate, at bars and clubs around South Florida.
Luis Gorfinkel – Drums
A staple in the South Florida Music scene having been a drummer and percussionist for various artists over the past 10 years. His studies began with private lessons at the age of 15 and continuing studies at Miami Dade College including clinics at Louisiana State University and the University of Miami. Luis quickly excelled in his playing learning every aspect of drum technique from popular to more classical music genres. Luis also spent several years working as an apprentice at Resurrection Drums – a drum specialty store – learning to refurbish, build, tune, and work on varying drum equipment. To attain his specialized sound, Luis spent time playing jazz, rock, metal, hip-hop, gospel, Latin, Afro-Cuban, etc. Luis describes his style as urban-fusion. Following the ideology that the strength of music is in simplicity, Luis will focus his teaching on the importance of pocket groove for immediate results.
Nick Deysher
In 2000, Nick started teaching preschoolers at the LEAP School in Lexington, MA, eventually becoming music director for all LEAP school locations. Through this work with young children, Nick developed a great catalog of his own children’s music and a curriculum for teaching music to toddlers and preschoolers. In 2001, Nick released his first children’s album, “One Man Band“. Blending a variety of musical styles and genres with themes that spark children’s interest, “One Man Band” became an instant success. The title tells all — Nick wrote and sang all the original music, played every single instrument track, singularly produced, mixed and mastered the entire album and also designed the cover art. By 2002 Nick had formed Li’l Nemo Records, his own label dedicated to promoting and distributing his music. One Man Band quickly sold out and his fans, parents and kids, thirsted for more great music, which encouraged him to keep on recording. In 2003, Nick produced “Nick of Time“, which won lots of new fans and sparked his success playing at parties, fairs and on children’s radio. He toured the Northeast with “Nick of Time” and built a large fan base. Nick is currently working on his Masters degree in Media Writing and Studio Music Production at the University of Miami, focusing on music composition and production. In 2005, his new production company “In the Nick of Time Music” utilizes his skills as a record producer that creates music for web applications and film/TV scores. Nick was honored to receive the 2006 (2nd Annual) Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. With their mentorship, Nick plans to take his music worldwide and hopes to achieve his dream of writing for children’s television and movies. He is currently finishing his latest album, “Coconut Groove“, set to release this year (2007) and is working on an illustrated book version of “The Dinosaur Song“, one of his more popular songs.
Marisa Sillner - Voice and Acting
Marisa has had a lifelong affinity for music. She trained at the New York Conservatory for the Arts where she began intensively studying voice, acting, and dance at the age of 6. Since her childhood, she has been performing professionally, touring internationally and nationally in countless musicals, as well as Song-N-Dance Theme Park Revues. She is fortunate to have studied voice privately for 15 years under a repertoire of reputable instructors including NY musical composer, Stephen Kitsakos, Douglas Farrell of Carnegie-Mellon, and Elisabeth Bell of the English Nat’l Opera. She continued her training abroad, where she began her undergraduate studies at Kingston-Upon-Thames University just outside of London where she also performed and sang musical gigs. She graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from Florida Atlantic University and has been steadily working as both a performer and teacher in South Florida for over 5 years. She has also directed, written, and adapted many children’s musicals. She plays both the piano and guitar and has experience in songwriting and performing in rock bands based in Woodstock, NY and London. She can be found performing weekly in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Musical-Dinner-Theatre, “LAFFING MATTERZ” - an original member of their resident Comedy Troupe.
April Jana Johnson-Bynes - Voice & Piano
April J. Johnson-Bynes, a native Floridian, graduated from the performing arts program at Dillard High School. She continued her education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. While there, she studied voice, trained to be a classical vocalist and gained experience by singing with the University Choir where she served as lead vocalist for the University Jazz Band. In April 2006, in what was touted as her major recital debut, Ms. Johnson-Bynes, performed at the prestigious Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia. Later that year she debut in the Broadway musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ and in May 2007 she performed a three night recital series entitled “Expressions From the Heart” at The Live Arts Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia. April has performed professionally for six years as a soloist and member of choral and chamber societies and is now focusing on teaching music and establishing a performance career independently.
Acting
Marc Durso - Act True, Inc.
Marc Durso is a Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Associate and a member of Actors’ Equity Association. He has assisted Broadway directors Alan Arkin, Tony Stevens, Tony Award winner Ann Reinking and Tony Award winner Charles Nelson Reilly. He has directed/associate directed NY and LA premieres starring Tony Award winners Uta Hagen and Fritz Weaver as well as legendary Master Teacher Sanford Meisner. He has written for a CBS animated series, CADILLACS & DINOSAURS, with head writer, Steven de Souza, writer of the blockbuster films, DIE HARD and BEVERLY HILLS COP. Marc assisted Impresario James A. Doolittle in presenting the Baryshnikov, Kirov, Joffrey, American Ballet Theatre and Radio City ROCKETTES dance companies at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, developing budgets for multi-million dollar productions. He has coached actors for Film/TV in Los Angeles and taught Acting and Directing as guest faculty at The Musical Theatre Project, the Ford Festival of One Act Plays-Heidelberg, Germany, where he received the Award for Excellence and E.T.A.’s International Thespian Festival held at the University of Nebraska. He assisted the Cayman National Cultural Foundation on the country’s first live televised theatrical production. He coaches actors for Film and TV in the South Florida Entertainment Market where his is the Rehearsal Coach for the Miami Telenovela OCEAN AVENUE, as well as the US competitors in the World Ballroom Theatrical Dance competition in Blackpool, England.
Martial Arts & Fitness Institute
Florin Szondi Szondi
Florin aims to promote Martial Arts and physical education at the highest standards. He has over 30 years experience in Martial Arts, and has been nominated for Best Grandmaster of the Year. Florin is a founding member of the Roumanian Federation of Martial Arts, and was awarded title of Master of Sports in Martial Arts by the Roumanian Ministry of Youth and Sports. In addition to his many medals, he has taught both children and adults of all ages for many years. For additional information, Florin may be contacted at 954-922-1011.