Nationally Recognized Graduate Instructors
The curriculum of this school is taught by a nationally recognized faculty of graduate instructors and guest teachers. All classes are taught by fully qualified instructors, who have earned national board certification.
STAFF
April Foreman - has studied with the Frank Rey Dance Studio since 1985. She has appeared in many local events with the Studio including holiday parades, Festival of Trees and Guavaween. April has also participated in numerous national events, such as Superbowl XXV and has performed several self-choreographed solos for church functions and workshops for the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. She was also invited on several occasions to perform with the former Bay Ballet Theatre in their renditions of "The Nutcracker Ballet".
Ms. Foreman has attended many workshops to enhance her knowledge of the arts. These workshops include the studies of tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, character, liturgical, and classical ballet. She has also studied musical theatre and interpretive dance using sign language. April is also an accomplished vocalist.
Marchele Cornish - was born in Tampa, Florida. She began dancing at the age of four, and began her study with the Frank Rey Dance Studio at the age of six. Marchele was a member of the Florida Ballet Theatre where she performed in the Nutcracker ballet, Babes in Toyland and many other productions. She studied under Bill Martin Vicount of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Master teachers from the Joffrey Ballet, as well as having the opportunity to study in England while a member of The Florida Ballet Theatre. Marchele did a two year internship under Frank Rey and Richard Rader, upon completion she received her Dance Teacher Certification. Marchele also attended the University of South Florida where she continued to study dance. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Marchele currently lives in Brandon with her husband and two daughters. She is also a teacher at Foundation Christian Academy where she teaches the first grade. Marchele continues to share her love of dance with the students she has the pleasure to teach.
Mary Frances Leto Granell (owner/director) was born and raised in Tampa. She began her dance training at the Frank Rey Dance Studio in 1960. After graduating from Chamberlain High School, Mary Frances continued her dance studies at the University of South Florida while pursuing a BA in Secondary Social Studies and Humanities Education. In 1973 Mary Frances became a soloist with the Florida Ballet Theatre and performed roles such as the Spanish Variation in The Nutcracker, the Empress in The Emperor's New Clothes, Little Bo Peep in Babes In Toyland and Swan Lake, staged by Bill Martin-Viscount. She also had the pleasure of working with the great Myra Kynch, performing in Giselle's Revenge and dancing the role of Anne in The Six Mrs. Tudors. Over the years Mary Frances has studied tap with Charles Kelley and Flamenco with Jose Molina. Mary Frances has worked with the Spanish Lyric Theater as a performer and as choreographer for SLT productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, and No No Nanette. For the past 30 years Mary Frances has been a teacher with Hillsborough County Schools. She is currently teaching at Gaither High School where she is a charter faculty member and was voted Teacher of the Year in 2003.. She began Gaither's dance team, the Starettes 24 years ago and has continued to choreograph for them as well as productions for Gaither's Musical Theatre Department. In 2001 Mary Frances became owner of the Frank Rey Dance Studio where she continues to carry on the Tradition of Quality established by her teacher and mentor, Frank Rey.
Stefanie Vargas-Espinosa - A native of Tampa, Stefanie began her dance training as a child at the Frank Rey Dance Studio. A certified graduate instructor, Stefanie was a member of the Florida Ballet Theatre for five years and has many classical roles to her credit. She is a former SWASH-BUC-LER with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and also a cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mrs. Espinosa is a graduate of the University of South Florida and is currently a middle-school teacher in Hillsborough County. She is the proud mother of Frank Rey Dancers, Victoria and Miranda.
Maria Sevilla - began studying flamenco at the age of 12 with Curra Alba in Tampa, Florida and frequently with Pepe Moreno in Seville, Spain where her mother is from. During 1989-1995 her classical Spanish and flamenco blossomed when she became a soloist of the Gisela Sotomayor Spanish Dance Company at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, Florida and the Ballet Folklorico de Ybor, where there were also Mexican, Italian, and Cuban Folkloric dances. In 1995, Maria began appearing as principle dancer for the Oscar Trevino Flamenco Dance Company and by now had performed at several theaters including the Centro Asturiano, Tampa Theater, and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. During these years, she has also trained with Rosa Mercedes, Paco Romero, Omayra Amaya, Luista Sevilla, Eva La Yerbabuena, Joaquin Encinas, Rafael Campallo, Andres Marin, Alejandro Granados, and Immaculada Ortega.
Having excelled in her field, Maria Sevilla was in high demand as a flamenco teacher. In 2001, Maria began teaching at the Frank Rey Dance Studio. In 2004, she became a member and performed with Rosa Mercedes’ company Dende Ballet Espano; and in 2005 along side David Bisbal for Premio Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards Univision.
Maria continually travels to Seville and currently is a member of the Faustino Rios Spanish Dance Company at the Columbia Restaurant where she performed for 16 years. She also performs as guest artist with Somras Flamencas let by guitarist Javier Hinojosa. She has been featured in the Tampa Tour Guides, Soutghern Living Magazine, the Food Network Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), and the BBC Channel.
