Instructors
Tamra Geinzer - Teacher
Tamra Geinzer's love for ballet started 17 years ago under the instruction of Judith Lee Johnson City Dancers program. She expanded her training under Ms. Dusanka Ivanova over nine years ago focusing on Vaganova Ballet technique. Her Ballet experience includes multiple performances in full length productions to include "Raymonda", "Alice in Wonderland" and the role of Tiger Lilly in "Peter Pan". 2021 Vivaldi's Four Seasons as "Morning Glory," Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty as "Lilac Fairy." She performs annually with the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker. Her additional dance training includes modern dance and she has been a long time member of SJ Sign and Dance team. She was chosen by Ms. D to assist in teaching Pre-Ballet and Ballet 1 classes under the her tutelage.
Marcella Eckerle - Substitute Teacher
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Marcella Eckerle was born in Buffalo, NY where she was introduced to the ballet studio at the age of four. It wasn’t until she lived in Tampa where she found her true spirit and discovery of the proper classical ballet schooling, under the instruction of Carol Lee Spielberger and Errki Tann, the ballet mistress and ballet maestro of the former Tampa Ballet, now the Patel Conservatory. Through these two influential teachers for the past 21 years, Marcella discovered the fundamental schooling of classical ballet under the Moscow/Vaganova syllabus. During this 21-year period, she also attended the dance department at the University of South Florida.
She performed in the Nutcracker and variations from Paquita (one solo, the “Cupid” variation, under private training from Tann). She continued to dance after Tann’s passing in late 2016, however synchronicity and fate led her to her new ballet home, and she joined Ballet Academy
of St. Petersburg in the fall of 2020, where she has continued her Vaganova training and education under the ballet pedagogue, Dusanka Ivanova, PHD. She became a soloist with this company and performed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in the Spring of 2021.
Marcella taught children at Dancemakers studio in Tampa, Fl. The ages ranged from 6- 15 years of age at three different levels. She has also taught adults for Carol Lee on and off through the years as a substitute.
Early on, Dusanka continued to see this passion and schooling in her, asking her to substitute teach when she was absent, and instilling the collaboration of artistry, musicality, and movement, which are the qualities that are essential for dancers. Teaching and dancing, which are a dedication and discipline, embodies her spirit in which she has a passion to pass on the priceless knowledge Carol Lee, Errki, and now Dusanka, have instilled in her. Her vision is to preserve the proper schooling, along with the joy and passion of dance, into the lives of others.