Instructor Bios
Tonya L. Guldenpfennig, a Virginia native, began her dance training at age two under the direction of Ray Hollingsworth, creator of Dance Troupe, Inc. Miss Tonya has studied with such masters as Gregory Hines, Debbie Dee, Bob Rizzo, Gregg Russell, and Charles Kelly to name a few. In addition to teaching technique classes in studio settings, she has also choreographed for numerous High School drama and community theatre musicals in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. She has had many students go on to pursue professional dance careers, appear in music videos, on film, and become teachers themselves!
Miss Tonya has been honored on both Regional and National levels for her Award Winning Choreography as well as being recognized and commended for her care and concern to the details of costuming, music selection, and choreography that is geared appropriately to the age of her dancers. In addition to her many awards for her dancers' technical expertise, she has been recognized by many different competition judges for instilling outstanding dance etiquette in her students. Miss Tonya has coached several different competitive Dance Teams, directing them to numerous National Championships.
Miss Tonya is currently on staff with several Regional and National Competition circuits as an adjudicator and master teacher.
Kaylee Guldenpfennig, Choreographer/Dancer
a Florida native, was brought up under the training of Tonya Guldenpfennig and Kathleen Tolan of Premier Dance Academy.
Currently a member of Onelight, a professional contemporary dance company based in Tampa Bay Florida and previously a company member of Collective Soles Arts Group. Kaylee spent two years as a dancer (bluebell) in the the longest running showgirl show at Bally's Hotel and Casino, Jubilee! She was a backup dancer in Shaun T's workout video filmed at Broadway Dance Center in New York, danced for Britney Spears on Britney Day and brought in the New Year with Jennifer Lopez.
Prior to her move to Las Vegas, while living in New York she danced with ACB Contemporary Dance Company, the Kat Wildish Show and performed works from Michelle Barber at the Synthesis Dance Festival ( Tracy Stanfield’s Company Show). She also had the privilege to dance works from Sheila Barker for Frank Hatchett's Memorial Showcase.
Kaylee spent more than seven summers attending numerous intensives including Complexions, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Rockette Summer Intensive and Pacific Coast Dance Fest.
Kaylee is a graduate of Broadway Dance Center's Professional Semester in New York and continues to train with many masters such as Sheila Barker, Michelle Barber, Kourtni Lind, Aaron Tolson, Juan Rodriguez and Michelle Dorrance, to name a few. Kaylee enjoys sharing her passion for dance through her teaching and choreography.
In the fall she will be traveling to Israel to train and dance with the renowned company, Kibbutz Contemprary Dance Company!
Emily Molinaro is a Clearwater native with a passion for music and dance.
Having studied dance locally in Clearwater since the age of three, as well in Tallahassee at Florida State University and other dance schools in the Tallahassee area, she has settled in her hometown to apply her talents to the classroom.
Emily's charisma is completely mesmerizing and her classes are catered to the dancers taking class no matter the style or level!
Miss Emily is happy to have found a home at Premier Dance Academy where she can express her joy and passion for music, dance, imagination and making head pieces! She is appreciative of the opportunity to be a part of her students' growth in dance.
Hayley Tuffy is a New York native and a recent graduate of the University of Tampa. With a competitive background in Irish Dancing, she studied at the Broesler School of Irish Dance for over twelve years. She has competed at more than four hundred feiseanna around the United States as well as the North American Irish Dancing Championships and Mid-America Oireachtas.
After spending the past four years at college studying communication, broadcasting, web design, advertising, public relations, and marketing, she has decided to get back to her dancing roots.
Currently, Hayley is living in Bradenton, Florida and is thrilled to join the Premier Dance Academy team as an Irish dancing teacher after spending the summer as a P.D.A. intern.
Shelby Sawyer is an Alabama native who has been dancing since the age of three. Studying for 15 years at Jill’s Studio of Dance in Huntsville Alabama and competing all over the southeast. She is a two time Co Dance national champion and spent summers attending Alabama Ballet and Broadway Dance Center’s summer intensives.
Shelby went on to dance on Auburn University’s dance team, the Tiger Paws and studied accounting. She currently works as a financial analyst by day, but is so excited to get back to teaching dance with the students at Premier Dance Academy.
Leslie Misener
Bio coming soon!