Dance, Faculty Bios

Melissa Brenner serves as the Dance Area Coordinator at Santa Fe College, where she directs and choreographs for the performance ensemble, Dance Theatre of Santa Fe. She is a devoted educator with over 14 years of teaching experience and leads several collaborative events and guest artist residency activities to enhance the education of her students.

Melissa's professional training began at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, followed by the University of Florida's B.F.A. program, where she studied under Kelly Drummond-Cawthon and performed repertory by Shapiro and Smith Dance. She holds an M.F.A. from Arizona State University and a Pilates certification. Melissa has performed in venues such as Dance New Amsterdam (NYC), Taliesin West (Scottsdale, AZ), Broadway Performance Hall (Seattle, WA), ODC Theatre (San Francisco, CA), American Dance Festival (Durham, NC), and the Bates Dance Festival (Portland, ME), and has danced the works of notable choreographers including Mary Fitzgerald, Michael Foley, Karen Schupp, Elizabeth Johnson, Ashleigh Leite, Shapiro and Smith Dance, and Elina Mooney. Since 2001, her choreography has been featured in various platforms across the U.S. and has earned special recognition in Gala performances for the American College Dance Festival.

In addition to teaching and choreographing, Melissa coordinates the Young Dancer Workshop of North Central Florida, a statewide dance training program in partnership with the University of Florida.

Jessie Dominguez is a classically trained ballerina who started her education at the Alejo Carpentier Elementary School of Ballet in Havana, Cuba, in 1993. She continued her studies at the Cuban National Ballet School Fernando Alonso, obtaining numerous awards, including a silver medal in 1998, another silver medal in 1999, and a gold medal in 2000 at the International Ballet Encounters of Academies Competitions for the Teaching of Ballet held in Havana, Cuba. In 2001, she graduated from the Cuban National Ballet School as a Distinguished Graduate and received Gold Diploma, the highest award given to only one person per graduating class". The same year, she was selected to become part of the world-renowned company, the National Ballet of Cuba, under the artistic-technical direction of the founder and absolute prima ballerina Alicia Alonso. After initially serving as a soloist, she was rapidly promoted to principal dancer. Her repertoire as a principal dancer included Giselle, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Coppelia, La Sylphide, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Apollo, Carmen, Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Garde, La Bayadere, Theme and Variations as well as contemporary and neoclassical works by creators such as Alberto Alonso, Laura Alonso, Alberto Mendez, Gustavo Herrera, Ivan Tenorio, Jean Gran Maître, Annabelle López Ochoa, Luis Serrano, Peter Quanz, Gerard Ebitz, among others. Jessie Dominguez possesses a rare combination of skills and experiences. She has trained and performed at the highest level in the masterful tradition of Cuban National Ballet yet she fluidly transitions she excels in performances of a more creative/experimental nature. Her work ethic is impeccable, and she has delightful interpersonal skills. She is a thoughtful critic and teacher, encouraging and enlightening dancers of all ages and abilities. Jessie is currently the ballet professor at Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.

Mohamad is a master teacher in West African Music and Dance. He also performs multiple duties beyond that of the principal musician, drummer, and performer. These duties vary, but they consistently call upon his skills as a director, composer, choreographer, lecturer, demonstration organizer, and designer in collaboration with other esteemed colleagues of the theatre, costume, and dance areas.

He is versed in many dances performed throughout West Africa. The primary dance and music styles that he teaches comes from Guinea, Ghana, Gambia, and Senegal. From Guinea, he teaches dances from the Malinke, Sou Sou, Baga, Landoma, and Fulani ethnic groups; from Ghana, he teaches dances from the Ewe ethnic group; from Gambia, he teaches from the Mandinka and Jola ethnic group, and from Senegal, he teaches Sabar dance (drum). He also teaches songs, traditional folklore, meanings, and the culturalism of the dances. This includes teaching and instruction with and about the following instruments: djeme, dun dun, sangban, kenkeni, and krin.

