MARLA
A. HIROKAWA
trained and performed professionally in Hawaii,
California and New York. She received her BA in dance
(Cum Laude) at the University of California, Irvine and
founded Covenant Dance Studio in 1987. She is currently
CBTB and CBTB Academy’s artistic director. She has
taught at Broadway Dance Center, the Brooklyn Academy
for the Performing Arts, and she is the ballet and
modern dance instructor at Kingsborough Community
College. She was a Teaching Artist for the New York City
Ballet Education Department and currently creates and
directs all CBTB’s educational programs. Marla is
an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully
completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Primary
though Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
REBECCAH
HOPE BRANN has studied with Ms. Marla since she was
six years old! She received her Certificate of Dance
from the Alvin Ailey School and is currently a free
lance dancer. Rebeccah is also the founder of the
HopeDanceNYC project, which will be returning to the
West Coast for their second annual summer workshop
series this summer. Rebeccah continues to work as a
personal trainer and fitness instructor in the NYC area.
Rebeccah was a member of Covenant Dance Theatre since
1998 and became a Principal of CBTB in 2001.
ALLISON
JAY-BABER is originally from
Lakeland, Florida. She trained with Florida Dance
Theatre and the Harrison Performing Arts School, and
spent summers on full scholarship at The Joffrey Ballet
School and Hartford Ballet School. She has danced
professionally with Hartford Ballet, Smuin Ballets, and
Ballet Met where she had the opportunity to dance many
featured roles. Allison recently finished touring with
the Broadway show Movin’ Out. Allison joined CBTB in
2007. Allison is an ABT® Certified Teacher,
who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training
Intensive in Primary though Level 3 of the ABT® National
Training Curriculum.
KRISTIN
LICATA
received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Fordham
University/Alvin Ailey program. She has taught
dance at the Cornerstone Learning Center, NY School of
the Arts, NJ and in Oregon as part of a residency with
Hope DanceNYC. Kristin has been an instructor with
the academy since 2008 and a principal dancer with CBTB
since 2009.
JOSE
RIVERA
trained at the Gallman’s Newark Dance Theater School and
graduated from the Julliard School and the School of
American Ballet. He also studied at the Dance Theater of
Harlem and performed professionally in Germany. In the
US, he performed with small companies in the New York
City area, then with the Ballethnic Dance Company in
Atlanta, Georgia for eleven seasons. He has danced with
other US companies and most recently with Connecticut
Ballet Theatre. Mr. Jose also teaches in the New York
City and Westchester areas. He is a principal with CBTB
since 2009.
MATTHEW
WESTERBY
trained at
the Laban Centre, London. He has taught in a variety of
professional and community settings, and to all ages and
abilities. His teaching credits include Laban, Random
Dance Company, Smallpetitklein, the Scottish School of
Contemporary Dance, Stagecoach Theatre Arts (all UK),
for Silesian Dance Theatre (Poland), and since moving to
New York, for Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and for CBTB's
Dance Academy and AIE programs. Matthew has been a
principal dancer with CBTB since 2005.
SONIA
JONES is originally from Lancaster, PA and recently
received her MA in Dance Education/American Ballet
Theatre (ABT) Pedagogy from New York University
Steinhardt. Through this program she is an ABT®
Certified Teacher who has successfully completed teacher
training in Primary – Level 7 & Partnering of the
National Training Curriculum®. She was an
Education/Physical Therapy Intern at the Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis School and has taught in its Children’s
Division and has a B.S. in Biology from Millersville
University. She is also a Qualified Associate Teacher of
Grades I –V of the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet.
Miss Sonia is also on faculty at the Huntington Center
for the Performing Arts.
"The school's code of
conduct, where all are respected, is not just a motto on
the wall, but a living example that all live up to...
the teachers perform at their best, thereby inspiring
the students to do the same...each time that I pick [my
daughter] up after dance, she jumps in the car and when
asked "How was dance?" her response is "I'm so happy I
chose Covenant"
- Arlene Ayoub, academy
parent
NANAKO
KITAGAWA is originally from Japan where she received
her early training. She also trained at prestigious
ballet schools in Canada, France and Austria. She has
performed for the USA Ballet Company, Connecticut
Ballet, Long Island Ballet Company and the Atlantic
Ballet Company. She has also taught at the Artscure
Center in NY and at the USA Ballet Academy in Illinois.
