Faculty

Leanna Polk Bodnar

Executive Director/Artistic Director of Performing Arts

Leanna hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she began her training in the performing arts. She studied under such notable instructors as Yehuda Maor and Kristine Elliot (ballet), Ina Krause and Florence Riggs (voice), Howard Fine and Jay Goldberg (acting), and Uta Hagen (acting). She made her professional debut at age 17 as Maggie in A Chorus Line. Her performing credits include principal roles in the Broadway National Touring companies of Cats (1991-1993), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (1991), and Grease (1996). Over her 20-year performing career Leanna had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many celebrities, including such Tony Award recipients as Sutton Foster, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Bebe Neuwirth, and Donna McKechnie. After retiring from performing, she was inspired to teach and create nurturing environments where others could learn the technique necessary to express their artistry. She has taught private dance and voice lessons, and has directed and choreographed for local community theatres, schools, and churches. She became Executive Director/Artistic Director of Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts in January of 2018.

 

 

Adrienne Lowman     

Artistic Director of Ballet/Director of Educational Outreach

Originally hailing from Virginia, Adrienne started dance lessons at a young age. She trained at Avery Ballet throughout high school under teacher and mentor Lisa Snape Avery, and attended summer intensives at Richmond Ballet, BalletMet, American Ballet Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet. In 2003, she joined the Nashville Ballet 2 company and performed in such productions as Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Degas and the Little Dancer, and The Singing Tortoise. In 2011 Adrienne graduated summa cum laude from Appalachian State University with a degree in Spanish Education. In addition to teaching Spanish at Bandys High School, Adrienne performed with New Art School of Ballet in such productions as The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella, as well as choreographing productions of Coppelia and Peter and the Wolf. In fall of 2018, Adrienne was named Artistic Director of Ballet and Educational Outreach for Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts. A certified Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor, she has worked with students at all levels and continues to pursue her passion for teaching the next generation of dancers.

 

 

Nathan Ahlgrim

Ballroom

Originally from Illinois, Nathan began exploring the world of dance in college as part of the Ballroom Team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With guidance and encouragement from his coaches, Nathan never looked back—going from newcomer to national finalist in his time at UNC-Chapel Hill, competing in both Standard and Latin dance categories. A scientist by training and explorer by nature, Nathan works as manager and mentor to a global community of university students who are dedicated to building a sustainable, secure, and just protein supply. When not at work, he brings that same curiosity to his dancing, his writing, and his forest adventures.

 

 

 

 

Lily Bodnar

Acro/Ballet

Lily Bodnar started her training as a gymnast, but found a home at Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts. In addition to performing such roles as Giselle in Giselle and Dewdrop Fairy in The Nutcracker, she is a writer and composer of five original musicals including Finding Fairies, which was a HBPA outreach program. She recently completed a semester of Musical Theater studies at the Tony Award-winning Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, part of the National Music Theater Institute.

 

 

 

 

Kelly Boggus

Ballet/Family Worship Arts/Tap

Kelly started her training at Jane Kohl School of Dance in Guntersville, Alabama. She furthered her skills with master classes throughout the southeast, studying with the Montgomery Ballet trainee program, and earning a Dance Minor from Huntingdon College. She is certified by Dance Masters of America to teach ballet, tap, and jazz. From 2003-2018, Kelly taught creative movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance—as well as teaching and special needs instruction—in southwest Michigan for Hearts in Step (HIS) Dance Academy, Turning Pointe School of Dance, and For His Glory Ballet. Since 2018, she has continued teaching at Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts and Betty’s School of Dance. Her passion is to develop dancers of all ages and abilities to glorify God with their gifts and talents.

 

 

 

Eloisa Jingle Enerio de Niet

Ballet/Yoga

Jingle started ballet at age 12 in Manila under the tutelage of Felicitas Radaic. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and progressed to become a company member with Dance Theatre Philippines at age 17. Her professional career extended to Canada and the United States and lasted for 21 years, during which time she performed principal roles in contemporary and classical genres. After retiring from the stage, Jingle continued her passion in ballet as an instructor, a choreographer, and a coach. For the last 20 years, including a move to Hickory in 2021, she has been guiding young dancers in reaching their potential as dancers and artists. In her decades of experience, she has always believed that movement is essential in mind and body wellness. She is certified in Yoga and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), and holds degrees in Human Services—graduating summa cum laude—and Gerontology. Her latest endeavor is creating Move NOW, a recreational program designed for older adults who are looking to keep the body and mind in shape. She enjoys the serenity that nature brings, often going on hikes with her husband and their loyal dog. She has been blessed with a daughter who brings her constant joy.

 

 

Aubrey Garcia

Contemporary/Jazz

Aubrey is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher who grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has a bachelor’s degree in dance, with an emphasis in choreography and performance, from Brigham Young University-Idaho. In addition to her performances, Aubrey taught modern and jazz classes, choreographed numerous collegiate productions, and was a director for the Fall 2019 Dance Show. She also participated in BYU-Idaho’s dance company, Dance Alliance, touring through eastern Canada, as well as the southern and southeast portions of the US.  After her collegiate career, Aubrey has gone on to choreograph multiple award-winning competition routines. She has completed her yoga certification through Yoga Alliance. Trained in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, and contemporary, Aubrey loves pursuing dance and wants to continue investing in this passion.

