Meet our elite teachers & staff

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 Chris has over 27 years of teaching experience in the areas of tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, and acrobatics. She attended Brockport State College and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a minor in dance. While attending college she studied with Tim Draper of Rochester City Ballet, Garth Fagan, James Payton and Suzanne Newman. She was selected to perform with members of Garth Fagan’s company while attending Brockport College. Several of her former students have gone on to pursue careers in dance in New York City, Chicago and on cruise ships. Chris has won numerous high score dance and choreography awards at local and national competitions. She has served as a judge at various dance and cheerleading competitions in New York, Canada and Florida. She has choreographed for church performances and high school plays. Chris was awarded top teacher awards at Star Systems and North American Dance Competition as well as Dance Teacher of the Year at the Rochester Invitational Competition.

Jennifer has been teaching for over 20 years but has been dancing since the age of 3. Trained in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop and musical theater, she was part of the dance team and minored in dance at Shenandoah University. Jennifer has won awards at local competitions for her dances, including one for Top Teacher, and continues to take classes and further her education at the National Teachers Summit. Jennifer loves teaching at Elite and sharing her love for dance.

After dancing locally for many years and studying with various teachers, Stephanie is thrilled to continue sharing her love of dance with students of all ages. Because she co-owned a studio for over twenty years, Stephanie has realized the work and commitment that comes with a life of dance. Stephanie has trained intensively in all areas of dance and gymnastics, earning many awards throughout the years. The Dance Masters of America syllabus is the core of her teaching method. Several of her former students have gone on to perform on Broadway and in successful ensembles. Since her love for young children is evident, it is fitting that she is also the director of a cooperative nursery school. Stephanie looks forward to working with the students of Elite and contributing to their lives in a positive manner.

Sari Ostrum Byrnes began her training at the age of five at the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, the official school of the Rochester City Ballet. She has danced solo and principal roles in RCB's The Nutcracker, Gaite Parisianne, Firebird, Gershwin in the Park, Inner Voices, and Cinderella. In spring 2004, RCB Artistic Director Jamey Leverett choreographed and honored Sari with the female lead role in the Pedestal, her tribute piece to Timothy Draper. Sari Ostrum Byrnes has attended summer programs on scholarship at the Chautauqua Institute, the School of American Ballet, and American Ballet Theater where she was awarded the Coca-Cola Scholar of the Year and named a National Training Program Scholar for ABT, 1997-1999. Sari joined American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company in 2000 and joined American Ballet Theatre in 2001. She performed with ABT in many ballets including Swan Lake, Giselle, Onegin, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Symphony in C, and The Nutracker. She returned to Rochester in 2003 joining the Rochester City Ballet as a principal dancer while also on the faculty teaching at The Timothy M Draper center for Dance Education. In 2006 Sari choreographed and performed a piece called Romance by Mozart and variations with organist Hans Davidsson in Goteborg, Sweden for Swedish Royalty, Princess Desiree. Sari Ostrum Byrnes was married in 2012 and now is a busy mother with two young boys. She has been teaching at various studios for more than 15 years in Brooklyn N Y and in the Rochester area. She has also received numerous choreography awards throughout her teaching career. Sari now fully devotes her time to Elite Studio of Dance as their ballet director.

Uma was born in Rochester, New York, and began her ballet training at the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education at the age of three, where she studied with Jamey Leverett, Beth Bartholomew, Fidel Ernesto Orrillo Puga, and her mother, Julianne Deming.

She attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of NYCB, in 2013 and 2014, before entering SAB full-time for the 2014 winter term. She received additional summer training at Miami City Ballet School, Boston Ballet School, the School of Carolina Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. While at SAB, she trained with the Royal Danish Ballet company and school as a recipient of the Danish American National Cultural Exchange scholarship program. Additionally, as a student, Ms. Deming performed with the Draper Center-affiliated Rochester City Ballet in The Nutcracker and Cinderella. Ms. Deming was named an apprentice with NYCB in November 2018, and a Corp De Ballet member in November 2019.Bri has been dancing for 28 years. She started her dance education at Lynn Scott School of Dance (Perinton Dance Company) at the age of three. Bri has been teaching for 13 years. She has taught at a few local dance studios, as well as teaching in Fredonia, NY and Naples, FL. While teaching in Fredonia, she helped create a competitive dance program. Additionally, while attending Fredonia, she was on the college’s dance team. Bri has taught dance at many levels, including creative movement, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical theatre and hip-hop. Bri is an Elite alumni and is very excited to share her passion for dance with her new Elite students.

