Ballet, Lyrical and Jazz Department Head
Danella Bedford, Head of the Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical departments, is originally from the United Kingdom where she trained from age 6 at The Bristol School of Dancing in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and character dancing. As a student she performed with the Scottish Ballet, English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet where she then furthered her studies under the direction of Valerie Adams (FRAD). It was at Royal, where she was able to study under some of the greats including Julia Farron, Pamela May, Mikhail Berkut and Jean Bedells, among others. In 1993 she received her teaching diploma with distinction and was awarded the “Strength and Grace” award from Dame Ninette de Valois. She remained an additional year as Assistant Director to Ms. Adams and was a guest teacher for numerous schools in London including London Studio Center, The Royal Ballet School and London Junior Ballet.
In 1994 she moved to Charlotte, N.C, where she taught at The North Carolina Dance Theater and the Charlotte School of Ballet, as well as performed with the Charlotte Youth Ballet as a principal guest artist. She has performed in many musicals including Carousel, Oklahoma, My Fair Lady and Song and Dance and was soloist and rehearsal mistress for Momentum Dance Company from 1996-2007. She was also invited to perform at the International Ballet Festival in Miami for 5 consecutive years and was awarded ‘Runner-up Best Dancer’ from Miami’s Sunpost in 1998. Danella has been teaching at the Conservatory since 1997 and is the Head of the Ballet Department as well as the Director of the Academy’s “Conchita Espinosa Youth Dance Ensemble”, which is part of the Mastery program, at both junior and senior level. Her choreographies have a wide range, are very diverse in style, and have been showcased numerous times at Florida Dance Festival on tour as well as winning many other choreographic awards. She has produced many original ballet’s during the Conservatory’s summer intensives, including, Aladdin, Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Chronicles of Narnia, Into the Woods and Peter Pan to name a few, with the latter two being a collaboration with the Conservatory’s theater department. She is certified in Marie Walton-Mahon’s “Progressive Ballet Technique” in the junior, senior and advanced programs, and CEC’s students benefit from her meticulous teaching and keen awareness of the physical, mental and emotional development of each young dancer. Students have been accepted into various summer and full time programs, with many on full or partial scholarship, such as Boston Ballet, School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Rock school, Interlochen Arts Camp, Joffrey Ballet, Chautauqua, North Carolina Dance Theater, Orlando Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Hubbard Street, American Ballet Theater, and many others.
Teaching Qualifications:
Dip RBS (TTC): Diploma Royal Ballet School – Teacher’s Training Course
ARAD: Associate Royal Academy of Dance
AISTD (MB) (CB) (NB): Associate Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Modern Branch, Cecchetti Branch, National Branch
Progressive Ballet Technique – Junior, Senior and Advanced.