Miss Nanako joined the CBTB Academy in 2009.
MANDY
SAU-YI CHAN
received her BFA in dance (First Class Honors) at the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She was awarded a
two year scholarship from the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Music and Dance Fund to pursue her graduate studies in
New York and in 2002, received her MFA in Dance from
NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Miss Mandy has
choreographed for and danced with different companies
and choreographers throughout NYC. She is a certified
Pilates teacher through Physicalmind Institute at
Movements Afoot, has taught Pilates at Kingsborough
Community College, and is a certified Yoga teacher at OM
Yoga Center NYC and a certified Holistic Health
Counselor at Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is
a principal dancer with CBTB.
BRENDA
R. NEVILLE
received her BA (Cum Laude) in Dance Pedagogy at Butler
University in Indiana. She trained at Milwaukee Ballet
School, the Ailey School, American Ballet Theatre
School, and others. She has spent the last 15 yrs.
performing, choreographing and teaching ballet and
ethnic dance in over 18 different countries with various
companies. She was a principal dancer with CBTB and also
Founder/Director of
Neville Dance Theatre.
Brenda is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has
successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training
Intensive in Primary though Level 3 of the ABT® National
Training Curriculum.
JOSEPH
TUDISCO
is a CBTB principal dancer who studied dance at SUNY
Purchase and received his BA in Arts from the Empire
SUNY College. He received full scholarships to the
Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Martha Graham
Contemporary Dance School, and David Howard Ballet
School. He has also taught at the Kingsborough Community
College Dance Club and Danceworks; and has choreographed
on students at St. Edmunds Preparatory School and
Brooklyn Tech High School.
MILA
GRINBERG
owes most of her training
to the gifted teachers of CBTB. In 2007 she graduated
Magna Cum Laude from Point Park University with a BA in
Dance. She has traveled and performed with Hope
Dance NYC during their summer workshops in Oregon. Miss
Mila is honored to be a teacher and company soloist of
Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn.
SHEILA
LEDGIN
received
her training from Covenant Dance Studio and from the
Ballet Center of Brooklyn, began teaching at Covenant
Dance Studio since 1995. She was a dance instructor at
the Marine Park Summer Day Camp, and Kids-N-Shape. She
also works for the Chinese-American Planning Counsel
After-School Program. She is presently an Educational
Assistant at P.S. 153.
Royce
Zackery, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, has danced
professionally for 13 years in the U.S and overseas and
In New York City for the past 9. His background includes
extensive training in tap, jazz, and musical theater. He
is presently Certified in The American Ballet Theatre
Teaching Curriculum and isreceiving his Masters in
Higher Education and Ballet Pedagogy from N.Y.U.
Steinhardt. He received his B.F.A. from Southern
Methodist University in Dallas. Royce has performed with
professional companies performing Classical and
Contemporary Ballet works, professional Modern based
companies, and has done professional work in the field
of musical theater as well. Royce has taught
master classes and workshops in classical ballet,
contemporary movement, and partnering in Dallas,
Florida, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Germany, and New York
City. He has been on staff at Broadway Dance Center, The
Alvin Ailey American Dance Center's Ailey Extension
Program, and The School at Steps on Broadway.
HELENE
PARKER discovered her love of movement when she
began studying ballet at Covenant at six years old.
Since then, that love has taken her to perform with
Covenant Ballet Theatre and to achieve a BA in Exercise
Science from Smith College, where she did a study on
ballet’s effect on balance. Helene works as a
personal trainer and fitness instructor in Brooklyn, and
has just begun performing with CBTB again.
REBECCAH
HOPE BRANN has studied with Ms. Marla since she was
six years old! She received her Certificate of Dance
from the Alvin Ailey School and is currently a free
lance dancer. Rebeccah is also the founder of the
HopeDanceNYC project, which will be returning to the
West Coast for their second annual summer workshop
series this summer. Rebeccah continues to work as a
personal trainer and fitness instructor in the NYC area.
Rebeccah was a member of Covenant Dance Theatre since
1998 and became a Principal of CBTB in 2001.
ALLISON
JAY-BABER
KRISTIN
LICATA
received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Fordham
University/Alvin Ailey program. She has taught
dance at the Cornerstone Learning Center, NY School of
the Arts, NJ and in Oregon as part of a residency with
Hope DanceNYC. Kristin has been an instructor with
the academy since 2008 and a principal dancer with CBTB
since 2009.
