Kelly Ann Vitacca
Founder / Artistic Director
Kelly Ann Vitacca is from Chicago, Illinois, where she trained and later founded the professional contemporary jazz company, Inaside Chicago. She received her Bachelor’s in Performing Arts in Dance Performance at Oklahoma City University and extended Arts Management master studies at Columbia College, Chicago.
She has worked in arts management with Houston Ballet, Dance Houston, Dance/USA and the Houston Independent School District (HISD), among others. She served on the dance faculty at Joel Hall Dance Center, State Street Dance Studio, and the Wright College Dance Program.
Ms. Vitacca’s vast artistic achievements, arts management experience, industry networks, and dedication to advance the dance art form allowed her to pioneer Vitacca Vocational School for Dance in 2012.
YUKA OMORI
Senior BALLET faculty + Program Manager
Ms. Omori completed the classical division of the ESDC Rosella Hightower Professional Program in Cannes, France, and went on to dance principal roles with companies including Oakland Ballet, Minnesota Dance Theatre, and New Jersey Ballet. She can also be seen in film projects produced by The George Balanchine Foundation and the French Ministry of Culture.
A certified ballet teacher through American Ballet Theatre, the Vaganova Method, Progressing Ballet Technique, and Pilates Mat, Ms. Omori brings more than 14 years of teaching experience. She incorporates Progressing Ballet Technique’s pre-pointe curriculum to help students build strength, prevent injuries, and prepare safely for long and healthy careers.
An internationally sought-after educator, Ms. Omori teaches students around the world, many of whom have gone on to join professional ballet companies and earn prestigious awards at leading competitions across the globe. We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Omori to Katy Classical Coaching and look forward to the continued growth, artistry, and excellence she will help cultivate in our dancers.
ANA MOREIRA LEAL
SEnior Ballet Faculty + DAy Program manager
Ana Moreira Leal began my ballet studies at the age of nine at the Alejo Carpentier Provincial Ballet School in Havana, Cuba. At fifteen, she continued her training at the National Art School (ENA), studying under esteemed ballet instructors Ramona de Sáa and Fernando Alonso. Graduating in 2005 as a Professional Dancer and Ballet Teacher.
In the same year, she joined the Ballet Nacional de Cuba under the direction of prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso. Founded in 1948 in Havana, this prestigious classical ballet company offered her theopportunity to participate in every edition of the International Ballet Festival of Havana.
As a member of the Corps de Ballet, she performed in numerous classical ballets, including Don Quixote,Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella, among others. She also portrayed several character roles within the company’s repertoire.
She had the privilege of working with renowned choreographers such as Alberto Méndez, James Kelly,Gonzalo Galguera, Goyo Montero, Pedro Consuegra, Eduardo Blanco, and Alicia Alonso, participating in international ballet premieres. Her career has taken her to stages in Mexico, Martinique, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Greece, and Spain.
In 2010, she joined the Rosario Cárdenas Danza Combinatoria Company to explore new creative processes and apply her extensive knowledge of theater and classical ballet to innovative artistic experiences. Throughout my career, she has also collaborated on various dance, film, and photography projects worldwide.
In 2011, she began her career as a professional ballet teacher. She employs the methodology of the Cuban School of Ballet in her classes, which integrates principles from the Russian, American, and French schools to create a unique pedagogical style recognized globally. She has taught ballet for the National Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba and various private institutions as a ballet and coaching instructor.
She is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and have been a part of the ballet faculty at Vitacca Ballet & School for Dance in Houston since 2022.
GENIE LANFEAR
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM FACULTY
Genie Lanfear was born in San Antonio Texas where she began her ballet training. At fourteen she moved to Dallas to study under Natasha Krasovska before moving to New York to attend School of American Ballet (SAB) on scholarship. In 1975 she joined Lyric Opera Ballet with artistic director Maria Tallchief and had the opportunity to work with George Balanchine. In 1980 she attended Houston Ballet Academy and a year later joined the company under the direction of Ben Stevenson. Ms Lanfear was a company member for twelve years. She returned to Houston Ballet in 2006-2013 as the shoe coordinator Ms. lanfear has taught ballet for over twenty years including teaching for Houston Ballet and the University of Houston. She owns her own Pilates studio in historic downtown Houston.
ZULFIYA AUBAKIROVA
BALLET FACULTY & COACH
Zulfiya Aubakirova is a professional ballet educator with over two decades of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Choreography and Performance and a Master’s Degree with honors in Dance Education. Trained in the Russian Vaganova Method, she combines strong classical technique with artistic development to help students build confidence, musicality, and a lifelong love of dance.
Zulfiya has completed teacher training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and is certified in Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT).
Her students have been accepted into prestigious programs, including Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Harid Conservatory, Milwaukee Ballet School and more.
Known for her supportive and disciplined teaching style, Zulfiya is passionate about helping each dancer reach their full potential.
Lauren Burke
Modern + Jazz Faculty
Lauren Burke is a Houston-based multidisciplinary artist and marketing creative with a B.A. in Dance from the University of Houston. Burke has studied dance pedagogy, anatomy, and arts management. Her style is highly influenced by teachers like Harrison Guy (Urban Souls Dance Company) and Milton Myers (Alvin Ailey Dance Theater). Currently, Burke teaches ballet, Horton, contemporary modern, and creative movement. Her honors include Broadway World Houston’s Best Choreography, Houston Fringe Festival’s Best Emerging Artist, the Jonathan Wilkins National Scholarship (American Dance Festival), Houston’s Top 100 Creatives, and a Missouri City commendation for her Black History Month collaborative curations.
A longtime company dancer with Urban Souls Dance Company, Lauren started her professional career with Harrison Guy. Since then, she has appeared in works like Plumshuga by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, with Teresa Chapman Dance, Afsaneh Aayani, Open Dance Project, Adam Casteneda, and has toured to Spring to Dance with Bennyroyce, Milan Fashion Week with the Black Angels Collective, and others.
Alongside Lauren Anderson, Burke serves as Ballet Program Director for Edison Arts Foundation with the Lauren Anderson Ballet Master Class, a 9-month program connecting young dancers to esteemed ballet instructors. Ms. Burke teaches dance across Houston to public schools, dance studios, and intensive workshops. Blending arts and digital marketing, she supports brands through creative strategy and community connection. Motto: Play. Track. Improve. Repeat.