Calypso is a director, choreographer, educator, and artistic collaborator working primarily in the world of musical theater. Calypso holds multiple dance and choreography degrees including an MFA from Florida State University, a BFA from Elon University, and an AA from Sante Fe College where she was a Performing Arts Scholarship Student. Calypso has over 27 years of dance experience and 14 years of teaching experience ranging from higher-level courses at FSU and Santa Fe College, to being a full-time elementary school dance instructor and arts integration specialist. Calypso has created works for the FSU School of Theatre, the FSU School of Dance, The Hippodrome State Theatre, The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre, The Young Actors Theatre, ACDA, and many pre-professional programs throughout the United States. Calypso is passionate about arts education and creating community collaborations that strive to make dance and theater more proactive, inclusive, and conscious. Calypso is currently an adjunct dance faculty member at Santa Fe College where she teaches Musical Theatre Dance, Jazz Dance, and Dance Fundamentals.

Herman is a native of Northern Virginia. Originally a specialist in breakdance and hip hop choreography, he competed with various crews from the DC metro and central Florida areas until 2010.

In 2008, Herman was given a full ride scholarship to Santa Fe College in Gainesville, FL to study classical dance technique. From 2008-2011 he worked simultaneously in contemporary and hip hop styles, touring with Apocalypse Dance Crew regionally and working locally with the Danscompany of Gainesville where he has frequently returned as a guest artist. After receiving his AA degree in dance, Herman was accepted to Florida State in order to continue his dance education. In December of 2016, Herman completed his post graduate studies at FSU with his Masters of Fine Arts degree. While at FSU, Herman shifted some focus to improving his pedagogy with various teaching opportunities at Santa Fe College, the South Eastern Regional American College Dance Association and the annual American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. As a guest teacher, Herman has taught both hip hop and contemporary styles at many local dance studios across the state of Florida; combining commercial aesthetics with concert dance creative processes. Some of his more notable choreographic projects include work with members of Florida State University dance faculty, the Red Project (NYC), Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami), and T Lang Dance (ATL). He currently works with Emergence Dance Company in Orlando to continue professional work in the contemporary scene there. Herman holds adjunct dance faculty positions at Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.

April Henehan, MFA Choreography and the recipient of the ‘22-23 Hicks Choreography Fellowship' with Jacob's Pillow most recently taught for two years at Jacksonville University and spent 8 years on Faculty at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, where she was the director of the Creative Dance Ensemble. April's first professional experience came at the age of 16 performing principal roles for "Jacksonville Symphony's: First Coast Nutcracker;" and her early professional experiences continued with companies: Ka'Mia Contemporary Dance Theatre & A Rhythm Nation, as a semi-finalist on Season 4 of FOX's hit show "So You Think You Can Dance," and as a semi-finalist on BRAVO TV's "Step It Up & Dance." Additional performance credits include works by: Demetrius Klein, Douglas Gawriljuk, Yanis Pikieris, Ronen Koresh, Michael Foley, Mia Michaels, Adele Myers, Eddy Toussaint, Kavin Grant, Cathy Young, Alyn Cassal, Bill Evans, Amanda Coogan, Amy Miller, and Nita Little. Besides being a seasoned performer, April's choreography and leadership as a dance practitioner has been recognized internationally by ChoreoLab Europe and featured in articles for POINTE Magazine, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, and Dance Teacher Magazine. Further teaching and choreographic credits include the Candice Glover, Florida Dance Festival, Cal State University Long Beach, Santa Fe College, Lindenwood University, Brenau University, Jacob's Pillow 360 Intensive, LaVilla School of the Arts, New World School of the Arts, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, the Movement Talent Agency, DanceLook, American College Dance Association, National College Dance Festival, Institute of Classical & Modern Dance (Mumbai), and Dance Ireland (Dublin). April holds certification in both Progressing Ballet & Contemporary Techniques, and last year she assisted Andrew Winghart on his new dance film, Is Anyone Receiving the Data? (2023) during his residency with CLI Conservatory.

Whitney received her MFA in Dance from Smith College (2017), a BFA in Dance and a Certificate in Arts in Medicine from the University of Florida (2012). She joined Arts in Medicine as a Dancer-in-Residence in 2018, where she facilitates dance in the community and clinical settings for various populations.

In 2022 she received her BSN and currently works as an RN on a Labor and Deliver unit. She also serves as a Visiting Lecturer at the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida and an Adjunct Professor at Santa Fe Community college. Whitney's artistic practice integrates dance performance, pedagogy, and creative collaboration to promote well-being, connection, and joy in her community.