JOSE
RIVERA
trained at the Gallman’s Newark Dance Theater School and
graduated from the Julliard School and the School of
American Ballet. He also studied at the Dance Theater of
Harlem and performed professionally in Germany. In the
US, he performed with small companies in the New York
City area, then with the Ballethnic Dance Company in
Atlanta, Georgia for eleven seasons. He has danced with
other US companies and most recently with Connecticut
Ballet Theatre. Mr. Jose also teaches in the New York
City and Westchester areas. He is a principal with CBTB
since 2009.
MATTHEW
WESTERBY
trained at
the Laban Centre, London. He has taught in a variety of
professional and community settings, and to all ages and
abilities. His teaching credits include Laban, Random
Dance Company, Smallpetitklein, the Scottish School of
Contemporary Dance, Stagecoach Theatre Arts (all UK),
for Silesian Dance Theatre (Poland), and since moving to
New York, for Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and for CBTB's
Dance Academy and AIE programs. Matthew has been a
principal dancer with CBTB since 2005.
SONIA
JONES is originally from Lancaster, PA and recently
received her MA in Dance Education/American Ballet
NANAKO
KITAGAWA is originally from Japan where she received
her early training. She also trained at prestigious
ballet schools in Canada, France and Austria. She has
performed for the USA Ballet Company, Connecticut
Ballet, Long Island Ballet Company and the Atlantic
Ballet Company. She has also taught at the Artscure
Center in NY and at the USA Ballet Academy in Illinois.
Miss Nanako joined the CBTB Academy in 2009.
MANDY
SAU-YI CHAN
received her BFA in dance (First Class Honors) at the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She was awarded a
two year scholarship from the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Music and Dance Fund to pursue her graduate studies in
New York and in 2002, received her MFA in Dance from
NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Miss Mandy has
choreographed for and danced with different companies
and choreographers throughout NYC. She is a certified
Pilates teacher through Physicalmind Institute at
Movements Afoot, has taught Pilates at Kingsborough
Community College, and is a certified Yoga teacher at OM
Yoga Center NYC and a certified Holistic Health
Counselor at Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is
a principal dancer with CBTB.
BRENDA
R. NEVILLE
JOSEPH
TUDISCO
is a CBTB principal dancer who studied dance at SUNY
Purchase and received his BA in Arts from the Empire
SUNY College. He received full scholarships to the
Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Martha Graham
Contemporary Dance School, and David Howard Ballet
School. He has also taught at the Kingsborough Community
College Dance Club and Danceworks; and has choreographed
on students at St. Edmunds Preparatory School and
Brooklyn Tech High School.
MILA
GRINBERG 
SHEILA
LEDGIN
received
her training from Covenant Dance Studio and from the
Ballet Center of Brooklyn, began teaching at Covenant
Dance Studio since 1995. She was a dance instructor at
the Marine Park Summer Day Camp, and Kids-N-Shape. She
also works for the Chinese-American Planning Counsel
After-School Program. She is presently an Educational
Assistant at P.S. 153.
Royce
Zackery, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, has danced
professionally for 13 years in the U.S and overseas and
In New York City for the past 9. His background includes
extensive training in tap, jazz, and musical theater. He
is presently Certified in The American Ballet Theatre
Teaching Curriculum and isreceiving his Masters in
Higher Education and Ballet Pedagogy from N.Y.U.
Steinhardt. He received his B.F.A. from Southern
Methodist University in Dallas. Royce has performed with
professional companies performing Classical and
Contemporary Ballet works, professional Modern based
companies, and has done professional work in the field
of musical theater as well. Royce has taught
master classes and workshops in classical ballet,
contemporary movement, and partnering in Dallas,
Florida, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Germany, and New York
City. He has been on staff at Broadway Dance Center, The
Alvin Ailey American Dance Center's Ailey Extension
Program, and The School at Steps on Broadway. 
HELENE
PARKER discovered her love of movement when she
began studying ballet at Covenant at six years old.
Since then, that love has taken her to perform with
Covenant Ballet Theatre and to achieve a BA in Exercise
Science from Smith College, where she did a study on
ballet’s effect on balance. Helene works as a
personal trainer and fitness instructor in Brooklyn, and
has just begun performing with CBTB again.