Meet Our Dance Teachers & Staff

Please take a moment to get to know the dedicated teachers and staff at Surrendered School of Dance.
Each of our instructors brings professional ballet experience and between 10 to over 30 years of dance training. More than just accomplished dancers, they are passionate educators who wholeheartedly embrace our school’s vision: to offer high-quality dance instruction that nurtures every student with love, kindness, and joy.

Through their teaching, our faculty aims to inspire a deeper appreciation for the arts, cultivate a heart of worship, and encourage movement that glorifies our Creator—fostering positive change in the lives of our students and beyond.

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Dance Teachers

Larissa began her ballet journey at the age of three in Eugene, Oregon. After high school, she auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company and was thrilled to be accepted as the ministry’s first Trainee Dancer in 2010. During her time in the program, she was mentored by Paradosi’s founder, Tennille Carver, who encouraged her spiritual growth and development as an artist and leader.

From 2011 to 2021, Larissa danced with Paradosi before stepping away from the stage to devote herself fully to leadership. Over the years, she has served in many key roles including Company Artist, Trainee Director, Discipleship Director, and Choreographer. She now serves as the Artistic Director of both Paradosi Ballet Company and Surrendered School of Dance.

Larissa has been a dedicated ballet instructor since 2012, teaching weekly classes at Surrendered School of Dance, leading master classes across the U.S. and Europe through Paradosi’s outreach ministry, and served as a ballet instructor at Orting High School in the public school system.

Larissa’s heart as a teacher and leader is to love and encourage each dancer, nurturing their growth in confidence, skill, and faith. She is passionate about drawing out the unique gifts God has placed in each student and equipping them to flourish both in dance and in their faith.

She is an American Ballet Theatre ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a Certified Teacher in Progressing Ballet Technique® (PBT) Junior through Advanced – Levels 1, 2, & 3. In addition she has completed the Boston Ballet • Adaptive Dance Teacher Training Program—equipping her to serve dancers of all abilities with compassion and excellence.

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Haley began dancing at the age of four at The British Dancing Academy in Kent, Washington, where she successfully completed ten Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examinations. After high school, she continued her training at Surrendered School of Dance and later joined the Apprentice Program with Paradosi Ballet Company.

Today, Haley serves as a Company Artist with Paradosi Ballet and is passionate about sharing her love for dance with the next generation through teaching at Surrendered School of Dance.

Haley has also completed training through the Boston Ballet Adaptive Dance Teacher Training Program, giving her tools to support students with diverse learning and physical needs.

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Emmy grew up in Orting, Washington, and began studying ballet at the age of nine with Surrendered School of Dance. From her very first class, she fell in love with ballet. Some of her earliest inspirations came from watching the dancers of Paradosi Ballet Company dance in worship at her church—sparking a dream to one day dance with the ministry herself.

After high school, Emmy auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company and was accepted into the Apprentice Program, where she continued to grow both as a dancer and a teacher. After serving with Paradosi as a dancer, she is now joyfully focused on training the next generation of dancers and helping them develop their God-given gifts through ballet.

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EmmaLeah began taking ballet classes with Surrendered School of Dance at a young age and faithfully progressed through each level of the school’s training program. After graduating from high school in 2020, she auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company and was accepted into the Apprentice Program, where she continued to grow in both artistry and leadership.

She now serves as a Company Artist and Répétiteur with Paradosi Ballet, assisting with rehearsals and staging choreography. EmmaLeah is excited to be part of the SSD teaching team and finds great joy in encouraging and equipping the next generation of dancers.

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Hannah began her dance training at the age of three at the Christian Performing Arts Center in Northridge, California. She loved learning in the studio’s encouraging and worship-centered environment, where she was introduced early on to the idea of using dance as a ministry tool. At fifteen, she began teaching classes—an experience that shaped her passion for both dance and discipleship.

During her teen years, Hannah felt God calling her to use her gift of dance not for personal gain but as a means to glorify Him. This shift in purpose deepened her love for dance in a way she had never known before. After graduating high school, she auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company, was accepted into the Apprentice Program, and now serves as a Company Artist with the ministry.

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Cambria began her ballet training at the age of eleven with Surrendered School of Dance. From her very first class, she knew ballet was what she wanted to pursue. She dedicated herself fully to her training, progressing through the levels of SSD while also serving as a Teacher Assistant—a role that gave her valuable insight into the school’s teaching approach and classroom leadership.

After graduating from high school, Cambria auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company and was accepted into the Apprentice Program. She now serves as a Company Artist with Paradosi and is honored to share her passion and experience as an instructor at Surrendered School of Dance.

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Brooke grew up dancing at Junction City School of Dance and Hosanna Dance in Eugene, Oregon—two Christian studios where she was encouraged to use dance as an expression of worship. These early experiences laid the foundation for her passion to glorify God through the arts.

After graduating from high school, Brooke auditioned for Paradosi Ballet Company and was accepted into the Apprentice Program. She now serves as a Company Artist with the ministry and is thrilled to see the dreams God placed in her heart years ago coming to life. Brooke finds great joy in sharing her knowledge and love for dance with the next generation.

She is also a Level 1 Progressing Ballet Technique® (PBT) certified teacher, trained to teach students from Junior through Advanced levels.

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Marissa grew up in Tracy, California, and began dancing at the age of nine at SonDance Christian Dance School. There, she immersed herself in the Cecchetti Method of classical ballet along with other dance disciplines, quickly falling in love with ballet and the freedom of expression it gave her.

From 2018 to 2020, Marissa served as a trainee with Paradosi Ballet Company. In 2020, during the pandemic, she returned to California to be with her family and joined Anastasis Christian Ballet, a company near her hometown. While away from Washington, she sensed God stirring her heart to return to the Pacific Northwest. In 2024, He opened the door for her to rejoin Paradosi Ballet Company and become part of the teaching faculty at Surrendered School of Dance.

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Holly began her dance journey at the age of three while living in New York. At ten, she relocated to Temecula, California, where she continued her training at Dunamix Dance Project. There, she studied under the American Ballet Theatre® National Training Curriculum, which emphasizes both strong technique and dancer wellness. In this nurturing, Christ-centered environment, Holly’s love for dance deepened as she began to see it as a way to worship and glorify God.

In 2019, she participated in a mission trip to Cuba, where she had the opportunity to share her faith and teach local communities how to express worship through dance. The experience broadened her understanding of the powerful role dance can play in ministry and cross-cultural connection.

Now serving as a Senior Apprentice with Paradosi Ballet Company, Holly is excited to invest in the next generation of dancers—encouraging them to grow in skill, purpose, and joy through every step they take.

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