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Artistic Dance Center (ADC), was established in Doral, FL under the direction and vision of Elizabeth Acuña Nuevo. Since its establishment in May of 2003, it has trained it’s students for professional careers in ballet and other dance forms. In 2019, Sofia Arencibia joined the staff of ADC as the Associate Director and later that season she became the Artistic Director.

Elizabeth Acuña-Nuevo

Founder

Elizabeth Acuña-Nuevo began her ballet training at the young age of three. At fifteen, she continued her training with Susana Prieto.

In her years as a dancer, Mrs. Nuevo performed many classical, as well as contemporary works, such as the Peasant Pas de Deux from Giselle, Bluebird Pas de Deux and variations from Sleeping Beauty, Grisi and Cerito from Pas DeQuatre, Maria in West Side Story, Clara and Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, and many others.

Ms. Nuevo has been teaching since the young age of fifteen. At age eighteen, she became Assistant Director of a prominent ballet school in Miami and held this position for ten years. In 2002, she opened the doors to Artistic Dance Center where she has had many triumphs. She has dedicated herself to training students in classical ballet and has coached students for many national competitions such as the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, American Dance Competition, Youth America Grand Prix and a few others, where many of her students have won the highest honors. In addition, Mrs.Nuevo has also been invited as a guest instructor for various local and touring companies.

Many of Mrs.Nuevo’s former students have successfully pursued careers in dance. She is currently Director of Artistic Dance Center and Artistic Dance Theater, a nonprofit dance company. She has staged the full-length Nutcracker for Artistic Dance Theater as well as other classical and contemporary works for the company and school performances.

Sofia Arencibia

Owner & Director

Sofia Arencibia, born and raised in Miami, Florida, began her classical ballet training at the age of three. For over fourteen years, she received ballet instruction from Elizabeth Acuna Nuevo, Artistic Director and Lissette Salgado Lucas, Assistant Director of Artistic Dance Center. As a company member, she performed lead roles in The Nutcracker and many variations from classical works such as La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Napoli, Swan Lake, Paquita, and Swan Lake. She also performed pas de deux roles in classical works including Swan Lake, Paquita, Don Quixote, and Napoli.

Sofia earned many accolades in national competitions such as the American Dance Competition and Youth America Grand Prix, where she was invited to and attended the New York finals. She expanded her ballet training by attending reputable summer ballet intensives, such as New York’s School of American Ballet on full scholarship and Orlando Ballet and Sarasota Ballet on partial merit scholarships. Sofia is also a proud Young Arts Alumn (2012).

In 2012, at the age of 17, she accepted a professional contract with North Carolina Ballet Theater (recently re-named Charlotte Ballet) under the direction of Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride and performed many classical and contemporary, original works by Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Mark Diamond, Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, and Sasha Janes. In 2014, Sofia guest danced in Desmond Richardson’s “Way of the Rain.”

Sofia began her career as a Classical Ballet Teacher and Choreographer in 2013. She has dedicated her teaching career to training students of all ages and levels and instilling the values and principles associated with ballet training in her students. Some of these values and principles include hard work, determination, discipline, confidence, and perseverance.

In 2014, Sofia accepted a contract as a soloist with Florida Grand Ballet. During her time with Florida Grand Ballet, she performed roles in La Sylphide (soloist), Paquita (soloist), Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty, and other contemporary works. From 2014-2016, Sofia participated in performances in Miami, FL as a freelance guest artist. In 2015, Sofia accepted the position as Co-Director of the Prima Ballet Team at Maria Verdeja School of the Arts and was later promoted to Team Director until 2019.

Sofia Arencibia holds a Business Administration and Management Bachelor’s Degree from Florida International University. She is also the Founder and Director of Movement Miami, an at-school Creative Movement and Introduction to Dance Technique Program for children. During the summer of 2019, Sofia was presented with the opportunity to return to her home studio, Artistic Dance Center, as the Associate Director and later that season took on the role as Artistic Director. Sofia is honored to carry on the legacy of ADC through her leadership and continues to uphold the high standard of dance training, established by Founder Elizabeth Nuevo, that Artistic Dance Center is known and recognized for.

