OUR MISSION

We are devoted to providing students of all ages in an encouraging environment where they are given the opportunity to grow as people and in their arts education. We strive to deliver the highest quality training, while nurturing student’s unique gifts of talent and creativity! We help students achieve self-esteem and confidence for their future life goals utilizing positive encouragement. We encourage our students to achieve their fullest potential – to support them as they grow artistically and academically, and develop into well-rounded individuals – nourished in body, mind and spirit.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to create a world where everyone can access the magic of dance, theatre and music. We have witnessed first hand how the arts can build character, confidence and friendships. These beautiful, enriching art forms is an incredible tool to teach body awareness, self-discipline and teamwork. Through our service of teaching dance and theatre we strive to provide exceptional instruction and leadership to our students. While striving to instill the importance of etiquette and manners, we also focus on good self-esteem and positive body image.

Rona Behr (Ballet, Pointe) began her dance career at the age of four at the Ethel Early Lang School of Dance in Douglaston, N. Y. At the age of 11, she was accepted at the Nassau Ballet Theatre in Great Neck, N. Y.  under the direction of Mrs. A. Serpe and Mr. Igor Schwetzoff to be trained in both the Cecchetti and Vaganova styles of ballet.  After moving to Tampa, by way of Miami, she danced at the Classical Ballet Theatre under the direction of Haydee Gutierrez. Taking time off to have a family, Ms. Ronna returned to dance with her children. From 1995 through 2004 she worked with the Sarasota Ballet as an assitant to both the Director of Education Jennifer Gemmeke, and Artistic Director Robert DeWarren helping build Sarasota Ballet’s International Summer School Program and training children from Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough counties to perform in Sarasota Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Ms. Ronna also served as an adjunct faculty member to the Sarasota Ballet School. From 1996 through 2005 Miss Ronna was a member of the faculty at The Dance Center in Brandon, FL. Having also worked with Florida West Ballet and the Brandon Ballet, Ms. Ronna is happy to be teaching and sharing her love of dance with the students at TADA.

Natalie Paul (Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz) is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance.  She began her dance training in England studying Cecchetti with Juliet Locks, Sonia Bond, and Lucy Pohl at Buckhurst Hill and Woodford School of Dance.  While in England, she also studied at the Royal Academy of Dance in the summer of 2004 under the direction of Patricia Liton.  Natalie has received her National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Dance, both from Havering College of Further and Higher Education, studying with Sandra Broxton and Elaine O’Connor.  In 2009, she also trained at the Bates Dance Festival.  This is Natalie’s seventh year on staff at TADA.

Chelsea Reeves (Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Tap) is a proud alumni of Theatre Arts and Dance Alliance where she studied under Mitsie Kraack and Amanda Keeney from the years of 2007-2014. She received her BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts in May of 2018. It was there that she had the opportunity to perform professional works such as Echad Mi Yodea by Ohad Naharin where she was apart of a residency led by former Bathsheva company members, Ian Robinson, Bret Easterling and Bobbi Jene Smith. She also performed Canonic ¾ Studies by Mark Morris, under the direction of Terri Weksler. She was involved in the resurgence of Mass by Robert Battle, the director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and had the honor of performing this work for him. Over the years she has studied modern techniques such as Limon, Graham, Horton, Taylor, and Alexander with instructors such as Peter London and Jeffrey Lloyd Smith. She also studied ballet technique under the direction of Elaine Wright and Gerard Ebitz. In 2013, she received a scholarship to attend the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Summer Intensive and in 2018 she was accepted into Jacob Pillows Art of Photographing Dance Intensive. She has recently performed professionally with Peter London Global Dance Company for numerous events, such as the Contemporary Dance Heat Wave at the Coral Gables Arts Museum and the Legacy Magazine Awards Gala. She is also currently constructing a solo for the presentation of Women for Woman Dances, a series of solo pieces choreographed and performed by women to music composed by women that will be displayed at the Perez Art Museum in Miami, Fl.

Kelly Mettler (Acrobatics Director) Ms. Kelly was originally born in Maine and has lived in the Brandon area since the age of 2. As a child, she was part of a performing acrobatics team for 5 years and did competitive gymnastics for a short period thereafter. While attending college full-time, she had 3 jobs. She taught competitive gymnastics for 4 years at LaFleur's Gymnastics, acrobatics at Centerstage Dance Academy and acrobatics at The Dance Center. Kelly graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Pathology. She earned her Master's Degree in Organizational Management in 2001. Ms. Kelly also earned her teaching certificate in 2010. She is currently working full-time for Hillsborough County Public Schools at Nelson Elementary providing speech and language therapy for students from preschool to 5th grade. Throughout all of this, Ms. Kelly has never quit teaching acrobatics for over 19 years simply because she love it! She lovingly pushes her students to reach their full potential and loves how their faces light up when they do a new skill for the first time.

