Pro Dance

Miss Cassey began her dance training at the young age of 18 months old. She began competing when she was 4 years old, assistant teaching when she was 11 years old and had her own class by the age of 12. She has been teaching ever since throughout the triad area.

Cassey graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts for ballet where she performed for numerous audiences in multiple ballets and concerts. Additionally, Cassey spent 3 years performing with the Schrader’s Youth Ballet in West Virginia. While in High School, Cassey spent her summers training in Master Classes and Dance Intensives throughout the U.S., at the Radio City Rockettes Intensive in California, at the Adriatic Ballet Dance Intensive in Italy, and right here at the Wake Forest Community Ballet Intensive and North Carolina School of the Arts Dance Intensives just to name a few that she feels helped shape her the most.

Her awards and honors include National Dance Titles in NV, GA, and FL as well as many other states across the country and choreography awards for choreographing her own solos at very young ages. Cassey also has various Dance Scholarships with Kids Artistic Review Dance Competition, Showstoppers American Dance Championships, Star Systems National Dance Competition, Star Power Talent Competition, Nexstar Talent Competition, Encore National Dance Competition and many others. Cassey also enjoyed the Beauty Pageant scene while she was growing up and has received titles as Teen Miss Merry Christmas, Little Miss Lake Hickory, and a top runner-up in the Miss North Carolina pageant to name a few.

As a dance instructor and choreographer on the competitive and professional level, Cassey has been able to translate her own expertise and honors in dance into training technically sound dancers who preform her choreography and receive top titles and awards. For the past several years, Cassey has expanded her dance knowledge into judging multiple well know Regional and National Dance Competitions and teaching at dance conventions as well as guest choreographing for college dance teams. Cassey has been with PDA since it opened in 2012 and loves teaching and being a part of the PDA family.

Along with her vast dance training and knowledge in the field, she also has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Chemistry, Minors in Psychology and Statics, and Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice and Latent Evidence.

It has always been Cassey’s goal to own a dance studio, so she is very excited to take on the role of Owner of Pro Dance Academy and to continue on this amazing journey with PDA for many years to come!

With great enthusiasm, Miss Aliza Cunningham looks forward to sharing her passion for dance with the students at Pro Dance Academy. She brings years of performance and teaching experience. She began her dance training in ballet and tap at the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts (home of the famed PHILADANCO!), earning awards in both areas. After acceptance to PHILADANCO!’s pre-professional training program, she learned other dance styles such as the Graham and Horton techniques.

Aliza continued to expand her dance training while obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at Immaculata University. While working as a child psychotherapist, she trained in jazz and hip hop and performed at various venues in Philadelphia. Always seeking knowledge, Aliza later enrolled in the Dance Education program at Bowling Green State University, resulting in numerous opportunities to perform and choreograph.

Since then, Aliza has taught ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, and hip hop at studios in Connecticut and North Carolina. Aliza is very excited to join the Pro Dance Academy family!

Miss Destiney Daniels is a dancer, choreographer, and current contemporary major at the University North Carolina School of the Arts. She is from Goldsboro, NC where she trained with local dance studios beginning at the age of 3. Destiney has also taken several Dance Workshops and Summer Dance Intensives with Carolina Ballet, CC & Co, and UNCSA, to name a few.

Outside of her dance studios, Destiney began instruction classes at the age of 14. She has taught ages 2 to 22 in various styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip hop. Her experience led her to further explore her love for choreography and she went on to create several ensemble, solo, and duo pieces for studio recitals, auditions, and competitions. Many of her choreographed competition routines have placed first overall.

In the summer of 2022, Destiney led her own Summer Dance Intensive, “Preparing for Dance Auditions.” Through this program, she led several dancers with instruction on how to build their resumes, how to take headshots and photographs, as well as taught classes in composition and varied dance techniques. The summer intensive ended with a showcase where students performed what they had learned during her Summer Intensive. She is looking forward to organizing this intensive event again this summer.

Destiney is currently continuing her dance training at UNCSA where she has immersed herself in multiple techniques such as Limon taught by Sean Sullivan, Cunningham taught my Brenda Daniels, Countertechnique taught by Kira Blazek-Ziaii. As well as ballet and other workshops offered by the school.

She will graduate with her BFA in 2024. Destiney is very excited to share her knowledge and training with the students at Pro Dance Academy.

