Our Story, Our School... So Far
Founded in 2017 by Emily Finer, Keystone Ballet Academy has created a space where classical ballet dance training is inclusive, enjoyable, and affordable.
Over the years, the Academy has flourished into a vibrant school, reflecting the passion and commitment of our instructors, volunteers, and the amazing families within our communities.
Keystone Ballet Academy provides a classical ballet program alongside traditionally complementary dance styles, such as tap, modern, and jazz dance, which pave the way to lyrical and contemporary dance for KBA students.
Our teaching philosophy emphasizes a balance of seriousness and fun, attracting those eager to pursue dance training in a supportive and inspiring atmosphere.
Our Mission
Ballet is a beautiful performing art greatly appreciated by those who learn the technique. Keystone Ballet Academy is committed to providing an authentic ballet training and performing experience for both recreational and serious dance students in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Giving Back
We are committed to giving back to the community and using dance as a force for good. We strive to make a positive impact beyond our studio walls through charitable initiatives and community
involvement.
Excellence
We strive for excellence in all aspects of our studio, from the caliber of our instructors to the quality of our classes and performances. We believe in continuous improvement and seek to provide the best dance education possible.
Our Staff
Ballet - Ballet 1 Prep/ Ballet Beginner to Advanced, Pointe, Adult Ballet
Owner, artistic director, and instructor
Emily Finer became passionate about dance at the age of seven, attending a small dance studio in Brooklyn, New York. At age ten, she began serious ballet training in Russian Vaganova technique with Carol Purcell and later on became a student of Vera Nemchinova.
She attended American Ballet Theater school from 1974 – 1980, studying at first in the children's division with Nanci Clements and continuing into advanced classes with Valentina Pereyaslavec, Michael Maule, Patricia Wilde, and Jurgen Schneider. Classes included daily technique, pointe, partnering, variations, and character dance. She graduated in 1980 as a dance major from the New York City High School for Performing Arts which is the school the movie Fame was based on.
As a native of New York City, she was afforded the opportunity to study at many private studios with world famous teachers, such as Finis Jhung, David Howard, and Melissa Hayden. Her most inspiring teacher was Wilhelm Burmann, whose analytical and detailed way of teaching influenced her desire to teach.
Studying Labanotation (a system for recording and analyzing human movement) at the Dance Notation Bureau as well as Anatomy and Physiology allows her to have a great understanding of how the body moves. Proper alignment is a priority in her teaching both to prevent injuries and to develop good technique.
Musicality and the artistry of ballet are important qualities emphasized in all her classes to help each individual student develop their own special way of expressing themselves through dance.
An interest in biology led her to obtain a BS in Medical Laboratory Science obtained from Hunter College in 1992. She specialized in Microbiology and worked as a hospital laboratory microbiologist New York before moving to Hazleton in 2001.
She has been teaching Vaganova-based classical ballet technique in the Greater Hazleton Area utilizing a well-developed syllabus which was inspired by a 2015 summer teacher training session she attended at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet school in Carlisle, PA.
Proud to bring an classical ballet training experience to the Greater Hazleton Area, she strives to inspire a lifelong love and appreciation for the art of ballet to her students.
Kinder-Barre, Jazz Tap, and Theater Jazz, Progressing Ballet Technique Instructor
Instructor
Brittany Lopo is a native of Hazleton. She has been teaching at KBA for 9 years. Her love of dance started at age 5 at Joan Sacco Dance Studio studying all forms of dance with Richard Todd and Debbie Calucci.
Miss Brittany has developed a wonderful way of connecting with her Kinder-Barre students while following an established syllabus that reinforces the foundations and basics of ballet and natural movements in all her students. She creates an atmosphere that is fun but has expectations.
She has a great love and passion for tap dancing and jazz and KBA we offers students the opportunity to study these dance genres along with their ballet classes.
In 2021 she became certified to teach Progressing Ballet Technique, a body conditioning class designed for dancers to strengthen and prevent injuries.
Teaching has made her happy to share her lifelong love of dance.
Kinder-Stars, Kinder-Barre,
Pre-Ballet and Ballet 1 Beginner
Instructor
Justina Lawrence grew up in Nuremberg, P.A. Her journey in dance began at age 3 with the Performing Arts Center (in Conyngham, PA). There she studied ballet for 12 years under Jeanie Burger for 12 years while also taking jazz and tap classes.
In 2022, Justina signed up for adult ballet classes at Keystone Ballet Academy because she missed dancing intensely. She regained her technique quickly by attending weekly ballet, progressing ballet technique (PBT), jazz, and tap classes and became interested in teaching.
Justina was trained to teach Kinder-Barre and Pre-Ballet using the Keystone Ballet Academy's syllabi of early ballet education for ages 4 to 8. She has created and teaches our new Kinder-Stars class for ages 3 to 4. Last year she trained to teach Ballet Level 1, beginner Ballet 1 for ages 8 - 12.
Miss Justina enjoys sharing her passion for dance. She encourages her students, shows them how wonderful ballet is, and helps each student grow as a dancer and a person. Her goal is to nurture and inspire hearts to love dancing!
Kinder-Barre and Pre-Ballet
Instructor
Shantal De Soto Collado has over ten years of experience studying classical ballet, specifically in the Cuban technique. She has also trained in modern dance, jazz dance, and contemporary dance.
While living in the Dominican Republic, she participated in various dance workshops, including Tango, Afro Dance, and Aerial Dance.
Additionally, she has performed in both national and international dance festivals and competitions.
Shantal has been trained to teach Kinder-Barre and Pre-Ballet. She enjoys working with young dancers as they begin their own dance journey. Her classes offer the opportunity for children that speak Spanish to be taught in a bilingual classroom.