 

 

Xavier Dubrocq

Resident Choreographer, Production Co - Director, Competition Team Director, Contemporary Teacher

Xavier began his dance training in 2000 at New Image Dance Center as a Senior Company Member. Within three years, he became the Associate Director of the center, until the spring of 2004.

In 2004, Xavier branched out and began his own dance company by the name of “Next Level”. By 2006, he had become one of the original members of Miami’s E.magine Dance Ensemble. Xavier also co-directed Artistic Soul Dance Studios from 2010-2017. All ventures resulted in several accolades from prominent dance competitions both on a regional and national level.

Xavier is also an accomplished actor. His most memorable role was as the malicious and manipulative Iago of Shakespeare’s Othello, with the Vaughn-Rian St. James players. He has also appeared in a variety of independent films with the New York Film Academy, UM Canes Film Festival and Royal Lion Media. One of Xavier’s latest credits includes appearing in an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Laura Lopez

Program Director – Movement Miami & Rising Stars Program, Competition Team Director, Ballet & Pointe Teacher

Laura Lopez was born and raised in Miami, Fl where she began dancing at the age of three at Patricia Penenori Dance Center. She attended New World School of the Arts High School where she continued her dance training in ballet and modern. Ms. Lopez was a 2013 Young Arts finalist and was nominated as a Presidential Scholar.

Leading up to her dance career, she attended summer programs at Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell, Miami City Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Jacob’s Pillow. In April 2016, she graduated from New World College, where she received her BFA in Dance from the University of Florida and began her dance career with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. In 2017, she joined BhDos and a year later joined the main company. Ms. Lopez danced with Ballet Hispánico for four seasons and is now sharing her passion for dance with the South Florida community.

 

 

Elizabeth Arencibia

Resident Choreographer, Head of ADC Alumni Association, Ballet & Pointe Teacher

Elizabeth Arencibia began her classical ballet training at Artistic Dance Center. In 2009, she joined Josee Garant Dance Company, with whom she danced for three years.
Elizabeth was honored to perform with the Florida Grand Opera in their performance of “La Traviata” in 2013.

Elizabeth expanded her ballet and contemporary ballet training by attending summer intensive programs across the country, all on merit scholarships. Elizabeth has performed lead roles in The Nutcracker and variations from classical works such as Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Napoli, Giselle, Paquita, and The Dying Swan. Her performance repertoire also includes many modern and contemporary works by Jose Limon, Robert Battle, Kyle Abraham, Ohad Naharin, Eduardo Vilaro, Alonzo King, Alejandro Cerrudo, Mats Ek, Jessica Lang and Darshan Bhuller.

Elizabeth graduated in 2015 from New World School of the Arts with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance and moved to New York City to pursue her dance career. She was a company member with contemporary ballet companies while working full time as the Theatricals and Outreach Coordinator at the Capezio Flagship Store. Elizabeth graduated from Florida International University with a Masters in Marketing in 2018 and works full time as a Senior Marketing Manager.

Elizabeth has served as a full time faculty member and resident choreographer at Artistic Dance Center since 2019. She instills the same level of passion, commitment, and community to her students that she experienced in her formative years at ADC.

Jojo Funderburk

Resident Choreographer, Competition Team Director, Contemporary & Jazz Teacher

Jojo Funderburk was born in New York City, partly raised between New York and Miami, FL. She began her early dance training at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Her family relocated to Miami at her age of 10 where she continued her training. She was accepted to New World School of Arts HS and went on through their college and graduated with a BFA in Dance from University of Florida/NWSA. Go gators! Within her 8 years of strict classical training, she’s performed works from dance companies such as Alvin Ailey, Jose Limón, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Ballet Hispanico and many more. After graduating, she was contracted to Mosaic Dance Project season 1 (a contemporary company); directors Kiki Lucas and Amanda Tae and shortly after toured with M&M American Dance Theatre (broadway company); directors Michael and Melinda Kessler.

