Carolyn Dellinger
Founder & Artistic Director
Carolyn was trained in The Balanchine Style at The Academy of Ballet Arts in Chelmsford, MA. In addition to her academic-year training, Ms Carolyn also attended several prestigious summer programs, including Briansky Saratoga, CPYB, and Chautauqua Summer Dance by invitation on Full Scholarship. Once at Chautauqua, Ms Carolyn trained under the dance legends Violette Verdy, Patricia McBride, Mark Diamond, and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. She also participated in Master Classes taught by Robert Mariano, Laura Young (Boston Ballet), Elliot Feld (Elliot Feld Ballet), and Suzanne Farrell (New York City Ballet).
Ms. Carolyn began her professional career at the age of 16 when she was invited to perform with Ballet Mississippi (1996-1998). As a dancer with Ballet Mississippi she performed Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie along with The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, and more. From 1988-2002 Ms Carolyn danced with Utah Ballet in such Principal and Solo roles as The Snowmaiden, The Gift of the Magi, Raymonda, Pas De Quartre, Concerto Barocco, and Le Corsaire. Utah Ballet toured extensively in the U.S. as well as internationally to Taipei, Taiwan. While touring and performing with Utah Ballet, Ms Carolyn also cross-attended The University of Utah and completed her BFA in Ballet in 2002.
Upon returning to New England, Ms Carolyn performed with Festival Ballet Providence in Providence, RI from 2002-2007. She performed Solo and Principal roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker; Balanchines' Tchaikovsky's Pas de Deux; Jerome Robbins' 2 & 3 Part Interventions; and as the Gypsy in El Amour Brujo. Ms Carolyn also performed in Mihalo Djurics' Tender Delusions World Premiere at the Chamber of Music Festival on Amelia Island, Florida.
In 2007, Ms Carolyn started teaching at Festival Ballet Providence. She then became the Assistant Director and Ballet Mistress, Youth Division for Ballet Prestige in Barrington, RI (2009-2016).
In September 2016 Ms Carolyn founded American Ballet Academy in Cranston, RI. She began to teach and train students from beginner to adult as well as provide private instruction to dancers attending competitions and training. She became the first Certified Instructor of Progressing Ballet Technique™ in Rhode Island in 2018.
Our Instructors
Katie Kelley Stamm - Rehearsal Director
Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Choreographer
Originally from Cranston, RI, Katie began her classical dance training at the age of five at the Festival Ballet Providence school. She performed as a member of Festival Ballet’s Junior Company under the direction of MaryAnn Mayer and Mihailo Djuric for four years and graduated from the school in 2013. During her time as a student, she performed with Festival Ballet’s professional company in the corps de ballet in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and multiple productions of The Nutcracker. She has also trained at the Harid Conservatory on full scholarship and danced with Gelsey Kirkland Ballet in NYC.
In 2013, Katie began an apprenticeship with Part of the Oath Dance Theater under the direction of Dr. Colleen Cavanaugh and Danielle Genest-Konicheva, and continued as a soloist until the company’s final performance in 2016. In 2017 Ms. Katie co-choreographed a new production of The Nutcracker for The Talent Factory in North Kingstown, RI. Her contemporary choreographic debut placed in the Top 12 at the YAGP Boston competition in 2018, and her choreography has also placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd at the W.B.A.C. Grand Prix in 2020. She has coached classical and contemporary dancers to go on and place in the top 10 at YAGP and the CT Classic in 2021 and 2022, as well as 1st and 2nd place winners at Revel, A.D.E, and 5th place winners at Radix.
She is certified to teach Junior, Senior, and Advanced levels of Progressing Ballet Technique © and is certified in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet curriculum by Marcia Dale Weary.
Ms. Katie is excited to continue to nurture and inspire the next generation of dancers.
Mark Harootian - Ballet, PrePointe
A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Mr. Harootian received his early dance training at the Performing Arts School of Worcester and the Burncoat Senior High Dance Department. During that time his main line of training was in classical ballet, but he also had extensive training in Modern and Jazz dance as well as Musical Theater. He attended the University of Utah on scholarship and graduated with a BFA in ballet, emphasis in performing and teaching. At this time, he also became a member of Utah Ballet. While he was with Utah Ballet, he performed and choreographed in many of the department’s seasonal shows while dancing leading roles, including the company’s tour to Taipei, Taiwan in 2001. Mr. Harootian also performed at Disney’s Epcot Center, the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics Medal Plaza and the Festival of White Nights in Pushkin, Russia. From 2004-2011 Mr. Harootian was a company dancer and choreographer for Festival Ballet Providence. From 2010 -2012, he was the company’s Director of Educational Outreach as well. Mr. Harootian captivated Festival Ballet Providence’s Up Close on Hope performance series audiences annually with his choreography and presented a number of notable premieres there.