Mrs. Sherry H. Yacuzzo has​ ​over​ ​30 years​ ​experience​ ​as​ ​a​ ​dancer/performer,​ ​instructor, choreographer​ ​and​ ​Judge.​ ​She​ ​has​ ​been​ ​trained​ ​in​ ​and​ ​studied​ ​Ballet,​ ​Tap,​ ​Jazz, Lyrical,​ ​Hip​ ​Hop,​ ​Acro​ ​and​ ​Musical​ ​Theatre.​ ​

Sherry​ ​was​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​dancer​ ​and performer​ ​for​ ​over​ ​10​ ​years​ ​in​ ​Lake​ ​Tahoe,​ ​NV,​ ​Branson​ ​MO,​ ​and​ ​NC​ ​in​ ​many extravagant​ ​shows,​ ​conventions​ ​and​ ​industrials​ ​as​ ​a​ ​featured​ ​dancer/performer. She​ ​has​ ​modeled​ ​and​ ​danced​ ​in​ ​many​ ​fashion​ ​shows​ ​during​ ​her​ ​career.​ ​​ ​Sherry​ ​has studied​ ​with​ ​and​ ​worked​ ​for​ ​such​ ​greats​ ​as​ ​Al​ ​Gilbert,​ ​Frank​ ​Boem,​ ​Ron​ ​Lewis​ ​and Michael​ ​Darrin.​ ​​ ​Most​ ​of​ ​her​ ​earlier​ ​training​ ​growing​ ​up​ ​was​ ​from her​ ​wonderful teachers​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Jacqueline​ ​Dorminey​ ​and​ ​Ray​ ​Hollingsworth.​ ​​With​ ​their training,​ ​guidance,​ ​and​ ​encouragement​ ​Sherry​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​have​ ​the​ ​confidence​ ​to pursue​ ​her​ ​dream​ ​in​ ​dance.​ ​

Now​, Sherry​ ​shares​ ​her​ ​many​ ​years​ ​of​ ​experience​ ​and passion​ ​of​ ​dance​ ​by​ ​teaching​ ​dancers​ ​of​ ​all​ ​ages.​ ​She​ ​has​ ​been​ ​an​ ​instructor​ ​and choreographer​ ​for​ ​over​ ​25 years​ ​in​ ​several​ ​different​ ​studios.​ ​​She​ ​has​ ​taught and​ ​choreographed​ ​for​ ​competition​ ​teams​ ​of​ ​all​ ​levels​ ​in​ ​all​ ​styles​ ​such​ ​as Jazz,​ ​Tap​ ​,ballet,​ ​​Hip​ ​Hop,​ ​and​ ​Musical​ ​Theatre​ ​that​ ​have​ ​won​ ​top​ ​awards​ ​at​ ​many​ ​regional dance​ ​competitions.​ ​​ ​

Sherry​ ​also​ ​serves​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Judge​ ​for​ ​several​ ​National​ ​Dance Competition​ ​circuits.​ ​​She has also taught adults in dance and choreographed for wedding dances and special occasions.

She​ ​continues​ ​her​ ​dance education​ ​by​ ​attending​ ​dance​ ​conventions,​ ​workshops,​ ​and​ ​master​ ​classes​ ​from​ ​some of​ ​todays​ ​top​ ​teachers​ ​and​ ​educators.​ ​Dance​ ​has​ ​been​ ​her​ ​life​ ​since​ ​she​ ​was​ ​6 years​ ​old,​ ​and​ ​there​ ​is​ ​nothing​ ​she​ ​would​ ​rather​ ​do​ ​than​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​teaching​ ​and sharing​ ​her​ ​knowledge​ ​and experience​ ​in the Art of Dance to​ ​dancers​ ​of​ ​all​ ​ages​​​ ​at Pro Dance Academy!

Kira Arauz was born in Savannah Georgia. She started dance at the age of 3 and her official Ballet training in the Vaganova style under Marina Levesheva, with many other styles of dance. She transitioned her training in Royal Academy Dance with exams, under the direction of Sue Peterson,, levels Three – Advanced foundation. Kira has attended various summer intensive workshops including Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Burklyn Ballet, as well as dancing as a soloist for Burklyn Ballet’s summer performances and as a soloist with the Burklyn Ballet for the Edinburg Fringe Festival. She has had the privilege of working with artist and choreographers such as Joanne Whitehill, Dylan Crossman, Thom Clower, Helen Star, Maria Konrad and many more. Kira was an instructor for Greensboro ballet for 6 years and a Ballet mistress for 3, also performing many different roles in their stage productions for over 9 years. She continues to perform as a freelance professional and this is her 7th year with Burklyn Ballet and her 2nd year working with the intermediate program. She is so excited to share her experience with PDA!

Holland was born and raised in Mocksville, North Carolina. I have been dancing since the age of 8. I attended Davie County High school where I choreographed several dances for the Fall and Spring concerts and was a part of the dance team, the Dancing Boots, for all four years. I have trained in a number of styles, including ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip hop. I hold a degree in Popular Culture and Media Production with a minor in Dance from High Point University. I have participated in the Fall and Spring dance concerts at HPU where I performed ballet and contemporary pieces. I love to teach dancers of all ages and I'm so excited to share my knowledge and choreography with students at Pro Dance Academy!