Dee Andrea Cooper (Ballet, Tap) – Andrea began dancing at the age of three and hasn’t stopped. She has received training in tap, ballet and jazz. As a dance student she traveled to    Atlantic City each summer to perform in Tony Grant’s Stars of Tomorrow on the Steel Pier. While majoring in textiles and design at the University of Maryland, she continued her dance studies with the University and participated in several variety performances. Upon graduating, and becoming an Air Force wife, she danced and performed with a local performing arts company in Texas. She had the opportunity to assist with the choreography as well as perform in the musical production Brigadoon. After traveling around the United States and Europe, Mrs. Cooper returned to the Washington D.C. area and has resumed her dance studies on a continuing basis, training in both NYC  and Washington D.C.  each summer. In April 2007, she attended the Dance Open Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia.


Heather Heather Oakley (Ballet) – Heather has been studying dance for over 30 years. She has studied with Abigail Francisco, Irena Prochotsky (Washington Ballet Center), Adrienne Dellas (Kirov Academy), and many others. Heather also majored in Ballet with an emphasis on performance at Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA (Susan Stowe, Nicholas Petrov,  Ron Hutson, and others). She has studied at the College of Southern Maryland pursuing a degree in dance. Heather has performed throughout Maryland, Virginia, and   Pennsylvania in such ballets as Les Sylphides and La Bayadere as a soloist and in The Nutcracker as Snow Queen and Arabian. In 2009, Heather joined the D.A.R.E. after school  program to teach high risk students the joy of dance. She continues to dance and teach throughout the area.


Julia Walden (Jazz, Contemporary) – Julia grew up in Apex, North Carolina, where she began dancing at three years old. At Infinity Ballet Conservatory under the direction of Debra Sayles Senchak, Julia trained in every style of dance and was an assistant teacher and substitute teachers for creative movement through adult. She became well versed in the Peggy Willis-Aarnio teaching of the Vaganova method through Debra Sayles Senchat and Horton technique through Cari Lenn Orr (now Cari Lenn Youngkin). After high school, Julia completed the trainee program at the Sarasota Ballet where she performed many classical and neoclassical works. She then joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an apprentice in 2022 and was promoted to Corps de Ballet in 2023.

Julia is so happy to continue spreading the love of dance through teaching at the North Beach School of Dance.


Caroline Anderson (Musical Theater, Ballet) – Caroline, a Maryland native, began her ballet training at the age of 3 and studied the Vaganova method under the direction of Anya Ivanova-Bojko, Pasha Kambalov, Kristina Kambalov, and Joan Beatson. She graduated from the School of First State Ballet Theatre in 2018. Caroline had the honor of performing in Viktor Plotnikov’s Hope, which earned 1st place at the 2018 World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida and placed in the top 12 at the 2018 Youth America Grand Prix Finals in New York. Caroline also has extensive training in musical theatre under the direction of Richard Mahoney, Chris Rose, and Kathy Cammett. Caroline joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland in 2018; this will be her 6th season with the company. Some of her favorite roles she has performed with the company include Cupid in Don Quixote, Spanish Girl in The Nutcracker, and Blue Trio in American Ballads. In 2022 she had the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center for Christmas in Ukraine with the Ukrainian musical ensemble Gerdan.


Mary Watts (Ballet) – Mary grew up in Southern Maryland and began dancing at the age of six. She trained at Ballet Arts Academy, Ballet Caliente, The Kirov Academy, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, where she studied classical ballet, contemporary, character, and jazz. She studied the Vaganova method under Oscar Hawkins, Evgenia Singur, and Mme. Marianna Lobanova.

After earning a degree in biology from Eastern University, Mary returned to St. Mary’s County to teach and choreograph ballet and contemporary at Gracie’s Guys and Gals studio for five years. She is committed to sharing her knowledge of the Vaganova method and helping students grow both technically and artistically.

Stephanie Jojokian (Jazz, Contemporary) – Stephanie has had a tenured career in dance choreography, education and leadership. She spent 17 years with the NFL Washington Commanders, leading the cheerleaders, producing the military tour program that traveled to U.S. military bases overseas bringing football players, entertainment and a piece of home to military persons serving abroad, and eventually transitioning to a Marketing leadership role. She won two NFL best practice awards for her Women’s History Month campaign and created and launched the NFL’s first all-female podcast. She also created the NFL’s first competitive youth team and summer youth dance programs.

Prior to joining The Commanders, she spent six years as Director and Choreographer of the NBA Washington Wizards Dancers. While with The Wizards, she founded the “Wiz Kidz” Wizards Juniors Dancers program.

Stephanie launched her dance career during her undergraduate years, when she founded UNC Greensboro’s dance team. “The Spartan Gs,” which is still in existence today. After graduating from undergrad, Stephanie studied at Alvin Ailey in NYC.

Stephanie has danced and toured worldwide across twenty countries performing and producing Military Appreciation Tours for the NBA and NFL, Urban Moves and Capitol Movement.  Stephanie has danced professionally with the NBA, NFL, Urban Moves Hip Hop Company, Carla & Company (Carla Perlo, the Founder of Dance Place), Modern Company, and was a member of Tony Powell Music and Movement Contemporary Company.

Stephanie graduated with a BS in Broadcast Journalism and minored in dance at UNC-Greensboro. She received her MBA in Business Administration from Purdue Global University. Most recently, she was a Professor of Marketing Strategy at The Georgetown University Continuing Studies Master’s Program.


Elizabeth Lawton (Yoga) – Elizabeth is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Yoga Teacher. Her personal health and wellness journey began in 1993 with a meditation practice which soon progressed to a Yoga Asana practice. In 2007, Elizabeth certified as a Holistic Health Practitioner and she continued pursuing a variety of wellness certifications. Today, Elizabeth specializes in Yoga and Mindfulness for Youth Athletes, and combines a variety of restorative modalities to complement youth and adult yoga classes and holistic longevity programs.