Faculty & Staff
Leanna Polk Bodnar
Executive Director/Artistic Director of Performing Arts
Leanna is a Bay Area native whose passion for the performing arts began early. Her training under renowned mentors such as Yehuda Maor and Eric Vetro led to her professional debut at 17 as Maggie in A Chorus Line. She went on to perform principle roles in Broadway National Tours of Cats, Grease, and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. Regional credits include lead roles in Evita, Crazy for You, The Sound of Music, and Fiddler on the Roof. During her 20 year career, she had the honor of studying under Uta Hagen, and sharing the stage with stars such as Sutton Foster and Bebe Neuwirth.
After retiring from performing, Leanna turned her focus to teaching, driven to foster technical excellence and artistic confidence in young performers. She has taught in studios, schools, and community theatres, and now serves as the Executive/Artistic Director of Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts (HBPA). Since stepping into leadership in 2018, HBPA has tripled its student body and expanded its programming to include musical theatre, voice, acting, and community outreach.
Under Leanna’s direction, HBPA has partnered with local arts organizations and launched inspiring outreach programs like Books to Ballet, Books to Broadway, and a sensory-friendly version of The Nutcracker. She also founded a chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, and led a successful transition to HBPA’s new studio home in downtown Hickory. In 2023, HBPA was awarded a grant from the United Arts Council of Catawba County to facilitate the organization’s first strategic plan, which has resulted in additional support from The Beaver Family Foundation, The Stevens Family Foundation, Community Relations Council, TSH, Corning, Arts Culture Catawba, and a sustaining grant from the North Carolina Arts Council.
With a blend of professional experience, visionary leadership, and heart for the community, Leanna continues to shape the next generation of artists—on stage and beyond.
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, 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. She has choreographed the annual production of the Nutcracker as well as original ballets Hansel & Gretel, The Ugly Duckling, and Degas and the Little Dancer. She is also responsible for the creation of Books to Ballet/Broadway at the libraries as well as a number of outreach initiatives. A certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor, she has worked with students at all levels at HBPA. Adrienne continues to pursue her passion for teaching the next generation of dancers and making ballet an accessible and relevant art form.
Rebecca Alt
Ballroom
Rebecca Alt is an associate professor of Communication Studies at Lenoir-Rhyne University and has lived in Hickory since 2019. In addition to her faculty responsibilities, she served as choreographer for waltz sequences in Lenoir-Rhyne Playmakers productions of Next to Normal (2021) and Ada and the Engine (2023). She began ballroom dancing as an undergraduate at Pennsylvania State University, where she was a member of the Penn State Ballroom Competition Team and Ballroom Club.
For Rebecca, ballroom dance lives at the intersection of movement and meaning—a shared language built on rhythm, connection, and responsiveness. Each dance offers a different way of listening and expressing, making it difficult to choose a favorite, though rumba and foxtrot rank high. Outside of teaching and dance, she enjoys community organizing, engaging in local politics, and spending time with the rich arts and music culture of the Hickory metro area. She values creating a welcoming, supportive environment for dancers of all backgrounds.
Brooke Bell
Music/Voice
Brooke is a Hickory, NC native. She began taking dance at age 3 and throughout childhood took ballet, pointe, tap, jazz and modern. At age 7 she started taking piano lessons and discovered her love of music and has had instruction on over a dozen different instruments since. She performed in her first musical at age 10 and discovered the magic of being able to combine her love of singing, acting and dancing on stage. After graduating from Fred T. Foard High school she continued her studies at Appalachian State University’s Hayes School of Music focusing on music education where she was a member of the trumpet studio. She currently spends her days working as a licensed insurance agent and many of her evenings teaching music and music directing shows at local community theatres.
Lark Bodnar
Acting/Costumer/Prop Master/Musical Theatre/Voice
Lark Bodnar is a professional musical theater performer, writer/composer, director, teacher, and designer who has worked on numerous projects at Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts including The Lightning Thief, The 12 Dancing Princesses, Peter Pan, Annie Jr., Finding Fairies, Emperor’s New Clothes, and Spongebob Youth Edition. Her favorite performance credits include Veronica Sawyer (HEATHERS), The SQUIP (Be More Chill), and Hildegard-Hand (In The Green). Lark and her sister Lily work together as Wingarden Creative, a writing and composing team dedicated to creating socially relevant and emotionally intelligent works. Lark is an alumni of the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, and is certified in Vocal Technique and Musicianship through Berklee College of Music Online. Lark graduated from NC State in 2022 with a B.A. in Biological Sciences and a Minor in Theatre. If you are looking for her, she’s lost in HBPA’s room of requirement.
Lily Bodnar
Ballet/Jazz
Lily Bodnar is a multidisciplinary artist devoted to creating authentic, emotionally resonant work across multiple mediums. While starting at HBPA as a student, she became a teacher in 2022, finding a love and passion for passing on the craft of performing arts. Alongside teaching, she has a passion for performing, having the privilege of performing principal roles in both classical ballets and musicals. Some past performance credits include R&H Cinderella (Cinderella), Be More Chill (Christine Canigula), HEATHERS (Heather Chandler), Giselle (Giselle), FUN HOME (Medium Allison), The Nutcracker (Sugarplum Fairy) and West Side Story (Jet Girl Minnie), where she made her professional debut. During the pandemic, she also found joy in writing and composition, creating both full length musicals and children’s shows as part of Wingarden Creative. Two of these include Finding Fairies and The 12 Dancing Princesses, both of which were produced at HBPA.
