faculty

  "Miss Kristan" has been teaching and choreographing for over 25 years.  She was the director of a local dance studio in The Woodlands for 13 years before she opened TADA, and has repeatedly won top recognition at national competitions for her choreography. Miss Kristan grew up training and competing under Ray Leeper (of NUVO) and other industry notables, and she attended the University of Hawaii on a dance scholarship.  She has performed at major venues such as the Jazz World Congress in D.C., has danced professionally in Hawaii and New York City, and has choreographed and taught for several local performing arts troupes, drill teams, high schools, as well as SHSU.  She also directed the casting and choreography for country singer Clay Walker's concerts. In addition to Miss Kristan's love of art in dance, she also loves art in words, which is why she not only holds degrees  from the University of Hawaii and SHSU, but also a Ph.D in literature from The University of Houston. 

  Amy Leonards is Director of TADA's Ballet Program and holds a BA in the Performing Arts.   Originally from Louisiana, Amy is classically trained in ballet, tap, and jazz, with a specialization in teaching Vaganova, Cecchetti, and RAD ballet methods.   Miss Amy developed and implemented ballet curriculum as ballet director over several years for two performing arts schools in Los Angeles and San Franciso before joining us at TADA, while also pursuing a professional career in theater. She is a proud member of the Actors' Equity Association, and some of her favorite roles include Hope in Anything Goes, Rose in Enchanted April (World Premiere), Marian in The Music Man, Maggie in A Chorus Line, and Jellylorum in Cats, to name a few. Amy also has international, national, and regional commercial and print credits, including Ford, Legal Zoom, LeapFrog, and Salesforce.  We are honored and proud to acquire her as Ballet Director in 2021!   

View more about Miss Amy on her website at https://www.amyfranklinleonards.com/

You may email her at ballet@dancetada.com 

 Hayden Stark is TADA's Youth Ballet Conservatory Director.  He retired in 2021 as a Soloist with Houston Ballet and is known for his outgoing and knowledgeable style of teaching.  Hayden grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He began dancing at 3 years old, toured with Minnesota Ballet at ten, and, at fifteen, left home to attend North Carolina School of the Arts. After graduating in 2012, Hayden joined Houston Ballet II, was hired into the Houston Ballet Company in 2013 and has since been elevated to Soloist. Hayden has enjoyed performing the lead role of Ariel in David Bintley’s The Tempest and soloist roles of Fire God in Stanton Welch’s La Bayadere and Indian Boy in Christopher Bruce’s Ghost Dances, to name just a few.  Mr. Hayden became TADA's YBC Director in May of 2021!  You may email Mr Hayden at ybc@dancetada.com

  Jessica Norwood is the Team TADA Director.  Jessica grew up in Houston, where she trained with North Harris Performing Arts, an icon in the community for excellence in dance, eventually becoming a teacher and a partner in the NHPA facility.  She became a member of the performing arts company REVOLVE, where she had the opportunity to work with an array of prominent dance figures such as Wes Veldink and Mia Michaels of NYC, Randal Flinn of Dance Ad Deum, as well as Houston Ballet's Barbara Bears, Fred Stroble, and Naomi Glass. In 2009 she became a Houston Texans Cheerleader, eventually becoming a captain and choreographer; she currently continues to give the cheerleaders technique classes.   She has performed at venues and outreach programs all over the world and is exemplary in an array of disciplines.  Miss  Jessica has two beautiful girls, Parker and Jaden!    You may email her at team@dancetada.com

 Evelyn Toh is Team TADA's Assistant Director.  Evelyn is a Visiting Assistant Professor at SHSU, a Company Member for Noblemotion Dance, and she holds not only a B.F.A in Dance from The Boston Conservatory, but also an MFA in Dance from SHSU.  She also holds an Advanced 2 RAD Certification with Distinction.  In addition to teaching master classes locally and abroad, Evelyn has also taught ballet and modern at Singapore's School of the Arts and at Sam Houston State University.  She was recently recognized by SHSU for Outstanding Teaching.  Evelyn has performed with the John Mead Dance Company, Ballet Rox, Nimbus Dance Works, Transitory Sound and Movement Collective, Joshua Manculich’s Whirlwind, MOMIX, and more, and has performed all across the world in Europe and Asia.  Evelyn’s choreographic work has been presented at Barnstorm Dance Festival (TX), T.H.E Dance Company’s New Vision (Singapore), ACDA South-Central Gala, and Dance Gallery Festival (TX).  Evelyn is a company member with Noblemotion Dance.  You may email her at TeamAD@dancetada.com

 Robyn Hinojosa is TADA's Studio Manager, but she has also been a dance instructor in the local area for over twenty years.   Originally from Conroe, Miss Robyn has been teaching and choreographing award-winning dances for TADA's competitive dance team for many years. In addition to her love of teaching, she is also CPR Certified and OSHA trained, and was a Pediatric Dental Assistant for 25 years.  Robyn is the proud mom of two recent graduates.  Her senior Abi danced on the Elite team at TADA, and is now majoring in the Performing Arts at Oklahoma City University.  Miss Robyn is outstanding in creativity and professionalism, and we are grateful to have her on staff! Her email address is officemanager@dancetada.com 

Priscilla Nathan-Murphy received her classical ballet training in the Royal Academy of Dancing Syllabi and has also been trained in oriental dance mudras, modern dance and jazz. Ms. Nathan-Murphy holds a teaching certification from the British Royal Academy of Dance, a Teaching License Diploma from the British Association of Teachers of Dance. She has also recently completed a teachers seminar and course in the Cechetti method in London.  Ms. Nathan-Murphy taught creative movement, ballet and modern dance  at Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy since 1985, where she held the position of Principal over the Pre and Lower School Divisions for 12 years, as well as headed the modern program. . She has also been a teaching artist with the Texas Institute for Arts in Education for several years and has held the position of adjunct faculty at HSPVA for 19 years, and has been a master teacher all over the world. Locally she has choreographed for Houston Ballet II, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company and numerous other companies.

    ​​Jenette Anzalone holds a BA in Ballet and Contemporary dance from the La Salle-SIA College of the Arts.  A veteran teacher of over 20 years and the owner of Dance Circle Studios in Singapore, she has taught jazz, contemporary, hip hop, ballroom, and ballet at various international schools, including La Salle-SIA and the National University of Singapore.  She has choreographed and performed in several major productions including Broadway Our Way, Tune In and Turn Out, Sunrise, Sunset, among others, and was the lead dancer in Mercury Rising, the Musical and That’s Kit.  She also starred in John Meade Dance Company’s production ofIcons.  Throughout her career she received numerous accolades, including honors of distinction at the UK Royal Academy of Dance and the highest awards at The Dance Excellence International Dance Festival in Los Angeles.  Jenette has an incredibly passionate and enthusiastic style of teaching all of her students, toddlers through adults!  

 Originally from Lousiana, Zoe Boyd graduated Magna Cum Laude and is currently in the Honors College at SHSU pursuing a BFA in Dance.  Zoe began dancing at the age of 2, and has danced competitively in all genres including jazz, tap musical theatre, hip hop and ballet. After five years with her previous studio, she joined the TADA competitive team in 2014 and instantly fell in love with the open and welcoming environment.  Throughout her teen years at TADA she was a dance captain and also frequently assisted or subbed.  In 2019, Zoe not only joined the TADA convention track but she also began  her first year as an official instructor teaching tap! Zoe will continue teaching and choreographing at TADA, sharing her passion for dance with kids of all ages and levels!