About us
Arts Ballet Conservatory is a pre professional ballet conservatory dedicated to offer the best of classical ballet education to its students and prepare them for world stage. Our curriculum emphasizes the classical ballet technique based upon Vaganova Method (Russian traditional ballet training). This unique style has produced many of the finest and well-known dancers, choreographers and teachers. Arts Ballet Conservatory offers programs that include education in classical ballet, as well as character, modern, music appreciation, acting for dancers, ballet theory and ballet history. This variety of education is necessary for the complete education of a ballet dancer.
Our staff
Artistic Director
Jelena Radojevic Mitchell started her ballet education at the Ballet School of Novi Sad, Serbia along with Josip Slovenski Music school. During her ballet education, she attended several ballet seminars and competitions in Europe in which she has won several awards. After her graduation, she was accepted at Serbian National Ballet Theater and performed in ballet and contemporary performances. Her desire to learn modern dance brought her to New World School of the Arts in Florida where she had the opportunity to learn various modern styles and work with dancers and choreographers from Martha Graham, Jose Limon and Alvin Ailey companies. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts from the University of Florida, she worked with Vladimir Issaev’s ballet school and company in Miami, Florida where she had the opportunity to work with ballet instructors from the prestigious Vaganova Academy in Russia. To further expand her knowledge, Ms. Jelena studied Pilates technique and received her certification from one of the top Pilates programs United States Pilates Association. As a ballet instructor, she taught in several ballet schools in Florida and Illinois where she trained dancers in classical ballet and modern dance. Some of her top students had the opportunity to attend ballet and dance competitions where they received awards and certificates for their achievements.
In 2017, Ms. Jelena became the Artistic Director of Arts Ballet Conservatory which allowed her to teach as well as choreograph full ballet productions for her dancers. At the conservatory, she teaches classical ballet ,Pilates, modern dance, prepares dancers for competitions, and creates presentations about this beautiful art form for various venues such as libraries and festivals in nearby communities. Her students not only take classes at her studio but also visit live ballet and modern performance, attend seminars with top ballet and modern companies and assist in educational programs where students share their passion for dance with other children.
Bennett Cullen (Ballet and Contemporary)
Bennett Cullen began his dance training in the suburbs of Chicago, and studied ballet through Arlington Dance Academy, Ballet Chicago and attended weekly class at the Joffrey Ballet. He continued his classical training at the University of Iowa mentored by Eloy Barragan, George De La Peña and Kristin Marrs. After leaving school, Bennett had since danced for The Big Muddy Dance Company, and Visceral Dance Chicago. Bennett has had the privilege to perform works choreographed by Ohad Naharin, Brian Enos, Demis Volpi, Christian Spuck, Prince Lyons, Nick Pupillo, Marguerite Donlon, Shannon Alvis, Ramon Flowers, Sarah Olson, Marc Macaranas, and Eloy Barragan. Alongside his professional dance career Bennett has been a ballet instructor for 5 years, and has taken workshops and attended lectures through the Bolshoi Ballet Academy to strengthen his ability to train and coach dancers of all levels.
Alexandra Topalova (Ballet and Pointe)
Alexandra Topalova trained with numerous renowned teachers early on such as Julia Wilkinson Manley, Alan Obuzor, Tamar Rachelle Tolentino, and Kwang Suk Choi. Alexandra spent her summers training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC, Chautaqua, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Boston Ballet. In 2017, Alexandra was invited to join Boston Ballet as a trainee. During her time there she performed many roles, including the principal role in Trazom, an original work by Yury Yanowsky. In 2018, Alexandra joined Sarasota Ballet as a trainee. Upon retirement from the stage, Alexandra found a passion for teaching. Most recently she served as the Ballet Mistress for Dance Ink in Pittsburgh, PA.