STAFF

Edra Toth - Founder/Artistic Director
Monika O'Clair - Photographer

INSTRUCTORS

Edra Toth –



Miss Edra Toth was born in Budapest and left with her
family during the Hungarian uprising in 1956, relocating to Boston as
a small child. While in Boston, E. Virginia Williams (founder of the
Boston Ballet), through her love and compassion for dance, gave Edra
a scholarship to attend her school of dance. Edra made her debut with
the Boston Ballet at age 13, advancing to Prima Ballerina two years
later. Edra was the leading star for Boston Ballet for over ten years
and was honored to perform at our nation’s capitol for President and
Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson. Miss Edra cherishes the opportunity to offer
children the same chance that was given to her. By instructing children
in dance, she teaches the rewards of training, hard work, and discipline.

John Ling –



Performing principal roles in such classics as The Nutcracker
and La Corsaire Pas de Deux, to more contemporary choreography,
John’s career has spanned several professional dance companies,
which include The Lumiere Ballet, The Eglevsky Ballet, New York
Dance theatre, Granite State Ballet and numerous ballroom and jazz
companies. John trained with the Jeoffrey Ballet School in NY as well
as NY Conservatory, among others. He has also appeared in musicals
such as 42nd Street, Kismet and A Chorus Line.

Deborah Zelie –



Deborah Zelie began her training with the Seacoast
Ballet Company, UNH Dance Company, and Ballet Theatre Workshop
under Larry and Colleen Robertson, John Prinz, and Misha
Djuric. Among her wide variety of principal roles were leads in Paquita,
Carmina Burana, and Pas de Quatres and Ballet New England’s Sleeping
Beauty. She also joined and toured with Ballet New England and
Boston Dance Company, and was invited to be a full-time trainee with
Ballet Magnificat! and Ballet Austin. Deborah has been featured as
Wilhelmina in Dracula and as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker for
Edra Toth’s Academy of Dance & Music.

Lissa Silk –



At age 6, Lissa began her ballet training with The Seacoast Ballet Company under
Larry and Colleen Robertson. There she performed in Carmina Burana, Paquita,
and multiple shows of The Nutcracker. Her training continued with Mihailo Djuric,
John Prinz, Christine Simes and David Drummond with key roles in Sleeping Beauty,
Snow White and Stars and Stripes. She has spent her summers with Central Pennsylvannia
Youth Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre and three summers at Boston Ballet with pre-
acceptance status. Lissa has been hired to perform The Nutcracker in NH, MA and
CT with Boston Ballet for the past four years, performing soloist roles. During her time
at Northeastern Ballet Theatre (NEBT), Lissa has partnered with renowned American
Ballet Theater and Boston Ballet dancer, Eric Lindemer, in the full length production of
The Pirate and the Gypsy. Lissa has also performed principal parts in Dracula and
The Twelve Dancing Princesses. This is Lissa's third year with NEBT where she will
be featured as the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy in the premiere of an
"All New Hampshire" Nutcracker. Lissa is also a certified classical Pilates instructor
through Peak Pilates.


Monika O’Clair –



From a very young age, Monika was immersed in a life
of dance, studying ballet under Anna Shaffer in Maryland. By age 7,
Monika was performing solo with her instructor. Traveling around the
world in a military family, Monika was able to meet new people and
learn their native styles of dance, including learning and performing
with a family from Papua New Guinea. Monika continued to perform
in ballet and jazz performances on military bases overseas. In New
York, Monika fell in love with the Hip Hop style of dance.