Faculty & Staff

The faculty of Suncoast Academy of Dance provides the finest level of dance instruction in Tampa Bay. This quality instruction is best reflected in the number of our students who have been accepted into nationally recognized dance programs (University of the Arts; Broadway Dance Center; Pace University; American Academy of Dramatic Arts; EDGE Performing Arts Center, and many more).

Suncoast also believes in providing a professional experience to our most mature and talented students. Several of our faculty members have been at Suncoast Academy of Dance since they were children. After being accepted into our teacher assistant training program, the most capable of these students are given the opportunity to teach their own classes. We are proud of the level of dance instruction and enthusiasm these young women bring to our studio.

If you are a talented and dedicated dance teacher, and would like to be considered for a teaching position, please forward your resume to SuncoastAcademyOfDance@gmail.com.

April Joseph-Sykes

Artistic Director
Instructor: Ballet, Pointe, Pointe Prep, PBT

April has established a solid foundation of professional-quality dance instruction and an outstanding dance curriculum for Suncoast Academy of Dance. She is the Artistic Director and choreographer for the award-winning Art In Motion. April is well-respected in the dance industry, and has formed relationships with Suzi Miller (LA), Rhonda Miller (NYC/LA), Chebar Williams (LA), Finis Jhung (NYC), Scott Fowler (LA/NYC), and many others through annual dance conventions and workshops.

April began her classical ballet training locally. She spent her early professional career with Princess Cruise Lines as a dancer and line captain. She is committed to the ongoing pursuit of knowledge in dance education, training with such greats as Finis Jhung, Chebar Williams, Marie Walton-Mahon and Deborah Vogel.

Colleen (Patterson) Brogdon

Instructor: Tap, Acro, Lyrical, Flexibility & Strength

Colleen is entering her 14th year teaching at Suncoast Academy of Dance. She grew up dancing at Suncoast and was a member of Art In Motion for 7 years. During her time as a student at Suncoast she was promoted to an assistant teacher and then a teacher based on her technique and dedication. After Graduating from Florida State University with a BA in Family & Child Sciences, she returned to Suncoast to continue her teaching journey. Colleen has been teaching a variety of styles while creating and implementing an innovative curriculum for the Tap and Acrobatics classes.  She is a certified Acrobatic Arts instructor and has studied under a variety of influential Tap artists. Colleen is also very involved in teaching and Choreographing for Suncoast’s Performing Company, Art in Motion, and many of her group pieces have been recognized and received accolades at a variety of Conventions and Competitions.  Above all, Colleen has an incredible passion for dance and loves sharing this art form with her students in a fun, challenging and engaging environment.

Jaedyn Clemons

Instructor: PreSchool, Combo

Jaedyn began her dance training at the age of 4 at Suncoast. She then went on to study ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hard-shoe Irish dance around the Tampa Bay area, returning to Suncoast in the summer of 2017, where she studied dance more seriously. She soon became an assistant teacher and fell in love with teaching the next generation of dancers. Her goal is to make her classes as fun as possible while instilling a passion for the art of dance in her students.

Jaedyn graduated from St. Petersburg College in 2021 with an Associate’s Degree in arts, specializing in education. She plans on returning to SPC to become a licensed Veterinary Technician.

Jenni McGinnis

Instructor: PreSchool, Combo, Jazz

Jenni has been inspiring, motivating and guiding young dancers as a beloved and influential teacher at Suncoast Academy of Dance since 1999. Her passion for dance and for teaching is evident in her fun, high-energy classes. After studying dance at (the amazing) Suncoast Academy of Dance, where she participated in AIM and was an assistant for many years, Jenni continued her dance education under Pam Bolling of Hardrive Productions in Orlando, Florida. She then pursued her passion for dance in Los Angeles, where she attended classes at EDGE, Moro Landis, and other premiere master class venues. After moving back to Florida to attend University of South Florida, she continued taking many master classes and began teaching at her favorite place, Suncoast Academy of Dance, where she has been molding young dancers ever since. Jenni has an MA in School Counseling/Education, and truly cares about all of her students.

Nyla Page

Instructor: Hip Hop, Lyrical

Nyla has been dancing for 19 years. She is originally from New England where she trained in all styles of dance and competed since the age of 6. After graduating in 2019 she went on to receive her associates degree in health science and continued pursuing dance. Nyla has worked with companies throughout Boston including Boston Community Dance Project, Salem Dance Ensemble, and DanceWorks Boston. She most recently completed a semester of TRAIN at Three House Studios where she trained in floor work, improvisation, and contemporary forms. She is currently working with OM Grown Dancers based in Durham, NC under the direction of Courtney OM. She has been teaching and choreographing in New England and North Carolina for the last 4 years. Her favorite part about teaching is watching her students grow and develop their artistry. She is very excited to be joining Suncoast!

Julia Smith

Instructor: Combo, Hip Hop

Julia started her dance journey at Suncoast Academy of Dance when she was 6 years old, and was a member of Suncoast’s performing company Art in Motion from ages 9-18. She is a member of the LA DanceMagic Company, and has attended various programs and summer intensives which have allowed her to work closely with influential dance educators. During her studies at Suncoast, Julia was promoted to an assistant teacher, and in recent years has stepped in to teach classes when needed. She is excited to have her own classes, and to work with every student to help them find their passion for dance! Suncoast created an environment that made her feel safe and allowed her to be herself, and she looks forward to providing the same experience for her students!

