Ballet, Pointe, Classical Variations

Ms. Withee is a graduate of the Boston Ballet School in Boston Massachusetts and has studied under many world renowned ballet masters. She danced professionally for many years in Massachusetts, Texas, Louisiana and Florida. She performed lead roles in many ballets including The Nutcracker, Paquita, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty and A Mid Summer Nights Dream. She also performed in several musicals including Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma and The King and I. As a teenager, Ms. Diane knew she had a passion for teaching and decided to pursue this gift as well. She received her instructor training in Vaganova, Cecchetti and RAD methodologies. As a student at Texas Christian University, she studied anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, nutrition and early childhood education to be the most effective and safe teacher possible.

Ms. Diane has been teaching ballet for nearly 30 years. For the past 10 years, she taught ballet at Central Florida Ballet Academy. She also served as Competition Director and School Director. Under her guidance and direction, the school flourished as one of Florida’s top classical ballet academies. Her students and choreography have won many awards and she is highly regarded as a coach and choreographer. Her students have excelled at Youth America Grand Prix: the worlds largest ballet competition for youth and World Ballet Competition. Her students have been awarded numerous scholarships to elite schools all around the country.

Before moving to Florida Ms. Diane Owned and Directed the New Orleans based ballet academy: Ballet Workshop and was the Founder and Director of Attitudes Ballet Company. She has staged numerous classical and contemporary ballet productions including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Ballet Fantastique, Le Corsaire, Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid as well as many original works. She also served as Artistic Director for two performing Arts Schools. She was a judge at several dance competitions as the classical ballet expert and taught master classes in ballet and contemporary ballet.

Ms. Diane has been married to her husband David for 21 years and they live with their 4 children Kailey, Lauren, Ashley, and Jonathan in Winter Springs, FL. She has trained all 3 of their daughters in classical ballet and is all pursuing professional careers. Her oldest daughter Kailey just signed with Ballet Arizona.