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Instructors
Mary Strauss
Studio Manager, Competition Director, Instructor
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 Jubran
Ballet Director
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
Instructor
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
Instructor
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.
Amber Durbin
Instructor
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.
Sophia Dimmick
Instructor
Sophia Dimmick has lived and trained in San Diego her whole life. She began dancing at the age of 2 with California Ballet School and remained there until 2019, when she became a trainee with California Ballet Company. She joined the Golden State Ballet Academy in 2020 where she continued to dance until graduation in 2022. She has spent summers training with institutions such as Boston Ballet and the School of Ballet Arizona, and has placed and received honors at several ballet competitions, including YAGP and California Dance Classics. She is currently a Corps de Ballet member with Golden State Ballet Company, after being promoted from Apprentice in 2023. Since beginning her professional career, Sophia has performed with various other dance organizations, including Ballet Collective San Diego and We Call It Ballet. Outside of dance, Sophia is also completing her degree in Tourism and Recreation Management, is an accomplished harpist, and enjoys supporting the vibrant San Diego performing arts community.
Rosie Nestor
Instructor
Rosie is from Orange County, CA and began dancing at the age of 8. She was a proud member of her award winning high school dance team before going on to dance in college at Arizona State University. During Rosie’s time at ASU, she fell in love with the style of Pom. ASU was in the top 3 at UDA College Nationals during Rosie’s tenure, as well as winning gold for Team USA at the ICU Worlds Championships! In the decade that Rosie has been teaching dance, she has become increasingly passionate about sharing her love of the dance team style with her students. She knows firsthand just how crucial it is to having a successful college audition and career! Rosie is looking forward to share her passions with Prodigy!
Samantha Peiffer
Instructor
Samantha has grown up as a competitive dancer in San Diego, training for 13 years here at Prodigy. She is incredibly grateful to have assisted various professionals in the industry, such as the esteemed Alex Blitstein. She has been a member of the Westview Varsity Dance Troupe and competition team for 4 years, where she’s won numerous awards, and choreographed for their concerts. She plans and choreographs the annual Westview Friendship Dance, giving students with intellectual and physical disabilities and opportunity to dance and create connections on stage. Samantha is incredibly excited to share her love for dance, teaching, and inclusivity with her Prodigy Family.
Delaney Douglas
Instructor
Delaney grew up in San Diego and has been dancing since the age of three, training at Prodigy Dance Company since its inception. She was a member of Torrey Pines High School’s Varsity Dance Team and attended the University of Southern California, where she trained at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and directed Xpressions Dance Company. Delaney is passionate about sharing her love of dance and inspiring the next generation of young artists!
Madeline Wilson
Office Manager
Madeline oversees the studio's daily operations, class scheduling, and communications. With over forty years of experience in office administration, Madeline brings exceptional organizational skills and a calm, professional demeanor to the team. Appreciation for the performing arts drives Madeline's commitment to ensuring a seamless and supportive experience for all students and families. Madeline and her husband, both born in Liverpool England, immigrated to the United States in 1992 with 5 of their 6 children. Madeline was the Medical Staff Secretary/Coordinator of 3 hospitals in New Jersey for 10 years before moving to San Diego. Having two daughters who attended prestigious ballet schools in the UK, the dance world is no stranger to Madeline. In 2002 an opportunity arose to become the office manager at a dance studio in San Diego, where she worked for 16 years, before joining Prodigy Dance Company. “I love this environment and I am a lifelong enthusiast for the performing arts. My goal and passion at Prodigy Dance is to foster a positive, supportive environment for dances and families." When not at the studio, Madeline enjoys the gym, walking, biking , reading, and attending local performances.
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