MEET THE CITY BALLET FACULTY

Danielle Horochowski is the owner and artistic director of the City Ballet School and the director and founder of the Western Maryland City Ballet Company. Ms. Horochowski graduated from the City Ballet School under founding artistic director Lauran Clowser and was a founding member of the Potomac Classical Youth Ballet Company. She continued her training at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. She performed as a company member with Equinox Dance Company in Frederick, Maryland and with Clancy Works Dance Company in Washington, DC. Before moving back to Hagerstown, Ms. Horochowski served on staff with the USA International Ballet Competition and was the director of dance for Center Stage Productions in Jackson, Mississippi. In addition to The Nutcracker, Ms. Horochowski has produced and choreographed Giselle, Le Corsaire, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Little Mermaid for The Western Maryland City Ballet Company. In 2019 she choreographed commissioned work for The City of Hagerstown’s Imagine Hagerstown festival and for The Maryland Symphony Orchestra. She was awarded a creativity grant from The Maryland State Arts Council for her 2023 world premiere of The Spell. The Spell featured a new 100 minute score by Arshak Sirunyan premiered by the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. The Spell was conducted by Elizabeth Schulze and performed by The City Ballet School. Her students are routinely accepted and receive scholarships to elite training programs, universities and companies. Her alumni are currently dancing as trainees and company members with The Joffrey Ballet, The Philadelphia Ballet, Boston Ballet and Estonia National Ballet. Her alumni hold degrees and certifications from universities including Alonzo King Lines (Dominican University), The Ailey School (Fordham), Radford University, Temple University, University of the Arts and Point Park University and work as dancers, teaching artists, artistic directors, and choreographers.

Amy Wrobleski received her initial ballet training at Ballet Academy in Oxnard, CA and attended seven out of state ballet summer programs. She then furthered her training at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, graduating with a BFA in dance performance. Her college experience culminated with a Butler Ballet tour to the Republic of Georgia. Ms. Wrobleski then danced professionally with the Corpus Christi Ballet in TX for two seasons. She went on to earn a MFA in dance performance/teaching from SUNY at Purchase College. With a teaching career that has spanned more than two decades, Amy has taught dance in private studios, community centers, artist-in- residence programs, college programs, creative arts summer camps, and in the music dept of schools. Prior to moving to Maryland, she was the Director and owner of the All American Ballet School in Ventura, CA. Always one to continue her quest for knowledge, Ms. Wrobleski has attended dance teacher training workshops with Central PA Youth Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, Progressing Ballet Technique, and recently completed a 16 hour “Training Turnout in Tiny Dancers” workshop led by Lisa Howell, a dance physiotherapist in Australia titled, Now in her fifteenth year as the ballet mistress for WMCBC, Amy has choreographed dances for Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Little Mermaid and The Spell as well as annual productions of The Nutcracker.

Elizabeth Dattilio - Faculty

Ms. Dattilio is a 2007 graduate of The City Ballet School where she also danced with The Potomac Classical Youth Ballet company under the direction of Lauran Clowser. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland, College Park where she also continued her tap education under Mary Slater and a Masters of Education in Administration at Frostburg State University. Ms Dattilio is a life long tapper and has studied under master tap teachers including Julie Pentz and Heidi Schultz. She has previously served as kindergarten teacher for Washington County Public Schools and has been employed by City Ballet since 2009.

Chris Miller - Faculty
Mr Miller trained and danced professionally with Culture Shock DC (a nonprofit professional hip hop dance organization with companies in key cities in the US) from 2008-2012. He earned his A.A. in Psychology from Frederick Community College, where he also served as the president for the Hype Squad dance crew. He holds a B.S. in Social Science from University of Maryland University College and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies of Human Behavior in from Hood College. Mr. Miller has taught special education for Washington County Public Schools and private schools and is currently employed with Montgomery County Public Schools. Mr. Miller has taught hip-hop at City Ballet since 2014..

