Shea Alvarez
Owner & Creative Director
Shea began dancing at Karl & DiMarco before she was three years old. Her mother saw the K&D Company perform at a local show and knew that was the studio she needed to take her daughter to. Shea fell in love with dance and at the age of 9 became a member of the American Musical Theater Company, Karl & DiMarco’s dance company.
Throughout her dance training at K&D, Shea performed and competed with the Company earning multiple awards and competing nationally. Shea began teaching at K&D at the age of 15 and continued her dance education through conventions, training at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in NYC as well as dance teacher seminars such as Dance Teacher Summit. Shea is also Acrobatic Arts certified.
After graduating from USF with a degree in Advertising, Shea became a wardrobe stylist for film and television and traveled all over the country and internationally creating costuming and wardrobe for various clients such as ESPN, Maxim Magazine, independent films and countless live events. During this time Shea lived in NYC while she continued her dance training. Shea was a director of K&D’s competitive company, receiving multiple awards for choreography, costuming and overall placement at various competitions. Shea is thrilled to continue the legacy of Karl & DiMarco as the owner of the south studio and is committed to giving every student the opportunity to dance in an inspiring, nurturing and inclusive environment.
McKinley Musco
Company Director | Summer Camp, Combo, Transition, Tap, Jazz
McKinley has been a member of the Karl & DiMarco family for seventeen years. She started her training under Sandy Karl when she was three years old and participated in the studios competition team for several years.
She began teaching at the age of 16 and has gone on to choreograph shows such as Hats Off to Broadway! and Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr. McKinley has also worked at The Performing Arts Project musical theatre and dance training program since its’ inception. She worked as Dance Captain and class assistant for their Young Performers Program for two years and is currently the onsite assistant to the Executive Director.
McKinley graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee where she danced in the Dance Tallahassee Performance Company. She is also certified in Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT). McKinley has a passion for teaching and is grateful to be a part of the Karl and DiMarco family.
McKinley is a co-director of K&D south’s competition and performance teams.
Marilyn Zumbado
Company Director | Technique, Jazz, Hip Hop
Marilyn was born and raised in Tampa, FL and began dancing at the age of 2 at Maricela’s. At 3 years old she began at Elsa Pardo Dance Center, where she remained throughout her childhood. She was a dance student at Orange Grove Middle Magnet School of the Arts. After her middle school training, Marilyn was accepted into the Dance Department at Blake High School for the Arts where she graduated with her Master Certification in Dance Studies. She has extensively studied classical ballet, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary. Marilyn has also worked and studied with world-renowned teachers such as Travis Wall, Sonya Tayeh, Wade Robson, Gil Duldulao, Mia Michaels, Brian Freedman, and Shane Sparks. She is also certified in Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT).
Marilyn became a dance instructor in 2011, teaching jazz and contemporary to all ages around the Tampa Bay area while simultaneously attending HCC where she received her Associate’s degree in Fine Arts. She has choreographed and set pieces for studios and dance teams throughout the Tampa Bay area and has also received two choreography awards, Marilyn graduated from USF with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and plans to continue her studies to receive a Master’s in Applied Behavioral Analysis. She hopes to use her knowledge and education to develop a unique dance therapy program tailored for children with disabilities in the future.
Marilyn is a co-director of K&D south’s competition and performance teams.
Carolyn Rose
Costume & Merchandise Manager | Ballet, Stretch & Strength, Pointe, Floor Barre
Carolyn Rose was born in Brooksville, FL, and started dancing at age six. After completing R.A.D examinations under Gillian Davis, she started her professional career at 15. She has had the honor of performing soloist and principal roles such as Bluebird and Lilac fairy from 'The Sleeping Beauty’, Odette/Odile from 'Swan Lake’, Coppelia from 'Coppelia’, Mina from 'Dracula’, Sugar Plum Fairy from 'The Nutcracker’, as well as original choreography from beautiful contemporary ballet minds.
While continuing to strive for perfection, she has been teaching classical ballet for over 10 years in the hopes of spreading the knowledge and passion that has been given to her by so many.
Carolyn manages costumes for recital and studio merchandise.
Erica Loper
Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Combo, Technique, Company Choreographer
Erica has been dancing since she was 3 years old and was asked to join her studio’s competition dance team when she was 8 years old. While competing she won many Platinum awards and some notables which included NUVO Breakout Artist, NUVO Stand-out in Ballet and Hall of Fame’s Dance Challenge All Stars just to name a few. She also participated in America’s most prestigious ballet competition, The Youth American Grand Prix for 4 years and was in the top ten two times.