Intertwining her years of classical training with commercial dance, she ventured off to the commercial world where she has performed at Award Shows for Univision and Telemundo, Music Videos, TV shows and Touring the world. TV shows such as La Banda season 1 (i.e.Making the Band) where the boy band CNCO was created under direction of Liz Imperio and Rodrigo Basurto; La Banda season 2 choreographed by Nika Kljun; Pequeños Gigantes season 1 (i.e.Little Big Shots) with Janeth Briceño. Premios Juventud with creative directors Squared Division and choreographers Janelle Ginestra and Rudy Garcia; Latin American Music Awards and Latin Billboards where Jojo worked with Liz Imperio again alongside choreographers Luther Brown and Greg Chapkis. Premios Tu Mundo under Anibal Marrero and worked closely with Danny Lugo. Music videos for J.Balvin, Liam Payne, Christina Milian, Nicky Jam, Anahi, Farruko and Las Villa to name a few and choreographers as Oththan, Jaquel Knight, Leo Chavez, Tanisha Scott, Robert Davis and others.

Jojo has toured as a performer for Ozuna “Odisea” Tour in 2016 and a year later Nicky Jam “The Series” World Tour where she was the dance captain and assistant choreographer to Leo Chavez. Leading her to work closely as his personal assistant with many projects throughout the U.S. til present. In 2020 she was chosen to perform at the Super Bowl LIV with Shakira and JLo with choreographers Jaquel Knight and Paris Goebel. Shortly after, she also toured as dance captain for Becky G “Mala Santa” Tour under the artistic direction of Leo Chavez.

Miss Jojo continues to perform on stage and behind the lens, as well as teaching and choreographing in the U.S.

Jackie Oria Clayton

Acro Program Director & Teacher

Jacqueline Oria Clayton, a native Floridian, discovered her love for dance and cheer at the early age of five. Throughout her childhood and early adulthood, she trained vigorously in several forms of dance, including ballet, and competed on many athletic league and school cheer teams. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She immediately began teaching cheer and dance. Under Jackie’s leadership, her elementary school and all-star cheer squads won national titles for the past 20 years.

Many of her students have gone on to compete for all-star, junior high, high school and collegiate squads. She started teaching Acro at Artistic Dance Center, which focuses intensely on its mission of excellence in dance education. She choreographs dances for the school including both in-house and award winning, competitive performances. Incorporating Acro into her choreography has become her greatest professional passion.

Gina Zito

Aerial Program Director & Teacher

Gina Zito is a trained aerialist and performer who is passionate about the Circus Arts. She realized her calling for being an instructor over a decade ago when she started coaching baton twirling, cheerleading, and kick-line dancing. While in school, she was a dancer on the competitive varsity kick-line dance team and became a certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and nutrition specialist. After graduating high school, Gina continued her quest to learn how to provide optimal nutrition consulting and athletic training for herself and others by completing both her bachelors and masters degree in exercise science with cum laude honors and is currently in her doctoral program for exercise physiology at the University of Miami. During this time, Gina became a ballroom instructor, and professional Latin dancer and Circus performer. She has been featured at the Hard Rock Cafe & Dolphin Stadium, Fountainbleau, Straz Center for Performing Arts, and many other venues across the state of Florida.

Amaya Stifano

Movement Miami Lead Teacher, Rising Stars Ballet & Pointe Teacher

Amaya Stifano began her education in the arts when she was about 6 years old, a time when she began to take ballet lessons and participate in choir rehearsals with the Humboldt School Choir. At 8 years-old she was accepted at the school of arts Emil Friedman, there she learned ballet from Ruta Railaite-Butviliene and furthered her education in music theory, choir, theatre and several visual arts.

At age thirteen she moved to the United States and continued her art education at the Doral Conservatory of the Arts where she studied theatre and singing. During this time, she also attended several dance studios where she had the opportunity to assist teaching the youngest levels. Later on, she began attending Artistic Dance Center where she received ballet instruction by Elizabeth Nuevo and Lissette Salgado.

Currently, she is a teacher for the youngest levels at Artistic Dance Center and is double majoring in Art and International Relations at Florida International University.