Mr. Harootian was awarded the Fellowship Choreography Grant Award from the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts in 2007 and 2011. He also was awarded by the Worcester Educational Development Foundation the Distinguished Alumni & Friends of the Worcester Public Schools Achievement Award in 2014 and the Career Transition for Dancers Graduate Scholarship in 2018. In 2020, Mr. Harootian obtained a MFA degree in Dance from Montclair State University. Mr. Harootian has taught and choreographed for many establishments throughout New England, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Hong Kong. Most notably at Newport’s professional contemporary ballet company Island Moving Company, Chapman University, Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV), Pasadena Dance Theater, Elite Dance Academy of Orange County, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Red Shoe Dance Company in Hong Kong. Currently, Mr. Harootian is an adjunct professor at Dean College and Salve Regina University and a faculty member at Hanover Theater and Performing Arts Conservatory and American Ballet Academy.
Marina Van Winkle - Ballet, Pointe, Character
Ms. Van Winkle, originally from Ukraine, danced with the Kiev State Dance Classical Ensemble, appearing in both principal classical and character roles. She has taught ballet for the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater and the Acton School of Ballet, with many of her students accepted into top ballet schools and professional companies.
With a master’s degree in Education from the Kiev State University and a master’s degree in Health Education from Middlesex Community College, Ms. Van Winkle has also completed courses for a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, focusing on Sports and Dance Medicine at the University of Rhode Island. In other academic feats, she’s taught at Harvard University for ART Students with an Annual Exchange and Presentation in Moscow, Russia.
In 2005 Ms. Van Winkle co-founded the Bolshoi Summer Intensive, USA Chapter, in Cambridge, MA. For several years she was responsible for the annual audition classes of this program based in NYC and CT under the Russian – American Foundation. Ms. Van Winkle has also had the pleasure of working with gymnastic students, helping them with choreography and technique improvement. Ms. Van Winkle has taught in many Ballet summer programs including FBP, FSPA, SSBT, Providence Ballet, Dance Theater of New England, International Ballet Academy, to name a few.
Tovah Bodner Muro - Ballet, PBT, Modern
Ms Tovah, a Rhode Island native, received her early training while dancing with Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, under the direction of the late Christine Hennessey before attending The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, under scholarship as a Promising Artist, and received her BFA in dance from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She has studied Irish dance technique and history at University College, Cork in Ireland. Ms Bodner Muro has performed with Providence Ballet Theatre, The Arabella Project, RI2PN, & Passive Aggressive Novelty Company. As Artistic Director of The Robin's Egg, she has choreographed for RI2PN's 2007 concert RIPPED & 2008 concert Cheek 2 Cheek & for their summer Frazier Fests, Alive With Dance in Amherst, MA, Island Moving Company's Flight of Steps and Open for Dancing in Newport, RI. Her work was commissioned for The Theater Expansion's RI premiere of Painted Alice as well as their annual concert, Dancestravaganza. Ms Bodner Muro is a member of The Tropigals, New England’s premiere vintage dance company.
In addition, Ms. Bodner Muro has worked behind the scenes as a producer for the RI Independent Performers Network (RI2PN), was on the committee that wrote and implemented the DANCE GSEs for the State of RI, has served two terms as President of Rhode Island Dance Alliance, Inc, and has sat on RISCA Arts Education grant panels. She is a member of the National Dance Education Organization and is the 2022 recipient of their Professional Development Scholarship.
One of only a handful of public dance educators in Rhode Island, Ms Bodner Muro holds a RI teaching certificate in DANCE ED for ages PreK-12. She is the founding Chair of the Dance Department at Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing & Visual Arts, RI's only public arts high school. In 2018 she earned her certification in Progressing Ballet TechniqueTM and has taught a broad range of dance techniques, PBTTM, dance composition, & anatomy/injury prevention throughout New England. Ms Bodner Muro’s approach to dance education focuses on artistic expression with careful attention to injury prevention and the physical and emotional well being of each student. Her students have gone on to study at The University of the Arts, Dean College, Boston Conservatory, and North Carolina School for the Arts, as well professional careers with Koresh Dance, the first National Tour of Hadestown, Esperanza Spaulding, The Celtics Dancers, The State Ballet of RI, and various cruise ships. In 2012, Ms. Bodner Muro was named RI DANCE TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
Zoe Habershaw - Jazz
Zoe, originally from North Kingstown RI, began her dance training at 8 years old and danced competitively during her high school years. After high school, Zoe moved on to receive a Bachelors of Arts degree in Health Sciences from Stonehill college. Zoe continued dancing throughout her college career at Stonehill College in Easton, MA in their dance program while continuously taking open dance classes in Boston. She is currently pursuing her Master's of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and Certificate in Sports Nutrition from Simmons University. Her current certificates include fitness training, barre, and Progressing Ballet Technique. Zoe continues to dance today by participating in various auditions and classes in New England as well as teaching at various studios and expanding her knowledge with continuous dance, technique and fitness education.