Julia is currently enrolled at St. Petersburg College, where she will complete her AA this fall.

Jenny St. Arnold

Instructor: Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary

Jenny has been teaching at Suncoast Academy of Dance since 2000, her exciting classes and personality are loved by all, and her innovative AIM choreography has won numerous awards.

Jenny began her dance education at Suncoast Academy of Dance when she was 3. She continued her dance education by attending classes at EDGE Performing Arts Center, Millennium Dance Complex, and American Performing Arts in California. Jenny’s performing experience includes: Super Bowl XXXV Pre-game Show, The Art & Spirituality Festival, The Oft Told Story Stage Production, and Katurah & Co. (a modern dance company). She recently choreographed the music video for Anya Alexandria's song "Black or White".

Upon her return to the Tampa Bay area, Jenny enrolled at USF and continued her studies in ballet, modern, and improvisation while earning a BS in Industrial Engineering. When Jenny is not teaching dance, she teaches math at Palm Harbor Middle School.

Ciara Byrne

Ciara Byrne, a Suncoast Academy of Dance Alumna, was a member of Art in Motion for 10 years. She recently received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance from Florida State University. Studying under Ilana Goldman, Caleb Mitchell, Anjali Austin, Kehinde Ishangi, Gwen Welliver, Donna Uchizono and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Ciara looks to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional dancer after graduation. This past summer Ciara was pleased to attend a Gaga Intensive at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, studying under Summer Lee Rhatigan, Alex Ketley, Christian Burns, and Kelvin Vu. While preparing to dive into the professional dance world, Ciara is excited to return to her roots and share her love of dance with the students at Suncoast Academy of Dance. 

Savanna Rice

Summer: Jazz, Hip Hop, Half-Day Mini, & Dance Theater Workshops

Savanna grew up at Suncoast Academy of Dance and was a member of the Art In Motion company for 10 years, until she graduated in 2018. After graduating, she moved to NYC to continue her dance studies at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in their theatre dance program. While studying there, she had the opportunity to work with and learn from many performers and choreographers, such as Chryssie Whitehead, Maria Briggs, and Oren Korenblum. After graduating from the conservatory, Savanna found a love for teaching which brought her back to Palm Harbor. She is so excited to be back home to share her passion for performing and dance education with her students at Suncoast.

Danielle Williams (Griglock)

Summer: Half-Day Mini & Dance Theater Workshops

Dani’s love for dance began when she was just 4 years old living in Elmira, NY. Shortly after her 6th birthday, Dani and her family moved to Palm Harbor and she became a student at Suncoast Academy of Dance. She auditioned and was accepted into the Art In Motion performing company, which she danced in well throughout her middle and high school years. She was also a dance assistant and later became a teacher during her senior year. Dani graduated from the University of Florida, earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Elementary Education. She is currently a 4th Grade teacher at Academie Da Vinci Charter School in Dunedin. Dani loves teaching at her “second home”, Suncoast, and is always eager to share her love of dance with her students!

Cleo Sykes

Cleo began dancing at age 6 at Suncoast Academy of Dance in Palm Harbor, Florida. She was a member of their performing company, Art In Motion, for 10 years, and joined the faculty at Suncoast in high school. She is a graduate of Pace University, summa cum laude, and holds a B.F.A. in Commercial Dance with concentrations in choreography and pedagogy. Pace Commercial Dance brought Cleo the opportunity to train with - and perform original works by - renowned teachers and choreographers such as Mandy Moore, Jessica Hendricks, Lauren Gaul, Rhonda Miller, and Jason Samuels Smith, as well as the chance to perform excerpts from Agnes de Mille's Rodeo, staged by Paul Sutherland, and José Limón's Psalm, staged by Jonathan Riedel. As a participant in the inaugural Pace Performing Arts Los Angeles Intensive, she studied dance and choreography for the camera, working closely with Emmy-nominated choreographer Mandy Moore and renowned choreographer & videographer Jerry Evans.

Her performance credits include the 2015 and 2017 Park Avenue Armory Galas (Larry Keigwin), A Letter to Cancer (Rachel M. Hettinger, Metaphors&similes Dance), My Love (Mike Esperanza, Peridance Capezio Center 2017 Gala), The Attraction of the Pedaling Ankle (Jaclyn Walsh, Pushing Progress Showcase 2016), and In Violent Circles (Rite of Spring) (Jonathan Riedel, world premiere). Cleo can also be seen in the short film Had She Never Asked Me, directed by Charissa Barton, Cindy Salgado, and Devin Jamieson, choreographed by Cindy Salgado, and produced by Barton Movement. She was a member of the 2011-2012 LA DanceMagic Company under the direction of Jackie Sleight, and she has held a work-placement position with UK dance company Motionhouse Dance Theater, working with both the dancers and the marketing team.

Cleo recently completed a virtual teacher training course in Sugarfoot Therapy, a cross-training program for dancers created by Katie Schaar in collaboration with Dr. Traci Ferguson, PT, DPT, and Dr. Nick Cutri, PT, DPT, FAFS. She is currently working as a freelance dancer, teacher and choreographer in New York City.