Instructors / Staff – Leonard's Academy of Dance & Centre for The Arts

LAD Instructors/Staff

LEONARD
MARDIS

Owner/Director

A commitment to excellence, a passion for the Arts, and the love of dance are part of the character that defines the owner and operator of Brandon’s premier African-American owned dance studio. Leonard, a native of Grenada, Mississippi, brings over 20 years of experience, diversity and a global perspective to his style of dance and arts education. A 21 veteran of the military, Leonard studied, instructed, performed and choreographed for plays, galas, competitions, and entertainment events in America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. A seasoned professional with a strong sense of community and family, Leonard has been a dance educator in the Brandon community for over ten years. He is also the founder and creative director of the musical performance troupe, United Nations of Dance (UND).

JARVIS
MARDIS

• Competition Team
• Competition Specialty
• Specialty Groups

A native of Grenada, Ms, Jarvis has competed in many regional and dance competitions. He worked in Busch Gardens in the shows KATONGA and Dance to the Music. He recently has been accepted to a position with Universal Studios in Orlando, Fl. Jarvis has worked with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and is an alumni of The Chocolate Nutcracker, season 2004. He was in the top 75 of 5000, of So You Think You Can Dance Season 3, and danced before 45,000 in Frankfurt Germany for the launching of Hope the Musical. Jarvis was selected by LAD and U.S. Embassy and Ministry of Cultural Affairs in an artistic exchange in Moscow, Russia where he conducted workshops and performed during International Dance Day 2010 with LAD. He is also member of the United Nations of Dance Musical Performance Troupe.

TRE’ ESA
LEWIS

• Hippity Hop
• Hip Hop
• Hip Hop Advanced

A native of Gainesville, Fl, Tre’Esa earned her B.S. in Accounting from Florida A&M University and a Masters in accounting from the University of Miami where she danced with the UM Dance Company. Tre’ Esa was selected by LAD and U.S. Embassy and Ministry of Cultural Affairs in an artistic exchange in Moscow, Russia where she conducted workshops and performed during International Dance Day with LAD. She performed with X-Faction Dance Company in Washington D.C. She is presently a member of VYB Dance Company and a member of United Nations of Dance Musical Performance Troupe.

TRENTON
HARDY

• Boys Hip Hop

• Boys Competition

• Adult Hip Hop

Trenton is a graduate of Bloomingdale High School and is now continuing his education as a sophomore Hillsborough Community College before transferring to a 4 year university.

ANNA KARENINA QUINTO

• Ballet I
• Ballet II
• Pre-Pointe/Pointe
• Latin Jazz

A native of the Philippines received her dance education from the Philippine High school for the Arts. She has a BA degree from De LaSalle University. She instructed ballet, contemporary, and improvisations in the Philippines and Singapore. Anna has worked at Universal Studios Singapore and performed as a principal dancer in the Lion King, Hong Kong Disney. Anna is also a certified Zumba Instructor and holds the title of Hong Kong Salsa Festival Team Champion.

SYLVIE
JABOUIN

•Accro

•Ballet Prep

•Combo I, Combo II

•Pre-Jazz, Jazz Basics, Jazz Intermediate

•Stretching & Conditioning

• Liturgical
Sylvie Jabouin, A native of Port-Au_Prince, Haiti,has studied dance for the last 35years. Her dance training includes, Ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, African (folklore), lyrical and liturgical. She has studied Dance at the University Of South Florida, Body and Soul school of dance, and where she has also taught dance classes under the supervision of Tanika Walton. She is a member of Glory To Glory’s dance Ministry and TBMU (Tampa Bay United Ministries with Layesha Walton)