Zoe is excited to expand her dance community as a student and teacher.
Meaghan Bentley - Yoga
Ms Meaghan attended her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2016 at Thames Street Yoga in Newport, RI. Since then she has been teaching vinyasa-style yoga with an emphasis on finding a balance between strength and flexibility. Ms Meaghan is also certified in Reiki levels I and II. Ms Meaghan became interested in the benefits of yoga for dancers when her daughter started studying ballet. Her class aims to assist dancers in the areas of strength, flexibility, stamina, breathing techniques, and focus.
Brittany Lombardi - PreBallet
Brittany Lombardi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance at Dean College in 2013, training rigorously in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Tap with focuses in Ballet Pedagogy, Creative Movement for children, and writing for dancers. In 2021, she earned a Master’s of Education in Instructional Design. Brittany is a certified All Grades Dance Teacher through the Rhode Island Department of Education, Level 2 Progressing Ballet/Contemporary Technique and Acrobatic Arts instructor as well as a member of the Rhode Island Dance Alliance and National Dance Education Organization.
Recently, Brittany was a faculty member at the Ballet RI (formerly Festival Ballet Providence) School teaching Progressing Ballet/Contemporary Technique, Tap and Musical Theatre Jazz. Currently, she is a substitute teacher for the Pawtucket School Department and a faculty member at the American Ballet Academy teaching Primary Ballet; Modern dance at The Hanover Theatre Conservatory for the Performing Arts; and finally, Ballet and Progressing Ballet Technique at New Jenneration Dance Company.
As an advocate for safe training methods, Brittany encourages students to become their own best teachers by recognizing how to correct errors with anatomical knowledge. Regardless of the genre, Brittany enables the discovery of balancing between achieving realistic technical goals and, more importantly, developing a personal aesthetic.
When she is not teaching or performing, Brittany enjoys Disney nostalgia, practicing fitness and Yoga, eating sushi and most of all, being a Mom to her two beautiful children.
Guest Artists
Karla Kovatch - Ballet, Pointe, & Variations
Karla is a native of Mountaintop, PA, began her dance training with Peter and Kristin Degnan at the age of 8. When she was thirteen she moved to Connecticut to train with the Nutmeg Ballet Company under the direction of Sharon Dante. While there Karla worked extensively with Eleanor D’Antuono. She was afforded lead roles in The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee and Paquita. In 1990 she was a semi-finalist at the IV Paris International Ballet Competition and in 1992, a semi-finalist at the 20th Prix de Lausanne.
Shortly after High School graduation, Ms. Kovatch joined Boston Ballet II where she performed in Etudes, Don Quixote, and Cinderella. She was promoted to the honor of full company member in 1993. While with the Boston Ballet, she performed such roles as Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, the Pas de Trois and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Zorema in Les Corsaire, Myrtha in Giselle, the Lark in Lark ascending, The Duet in Paul Taylor’s Company B and the Siren in Prodigal Son. Other standout performances include, The Taming of the Shrew, Onegin, Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra, Serenade, The Four Temperments, Twyla Tharp’s Waterbabay Bagatelles, Merce cunningham’s Breakers, Eliot Feld’s Contropose and Mark Morris’ Maelstrom.
After eleven seasons with the Boston Ballet, Ms. Kovatch became a principal dancer with Rhode Island Festival Ballet where she danced lead roles such as Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Michaela in Viktor Plotnikov’s world premiere of Carmen, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Mercedes and the Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote.
Ms. Kovatch retired from the stage in 2006 and began teaching full time for Festival Ballet’s professional training school. She also directed the Festival Ballet Community Outreach Program and was the director of the Company’s Summer Dance Intensive Program. She presently teaches at the Wilkes Conservatory, attached to Wilkes University.
