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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

 

Grace Gerengher

 

Ballet Instructor

Grace Gerengher teaches our Teeny Tiny Ballerinas, Pre Ballet,  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. 

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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.​

Krista Morana

Brynna Sooy

Ballet Instructor

Brynna Sooy will be teaching our Teeny Tiny Ballerina, Pre Ballet and Ballet 1 Levels.  Not only is she an alumni of A Leg Up Ballet Academy, she is a 2022 Graphic Design graduate from the Art Academy of Cincinnati.  She is currently workiing as an independent graphic design artist, full time dog mom, and is excited to get back into dance at A Leg Up Ballet Academy.  Brynna trained as a ballet student for 14 years at various studios, 8 of them with Krista Morana.  Brynna is also the brilliant artist that designed our logo and all of our poster designs  for all of our performances.  

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