Professionally trained RAD qualified dance tutors.

Faculty Biographies

Experienced and professionally trained

GEMMA WILLIAMSDIRECTOR

Gemma’s dance teaching career spans 30 years and involves teaching in the UK, Italy, Norway, Canada and the USA. She has taught ballet at professional schools such as The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Laine Theatre Arts, Epsom UK, Boston Conservatory at Berklee (USA) and since 2016 has been the Director of Metrowest Dance Academy.

She is an examiner and tutor for The Royal Academy of Dance traveling extensively in these roles. Since 2012 she has tutored various modules of the Royal Academy of Dance CBTS and also delivers CPD courses from Pre-Primary to Advanced 2.

She was instrumental in implementing the RAD Access Route at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Since 2019 the course has produced registered RAD teachers who are now teaching and performing across the USA and Europe. The Access Route offered by the RAD in collaboration with Boston Conservatory at Berklee is the only college program in the USA where dance students can achieve RAD registered teaching status alongside their degree in dance.

Since opening Metrowest Dance Academy in 2016 Williams has been focused on providing a professional and highly informed level of dance training for all students. She works with the faculty to ensure cohesive teaching strategies and learning outcomes are met across every class. The team collaboratively stage full length productions and provide students with the opportunity to take RAD ballet exams annually. Williams is incredibly proud of the atmosphere, environment and standard of performance achieved at the school.

Gemma's Qualifications

BA Hons in Classical Ballet Teaching

Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance (LRAD)

Advanced Executant Examination (ARAD)

Associate Teacher of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (AISTD)

SÉARLAIT CARRBFA Boston Conservatory at Berklee, RAD RTS

BIO

Séarlait graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee magna cum laude in 2019 with a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance and Royal Academy of Dance RTS.

Séarlait began her training at the age of 3 in Indiana. Continuing on to Boston Conservatory to complete her BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance, Séarlait was fortunate to work with choreographers such as Sydney Skybetter, Stephanie Martinez, Uri Sands, Roderick George, the Urban Bush Women, Zoe Scofield, and Taylor Rodman.

Séarlait supplemented her dance training at Joffrey Ballet School in 2012, the Ailey School Professional Division in 2013 and 2014, NW Dance Project 2017, SpringBoardX 2017, and Buglisi Dance Theatre 2019. Her love of acting led her to a physical theater group called SynTheater under Simona Minns in their 2016-2017 season.

She is currently teaching at Metrowest Dance Academy and Boston Ballet School through their Education and Community Initiatives program. Most recently Metrowest Dance Academy sponsored Séarlait’s training to be a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor.

RUSSELL CLARKEB-Tech in Arts Management, MFA from Hollins University

BIO

Mr. Clarke was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He received his ballet training at the Royal Ballet School in London. During his time at the Royal Ballet School he performed with the Royal Ballet Company in productions that included The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. Clarke joined Ballet Arizona in 2007 and performed principal roles in Don Quixote, Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia, Twyla Tharp’s The Golden Section, George Balanchine’s Movements for Piano and Orchestra, La Valse, La Sonnambula, The Four Temperaments, Ib Andersen’s Play, 1052, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mosaik, Symphonie Classique, and The Nutcracker.

Clarke received critical acclaim for the role of the Poet in George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula and was praised by the New York Times for the role of Phlegmatic in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. Clarke originated a principal role in Andersen’s Diversions, which was seen on the Kennedy Center Stage in June 2010. In Clarke’s final season with Ballet Arizona he originated the principal role in Ib Andersen’s world premiere of Cinderella, which received critical acclaim. After retiring from Ballet Arizona, Clarke went on to direct the Community Dance Academy at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for four years. He is currently an Associate Professor at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Professor of Dance at Dean College.

ANA G DELGADO CRUZBFA Boston Conservatory at Berklee

BIO

Ana G. Delgado Cruz began dancing at the age of four in San Juan, Puerto Rico, inspired by the dance stories shared by her creative movement teacher. This early spark quickly grew into a passion, leading her from recreational classes to training at a ballet conservatory. In search of new opportunities, she joined Andanza, where she focused on contemporary dance and began her choreographic journey.

Her experiences in Puerto Rico inspired her to pursue a BFA in Contemporary Dance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. As a full-time student, Ana created several original works, including Mujeres, Playa Baby, and Ya No Somos, among others. Beyond her academic work, she has choreographed for various musicians, as well as developed solos, duets, and ensemble pieces that have been presented in New York, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, and Boston.

As a new graduate of the Conservatory, she is excited to embark on a new journey as a teacher in Metrowest Dance Academy.

TANIA PRADOBFA in Ballet and Contemporary Dance, RAD RTS

BIO

Tania Prado is originally from Cuernavaca, Mexico. She graduated from Universidad de las América Puebla (México) in 2003 with a B.F.A. in Ballet and Contemporary Dance, where she trained in the Cuban style. In addition, in 2014 she earned her teaching certificate (RTS) from the Royal Academy of Dance.

She studied the RAD method under the guidance of Mrs. Ivonne Robles-Gil and danced with the Antoinette company in Puebla, México.

In 2010, she moved to El Salvador where she was invited to work with the Compañía Ballet de El Salvador, Vivra Studio and Ballet Academy Alicia de Rusconi as a character dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. Additionally, she worked as a consultant for El Salvador’s Secretary of Education, crafting the first ever curriculum for a B.F.A. in dance and a curriculum for high school specialization in dance.

In 2020 she gained the Progressing Ballet technique certification.

On 2019 she moved to the U.S. and now she begins this new journey with the MDA family, where she wants to share her love and passion about RAD ballet technique.

CHELSEA WHITE

BIO

Chelsea began dancing at Lebanon Ballet School in Lebanon, Indiana, where she trained in ballet and jazz. From 2014 to 2021, she developed the school’s first-ever Hip Hop program, teaching levels I and II. In 2016 to 2017 she also taught beginner and intermediate Jazz at The Tap Academy in Frankfort, Indiana. Now based in Boston, Chelsea choreographed the Spring 2024 production of Mamma Mia! at Medford High School.

Chelsea is a passionate social dancer who uses movement to foster connection and community. She has used her background in dance to lead team-building workshops at Northeastern and MIT, and currently works full-time as an Operations Associate in the College of Engineering’s Co-op Department at Northeastern University.