 

 

 

Anyea Gibson

Hip Hop/Jazz/Lyrical

Ms. Anyea is originally from Mt. Holly, NC, where she participated in her first dance competition at the age of 2-and-a-half. She danced for 15 years, including nine years of competitive dancing across the US. She graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University) with a degree in Elementary Education, and holds a Master’s in Education from Appalachian State University. From 2018-2020, Ms. Anyea was the head coach of the LRU Dance Team, and helped the LRU Spirit Team to win its first ever NCAA National Championship. She taught for 14 years at Viewmont Elementary School, where she was the 2017 Hickory Public School’s Mathematics Teacher of the Year, and the 2020-2021 Hickory Public School’s Teacher of the Year. In addition to choreographing award winning competition dances, she has choreographed area productions of such musicals as The Color Purple, Evita, 9 to 5, and Memphis. Ms. Anyea was inducted into the Nu Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for Women Educators in 2022. In addition to teaching dance at Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts, she teaches at Harding University High School in Charlotte.

 

 

Sandy Jahn

Administrative Manager

Sandy is a summa cum laude graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University) with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. A certified Director of Christian Education in the United Methodist Church, she was named Director of Christian Education Emeritus upon her retirement from First United Methodist Church, Hickory. She has been an active  community volunteer, particularly through her work with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of North Carolina, where she served as state president in 2006-08. Sandy and her husband Tom have three children and ten grandchildren with whom she enjoys spending time. In her rare spare time, she also enjoys traveling, reading, golf, socializing with friends, participating in her church’s activities (especially the music ministry), and playing in the New Horizons Band. Sandy is pleased to be joining the Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts family in order to support the arts in the Hickory community.

 

 

 

Melody Martinez

Ballet

Melody is a 2023 graduate of the East Carolina University Dance Program, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Communication with a concentration in Dance, Performance, and Choreography. Last summer, Melody traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, where she taught at community outreach schools and studied with well-known African choreographers. Within this opportunity, Melody found her passion to travel the world and continue to spread the joy of dance.

 

 

 

 

Paul Sapp

Drama/Administrative Assistant

Paul first stepped (or possibly tripped) onto the theatrical stage in 6th Grade. Since then he has been involved in productions and companies—as an actor, crew member, director, producer and writer—in Baltimore, New York, Norfolk, and Raleigh-Durham. Since moving to Hickory in 2019, Paul has been involved in area productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost, American Buffalo, Evita, Bugsy Malone, Puffs, The Pirate Queen, The Importance of Being Earnest, Macbeth, The Cake, The Lifespan of a Fact, Noises Off, The Little Mermaid, The SpongeBob Musical, and The Nutcracker. He will be adapting and directing the upcoming Lenoir-Rhyne University Little Read production of La Guitarrista. Paul is grateful to all of the Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts staff and parents who encourage and support their children’s creative potential.

 

 

 

Cookie Samworth

Ballet/Pointe/Lyrical

Cookie has spent the last 22 years sharing her passion for the arts through teaching, choreography, and creating original works. She trained in numerous genres at the Suncoast Academy in Florida, under the tutelage of founder Joni Cantrell, Maureen McKenna (Joffrey Ballet), Linda Humphries (NYC Ballet, Atlanta Ballet), and Audrey Cardona (Dance Olympus). She also trained under Cantrell, Norma Gunter (Mid-Ohio Ballet Company), and others after moving to West Virginia. In addition to summer dance intensives across the US, Cookie trained annually with such instructors as Jerry Rose (Beckley Dance Theatre), David Howard-Master Ballet Teacher, Luigi (Master Jazz Teacher), Randall Flynn (Dance Ad Deum), Steve Rooks (Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham Company), and Thelma Ward (Harlem Dance Theatre). Her performance credits and highlights include: tours with The Nutcracker and Stars of Tomorrow; appearances on Comic Relief USA and Daystar Television Network; performing an original work in New York’s Times Square with Project Dance; and, choreographing and performing two original pieces at the Clay Center Gala. She began teaching for Masterpiece Dance in 2001 and was appointed Artistic Director of Arts in Action in 2003, and is certified by Acrobatic Arts to teach acrobatic dance to all ages. Cookie is dedicated to inspiring and developing each student to their fullest potential. She currently resides in Valdese, NC with her husband and three children.

 

Shawnie Tollefson

Acro/Ballet

Shawnie grew up dancing at Dance Precisions in Orange County, California, and faculty that included Shannon Mather, Francisco Gella, Leslie Kenfield, and Eddie Strachen. She continued her dance studies while attending Appalachian State University in 2011- 2016. In July 2019 she attended the Dance Teacher Web Conference in Las Vegas, in addition to attending various jazz, ballet, and acro classes. She became Acrobatic Arts certified in June 2019, and since then she has continued to learn and master the Acrobatic Arts syllabus. She is excited to be a part of the Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts community.