Jacqueline Faith Rafferty: Artistic Director Jacqueline Rafferty started her ballet training at the age 7 at Magda Aunon School of Classical Ballet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ms. Aunon is a nationally famed ballet instructor and has students in several national ballet companies including Boston Ballet’s principal dancer Kathleen Breen-Combes whom Jacqueline trained with from the age of 8. At 11 years old Miss. Rafferty was accepted into the preparatory program at University of North Carolina School of the Arts under the directorship of Dayna Fox. Jacqueline trained there for two years before entering the full dormitory program at UNCSA at 13. After attending the Kirov Academy of Ballet summer program on scholarship the following year Miss. Rafferty was invited to stay for the full academic year on artistic scholarship. Jacqueline completed her sophomore and junior years of high school at the Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington D.C. under the directorship of Oleg Vinogradov who was also the Artistic Director of the famed Kirov Ballet, Russia. Miss. Rafferty returned to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to graduate in 2000. That year she performed leading roles in ballets such as Paquita under Nina Danilova and Balanchine's The Four Temperaments under direction of Melissa Hayden, Prima Ballerina for New York City Ballet under George Balanchine. After graduation Miss. Rafferty joined the Alabama Ballet and danced many leading roles in ballets including Dracula, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Swan Lake. In 2001 Jacqueline competed at the national level final of the Youth America Grand Prix. Miss. Rafferty has performed as a guest artist with several ballet companies on the east coast, most recently the Greensboro Ballet and The Carolina Ballet. She has performed leading roles in ballet such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, The Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird, and many more original works. Jacqueline has taken the reins at several regional area dance studios to broaden and fine tune their classical ballet programs. She has trained dancers who have competed in the finals at YAGP and placed on So You Think You Can Dance tv show as well as privately coaching the Miss. Dance, South Carolina in 2012. Jacqueline has been a dance educator for over 10 years and takes pride in bringing her professional experience to help propel her students in whichever direction they choose to develop. Miss. Rafferty is proud to be able to bring training for the fine art of classical ballet to the Apex and surrounding communities in the form of Apex School of Dance which offers the highest level of training for preprofessional and recreational students, alike. Jacqueline is engaged to be married to Mr. Sean O’Connor, the former professional soccer goal keeper for the RailHawks, and as partners in business and life they own and run Sports Arts Academy which is North Carolina’s only dual training facility for dance and athletics housing Apex School of Dance, Sean O’Connor Soccer and Premier Soccer and Dance Supply. They provide a healthy, positive, goal-driven environment for students to hone their craft and they live by their motto, It’s Not What We Do, It’s Who We Are. ! ! Katie Moorehead: Tap and Production ! Katie Moorehead grew up in Southeastern Connecticut where she started dancing at 3 years old. When she later became a member of the Dance Ensemble of Maggie Dennis' Dance Extension, she traveled throughout the region performing and studying with dancers from all over the world including Frank Hatchet, Pilobolus Dance Company, Joe Tremaine, Laurie Johnson and Wade Robinson. She earned a communication degree from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Katie has had a lifelong passion for tap dancing which she loves sharing with her students. Along with tap she also teaches ballet and jazz and enjoys doing costuming and props on various productions. You can find Katie teaching at Broadway Bound, My SweetArts, Carrboro High School and other area schools. You can also see her tapping her way across the triangle area with the Footnotes Tap Ensemble. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Emily Smart: Jazz and Musical Theatre ! Emily Smart is a recent graduate from Appalachian State University where she recieved a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Dance and a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration degree in Management. She started dancing at the age of five and decided to pursue choreography and teaching as a career while in college. She has performed in various dance concerts while at Appalachian, as well some professional work at the North Carolina Dance Alliance. In addition to performing, Emily also has choreographed works for ASU showcases, local dance studios, as well as her old high school. She specializes in teaching and choreographing jazz, modern, and theatrical dance. Now that she has graduated, Emily is excited to start teaching and sharing her passion for dance with all of her students. .