Miranda Montes De Oca

Competition Team Director, Ballet & Pointe Teacher

Miranda Montes de Oca has been dancing in Miami, FL from the age of 5 with Artistic Dance Center. To further her training, she attended Summer Intensive Programs with scholarships to Sarasota Ballet, Harid Conservatory, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Colorado Ballet. Since graduating from ADC in 2019, Miranda has been a professional dancer with Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami. She also teaches and shares her passion for dance at multiple dance studios.

Ana Cristina Olivares

Ballroom Program Director & Teacher

Ana Cristina Olivares was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She started dancing at a young age in Venezuela. She moved to the United States at the age of seven in 200 where she trained in gymnastics for six years. In 2013, she started dancing at Dance Town where she learned many styles of dance such as Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Ballet and her overall favorite, Latin Ballroom. Ana Cristina started taking private lessons in ballroom with Russian coaches, Ivan Mulyavka and Loreta Kriksciukaityte. She competed in Latin Ballroom around the U.S. such as Ohio, New York and all over Florida. Latin Ballroom has been a big part of her life. It consists of five dances: Chacha, Samba, Rumba, Jive, and Paso Doble. Ana began her career as a teacher at Artistic Dance Center in 2018. She fell in love with passing on her knowledge and love for Ballroom and began to teach at different studios around South Florida. Aside from Latin Ballroom she also teaches Salsa and Meregue and she is Zumba Certified.

“My goal is to teach my students to go beyond their limits, not only when moving their body and hips, but also in life. You don’t know what you are capable of doing until you push yourself.”

Ana graduated from St. Brendan High School where she was a part of the dance team called Sabrettes. Ana Cristina Olivares is a current student at Florida International University and plans to graduate in the Spring of 2024 with a Master’s of Architecture.

 

 

Kayla Martinez

Fine Arts Club Lead Teacher & Ballet Teacher

Kayla Martinez grew up as a dancer at Artistic Dance Center starting at the age of 3. She trained in a variety of styles of dance including Classical Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Ballroom. Kayla has participated in many end-of-year performances as well as performances of The Nutcracker during her time at ADC. She has danced the roles of Franz, Chinese Lead, Snow, and more. Kayla graduated class of 2020 at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School and has recently completed her Associates in the Arts degree at Miami Dade College majoring in Biological Sciences. She is now continuing with her Bachelor’s degree at Florida International University in hopes of attending Dental school once she graduates to pursue a career in Orthodontics.

Maria Avendaño

Ballet Teacher

Maria Victoria Avendaño has been training in dance for over thirteen years. For seven of those years, Maria was a student at Artistic Dance Center during which she trained in various styles including Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Flamenco. Maria is an ADC and Doral Performing Arts Academy Alum Class of 2022. Maria has attended various competitions including Universal Ballet Competition, Shake the Ground, and Headliners where she has received top scores and placed overall numerous times. Maria has been part of the ADC faculty since 2020 teaching Ballet, Jazz, and Creative Movement.

Alenka Marin

Ballet Teacher)

Alenka Marin, currently an Apprentice at Artistic Dance Center, began her dance journey at the age of two. She danced in Ballet Vicente Nebrada in Monagas, Venezuela until moving to Muscat, Oman where she continued her passion for dance as well as rhythmic gymnastics. At the age of 9 she moved to Miami, Florida and continued her dance journey with Artistic Dance Center where she has gained a solid foundation in the styles of dance of Ballet, Contemporary, Acro/Tumbling, and Ballroom. Alenka has participated in competitions such as Shake the Ground, Universal Ballet Competition, and Headliners in group dances, contemporary solos, and ballet variations as well as end of year performances. Alenka became an assistant teacher during the 2021-2022 season and has developed a passion for spreading her knowledge in dance. Since then, she began teaching in ADC’s Summer Camp and will continue to teach as a member of ADC’s Artistic Faculty. Alenka is currently an Honors, Advanced Placement, and Cambridge student in all her classes while being awarded all the honor rolls throughout her school career.

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