Staff

Melissa Tarzopoulos
Director

Melissa Tarzopoulos is a graduate of Bridgewater State College where she received a B.A. in Speech Communications and minor in Dance. Throughout her college years she served as President of the Dance Company and was honored as one of the National Dance Associations Outstanding Dance Students. She has also served as Chairperson of the Alumni Dance Committee and as a Guest Lecturer in which she taught several course for the college’s dance curriculum.

 

Upon graduation from college, Melissa opened her own dance academy in the Boston Area. Her academy has received numerous top honors at both Regional and National Competitions. While in Massachusetts Melissa was a member of many prestigious dance organizations.

 

Melissa has worked as a dance teacher and choreographer for over 20 years and has studied and worked with many well known choreographers in Boston and New York.

 

In 2001 Melissa decided it was time to pursue another lifelong dream. She had been visiting Hawaii since she was 11 years old and since that time has always wanted to live in this beautiful state. She sold her studio and fulfilled her dream. However, after a brief sabbatical she realized that it was time to return to her passion, teaching dance.

 

Since then she has worked as a teacher and choreographer on Oahu. Her work has won numerous top honors both here in Hawaii and at the National level.

 

In 2005 at the Spotlight Dance Cup her work received such honors as High Score Winner in the Petite, Junior, and Senior divisions as well as the production category. Her work won the Perfect 10 Award (highest score of the entire competition) as well as the Choreography Award.

 

In 2006 at the Spotlight Dance Cup her work received such honors as High Score Winner in the Petite, and Teen Divisions was well as the Production category. She received two top Choreography Award for her works.

 

In November of 2006 Melissa created DANCE ARTISTRY in order to provide quality dance education in a positive environment. Dance Artistry will remain a studio in which students and parents are able to experience this wonderful world of Dance and all of its Artistry.

 

Avamua deWatteville de Berkheim

Ava is a former member of the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Dance Theatre, San Jose Ballet, and the Santa Clara Ballet. He has served as a guest artist with various companies in the U.S., Europe, and the South Pacific.
 
He has trained with numerous Master Teachers at the Royal Ballet School, Lines Ballet San Francisco, San Francisco Theatre, Palo Alto Ballet, San Jose Ballet, the Bat Dor in Israel, the Ecole du Danse, le Marais in Paris, France, and with Magli Messac, Former Principle with the American Ballet Theatre. Ave has also performed as an actor/ dancer/ singer with San Jose Civic Light Opera, Santa Barbara Repertory Theatre, as well as several other companies in musical theatre productions in the U.S., Europe, and South Pacific.
 
Along with these numerous accomplishments, Ave holds a B.F.A. in Dance, he has performed in several Independent films in L.A., Seattle, Bellevue, and Vancouver British Columbia. He is a member of Actors Equity, American Guild of Musical Artists, and Harvard Square Screenwriters in Cambridge, MA.

Ava’s extensive training, outstanding teaching, and passion for ballet is a gift he continues to share with each of his students.