Erica loved to spend her summers away at different Ballet Intensives learning different styles of dance as well as training with many different artistic directors. She has attended summers intensives at Orlando Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, The Miami City Ballet, Alvin Ailey in New York and the Carreño Dance Festival in Sarasota.
She joined the Next Generation Ballet’s year-round trainee program (at the age of 11, as one of the youngest dancers in the company) where she trained for 2 years. During that time she had the opportunity to dance in the opening number of the YAGP Gala in the Lincoln Center.
In high school, Erica continued her dance training at Blake High School of the Performing Arts. She is very excited to be able to share her enthusiasm and artistry of dance by teaching at Karl & DiMarco.
Sasha Alvarez
Ballet, Modern, Pointe, Technique, Company Choreographer
Sasha Alvarez is originally from Tampa, FL and began dancing at the age of 6, starting her formal dance training at the age of 15 with Next Generation Ballet at the Patel Conservatory under the direction of Peter Stark and Ivonne Lemus. While in Tampa, FL Ms. Alvarez attended Howard W. Blake High School of the Arts where she trained with Albena Arnaudova and Kelly Rayl. During High School Ms. Sasha performed and competed at various dance competitions regionally and nationally including NYCDA Outstanding Senior Dancer 1st Runner Up, The Dance Awards Senior 1st Runner Up, and Youth America Grand Prix Top 3 Semi Finals. After graduating high school Sasha attended Point Park University graduating with a BFA in 2017 led by Rubén Graciani. Sasha continued her training at prestigious Summer programs including Nederlands Dans Theatre, ABT, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Danza Italia and Miami City Ballet. She has performed works by prominent choreographers such as George Balanchine, Emery LeCrone, Septime Webre, Garfield Lemonius, Norbert De La Cruz, Bobbi Jean Smith, Ronin Koresh and James Gregg to name a few. In 2016, Sasha was invited by Ramona De Saa, director of the Cuban National Ballet School, to perform at the Cuban International Dance Festival in Havana, Cuba.
Professionally, Ms. Alvarez has danced with Helen Simoneau Danse at NYU Center for Ballet and Arts, Hammerstep NYC at Mana Contemporary Museum, and most recently joined Parsons Dance Company Fall of 2018 touring the USA and Italy performing various works by David Parsons, Paul Taylor, and Trey McIntyre. Sasha was also a featured dancer in a commercial for Italian designer Loro Piana's new shoe line, The Rare Walk that debuted in New York City's Meatpacking District. Alongside her love of dance Ms. Alvarez is a 200hr RYTT certified Power Vinyasa yoga teacher cultivating her awareness and alignment of dance through her teaching. Sasha is actively teaching yoga and dance in the Tampa Bay area.
Sami Frost
Contemporary, Company Choreographer
Sami Frost graduated Summa Cum Laude from Florida State University where she obtained her B.F.A in dance and minor in communications in 2022. She had the opportunity to train with Jawole Zollar, Gwen Welliver, Ilana Goldman, Donna Uchizono, Tiffany Rhynard, and perform works by Ronald K. Brown, Anjali Austin, Jennifer Archibald, Carlos Dos Santos and Merce Cunningham among others. After graduation, Sami danced professionally for Water Street Dance Milwaukee where she toured works by Artistic Director Morgan Williams, as well as Annie Franklin, Kameron Saunders, Arinze Okammor, and more. While growing up she attended Howard W. Blake School of the Performing Arts and danced competitively. She was a touring assistant with Revel Dance Convention and an apprentice with Tampa Modern Dance Company. Sami has been teaching at local dance studios in Tampa since she was 16 years old, teaching styles such as contemporary, ballet, modern, improvisation, jazz, hip hop, conditioning and stretching and continues to choreograph for competitive dance studios across Tampa, Tallahassee and Milwaukee. She has presented her choreographic work at the American College Dance Association (Tallahassee, 2022), Newgrounds Dance Festival (Tampa, 2022 & 2018), and the National High School Dance Festival (Pittsburgh, 2018). Most recently, she choreographed a piece for the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company Rising Choreographer program in May, 2023. Currently, Sami is a Pure Barre teacher, yoga practitioner and continues to develop her own creative practice as a mover and artist.
Amanda Healy
Acro
Amanda Healy began dancing at age two and soon after began intense training in acrobatics and contortion. Throughout her childhood, she won numerous regional and national titles as a competitive acrobat. While attending Fairleigh Dickinson University, she was a highly sought after acrobatic and contortion instructor. In 2015 she relocated from New Jersey to Saint Petersburg, FL. Now, she has over ten years of teaching experience and is certified by Acrobatic Arts, Alixa Flexibility, and Progressing Ballet Technique. Her students have been very successful in competitions as well as finding work in the industry. Her teaching style in the classroom encourages growth and motivation while building strength and mental confidence.
