Tradition. Precision. Excellence.

Alexis Toledo is a 2011 graduate of Yolanda's Academy of Music and Dance, a teaching member of Dance Educators of America, and has successfully met the requirements of Dance Educators of America’s Medal Test Program. Ms. Toledo holds a Bachelor's degree from Fordham University, and currently works for NBCUniversal. She has her certificate of training from Tap Teachers' Lounge, and is also a proud member of #Taplife Company, with whom she toured over the summer of 2023 for the Queens Dance Festival.

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Alexis Toledo is trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, and Flamenco. She especially enjoys teaching Tap, though she is well-versed in multiple genres and has over 15 years of experience teaching a wide range of dance concentrations and age groups (from 3-year-olds to 18-year-olds). Her choreography has won numerous awards and is recognized regionally and nationally over the years. She has also had several of her pieces chosen to compete at the Star Dance Alliance World of Dance Championship. Alexis strives to make her classroom environment challenging and rewarding at the same time. She believes that all her students can achieve their goals with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude.

Cecilia Cardenas is a graduate of Yolanda’s Academy of Music and Dance and Kean College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts. Ms Cardenas is also a teaching member of Dance Educators of America where she additionally has met the requirements of the Ballet Medal Test program. Cecilia Cardenas has been involved with many di"erent community based theatre projects and television programs with much success. She has choreographed and designed the lighting for Memorial High School’s “Leader of the Pack”, “West Side Story and “42nd Street”. Cecilia Cardenas has done freelance work as the stage manager for Kean College’s “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” and Park Theatre’s “El Zoológico de Cristal”. She has also directed “Fools Paradise” for Lunchtime Theatre. In addition, she has been part of the production team on Channel 9’s Steampipe Alley Show and several other documentaries, which have aired on Cablevision and CTN. 

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Cecilia Cardenas is employed by Glitter Talent Agency, and, most importantly for us here at our Academy, she o"ers her expert teaching skills to our students. Cecilia's choreographies have received several choreography and special awards across many competitions, including Dance Educators of America, Cathy Roe's Ultimate Dance, and Star Dance Alliance. Ms Cardenas is an important and inspirational member of our educational and creative team.

John received his early training from Leeanne Rutherford at Ballet Theatre Australia and later with Peter Shortland and Kathryn Hailey at The Studio. John began teaching at Essendon Academy of Ballet, Melbourne Australia and continued teaching throughout Sydney and Melbourne. During this time he studied the RAD syllabus under Kathryn Hailey. 

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After relocating to NYC, he began training under Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov as both a dancer and teacher. John was a faculty member of the renowned Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet teaching full-day, pre-professional and after-school programs. 

As a professional choreographer John has created works for The Wiggles and Circa 21 Dinner Theater. As a professional dancer he performed with Gelsey Kirkland Studio Company, The Wiggles, Lithuanian National Ballet, and New York City Children's Theatre. 

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When not teaching ballet John performs in professional Musical Theater productions with recent credits including: Lurch in “The Addams Family” (Cape Fear Regional) Mr. Z “An American in Paris” (Surflight Theater) The Wizard in “Dorothy's Adventures in Oz” (92nd Street Y), Colonel Mustard in “Clue, The Musical” (Circa 21) to name a few. 

John is very excited to share his love of classical ballet with the students at Yolanda's Academy!

Phillip Anthony Morris began his dance training in a competitive studio while studying classical voice privately. He furthered his training at AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in New York City, where he studied musical theatre and acting. Philip Morris continued his studies at the Ailey/BFA program earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. He holds certification in AFAA, 30/60/90, Floor Tech and USA Gymnastics.

Phillip Morris is trained in various styles of dance including hip-hop, jazz, acrobatics, musical theatre, ballet, contemporary, modern and tap. Presently, Mr. Morris is training in extreme stretch handstand and contortions at Aerial Arts and Circus Warehouse. Phillip Anthony Morris has performed and taught internationally with Gloria Estefan, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, MMVAs, Lady Gaga, Harry Jerome Awards, Caribana Toronto, Stileto Entertainment, Donald Byrd, Rosie O’Donnell and Disney's Lion King.

Evelyn Martinez is a proud graduate of Yolanda's Academy of Music and Dance and hold a Bachelors Degree from Rutgers University.  She enjoys teaching children from ages 3-18 in a wide range of concentrations, including Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, and Flamenco. 

Studied Ballet at Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet. Marina is a former Vaganova Ballet Artist that was born in Venezuela. she auditioned at the Ballet Keyla Ermecheo where she got a scholarship and graduated as a ballerina and she finished Ballet Sovietico Workshop with Russian masters of Bolshoi Theater Eric Volodin and Maya Samokhvalova. She performed for Ballet Juvenil and was a ballet dancer founder of Ballet Metropolitano de Caracas. After intensive training Marina won a scholarship to the GITIS State Institute of Theatrical Arts in Moscow Russia to continue her profession as a ballet dancer and instructor where she obtained a pedagogue-choreographer Ballet Master Certificate.