Lily Meyers (Voice, Piano) has an impressive list of credits, having been trained in Musical Theatre and opera. After receiving her music degree from Australia’s Conservatorium, she received a degree in Voice from London’s Trinity College. She also studied under famed Metropolitan Opera each Ellen Faull and Joyce Hall at the Julliard School of Music. An accomplished performer, Lily has been teaching voice and piano to children and adults for more than 20 years. Her favorite roles in musicals and operas include: in the New York Touring Company, Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady, Carousel, Oklahoma, La Boheme, and Madam Butterfly . Lily brings her gifts to TADA to share her love of music to her students! Lily has been teaching at TADA for 15 years.

Michelle Grasso-Downs (Piano) Michelle began her musical journey writing and performing her piano and voice compositions professionally at age 15.  She was the first student from her Junior High School to win All State Band, playing the French horn, where she recorded a state album.  Her songs have been heard on radio and television.  She has recorded two albums available on cdbaby.com/michelledowns album, titled “Ethereal, “ (original classical ballads piano and voice), and cdbaby.com/alphablasters (fun energetic kid friendly music).  Her song “Catch Me,” was awarded “Billboards” top ten percent in a songwriting contest.  She has performed for the former Governor, playing and singing, and for the USF President.  She has also performed at Sea World and opened there for the popular Christian artist Mylon Lefevre.  She had a music video in the 1990’s on Christian network as well as appearing in “The Gospel According to Scrooge”, (also on Christian network.)  She sang the National Anthem for the Tampa Bay Rays as well as performing various fundraisers and political functions, including playing and singing at a convention at the exclusive Gaylord’s Resort.  She has been teaching piano at TADA for 7 years and has also taught music for 2 years at Bell Shoals Baptist Academy.  She is a member of the National League of American Pen Woman in music and letters.  To Michelle, the most important thing is to instill a genuine love and joy of music and piano to her students, who thrive on her teaching.  Several of her students have gone on to win music awards at their schools and some have now written their own albums.

Administrative Staff

Beth Finch (Office Manager) Beth grew up outside of Philadelphia, PA and moved to Florida in 2001 after graduating from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in communications.  As a kid Beth loved dancing and studied ballet, tap, jazz and modern for 10 years.  She and her husband have two beautiful little girls who LOVE dancing at TADA!  Beth feels blessed to be a part of the TADA staff and enjoys watching as our students here fall in love with the arts!

Stephen Kraack (Owner and TADA Business & Production Manager) has been working in the arts his entire life. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (B. S., Aviation Computer Science), Aside from his 20-year career in IT architecture, Steve has extensive experience and training in all aspects of arts production, including lighting, sound and scenic design, video and audio production, and computer systems. He is an accomplished musician (Tuba and Bass Guitar), designer, and singer. He is married to Mitsie and is the father of three amazing children: Lillian, David and Catherine.

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OUR AMAZING TEAM

Mitsie Hilburn Kraack (TADA Owner, Artistic Director) Mitsie is an Atlanta native where she attended Northside School of the Arts and studied ballet, modern, jazz and musical theatre. While at Northside, she toured with the Atlanta Convention Bureau performing around the world in London, Brussels, and Paris, as well as New York, Las Vegas and regionally throughout the southeastern United States as a "Coke is It Kid." A graduate of the University of South Florida with a B.S. in Dance Education, Mitsie has been a professional choreographer for more than thirty years. Her professional dance background includes work and training with Gary Harrison and Company (Atlanta, GA) and as Co-Director of Souls of the Feet with The Dance Theatre of Georgia, Inc.(Jonesboro, GA). Most recently her choreographic work was seen at Progress Village Middle School, Newsome High School, Randall Middle School and Children’s Alliance For Summer Theatre at TADA. She has choreographed many regional and high school shows such as: Footloose, Seussical, The Music Man, Beauty and The Beast, Annie, The Wizard of Oz, Bye, Bye Birdie and Grease. Mitsie is a committed teacher dedicated to the education of children in the arts. She continues to pursue opportunities for students to perform in Tampa, Orlando and New York.

Amanda Keeney (TADA Co-Artistic Director, School Director) is an Atlanta native and received her early dance education from the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of Robert Barnett, Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre, Georgia Youth Ballet, and Dance Clayton under Olive Popwell Ashley. Amanda is a graduate of Georgia State University (B.S. in Dance Education) and has been teaching dance for the past seventeen years. Her training includes scholarships and acceptance to the School of American Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Boston Ballet, Lexington Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet in New York City. She has danced professionally with the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre, Georgia Youth Ballet, and the Dance Theatre of Georgia performing many roles including Odette in Swan Lake, Nikiya in La Bayadere, Kitri in Don Quixote, and Myrtha in Giselle with Stars from the American Ballet Theatre. She has also appeared in various contemporary works by renowned choreographers such as Salvatore Aiello, Tom Pazik, and Andrew Kuharsky. She has served as the Associate Artistic Director for the Dance Theatre of Georgia Junior Company and the Co-Director of the Dance Theatre of Tampa. Many of her students have received scholarships and/or were accepted into various summer programs including the Kirov Ballet Academy, Chautauqua Ballet, The Rock School, Miami City Ballet, Orlando Ballet, School of American Ballet, Harid Conservatory, and the American Ballet Theatre.