Katie Fox - Faculty
Ms. Fox is a 2009 graduate of The City Ballet School. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Elementary Education from Frostburg State University and a Masters in Education from Wilson College, and a Certificate in Dance from Shenandoah. Ms Fox’s favorite roles as a performer include The Sugar Plum Fairy and Spanish in “The Nutcracker”, Carabosse in “The Sleeping Beauty”, and The Queen in Danielle Horochowski’s “The Spell”. Ms Fox has been teaching at City Ballet since 2011. She has also been employed by Washington County Public Schools since 2013 and currently teaches first grade at Rockland Woods Elementary School .

Jennifer Line - Faculty
Jennifer Line is an acrobatic arts instructor who holds a certification in Acrobatic Arts curriculum which is the only recognized curriculum by Cirque du Soleil. Additionally, Ms Line is certified in Alixia Flexibility and Balanced body Pilates. Ms Line holds a Masters of Science in Special Education and Psychology from University of Maryland and is employed with Washington County Public Schools as a Home and Hospital Teacher.  

Emily Bernazzoli - Faculty

Emily Bernazzoli holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education (PreK-6) from Radford University where she graduated summa cum laude and holds an additional license in Dance Education (K-12). Since 2006, she has held certification in Leap N’ Learn Certification (comprehensive design that includes dance technique, creative expression and child developmental psychology). In 2009, she completed the American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher Training (Pre-primary to Level 7 & Partnering), an 8 level program combining high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. She enjoys supporting each student’s growth as they gain strong foundational technique while experiencing the joy of dance. Ms. Bernazzoli has had many rewarding roles as a dance educator of 20 years and currently teaches elementary education in Jefferson County, WV.

Nicole Ruark - Faculty
Ms. Ruark graduated cum laude from American University with a Bachelors of Arts in Theatre. She attended The Joffrey Ballet School on full scholarship and was the recipient of the Herbert R. Brent Scholarship, the Herb Edelman Acting Award, American University’s Outstanding Musical Theatre Performer award, and the Greenberg Scholarship for the Performing Arts. Her work as a professional performer includes favorite roles in Cats, The Will Rogers Follies, A Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls and Sweet Charity.

Ms. Ruark has staged ballets for numerous professional companies both in the US and abroad. Her contemporary work has landed her several awards including Top Honors and Outstanding Choreography at the Youth American Grand Prix in New York and Outstanding Contemporary at the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland as well as gold and silver medals at the 2013 New York City Dance Alliance. Her extensive experience as a director and choreographer for universities,  regional, and touring companies include such productions as: Pippin, Annie, Seussical, Little Shop of Horrors, Swing It! (national premiere) and Once on This Island. Ms. Ruark had the pleasure of traveling with the cast from American University to St. Petersburg, Russia for the international debut of their reworking of Jane Martin’s "Talking With" featuring her choreography. In 2012, Ms. Ruark became a resident artist with the prestigious Broadway Theatre Project where she works with such luminaries as Ben Vereen, Lloyd Culbreath, Terrance Mann, John Parks, Donna McKechnie, Christopher D'Amboise, and Debra McWaters. Later that year, she joined the dance faculty of the renowned Imagination Stage in Washington, D.C. where she instructs and choreographs the next generation of musical theatre performers and has served as an Artist-in-Residence at The Barbara Ingram School for the Fine Arts where she works with the musical theatre program. Additionally, she has created a new student repertory company, Acting Up, with the goal of providing pre-professional training and career coaching for students ages 13-18 seeking a career in musical theatre. In addition to her directorial and choreography work, she currently oversees the dance program she created at Saint James where she teaches classes regularly.

Amanda Ales - Faculty

Amanda Ales holds an acro teaching certification through The Acrobatic Arts Curriculum, the only professional teacher accreditation recognized by Cirque Du Soleil and holds a bachelors in family and consumer sciences from Shepherd University. In addition to her many years of dance training, M.s Ales has ten years of experience as a preschool teacher as well as teaching and coaching tap, jazz, and cheer. In addition to teaching, Ms. Ales builds costumes and props for The Western Maryland City Ballet Company and her work appears in every school and company production.