Allison Voiland
Jazz, Hip Hop, Company
Allison was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and danced at Karl & Dimarco from 2003-2017. She was a member of our competition team from 2007-2017 and a teacher and assistant at Karl & Dimarco during her high school years. Allison danced on the H.B Plant High School dance team (Danceros) from 2013-2017 and was a co-captain 2016-2017, and she danced at UDA Nationals in 2014 as well as in regional competitions each year. She performed in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016 with Danceros.
Allison worked for the Universal Dance Association (UDA) on staff for 3 years including middle school and high school dance team summer camps/competitions all over Florida
She went to the University of Central Florida in Orlando and pursued a minor in dance and participated in 2 dance showcases with UCF (2019 & 2021). Allison choreographed and danced in several routines for her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi (ADPI), competing in philanthropy dance competitions and winning several titles.
She choreographed competition dances for a high school dance team in 2021 in jazz & hip hop. Allison currently works for Dance Team Union as a Director at high school dance team competitions in Florida and is on staff for Shake the Ground dance competitions in Florida.
Elexis Ousley
Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Company Choreographer
Elexis started her dance journey at the age of 3. Throughout the years, she has trained with many professional choreographers on the convention circuit in various styles. She has had the opportunity to to participate in live and recorded performances and have set choreography for local artists. Elexis has taught competitive and recreational classes in the Sarasota/Bradenton area for about 10 years. She’s well versed in jazz, hop hop, contemporary, and lyrical. Elexis also has a background training in Brazilian Martial Arts (capoeira), competitive weightlifting, and early childhood education.
Tedrick Evans
Hip Hop
Tedrick Evans was born in Tallahassee, Florida. Growing up he wasn’t much of a talker, but as an artist, his head was always on a new project that challenged his mental and visual skills. At first, dance was just a hobby he did when he wanted to feel good while the music was playing, but eventually, through college, his love for art became more dance focused and eventually joined a dance team and started competing, and creating choreography for teens, and young adults. This led to awards, and opportunities that he didn’t expect at first but was grateful to have experienced. After graduating college, he placed dance on hold and to move to another city to work in a business. He eventually knew this wasn’t all he wanted to do and got back into dancing and focused heavily on teaching the future of the dance community. During these years, as a coach he has provided the tools to help his clients and team members win pageant awards, World of Dance competitions, and teaches in various studios in the country.
LD Speights
Hip Hop, Company Choreographer
LD was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Florida. He is a man of many talents, and for him, on of the purest things he can do is move to the music. he has been a dance instructor since 2012, and he always tries to find ways to bring the best out of his students. LD has performed on stages such as Wild Splash and opened up for artists in the industry such as Mindless Behavior, Kevin Gates, Fat Joe and more. He has also has been in the World of Dance stage finals in the dance battle bracket. LD has won more than 10 dance jams from free-styling and has also Dj’d events as well. His beats have been played and danced to not only here but overseas in Thailand and the UK. He enjoys making funny videos that have gotten countless views. LD works hard to bring everything he’s learned to his students and tries to lead them in the right direction in life.
Chela Levy
Contemporary, Improv, Company Choreographer
Chela began dancing at K&D at the age of 2, and became a company member at the age of 7. She decided to pursue dance more seriously at the age of 11, and attended Orange Grove Middle Magnet School of the Arts for additional dance training. She was awarded Dancer of the Year in her eighth grade year at the school. In her years of competing she has placed 1st overall for her solos and has won multiple improv competitions.
She continues her training at convention events and has been awarded the titles of True Performer at Intrigue Dance Intensive, the Inspire Award at Streetz Dance Convention, and Protege Runner Up at Radix Dance Convention among other accomplishments. Chela was awarded top 5 senior soloist as well as title runner up at 2023 Intrigue Nationals, top 10 finalists for Streetz Dance of The Year 2023 and was awarded a full scholarship to Neovate’s summer 2024 choreography convention. Chela is also a Streetz Company member for the 2023-2024 season and will travel the country training and assisting industry professionals.
She now attends Howard W. Blake High School where she trains in modern and ballet to further her dance education, and prepares to audition for colleges next fall.
