A native of Virginia, Heather began teaching at CPAC in 2010 after a successful career as a ballet dancer.  Early ballet education under Patricia Dodd in the syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dance was followed by study at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and augmented by summer training at the School of American Ballet, the Boston Ballet School, and the Joffrey Ballet School.  Heather was fortunate to study under such luminaries as Melissa Hayden, Antonina Tumkovsky, Andrei Kramarevsky, and David Howard.  Upon graduation from UNCSA, Heather began her profession with a season at Carolina Ballet, directed by Robert Weiss , before joining the Boston Ballet  where she worked for six seasons with Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen.  She danced in a wide array of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, often in featured roles, and enjoyed tours with the company to entertain audiences in New York, Canada, South Korea, the Canary Islands, Majorca, and extensive performing throughout Spain.  Among her favorite memories are the prominent roles she danced in Jiri Kylian ballets and the thrill of working with emerging choreographers as they created new pieces.  Heather values her association with numerous celebrated professionals, including renowned choreographer Mark Morris, George Balanchine Trust repetiteurs, and legendary dancers who generously shared their knowledge.  Through teaching, Heather strives to pass on the wisdom entrusted to her. 

CARMEN studied dance at Florida State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In Florida, she was Assistant Artistic Director of Renascent Dance Theatre for three years, choreographing ROCKballet productions. During this time she also directed the company’s Children’s Theatre and co-founded Tallahassee Arts Project, bringing dance into local after school programs.  She has taught all styles of dance for over 17 years in Florida, North and South Carolina.  She currently heads the dance program at Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaissance School. She enjoys being an annually commissioned choreographer for Union Pines High School and the Moore County Arts Council, where she has choreographed more than 20 Broadway Musicals. Her styles of teaching include: Checchetti Method Ballet, Limon` based Modern, Broadway based Tap and styles of Jazz, from Classical Luigi to Lyrical and Hip Hop, and IKY Yoga.  

CYNDY is joining the CPAC staff with 14 years of dance training , 6 years of dance instruction experience and a B.A. in Interpersonal Communications from UNC.  Though she loves teaching pupils of ALL ages, she especially enjoys working with beginning and younger ballerinas. Along with technique and mastery of skill, conveying a love of dance and movement is the most important aspect of her teaching philosophy. 

BRIAN holds a BFA in dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts.  After a dance career performing with the Raleigh Dance Theatre and Dallas Metropolitan Ballet in lead roles, he began teaching.  The early part of his teaching career was with the Raleigh School of Dance Arts teaching ballet, tap and jazz to students from early childhood through adults.  He served as Ballet Master and Ballet/Modern Dance Instructor at Pierrette Sadler Danseurs and later became Artistic Director of Raleigh Civic Ballet and is an instructor with  Infinity Ballet. 

 DEBRA has worked as a professional performer and dance instructor since 1976. She began academic studies with Cecchetti training under Margaret Dallman and at the Washington School of Ballet under Mary Day. Her advanced training continued at American Ballet Theater School, David Howard School and New Jersey Ballet School where she joined the faculty and became a Principal Dancer of the New Jersey Ballet Company. Noted for her 
versatility, she has performed extensively throughout the world. She has toured with Edward Villella Dance Ensemble, Stars of American Ballet, and Kozlov and Friends. Ms. Senchak has formal pedagogy training in the Complete Teaching Method of Classical Dance developed by Vera Kostrovitskaya and based on the work of Agrippina Vaganova at the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, taught by Prof. Peggy Willis-Aarnio. She has developed her leadership as an educator in the use of the Fine Art of Classical Dance Training for developing performers. Ms. Senchak has taught on the faculty of both NCDI and CPAC in NC in addition to Director and Teacher with the IBC. She currently is an active Apex Arts Council member and a recipient of the 2012 Kathryn H. Wallace Award for Artists in Community Service through Triangle Community Foundation.

KIA began ballet, tap, and jazz at the early age. She continued her studies in Child Psychology and Elementary Education and she has taught children's classes and won awards for her choreography nationally. Kia has, additionally, been a member of Georgia's Giwayen Mata,  African/Modern Dance Ensemble, and  Corazon Dancers, Florida's Latin Dance Company, where she served as Artistic Director. She has performed nationally with Los Angeles Salsa Congress, the Centennial Olympic Games, and on live telecasts. Kia also has received her ballroom certification through Fred Astaire Dance Studio.  

SULLIVAN a rising senior at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in psychology and returns to CPAC, where she received eleven years of training in classical ballet, Pointe, jazz, lyrical, free movement, and character, as a part time instructor. Sullivan is involved with various dance organizations at UNC,
including Star Heels Dance Team. where she demonstrates strong choreography skills.