Meet the Founder and Director
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Alisa Jacob has taught dance for over 30 years.
Alisa studied and performed professionally in Barcelona, Spain. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Alisa taught tap, jazz, and ballet in London, England. Her studies eventually brought her to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she completed her Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and Dance in 1992 and her Master of Arts in Dance Education in 2017.
Love and life finally brought Alisa to São Paulo, Brazil where she and her husband resided with two beautiful sons until 2001. Alisa and her family eventually moved to Miami and then Plantation, where she lives today. Alisa speaks English, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish.
Alisa is a certified instructor for BodyMind Dancing™ somatic dance education. She has a Masters of Arts in Dance Education and is an active member of the National Dance Education Organization. Her experience in higher education includes dance instructor of tap and hip-hop at Florida International University from 2002-2006 and K-12 dance director, after-school musical theater director, and choreographer at a American Heritage School in Plantation from 2009–2017.
Alisa established Dance IQ to focus on the creativity and artistry of dance through a non-competitive, all-inclusive, and safe establishment for children and adults to evolve mentally and physically. Through the model of Dr. Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, Alisa will help each student develop and recognize his or her bodily-kinesthetic, visual-spatial, and musical-rhythmic intelligences.
Alisa established Dance IQ to focus on the creativity and artistry of dance through a non-competitive, all-inclusive, and safe establishment for children and adults to evolve mentally and physically.Dance IQ Philosophy
FACULTY
A native of South Florida, Katy began her serious ballet training at the age of 12, with Marianna Alvarez-Brake of New World School of the Arts and continued with Leigh/Franklin Academy, on scholarship, for 5 years. While there, Katy was selected to be a part of a 4 year Intensive Teacher Training Program, learning the syllabus of American Ballet Theatre. Having performed in a wide array of venues, from musical theatre and modeling, to classical ballet, Katy enjoyed most of her professional career with Orlando Ballet. In 1988, Katy was offered a position as Ballet Director/Ballet Mistress at Dance Dimensions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While there, she trained countless dancers for their own professional career, and set numerous works for the school. While working with their home company, Fort Lauderdale Children’s Ballet Theatre, Katy choreographed and re-staged, “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Coppelia” and her own original choreography of “Snow White.” Over the last 4 years, Katy taught ballet for Westminster Academy, Worship Arts School of Dance and Musical Theatre, as well as, Southern Dance Theatre and Muse School of the Arts. Katy has additionally worked one on one with disabled children, was an adjunct faculty member for Broward College, Creative Consultant and Choreographer for costume and dancewear companies, and has given master classes locally, and for Carolina Ballet, Sarasota Ballet and Pennsylvania Dance Company and School.
Our Core Values
We Foster Education
Dance requires the individual to be focused and present while feeling the freedom of movement through space. The dancer will experience empowerment, confidence, and creative knowledge while aesthetically communicating through movement. At Dance IQ we value children and adults for who they are today and the potential for teamwork, cooperation, compromise and willingness to grow.
We Pursue Excellence
Dance IQ is based on a curriculum created by a Dance Education Specialist. Dance IQ is a dance center aimed at creative and composition-based movement. Dance IQ’s mission is to bring an inclusive program to all children combining creativity, a sociocultural theoretical framework, brain-based dance, and community through the art of dance.
We are all-inclusive
At Dance IQ we value an all-inclusive, student-centered approach to teaching dance. At Dance IQ the student is the owner of his or her movement and creation.
We Create Fun
Dance IQ uses interactive movement to deepen the cognitive and kinesthetic learning experience of children and adults. The studio’s intention is to unite all children through dance while creating 21st century learners, leaders, and future choreographers.