Dance FX Instructors

Dance FX founder Joan Bartoletti hails from Detroit and has spent most of her adult life in Sunrise, Fla., where she started Dance FX more than 25 years ago. Bartoletti got her training at Ricardeau's in Detroit. Prior to her move south, she performed at the pre-show at the State Fair, as well as various tradeshows and conventions. With 55 years of dance under her belt, Bartoletti favors tap above all of the styles of dance. In fact, she couldn't do without her tap shoes. Bartoletti can most often be found teaching ages 3-8 in ballet, tap, jazz and creative dance. She counts among her biggest accomplishments starting the Central Park Dancers, opening Dance FX and training So You Think You Can Dance runner-up Tiffany Maher. Bartoletti's dance role model is Gene Kelly. When asked, "Why dance?" Bartoletti's response is: "Why not? What a way to be free!"

Julie Ann Bartoletti is the Artistic Director of Dance FX Sunrise. Although she was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 12 (Gemini!), she is homegrown having spent most of her life in Sunrise. Bartoletti began dancing at the age of 2 1/2. She trained at the University Center for the Performing Arts in Davie, Florida, New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida and Tremaine Dance Studios in Los Angeles, California. Her specialty is L.A.-based Jazz and Lyrical, which is by far her favorite discipline. She started her career with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. From there she did numerous industrials including Remax, Kodak, Chrysler, AT&T, American Tobacco and Xerox. She has also performed with Chayanne, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Donna Summer, Melanie Griffith, Sophia Loren, Eddie Murphy and Marie Osmond and appeared in television commercials for Univision Latin Grammys. Despite her many pairs of dance shoes, she is partial to performing barefoot. Her dance role models include personal mentors Doug Caldwell and Joe Tremaine, as well as famous dance icons Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines and Ann Reinking. For Bartoletti, dancing is like breathing -- she couldn't live without it. Her biggest accomplishment is running Dance FX.

Joan Maret is Dance FX's veteran tap teacher, having been a part of the staff since the studio opened 25 years ago. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Joan M. has spent her entire life dancing. Prior to embarking on her career in dance, show Although she trained in Ohio and New York, she still takes advantage of every opportunity to hone her skills. Joan's experience includes performing in "Milk & Honey" on Broadway, "Foolies Bergere" at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. She was also part of the Mitch Miller Show and Japan Tour, as well as performing as one of Jackie Gleason's "June Taylor Dancers." She continues to perform in condo shows throughout Broward County and Palm Beach County. Her biggest accomplishment is being picked up for a Broadway show after just six weeks in New York. Her dance role model is hoofer Savion Glover. She is in constant pursuit of finding that one pair of dance shoes she can't live without.

Carly is known for leading her students to be 150% in everything in life - to always be “full out”! She has performing experience and has been seen in things such as the ProBowl Halftime Show in Hawaii, Walt Disney World Parades, 42nd Street for Clear Channel Miami, An Off-Broadway show in New York City and The George Lopez Show. This will be her 12th year teaching, (9th year at Dance FX) competitive level Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Acrobatics classes, as well as choreographing competition

Christina Fortney was born and raised in Plantation, Florida. She is homegrown, having trained under the tutelage of Dance FX founder Joan Bartoletti. Christina got her start with Miss Joan at the age of three. With more than 22 years of dance under her belt, she specializes in jazz technique, beginning ballet, beginning/intermediate tumbling, beginning hip hop and beginning/intermediate tap. Christina studied 15 years at Dance FX and 10 years at Tremaine Dance Convention. While earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Central Florida, Christina simultaneously spent five years training as an instructor at the renowned University Performing Arts Centre in Orlando. She performed and choreographed numerous UCF dance concerts and worked at both Sea World Orlando and Walt Disney World, dancing in shows and parades. Following graduation from UCF, she toured with Sesame Street Live's "Make a New Friend." The highlight of her dance career to date was filming a pilot TV show with famous producer Martin Baker, director Kevin Clash, as well as Sesame Street performers Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, John Kennedy and Matt Vogel. There are many people who have inspired Christina along the way -- namely any dance teacher who makes an impact in another's life, as well as any dancer who has the courage to pursue a career in dance.

Dance FX is proud to welcome Miss D. as our newest instructor. She joins our team of veteran ballet professionals. Hailing from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Miss D. studied at the Wessex School of Dancing in Bournemouth, England. She has been dancing for more than 40 years with her favorite style being ballet. Throughout her career, which spans the world, she has performed in musicals, dance shows and competitions in England. She has also done dance performances in Trinidad, W.I. and Georgia. Among her biggest accomplishments are opening her own dance academy. She entered students in the Royal Academy of Dancing and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She also was responsible for choreographing major two-hour productions at the Queen’s Hall. Miss D. counts famous English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn as her dance role model. As for her lifelong passion for dance, Miss D. explains: “Dance is one of the greatest gifts that God has given to us to express ourselves through every joy, laughter, sorrow — every type and discipline through movement.”

Chelsea Attree is originally from Orlando, Florida and grew up competing. She has a BFA in dance with a concentration in jazz from Point Park University. She also trained at Richmond Ballet, Virginia school of the arts and Wells College in Paris, France. Chelsea has worked for Busch Gardens Williamsburg as a dancer as well as done many regional musicals including Footloose, Oklahoma, Chicago and The Music Man. After graduating she spent three years dancing for Princess Cruise Line.

Ashley started dancing at the age of 3 and has been trained in Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap & Acro for 17 years. She competed in many competitions and assisted and taught dance classes. She trained/danced with Tremaine Dance Convention from the age of 9-18. Ashley has been a member of the Tremaine dance team for the last two years, traveling to many cities and assisting classes of all age levels.

Born in Washington, Ga., Miraj is Dance FX's resident hip-hop funk teacher. Miraj's dance career spans 20 years, seven of which he has been teaching at Dance FX. Outside the dance world, Miraj earned an engineering degree from Florida A & M University and was a United States Marine. He got his dance training from Pro Am Studio and New World School of the Performing Arts. He has performed as part of the Jamie Foxx Tour (2009), Katy Perry Tour (2011) and the Jason Derulo Tour (2014). His biggest accomplishments include dancing in Step Up 4, doing choreography for Bring It On 5, doing choreography for the Miami-based short film "The Battle," and having a song appear on the soundtrack of Tyler Perry's upcoming film. Miraj's role model is the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. His reason for pursuing a career in dance? "It's the first form of expression that I was able to do that took my soul to another place," he explains.

Kitana Rojas grew up dancing from the age of 4 at Dance Explosion in Davie, Florida. She competed in all styles until she graduated high school, winning several awards and titles. Kitana then moved to Orlando to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education at the University of Central Florida in 2018. While in Orlando, Kitana taught at Avalon Dance to students aged 2-18, in all styles. She took over and redesigned the tumbling program to better fit a dancer’s needs. At the same time, Kitana became a member of the Knights and Damsels Dance Company at UCF. Throughout her years with the company, she choreographed many pieces for the team’s performances and showcases. She went on to be on the Artistic Board, then was promoted to Artistic Lead and then to Artistic Director of the company, choreographing all pieces for the company and making all final decisions regarding the routines for the company. Currently, Kitana has moved back to South Florida to start her career as an elementary school teacher. She teaches 3rd grade for Broward County Public Schools. Along with teaching in school, Kitana is so excited to continue her passion for dance through teaching at Dance FX!

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