Instructors

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Mary began dancing at the age of 3. She grew up in a performance and competition based studio and was the captain of her high school Dance Team. She began assisting classes at the age of 14 and teaching at the age of 17 while also participating in an internship program at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She has choreographed performance and competition pieces for numerous age groups and studios throughout New Jersey & San Diego. Mary graduated from San Diego State University in 2011 where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Science. She was a member of the University Dance Company under the direction of Joe Alter & Patricia Sandbeck from 2009-2011. During Mary’s time at SDSU, she also enjoyed taking classes at the Academy of Performing Arts and Culture Shock SD. Mary is so excited to join this fabulous team and share her love of dance with a new generation of dancers.

Wadeaa grew up in the Bay Area and began dancing at the age of four. She trained alongside multiple leading companies in the South Bay during her dance career, including Morgan Hill Ballet Company and South Valley Ballet Company, where she later became Artistic Director in 2017. Her repertoire includes principal roles in Swan Lake, Paquita, La Fille Mal Gardee, the Nutcracker, and more.

As Artistic Director, Wadeaa has directed productions including Swan Lake, the Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Paquita, Firebird, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and more. She has created ballet, conditioning, and yoga curriculum specifically geared towards anatomical education, improvement of muscle functions, injury prevention, and mindfulness while dancing. Wadeaa moved to San Diego in 2019, where she has since expanded her love of ballet to a new area and received her PBT Certification. She believes you will learn the most from the teachers that truly love what they are teaching. Wadeaa strives to express her passion for ballet through her teaching in hopes of seeing that same excitement ignite in her students.

Theo Ivey is a respected dancer, choreographer and master teacher from the San Diego area. His professional credits include being featured as a dancer in annual Nutcracker productions, foreign music videos and soloist and Executive Director for award winning dance company, Unity Dance Ensemble. As a teacher and choreographer, Theo has worked for Palomar College, San Diego State University, Varsity Spirit Corporation, California Ballet School and various high schools and arts organizations throughout the region. As a master teacher and adjudicator, Theo has traveled the country sharing his passion of living the parallels of life and dance. 

Bridget Bachman grew up a competitive dancer in San Diego training in jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary and Hip Hop from the age of 2. Her early dance career includes winning multiple national titles, assisting for Revel Dance Convention, West Coast Dance Explosion, and NBA’s Phoenix Suns dancer auditions. Bridget attended Westview high school where she competed on her school’s varsity dance team for 4 years. After graduating in 2021, Bridget continued to dance apart of Affinity dance company, run by SYTYCD alumni Ashley Valerio, as well as multiple video projects with choreographer Holden Maples. Bridget is now a full time dance instructor and choreographer in San Diego and is beyond grateful to share her love of dance with all of her students.

Born and raised in Northern California, Danae began dancing at three years old, and became a competitive dancer at nine. For fifteen years, she studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop, but her biggest passion was always tap. In addition to performing and competing, Danae began teaching at 15.

After graduating from SDSU, Danae decided to take her dancing in a new direction, and began training in ballroom. After a year of lessons at a local San Diego studio, she was invited to join the studio’s staff, where she became certified in American Smooth, American Rhythm, and Night Club styles. She continues to train under world renowned coaches, including Toni Redpath, Michael Mead, Jonathan Roberts, and Viktorija Barasihina. Danae teaches students of all levels, from beginners to advanced competitors, and she competes professionally with her husband, Andre, in the American Smooth category. Danae is so excited to bring her love for both tap and ballroom to the dancers at Prodigy!

Amber grew up dancing at San Diego Dance Centre in all genres. After competing for many years she found her passion in teaching dance and has now been teaching for the past 5 years varying in different styles with a focus on preschool aged kids teaching them to express creativity and share her love for dance. Amber is currently a certified EMT and is continuing her education in nursing.

Ceci's journey in the world of dance began at the age of four in her hometown of Tennessee, where she honed her skills at various competitive studios. At the age of nine, she made the move to California, where she continued her training with San Diego Ballet, Del Mar Ballet, and the original Prodigy location. During her freshman year of high school in Colorado, Ceci showcased her talent as a dancer for Grandview High School’s Varsity Poms team, achieving recognition with a top-ten placement at Nationals. Following a return to California, she resumed training at Prodigy, joined a professional dance company, and performed in local live shows in San Diego. Throughout her later high school years, Ceci became part of a pre-professional company, collaborating with industry-leading choreographers and gaining experience teaching dance classes. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles to further her dance career, taking classes from renowned teachers and choreographers, and joining Lume Collective. With Lume, she immersed herself in various roles, from performing to choreographing and directing her own pieces. During her time in Los Angeles, Ceci participated in concept video shoots, taught classes to the local community, showcased her talent in a Choreographer's competition, and featured in multiple music videos. Now back in San Diego, she is dedicated to teaching and contributing to the community she holds dear, all while maintaining her monthly shoots with her Los Angeles-based dance company.

Bio coming soon