Our Featured Alumni

Nicole Pedraza began her dance training at South Florida Ballet when she was five and began volunteering as a dance teacher assistant when she was 15. After graduating high school from New World School of the Arts dance program in 2018, Nicole continued her studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from New World School of the Arts College and University of Florida in 2021. Upon graduation, Nicole premiered an original contemporary dance work at the Perez Art Museum of Miami (PAMM) as part of Miami Dancemakers 2021. In July of 2022, Nicole was one of 19 artists in Miami selected for the Peace Studios Artist as Catalyst program for local artists interested in making a positive community impact with their art. In addition to teaching at South Florida Ballet, Nicole is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center and a dancer of Peter London Global Dance Company.

Marcelina began her dance training at South Florida Ballet when she was four years old, and went on to star as Clara in South Florida Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. She went on to train with Colorado Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Marcelina currently resides in Denver, Colorado where she joined Ballet Ariel as a company member and also performs with Reformation Dance Company. She has currently performed in ballet productions of an American in Paris, Dracula, and Konservatoriet.

Amanda trained at South Florida Ballet from the age of 4 – 18. For college, she was accepted to study at The Juilliard School in New York City. While at South Florida Ballet she performed lead roles in The Nutcracker, and competed in dance competitions including the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix, where she was offered a summer dance scholarship with Orlando Ballet. She attended summer ballet intensives with The Rock School and Orlando Ballet. Amanda attended New World School of the Arts High School for their Dance Magnet. In 2018, Amanda graduated from The Juilliard School with the Martha Hill award and a career opportunity grant to continue pursuing her passions in dance. She has regularly integrated her knowledge of anatomy and the human body to help promote inclusive educational outreach programs in El Salvador, Botswana, and New York City. In 2019, she became a member of Wonderbound, a contemporary ballet company based in Denver, Colorado. Recently, she has decided to return to school to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor to provide mental health services to future artists.

Ana started training at South Florida Ballet when she was four years old. She went on to accept a full tuition scholarship to the HARID Conservatory for high school. While at the HARID Conservatory, she attended summer intensives such as Tulsa Ballet, Ellison Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet. In 2019, Ana started college at the University of Oklahoma, where she is double majoring in Ballet Performance and a Human Relations. She has gone on to perform several works, including works by Gerald Arpino, as the Lilac Fairy in the Sleeping Beauty, and Falling Angels by Jiří Kylián, where she had the opportunity to perform in Mexico City. Ana has been selected to be a joint Second Company member at Oklahoma City Ballet while continuing her studies at the University.

Nikki d’Arnault is currently a professional freelance dancer in New York City. She began her dance training at the age of two at South Florida Ballet and continued her training with us until she was 18. She attended New World School of the Arts for high school, where she was accepted into the dance magnet. Thereafter, Nikki attended the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, earning her BFA in Dance. She spent her summers training with Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Ballet BC. She has most recently performed with Michelle Ulerich Thompson, Kins Dance Theater, WyckoffCollective, and A-Y Dancers. Nikki also teaches ballet and modern to young aspiring dancers in Brooklyn at Cobble Hill Ballet. Along with dancing and teaching she is also a signed model, modeling for brands such as Nike, Lululemon, and Fila.