Aretha dedicates her life to inspire dancers to pursue their dreams, she has been teaching and choreographing Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary for over 25 years. She is a Royal Ballet School ATAP accredited teacher, IDTA Associate, NATD Associate, TotalBarre, Progressing Ballet Technique, Progressing Contemporary Technique, mUvmethod and Classical Pilates teacher. Her diverse training reflects her commitment to developing well-rounded, technically strong, and expressive dancers.
Her journey began in her mother’s dance studio in Brazil, where she developed a lifelong love for dance. She graduated from Rose Ballet School’s Dance College in 1999 and, in 2003, moved to the United States. There, she worked for Walt Disney World and the American Hospitality Academy, while continuing her training at prestigious institutions such as Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and the Alvin Ailey School in New York City.
In 2004, Aretha relocated to the UK to pursue her dream of choreographing and directing professional dance shows. She immersed herself in further education with renowned dance mentors, continuously refining her skills and vision.
In 2008 she co-founded Stage Art Dance where she is now the Artistic Director. In 2012 her choreography was chosen to be part of a project by Wayne McGregor within The English National Ballet, and in 2020 she was awarded the title of “Local Lockdown Hero” by Times Radio for the work done to keep children and adults dancing through the pandemic.
In 2022, Aretha was selected as one of only 30 teachers worldwide to join the inaugural cohort of The Royal Ballet School’s Affiliate Training and Assessment Programme-an innovative and holistic approach to ballet education. She has since completed the advanced levels of the programme and is now an accredited Royal Ballet School ATAP teacher.
Aretha believes deeply in the power of dance to transform lives, and her philosophy is simple: “To dance is to be free.”
