Instructors

It is the duty and pleasure of Backstage Dance Academy to provide the most conducive learning environment for children and adult dancers in the Naples area. We believe that dance is a positive way of learning discipline, teamwork, enhancing creativity, as well as, cognitive and physical development.

Wendy Wagner - Owner/Director

Wendy began her dance training with Richard Powell of Foster-Powell Dance in Indianola, Iowa at the early age of four. She furthered her classical training with The School of Ballet Iowa and Central Iowa Dance. Ms. Wagner has been teaching and choreographing for over 15 years, she has performed with Robert Thomas DanCenter’s Nutcracker and professionally as a soloist with The Neuman Dance Project. Her dance experience includes training with such noted teachers as Joffrey trained Lynn Andlauer Lavin, Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s Konstantin Uralsky and Irina Vassileni-Uralsky, Capital City Dance Center’s Emery Uyehara, Elizabeth Harano Adams of Central Iowa Dance, Gigi Oerter and Greg Neuman. She has danced at Steps on Broadway and has received extensive training in both the Cecchetti and Vagonova styles of ballet. Ms. Wagner believes in technique and fun first while focusing on nurturing each student to perform to their fullest potential.

La'Krisha Jackson Graf

La’Krisha has been dancing for over nineteen years and graduated from Missouri State University with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Musical Theater and History. Prior to graduation she trained with the prestigious Missouri Fine Arts Academy and as a Level 8 gymnast. She has won State and National honors in competitive dance, cheerleading, gymnastics and twirling. She has also performed with the Gash/Voight Modern Dance Company of St. Louis, the Missouri State University modern dance company & theater troupe. La’Krisha has worked as a dancer/actor in several shows in Branson area and performed in several cities throughout the USA and in Europe. She grew up performing with a Children’s Theater group - Livewire Youth Talent of New Madrid, Missouri.

For seven years La’Krisha owned Sikeston Academy of Dance in Sikeston, Missouri before relocating to Naples. She directed the competitive and performing group, FootNotes Dance Company and her studio in Missouri was featured as being one of the 2006 Yearbook's Top 50 Studios on the Move by Dance Spirit/Dance Teacher Magazine. She has also coached and choreographed for the National award-winning Sikeston All-Star Cheerleading Squad and instructed gymnastics and ballet for Sikeston Gymnastics Inc. competitive teams. She was the guest teacher on staff instructing Ballroom, Modern, and Hip-Hop classes at Southeast Missouri State University for two years. Some of her former students are now performing professionally in New York and LA.

La’Krisha continues to choreograph for cheerleading squads, dance teams, other studio dance competition teams and for theatrical productions in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida. Her choreography has won awards for her creative numbers at many regional, state, and national level competitions in both dance and cheer.

Meridith Mambelli

Meridith began her dance education and teaching career in several dance studios across the country. Before receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Western Michigan University, she was able to study with such inspiring greats as Billy Sigenfi eld, Matt Mattox, and Frank Hatchett. Such musicals as Godspell and Crazy for You provided the opportunity for her to choreograph in one of her favorite venues, musical theatre. She later went on to perform at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City and several reviews and concerts in NYC. While there, Meridith became the Managing Director of The New Ensemble Theater Company where she produced, choreographed, and assisted directed both Shakespeare and original works. After teaching at a studio in the Bronx, Meridith resumed and intensifi ed her training with such amazing instructors and choreographers as Anne Reinking, Mia Michaels, Ray Leeper, Michelle Assoff, David Marquez, David Howard, and Germaine Salsberg. Before leaving NYC, Meridith was exposed to the Active-Isolated method of stretch and strength. After experiencing and witnessing the benefi ts provided by this gentle yet highly effective training supplement, she went to receive her certifi cation from one of the two men who developed the method, Jim Wharton.

Amanda J. Miller

A Naples native, Amanda was born and raised right here in Southwest Florida. Her dance career began at the age of three and she continued her studies all the way through high school dancing with studios here in Naples. Amanda is a graduate from Barron Collier High School and was Captain of the Dance Line, Dance Team, and Scottish Unit. In addition to dancing at Barron, Amanda was also a member of a competitive dance team as well as taught at a local studio. Her senior year of high school, Amanda had a once in a life time opportunity to perform with Mikhail Baryshnikov at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts. While attending the University of Florida, she participated in Floridance Dance Company and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi Dance Team. Amanda is finishing her degree in Marketing with a minor in Advertising at Florida Gulf Coast University and is thrilled to be a part of the Backstage Dance Academy family.

Jessica (Jessie) Smarge

Jessica was born and raised in Naples . She started dancing at the age of 4 and has studied at many dance schools around the Naples area. Jessica attended Barron Collier High School where she danced for four years and was the captain of her dance line and dance team as well as the Barron Collier Scottish Unit dance team. During High School she also taught dance at Attitudes Performing Arts and took intensive classes during the summer at various studios including Faubourg School of Ballet in Chicago. One of the highlights of her high school years was getting to perform with Mikhail Baryshnikov when he came to the Philharmonic Center. Jessica recently graduated from the University of Florida where she was a member of the Floridance and Danza Dance Companies. She was also on the UF Dazzler Dance team and was a captain her senior year. Jessica will start teaching Physical Education at Lely Elementary School in August and is very excited to be back in Naples teaching dance!

Leslie Wood

Leslie received her early training in Ann Arbor, Michigan from Sylvia Hamer, a founding member of the Cecchetti Council of America. She also studied at the Royal Ballet School in London, England and at various studios in New York City. She performed with the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet and the Kearney Civic Ballet of which she was founder and director. Leslie has taught in New York City as well as many cities across the United States. She has been involved in various community theater productions as a dancer and choreographer. She has worked with the Nebraska Arts Council and served as team leader for the Nebraska Department of Education's Visual Performing Arts Frameworks Project.

Leslie is a Certified Licentiate Teacher of the Cecchetti Council of America having passed her Intermediate Teacher's Exam with honors. Leslie is currently working on her Grade VII Teacher's Exam. She continues her training by attending dance workshops and conferences including the International Cecchetti Council of America Teacher's Seminar. She has also studied kinesiology for dancers and athletes. Leslie loves working with dancers of all ages and she is "always dedicated to proper training".