Katie Caramiciu - Contemporary & Jazz
Katie is an award-winning Rhode Island dance artist and choreographer with over 24 years of teaching, mentoring and performance experience. She is the owner of Konnect Dance Company and the Founder/Artistic Director of Konnectivity Contemporary Dance Company,Rhode Island's newest professional dance company based out of East Greenwich. Katie debuted "The Human Narrative" in April 2021 and her second repertoire show, "Self-Conceptions" premiered in summer of 2022, both to rave reviews. Her choreography is continuously recognized on the regional and national level at prestigious dance and Ballet competitions throughout the country receiving numerous awards and accolades including American Dance Awards Regional Young Choreographer of the year, National Championships, Industry Dance Award nominations for Best Jazz, Lyrical and Contemporary, Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Technique and many more. Katie had the opportunity of working with MTV, filming a segment for an episode of the show “Made” and has set choreography for the Providence College Dance Team and Johnson and Wales University. She was a co-choreographer on a Dance For Film project for Curtain Call Costumes’ 2015 costume line and the lead choreographer for Experiments in Theater’s production of High School Musical Jr.
Josh Thake - Ballet & Variations
A native of Attleboro, Massachusetts, Josh was trained at Brae Crest School of Ballet, Boston Ballet School, and San Francisco Ballet School. He is a dancer with Les Ballet Trockodero de Monte Carlo and has had the privilege of dancing on stages in Western/Eastern Europe, Asia, and all over North America.
He was on staff at American Ballet Academy during 2021 and is THRILLED to be back to share his love of ballet.
Elizabeth Donabedian - Ballet & Variations
Elizabeth is a former principal dancer with Festival Ballet RI. She has performed soloist and lead roles in full-length classical ballets including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, and Giselle. Elizabeth has also danced in many choreographic showcase performing contemporary, modern and jazz roles in addition to classical ballet. In recent years, she has performed as a guest character artist for Festival Ballet Providence and Heritage Ballet.
Elizabeth studied under Christine Hennessy, Winthrop Corey, Wayne Stewart, and Mark Schneider, as well as supplemental classes and dance programs with Boston Ballet, David Howard, Jeanette Neill, and the Dance Complex of Boston.
Ms Donabedian has been a teacher of classical ballet, pointe, and jazz for 33 years, having choreographed many ballet, jazz, and pointe pieces for local and New England regional ballet companies, ballet schools, Waterfire Providence, Miss America, Miss RI, and local dinner theaters and cabarets. Elizabeth is also a former Miss Rhode Island. Throughout the years she has served as a mentor and judge for several pageants and dance auditions in the New England area. Currently, Ms Donabedian sits on teh Board of Directors for the Miss RI Scholarship Organization.
Elizabeth received her B.S. in Elementary Education as well as a Master’s of Education in Reading, and is currently a certified Reading Specialist/Consultant with nearly 20 years of elementary classroom teaching experience. While teaching in the Providence public schools, Ms Donabedian also volunteered her time after school to teach dance to many children who had always wanted to take dance classes, but had never been given formal training. She brought the joy of dance and musical theater to countless young students the Providence schools for several years.
Elizabeth is married and has a young daugther that loves to dance and sing. Being a mommy is her favorite role yet!!
Lauren Haynes - Acting & Makeup
Lauren hails from Northeastern Pennsylvania where she grew up studying voice, dance, and acting, and performing in regional productions. She has performed in over 100 productions, won several NEPTA awards, and was the Times Leader Artist of the Week.
She graduated from Kings College in 2007 with a BA in Theatre Arts, and was awarded the Marie F. Luksic Memorial Award for Excellence in Theatre. While there she focused on the theatre performance, directing, and arts education. Some favorite roles and productions include: Miss Julie by August Strindberg (Miss Julie), The Taming of the Shrew (Bianca), The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh (Helen McCormick), The Laramie Project (Romaine Patterson, Leigh Fondakowski, Officer Reggie Fluty, Tiffany Edwards), Medea by Durang/Wasserstein (Director), Alice in Wonderland (Director).
While at King’s she worked with Kid’s Innovating Stage and Sound (KISS) as a theatre educator, Director (Willy Wonka Jr., Seussical Jr.), and Choreographer (Godspell Jr.)
In 2007/2008 Lauren then attended Empire Beauty School in Scranton, PA where she specialized in theatrical hair and makeup design.
She moved to RI later in 2008, and has had the pleasure of working with the Providence AfterSchool Alliance, Trinity Rep, and The Libraries of Foster. She currently works as Director and Choreographer at Ponagansett High School, acting coach at ABA, as well as being a studio assistant at LzrBeams Design Studio.
She lives in Foster with her husband, 2 kids, 20 chickens, 5 goats, 3 beehives, and cat.
Our Support Staff
Meg O’Neil
Office & Production Manager
Margaret Huggins Santoro
Wardrobe Manager
Josh Dellinger
Business Manager
Tim O’Neil
Technical Director