Casey Hicks – This is Casey’s fourth year teaching at Frank Rey Dance Studio. He is grateful to be a part of the Frank Rey family and excited to continue molding the future generations of Frank Rey Dancers. Casey has been the artistic director for the Frank Rey Showdancers and has coached the Competition Team… SHAAA! Casey began dancing at the tender age of 9 studying jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop and ballet. He continued his training at Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts in modern, ballet and choreography. During his four years at Blake, Casey had the opportunity to study and dance in works choreographed by Christina Acosta, Erin Cardinal-Wright, Susan Olson, Michael Foley, Marilyn Banks, Laura Stauderman, and Matthew Caudill. Casey is currently furthering his dance education at Hillsborough Community College. At HCC Casey has danced in works by Christina Acosta, Richard Ploch, Diana Migdoll, and Jannis Brenner. Casey is beginning his sophomore year as a company member for Moving Current Dance Collective of Tampa. Also Casey is now a company member for Tampa’s new dance/theater company All Out Rep created by Shana Perkins and Ami Corley. In April All Out Rep had their debut performance of “The Agreeable Husband” which is now going on tour to local Florida cities. Casey’s future plans include developing his professional dance career in the modern and entertainment dance fields. And hopes a move to New York City will be in the near future.
Erika Marte - began her dance training at the Frank Rey Dance Studio when she was six years old. As a child she performed with Entertainment Review at Busch Gardens. Erika was a soloist with the Frank Rey Showdancers as well as the competition team. While attending the Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts, Erika had the opportunity to study with Christina Acosta, Erin Cardinal Wright, Marilyn Banks and Susan Olsen. After graduation Erika moved to New York City where she studied at the Broadway Dance Center with working professionals such as Andy Blankenbuehler, Al Blackstone, Kathryn Murphy and Tracy Stanfield. While in NYC Erika was invited to join the hip-hop company, Amount Entertainment and had the opportunity to perform for the Make A Wish Foundation. Erika is currently residing in New York in pursuit of her dream...dancing professionally!
Octavio Martin - was born in Habana, Cuba and received his early dance training at the Alejo Carpentier School. Mr Martin joined the Natinal Ballet of Cuba in 1994 under the direction of Alicia Alonso. During his twelve years at the National Ballet of Cuba Mr Martin represented the company in Galas, Festivals and Theaters of Latin America, Unites States, Europe and Asia doing principal roles such as Basilio in Don Quixote, Albretch in Giselle, Siegfried in Swan Lake, Franz in Coppelia, Collin in La Fille mal Garde, Gustav in Cinderella, Don Jose, Escamillo and Zuniga in Carmen (Alberto Alonso’s version) and performed pas de deux’s including Spartacus, Sprin Water, The Leaves are Fading and Romeo and Juliet (Alicia Alonso’s version). In 2004 received the "Alejo Carpentier" medal one of the highest artist honors in Cuba. In the same year was invited to Pincipal Guest Artist in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada. Mr Martin joined the Sarasota Ballet of Florida in 2005 under the direction of Robert de Warren performing lead roles in Balanchine’s Concerto Barroco and Robert de Warren’s version of Othello and Last Call. Most recently he performed principal roles under the direction of Iain Webb like Blanchine’s Allegro Brillante, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Las Hermanas and Elite Syncopations, David Bintley’s Scottish Dances , Hans van Manen’s Grosse Fuge and sir Frederick Ashton’s Facade.
Heather Barrick - began dancing at the age of four, and has been dancing ever since! She danced and competed all through high school, then , after graduating, began dancing professionally. Her career took her to many exotic and exciting places, such as, Guam, South Korea, China, Japan, Atlantic City, and, Las Vegas where she resided and danced for almost seven years. After returning home to Florida in 1999, she was rehired at Busch Gardens, (she worked there for a few months at age eighteen), where she danced and sang up until January 2008. Heather also started teaching at age seventeen, and has taught off and on for fifteen years at various studios. She’s very happy to be a part of the fantastic faculty at Frank Rey Dance Studio! Heather would like to thank her family and Jason for all of their support.
Danielle Dominguez - From classroom to stage, Danielle Dominguez has transformed dance into unique works of passion and beauty. She started out her training in Tampa, Florida where she excelled in jazz, lyrical and contemporary and was taught by some of the best and well known teachers and choreographers in the world including Mia Michaels, Sonya Tayeh, and Dee Caspary. Danielle has won various prestigious awards, scholarships and recognitions around the country for her dancing and choreography as well. Credits include various national commercials and promotions for Kash n karry, Nickelodeon, Disney channel, Disney channel grad bash party, etc. She has also worked with “The Pulse,” Dance convention in New York where she worked alongside Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, and Brian Freidman. You can catch Danielle this year touring with “Hall of Fame Dance Challenge” dance competition, “Showstoppers” national dance convention, and teaching master classes.
Jennifer - has enjoyed all aspects of dance & theater since the age of five. She has been sharing her love of the arts with her students for 17 years. She has studied all fields of dance, tap, jazz, ballet, acrobatics and lyrical, with a specialization in tap. Jennifer has studied with various well known teachers around the country including, Thommie Walsh, Gus Giordano, Al Gilbert and Luigi to name a few. Her training included a tour of the US and Canada with Hoctor’s Dance Caravan, where she assisted such teachers as Sonya Livingston of the Rockettes and tap legend, Al Gilbert. She earned her Certification for Teaching and became a member of the Dance Masters of Florida in 1995. She has received accolades for her tap abilities from Gregory Hines while at Ruth Eckerd Hall, where she danced side by side with the late Mr. Hines during his performance. Jennifer’s choreography has received numerous awards at national competitions and her past performance groups have had the privilege of dancing at Walt Disney World Magic Music Days eight times. She also provides her talents to the community by choreographing many theater productions, including A Chorus Line, Grease, The Sound of Music, Smokey Joe’s Café & most recently Blake High School’s production of Gypsy. Jennifer enjoys helping students set goals and realize they have what it takes to achieve them.