She is currently pursuing her B.A. in Psychology with a Forensic Concentration from Southern New Hampshire University.
Kelly Boggus
Ballet/Tap/PBT
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.
Zoe Charles
Jazz
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
Ballet/Contemporary/Jazz/Lyrical
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.
Grace Killian
Acro
Grace Killian holds a B.A. in Dance from UNC Charlotte and brings over five years of teaching experience across North Carolina to Hickory Ballet. With 15 years of competitive training, performance experience at the Carolina Theatre, and advanced masterclass training at New York City’s Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center, Grace specializes in modern, hip-hop, ballet, Latin, jazz, contemporary, and Acro. Certified in Acro-tumbling, she is dedicated to building strong technique, artistic confidence, and a lifelong love of dance in every student.
Dallas McKinney
Hip Hop, Men’s Class
Ava Miller
Musical Theatre
Based in Hickory, NC, Ava Miller is an educator, vocal coach, music director, and performer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama with a minor in musical theatre from UNC Greensboro. Ava’s specialty is teaching musical theatre voice and technique, as well as pop/rock styles, and beginner classical vocal technique. Under her direction, Ava’s students have earned acceptances into competitive schools such as NC Governor’s School for music and theater and UNCSA’s high school theatre program, as well as lead roles in their schools and community. Ava has taught successful ensemble programs, camps, classes, and has music directed youth across the community including The Green Room, HBPA, and Hickory Music Factory.
Rebecca Miller White
Ballet
Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, Rebecca Miller White trained in classical ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, character, and folk dance at Greensboro Christian Arts Academy and through summer intensives with Ballet Magnificat!. Credits include soloist roles in The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White with the Bristol Ballet Company as well as contemporary works such as Fuerzas Vitales (2014) for NCDA, The Process: Evolved (2014), and Nth (2015) with Sayward Grindley. A few favorite theater credits include Oklahoma (Barter Theater), The Music Man (Ashe County Little Theater), Cabaret (Theatre Statesville), Kinky Boots (Hickory Community Theatre), and The Miracle Worker (Theatre Statesville). Rebecca’s passion for arts education led her to teach at the Bristol Ballet, Northwestern Studios, SG Ballet, Centre Ballet Conservatory, and currently guest teaches at Burlington Academy of Dance Arts. She choreographs for community and youth theatres, including Anastasia (HCT), Footloose (TS), Company (OCT), and Disney’s Descendants (TS). Currently Rebecca serves as President of the Board of Theatre Statesville. She is committed to inspiring students of all ages and sharing the transformative power of the performing arts within the community.
Cindi Shepard
Ballet
Cindi Shepard was introduced to ballet at age 4 and fell in love with it. In 1975, Cindi attended the University of South Florida and joined the Lee County Dance Council. She was able to perform in romantic ballets, Swan Lake & Dance of the Little Swans, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, Les Patineurs, Pas de Quatre and Paquita. She also performed in character ballets, Scott Joplin Suite and Kings New Clothes as well as several modern pieces within the state of Florida for 5 years. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Student Education with Honors.
Cindi and her husband moved to Hickory, NC from Panama City Beach, Florida in August of 2024, where she obtained a certificate from NASM as a Senior Fitness Specialist and teach senior fitness presently. She loves teaching all ages but especially enjoy teaching Adult Ballet as she feels everyone deserves the joy and benefits of ballet and that it’s never too late to begin dance!
Jordan Spears
Administrative Manager
Jordan is a Hickory native who has always been happiest where organization meets people. She studied Computer Science at Catawba Valley Community College and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, and she is currently returning to school to become a financial advisor. Theatre is her other language. She is most at home stage managing, keeping a production moving from first rehearsal to curtain call, and she still acts when the right role appears. When she is not at the studio or in a theatre, Jordan is usually reading or spending time with her two cats, Miso and Dolly. She is glad to be part of the Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts family and to support the artists, parents, and productions that make this community feel like home.
Kallie White
Pre-Ballet
Kallie White was born and raised in Hickory, North Carolina, and is currently a sophomore at Hickory High School. She started dancing at the age of 7, and since then, dance has become a big part of her life. She has had the opportunity to perform in many different productions, allowing her to grow as a dancer and gain new experiences along the way. Kallie enjoys sharing her love for dance and inspiring young dancers to follow their passions as they begin their own dance journeys.
Emilee Williams
Ballet
Emilee Williams was born in Matthews, North Carolina, and moved to Hickory in 2014. She is currently a sophomore at Saint Stephens High School. She first explored dance at age 3, but chose to pursue other activities until the age of 10 when dance became her primary passion. She has performed in many productions and is devoted to her craft. She works diligently to continue to grow and learn, and aspires to pursue dance post- high school. Emilee is excited to share her deep love for dance with young students inspiring them to discover their own joy and passion.
Kate Yaiko
Ballet
Kate Yaiko was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, before relocating to the United States during middle school. She began ballet at a young age and has trained under instructors from Hungary, Finland, England, and Russia. Since joining Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts in 2023, Kate has performed in numerous productions and continues to grow in her love for dance. Currently a high school sophomore, she enjoys inspiring and encouraging younger dancers as they begin their own journeys in the art of ballet.