Meet NOVA'S Staff

Aubrey received her formal dance training from a ballet conservatory in her hometown of New Mexico. She danced with a pre-professional company from the time she was 12. She has a BSED in education from Northern Arizona University, and has used her skills as a classroom educator, curriculum designer, and instructional trainer to bring new ideas to dance. Aubrey has studied nutrition, bio-functional movement, physiotherapy, and personal training to train young athletes and dancers. Her passion is to provide dancers and adults alike with effective skills to awaken their body, mind and soul, and fall in love with movement. Aubrey is an ABT-certified instructor, trained pointe shoe fitter, and RYT with advanced training in yin and biofunctional, NOVA's signature class,

Laura grew up dancing in Southern Maine, studying ballet and tap at 3 years old. She trained at Maine State Ballet, working her way up through the company to becoming a soloist! She has enjoyed performing in many ballets, and some of her favorite roles have been the Lead Creature in Firebird, The Summer Fairy in Cinderella, The Moth in A Midsummer's Night Dream, and Clara in The Nutcracker. Laura moved to Jacksonville in 2020 and has enjoyed teaching both children and adult dance classes at NOVA.

Hannah began taking ballet classes at the age of 4. Since then, her love for dance has only grown! As she moved around the country in adolescence and adulthood, she has taken classes with many teachers and varieties of ballet styles, and is trained in Pointe and Modern. She has performed multiple roles in The Nutcracker Ballet, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Peter Pan, Aladdin, and The Jungle Book. Before joining the NOVA team in 2022, Hannah taught ballet in YMCA classes, private home lessons, and more.

Alyssa is a native of Jacksonville, Florida where she began dancing at the age of 3. Alyssa joined the Florida Ballet Training Center Program in 2015, and soon after the Conservatory Program in 2017. Since then, Alyssa has completed six different ABT NTC Student Examinations in various levels. She has performed in many of Florida Ballet's productions including The Nutcracker, Jill Bahr's Alice in Wonderland, Alabama Ballet's Cinderella, as well as Roberto Forleo's Creatures of Prometheus, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Gaite Parisienne, Carmen, and Dracula.

Alyssa has competed in the Semi-Finals of the Youth American Grand Prix in 2021 and 2023, and has placed in the top ten in both contemporary and classical ballet at the Universal Ballet Competition's Semi-Finals in 2023. She has previously attended summer intensives at the Florida Ballet (2015-2022), Orlando Ballet (2017-2018), Atlanta Ballet (2021), and Richmond Ballet (2023).

Alyssa was a Trainee with the Florida Ballet for two years (2021-2023) and is now an apprentice with the company. Alyssa is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

I grew up in Vermont dancing and doing gymnastics. In High School I was in my schools fine arts program where I learned the foundations of many styles including Jazz, Modern, Ballet and more. I was also taught dance history, choreography and terminology. I was on our schools Dance Company and performing for 4 years.
I went on to coach cheerleading, take classes and then open my own community focused dance studio which I ran for 9 years before moving. During this time I trained in Hip Hop, studied the culture and trained with many master teachers, poppers and Bboys. I worked hard to keep hip hop authentic and also be able to break down its technique in studio and choreograph for performances and competitions. I have since taken classes and taught in California and North Carolina where I was contracted to run the dance and tumble program on Camp Lejeune.
My Acro training is mixed acrobatics arts and ADTA and my hip hop is a mix of using updated info from the John Comix Method and my own training with street artists. I now have over 20 years of teaching and choreography experience.

Haley Sweat is a Jacksonville Beach native who got her start dancing at East Coast Ballet and performing in community theatre productions at Players by the Sea Theatre. From there she double majored in Musical Theatre and Clinical Psychology, while also completing her Dance Minor. Post graduation, Haley has taught dance classes and educational theatre all over the state and in established regional theaters across the country including Theatre Aspen and The Florida Repertory Theatre. When she’s not teaching, you can usually find her playing pickleball with her pals or trying a new iced latte from a local coffee shop. For more information please visit www.haleysweat.com

Movement has been a vital part of Natalie’s life. From her youth, Natalie competed in softball, track, and volleyball. She specialized her skills in volleyball through her collegiate years while receiving wellness through an athletic director, personal trainer, physical therapist, and spiritual director. Her passion for whole-wellness and care for others led her to become a BSN Registered Nurse. Natalie is tender to the spiritual well-being of others and seeks to create safe places for others to ask difficult questions. Natalie is married to her loving husband, Paul, and is a mother to two wonderful boys. In this season of life, Natalie embraces a new form of athleticism through ballet and encounters movement that awakens. She shares her integral experiences of movement and wellness daily with her family and friends. 

Darla’s passion for creativity has been a constant throughout her life, beginning with her studies in art. At 16, she discovered ballet and fell in love with the art form. Since then, she has been training diligently with NOVA Dance & Wellness and The Florida Ballet, striving towards her goal of becoming a professional dancer. Now a Pre-Professional Conservatory student at The Florida Ballet, Darla is committed to making ballet accessible to everyone. She cultivates a welcoming and safe environment for all her students, ensuring that they feel supported and inspired, no matter their background.

Sarava has been dancing since age four and has trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, musical theater, hip hop, and acro. With a background in studios, intensives, conventions, and competitions, Sarava has extensive experience in performance, instruction, choreography, and competitive dance. She has received instruction and choreography under industry leaders such as Christopher Robbins, Carlos Garland, Vanessa Zabari, Lisa Clarson, Kathryn McCormick, Sonny Leo, Dulce Anaya, Morgan Brown, Alex Wong, Rebecca Levy, and many others. For the last ten years, she has been teaching and choreographing. Sarava is certified in PBT and Acrobatic Arts. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Fitness Management. She is passionate about dance and enjoys expanding her knowledge and experience through training and performance as a member of the professional dance company Selah Dance Ministries.

Tony is a dedicated wellness professional with over 25 years of experience in the industry. As a Certified Yoga Instructor (200hr), Certified Health Coach, and Licensed Massage Therapist, he brings a unique perspective to his yoga practice and teaching. He is trained in Vinyasa Flow, trauma-informed yoga, and functional fitness. Tony is passionate about sharing the transformative power of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. With over 5 years of teaching experience, Tony has helped countless individuals discover the peace and balance that yoga offers. He believes that yoga is a journey of self-discovery and is committed to guiding students towards a more fulfilling life.

Maria Tucker

Jazz, Tap Instructor

Maria Tucker began her love affair with the arts at the age of twelve, studying with and being mentored by Zetta (Shook) Alderman. She received scholarships to Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston, IL and the University of Arizona, School of Dance in Tucson, AZ. She has been performing, teaching, collaborating, and creating for more than 20 years; with credits including Royal Caribbean Entertainment, Busch Gardens, Bodyvox, Northwest Dance Project, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Oregon Children's Theatre and Colorado Jazz Dance Company. For more info: MARIA TUCKER - Teaching artist, choreographer, performer

Our team of Dance Trance instructors brings together a wealth of experience, passion, and energy from diverse backgrounds in dance, fitness, and beyond. With expertise spanning ballet, jazz, hip-hop, cheerleading, and more, our instructors lead with creativity and enthusiasm, making each class a dynamic, fun and engaging dance fitness experience. Each instructor is committed to creating an inclusive, supportive environment where every participant feels empowered to share in the joy of movement. We can’t wait to dance with you!