Kerri has a BFA Degree in Dance from the University at Buffalo. Her training includes tap, jazz, ballet, ballroom, modern, pointe, lyrical, hip hop and musical theater with many years of competitive dancing. She was a dance captain and choreographer for the Rochester Knightingales and Venom dance teams for two seasons. After graduating, Kerri worked as a dancer and choreographer at the Catalonia Riviera Maya in Mexico. She also spent time teaching ballroom dance in Las Vegas and performing in a Latin Ballroom show at the MGM. She has been teaching for the past ten years at various Rochester dance studios and is excited to continue her teaching career at Elite.

Anna was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has been dancing for 18 years. She took her first dance class at age three and began her Vaganova training at age five. She has studied dance at the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre; Nevada School of Dance; and Zemskov Dance Academy, Las Vegas, NV. Anna’s summer studies have taken her to the School of Ballet Arizona, in Phoenix, AZ; American Ballet Theater, in Irvine, CA; and the Kirov Academy of Ballet, in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of the Pre-Professional Program at Master Ballet Academy in Scottsdale, AZ. Anna began her professional dance career with the Minnesota Ballet, in Duluth, MN; and she currently dances with the Rochester City Ballet. Aside from dance, Anna has an Associate’s degree in Special Education and when she is not studying, training or performing, she enjoys teaching the fundamentals of dance to young people, especially those with intellectual disabilities.

  Kara has been dancing since the age of four. She trained at the Draper Center for Dance Education in Rochester. She has been a ballet instructor since the age of 18. As a former company member of Rochester City Ballet, Kara has danced professionally in numerous productions. Highlights of her performance portfolio include the Arabian Princess, Spanish Chocolate, and Waltz of the flowers in The Nutcracker, as well as multiple roles in Cinderella, Swan Lake, Little Red Riding Hood, and many more. She has received many special awards including choreography and technique awards from numerous dance competitions throughout the years.

Kylee began her training at Perinton Dance Company at age 3, and continued her training to Draper Center for Dance Education at age 12. While at Draper Center for Dance Education, Kylee danced numerous roles in the Rochester City Ballet Nutcracker, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jamey Leverett’s Push and Pull. While at Draper, she received silver medalist at Indianapolis International Ballet Competition, and made it to the finals at World Ballet Competition. Kylee has also attended American Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive in New York City. After graduating from Draper, Kylee moved on to dance as a trainee at Ballet West. While at Ballet West, Kylee danced in Ballet West’s Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Swan Lake, and Viva Vivaldi. Kylee then moved on to dancing as a trainee at Tulsa Ballet. While at Tulsa Ballet, Kylee danced in Peter and the Wolf.

Bri has been dancing for 28 years. She started her dance education at Lynn Scott School of Dance (Perinton Dance Company) at the age of three. Bri has been teaching for 13 years. She has taught at a few local dance studios, as well as teaching in Fredonia, NY and Naples, FL. While teaching in Fredonia, she helped create a competitive dance program. Additionally, while attending Fredonia, she was on the college’s dance team. Bri has taught dance at many levels, including creative movement, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical theatre and hip-hop. Bri is an Elite alumni and is very excited to share her passion for dance with her new Elite students.

 Alex began dance at 7 years old, focusing on classical ballet training. She has taken classes from numerous studios and has traveled all over the country to expand her knowledge. Alex started competing in 9th grade and has won many awards since. Most recently, she has been studying gymnastics and has applied it to teaching solely acro and tumbling. Many of her students have gone on to win national awards and have performed for acclaimed dancers such as Paula Abdul and Derek Hough. She hopes to impart her love for dance to all the students she meets!

Donna graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Elementary Education and taught in the Fairport School District. Her experience working in dance studios has spanned 19 years, most of those years with Miss Chris. She has worked as Office Manager at Elite for the past 9 years. Donna has two grown children, both living in NYC. Donna's husband, Guy, is a software engineer who moonlights as the music coordinator for Elite and directs the music at Elite's annual recitals.

Bonnie graduated from the University of Rochester (BS in Biology) and Nazareth College (Masters in Education). She worked in the Immunology Research Labs at Strong for several years, then taught 8th Grade Science at Johanna Perrin in Fairport for 31 years. She has worked the desk at Elite for 9 years and coordinates the backstage area at Recitals. Bonnie has 3 grown children and 11 grandchildren. Her daughter, Nicole, travels from NYC to teach Contemporary dance at Elite.

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