Professional expertise

Catalina began dancing at the age of four at South Florida Ballet. Catalina attended Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive, where she was offered a spot in Joffery Ballet’s Trainee Program. She continued her dance career on St. Brendan High School’s Sabrettes Dance Team, where she and her team earned several nationals titles including 2x UDA Small Varsity National Champions. She will be continuing her studies as a full-time student, majoring in physical therapy.

Amelia began training at South Florida Ballet when she was three and began volunteering as a dance teacher assistant when she was 12. Amelia has attended summer ballet intensives with American Ballet Theatre, the Rock School for Dance Education, and Next Generation Ballet. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Nutrition. In 2022, Amelia became certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), a revolutionary program designed to enhance ballet technique.

Nicole Pedraza began her dance training at South Florida Ballet when she was five and began volunteering as a dance teacher assistant when she was 15. After graduating high school from New World School of the Arts dance program in 2018, Nicole continued her studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from New World School of the Arts College and University of Florida in 2021. Upon graduation, Nicole premiered an original contemporary dance work at the Perez Art Museum of Miami (PAMM) as part of Miami Dancemakers 2021. In July of 2022, Nicole was one of 19 artists in Miami selected for the Peace Studios Artist as Catalyst program for local artists interested in making a positive community impact with their art. In addition to teaching at South Florida Ballet, Nicole is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center and a dancer of Peter London Global Dance Company.

Originally from Nagoya, Hiroko studied at Yoko Tsukamoto Ballet Studio in Japan and at The Royal Ballet School Antwerp in Belgium. Hiroko has received numerous awards in international competitions, including the scholarship prize in Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition in 1989 and the first prize in the Paris International Dance Competition in 1990. She went on to dance professionally with the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Belgium, the Nagoya Ballet Theatre in Japan, Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York City, as well as Maximum Dance Company and Ballet Gamonet in Miami. Hiroko has been invited to perform several times with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Boca Ballet Theatre, and for gala performances in Holland and Japan. Hiroko has also been a faculty member with New World School of the Arts since 2013.

Lourdes was born in Havana, Cuba where she studied at the Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba. She became a principal soloist with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba under the direction of Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso. As a principal ballerina, Lourdes toured America, Europe, and Asia starring in ballets like Swan Lake as Odette-Odile, Coppelia as Swanilda, Don Quijote as Kitri, and La Fille Mal Gardee as Lisette. Lourdes became a ballet mistress and assistant to Ballet de Monterrey Artistic Director, José Manuel Carreño. In 1988, Lourdes won first prize and a gold medal in the Rio de Janeiro International Competition in Brazil. She was invited to play the role of Odette-Odile in the Swan Lake production for Compañía Nacional de Danza de Mexico. In 1995, she taught at the Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza de Monterrey in Mexico and was recruited as the Rehearsal Director for the Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico where she prepared the company for ballets like Giselle, La Vivandiere, Raymonda (Grand Pas de Deux). In 2009, Lourdes was invited to guest teach for Centro Andaluz de Danza in Seville, Spain and she is currently the Rehearsal Director at CODA21.

In 1997, Jennifer Rose, née Sedler, founded South Florida Ballet where she has served as the Artistic Director for the past 25 years. Jennifer started ballet at the age of six and trained with some of Miami’s most respected teachers of classical ballet, including Martha Mahr, Magda Aunon, Judith Newman, and Magdalena Maury. As a teenager, Jennifer spent summers training with Milwaukee Ballet School and was accepted to study with some of the nation’s top ballet schools including School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, Boston Ballet School, and Houston Ballet Academy. Jennifer danced with Miami Dance Theater, Ballet Theater of Miami, and Ballet Etudes, performing in classics like Swan Lake, Paquita, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. She also performed several contemporary ballets and worked as a commercial model. In 1993, Jennifer graduated magna cum laude from New World School of the Arts College, where she attended with a full scholarship. She then accepted an invitation to dance with Orlando Ballet, formerly Southern Ballet Theatre. Jennifer served as an adjunct professor of ballet at Miami Dade College and guest taught ballet at several magnet schools in Miami-Dade County. Jennifer has continued her training as a dance educator by participating in teacher workshops with American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and the HARID Conservatory. In 2013, she trained in New York City receiving her certification from American Ballet Theatre in their Pre-Primary – Level III program. In 2022, Jennifer became certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), a revolutionary program designed to enhance ballet technique.