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About the Founder
Ms. Leah has been teaching and directing ballet for the past 39 years. As a student, Leah studied dance with Dr. Mary Marcuzzi as well as attending the North Carolina School for the Arts, University of Cincinnati, NARB at Hobart and William Smith College and Kaleidoscope at Marshall University. Leah studied under such artists as Svea Eklov (Royal Winnipeg Ballet) Michel Rahn ( Edmonton Ballet, Fort-Worth Ballet) Frank Smith (American Ballet Theatre) Ralph Hewitt (North Carolina Dance Theatre) Rochelle Zide-Booth (Joffrey Ballet) Gina Vidal (American Ballet Theatre) Franchon Cordell (Englevsky Ballet and American Ballet Theatre) Don Williams (Wright State University) Oleg Sabline (Paris Opera Ballet) etc. Dr. Marcuzzi also teamed up with Jerry Rose (Beckley Dance Theatre) and Sue Simpson (Cincinnati Ballet) to bring her dancers both choreographic and technical training from these two amazing artists. Leah has had the privilege to teach and or direct in the some of the following programs: Adjunct Faculty and Artistic Director of Marshall University Dance Theatre, Faculty for the WV Governor’s School for the Arts, Faculty for the Cary Ballet Conservatory, Director 0f River Cities Dance Company, Director for LDF Ballet Academy, Faculty for SCAPA as well as serving as an artist liaison with several counties in both WV and KY public schools.
As a choreographer, Leah has choreographed for her own dancers as well as Beckley Dance Theatre, Cary Ballet Company, 3D Dance Company, Marshall University Dance Theatre, Academy of Arts at January’s, SCAPA and received the honor of Choreographer of the Year at KAR National Competition as well as many awards with various commercial and ballet competitions. Leah's piece " The Journey" was selected to be viewed by the Balanchine Foundation to qualify students to perform his works and through this piece the dancers were selected as a qualifying company. Leah's works were adjudicated and qualified for both the West Virginia and North Carolina Dance Festivals, landing her piece in the honorary position of "closing number" at the North Carolina Dance Festival.
Leah’s greatest achievement and joy is the success of her students. Leah’s dancers can be seen in over 15 professional companies around the country such as New York City Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Ballet West, Dayton Contemporary, Alabama Ballet etc. Her dancers can also be seen on Broadway, television and movies as well as professors of dance, studio owners and teachers. Leah is now the Artistic Director of Lexington’s first community ballet company, Central Kentucky Dance Theatre as well as owner and director of Central Kentucky Ballet Conservatory. She is thrilled to expand the conservatory to a Full-Time program and with the help of her team bring the very best of ballet to the Central Kentucky area. Join us for our inaugural year of Lexington’s newest curriculum based full-time ballet conservatory program.