Sloan Holloman
Combo, Jazz, Hip Hop, Company Choreographer
Sloan started dancing at K&D at 7 years old and joined the competition team at 8. She became serious about dance at around age 13. She has been training and growing in competition and convention settings. Winning top honors as a Streetz “elite winner” and an Intrigue “True Performer,” she has also placed overall and received judges awards in numerous competitions and conventions. Sloan is passionate about teaching and assisting with choreography and has a vision for encouraging dancers to build one another up and push each other to be their very best. She plans to continue dancing in college and beyond!
Serene Fields
Transition & Acro
Born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the city of brotherly love, Serene Fields has always had an admiration for her unique culture and the various forms of art within. Moving to Florida at the young age of six, she has traveled and studied numerous kinds of dance styles and performance techniques throughout the industry.
Accumulating over fifteen years of growth and technical progression, Ms. Fields initially began training at a performing arts elementary school here in Tampa [Lockhart]. This primary institution, that first introduced Serene to elements of ballet, violin, and character-design, has transitioned into a science and technology school as of late.
Primarily following these passions, Serene went on to recieve her diploma from Howard W. Blake High School. Studying diligently to be a humble representation of a natural scholar and devoted teacher in both theater-dance community, this adaptive mindset not only allowed Serene the ability to attend the University of South Florida's College of the Arts and attain her Bachelor of Fine Arts , but also connected her with the gracious support she needed in artistic funding, grants, and scholarship opportunities along the way.
During her enrollment at USF, Serene was given the opportunity to work with talented directors from Mexico, Costa Rica, and South Africa while also balancing dance-film and circus-arts performance contracts with local companies such as the Straz Center, Busch Gardens, Project Alchemy, and Tampa City Ballet.
Having been inspired by the prolific individuals along this journey and their stories, Serene uses each day to encourage the growing capabilities and styles within her students and artistic counterparts along the way; actively assisting to create safe spaces here, in the Tampa Bay area, to share new ideas and gain classic insight.
Kate Alava
Company Choreographer & Guest Faculty
Kate Alava is a Tampa native who is currently pursuing a BFA in Dance Performance with a concentration in Modern. She has had the pleasure of working with artists including Robert Moses, Alex Ketley, Claudia Lavista, Bliss Kohlmyer, among others. While at the university, she has been awarded talent-based grants and a departmental scholarship. Kate has participated and performed in the American College Dance Association regional conferences from 2017-2019. She attended the Beijing International Dance Seminar in Beijing, China with professors Jeanne Travers and Bliss Kohlmyer. She has worked with Tampa City Ballet in their outreach program, On Your Feet, and performed in their production, 7th Ave & Ybor. She trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Summer Rhatigan and performed an excerpt of Batsheva repertoire and an original work by Courtney Mazeika.
She recently joined Water Streer Dance MKE as a company artist in Milwaukee. In Milwaukee, she teaches contemporary at The Studio. She continues to teach around the bay area, spreading her passion and knowledge she has acquired throughout her years of dancing.
Alexia Sky
Company Choreographer
As a professional entertainer, choreographer, singer/songwriter, and dance educator, Alexia Sky Colón is a walking theatre encyclopedia! She has graced the stage in both the Eliza and And Peggy National touring companies of Hamilton and has gotten audiences on their feet in the Broadway company of On Your Feet!. Alexia has grown as a performer by experiencing many different types of performance avenues, such as commercials, back up dancing on T.V., hip hop dance troops, international tours, cruise ships, theme parks, circus troops, show creation labs, and site specific dance theatre!
With over 15 years of dance education experience, Alexia believes that expression and character development are just as important as technique and style. While breaking down each choreographic step, she talks about the 'why' behind each movement. Which is a key tool for a dancers
development and storytelling. She creates a safe space where students can build their confidence while expanding on individual choices in the movement. Specializing in Contemporary, Improvisation, Jazz and Musical Theatre. YPAD certified! Available for Group Classes, Privates, Choreography and critique rehearsals.
Performance Credits include: Hamilton an American Musical (CIBC Theatre & National Tour), Fly the Musical (La Jolla Playhouse), On Your Feet on Broadway (Marquis Theatre), West Side Story (Paper Mill Playhouse), NBC's The Best Time Ever, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre Los Angeles, Illuminate International Dance Tour, American Music Awards, commercials and more.
Bri Miranda Solberg
Office Manager
Brianna was born and raised in North Tampa. She attended Freedom High School and graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2018 with a Bachelors in English Literature. She works part-time as a book editor and brings passion into every avenue of her life. She is very excited to join the Karl & DiMarco south family.
Brianna handles all billing, scheduling and general studio communication.
