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Our instructors


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(440) 732-2269

 

A LEG UP BALLET ACADEMY

Our instructors

Krista Morana

Executive Director

Ballet Instructor

Krista Morana, former Artistic and Executive Director of Great Lakes You​th Ballet and former Director and owner of Great Lakes Academy of Dance, danced with the Cl​eveland San Jose Ballet from 1993 until 1998. Under the direction of Dennis Nahat, she has danced soloist and principal roles in The Nutcracker, The Toreador, Graduation Ball, Who Cares?, Slavonic Dances, and Countdown. Ms. Morana trained at the School of Cleveland San Jose Ballet from 1985-1994 under Dennis Nahat, Daniel Job, Nicole Sowinska, and Ellen Costanza where she was the recipient of the Kay Williams Scholarship. Other training includes: Chautauqua Summer Dance Festival, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, School of Atlanta Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. She also has extensive training in Theatre, Contemporary, Character, and Flamenco dancing. Krista Morana’s teaching experience includes the Great Lakes Youth Ballet, Great Lakes Academy of Dance, Emjaez Dance Studio, School of Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Cleveland Music School Settlement, Kashtan Ukrainian Dance School, Royal School of Ballet, Magnificat High School and Classical Academy of Dance. Krista has choreographed and set excerpts of classical ballets such as Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia and Don Quixote for children and young adults. She participated in a teaching workshop with world renowned ballet teacher of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Marcia Dale Weary. Also, Krista is an approved off ice ballet teacher and choreographer. She has taught stretching and ballet classes as well as choreography for ice skaters and skating shows at Winterhurst and the Cleveland Skate Club.

Along with her extensive performing and teaching experience, Krista Morana graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cleveland State University with her degree in Business Management and Labor Relations.​

Grace Gerengher

Ballet Instructor

Grace Gerengher teaches our Pre Ballet and Ballet 1, 

Ballet 1B, Ballet 2 and Ballet 3 level students. Grace gradualed from Lakewood High School in 2015 and is currently attending Cuyahoga Community College. She plans to attend Cleveland State University, where she will pursue her degree in Business Management with a minor in dance. Grace has been dancing for ten years at various schools and studios in the area. Grace has been training with Krista Morana, both as a student and a teacher, for three years. 

Courtney Becka

Hip Hop

Courtney Becka will be teaching our Hip Hop classes. She is passionate about Hip Hop dancing and has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She was cast to dance in holiday parades for the Disney College Program this past year. Courtney Becka danced professionally with the Rock City Professional Hip Hop Company in 2018. She has also performed professionally in DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls video in 2016. Along with her professional dance experience, she has won many prestigious national titles such as “1st in the Nation” (2018) at Showstoppers National Competition, “7th in the World” (2016) and “5th in the World” (2015) at World Dance Championships in New York City. Courtney looks forward to sharing her love for Hip Hop with A Leg Up Ballet Academy’s dancers.

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