andrea dawn shelley, ballet mistress and rehearsal assistant(She/Her)

Andrea Dawn Shelley, born in Miami, Florida, received her classical ballet training predominately from Magdalena Maury and Magda G. Auñon. She studied dance at the University of South Florida under Gretchen Ward Warren and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Education from Florida International University. Andrea began her professional career with Southern Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet and has since danced as a principal artist with Maximum Dance Company, Miami Contemporary Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, State Street Ballet and iMEE performing throughout Americas and Europe. She is the Co-Founding Director of iMEE Dance Company, est. 2009. As a choreographer, Shelley has created original works commissioned by professional dance companies and festivals such as: iMEE, Ballet Florida, Miami Contemporary Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, State Street Ballet, O Dance, Ad Deum Dance Company, The Dance Gallery Festival / Level UP, palcoscenico danza, METdance, Island Moving Co., the black box INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL THEATRE & DANCE, Festival Ballet Providence, Bellingham Repertory Dance, 16th Annual Mid-Atlantic Choreographic Showcase, Houston Contemporary Dance Company and Vitacca Ballet. Her choreographic works have been presented throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe: including California, Florida, Texas, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Washington, Virginia, Italy, Bulgaria and Mexico City. She has participated in Residencies and created original works for dance programs such as: Sam Houston State University, Salve Regina University, Providence College and Western Kentucky University. As a dance educator, Shelley had the distinguished honor of serving as an annual preliminary panelist for the National YoungArts Foundation, Young Arts program in Choreography, Ballet and Modern for five consecutive years. She has served as Adjunct Ballet Faculty at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI and assumed the roles of Resident Choreographer and Company Director for the University’s junior company. Currently, Ms. Shelley serves as the Resident Artist Program Director and Faculty at Vitacca Vocational School for Dance in Houston, TX and is Ballet Faculty at Institute for Contemporary Dance in Houston, TX. Additionally, Shelley is in her first season with Vitacca Ballet as the company’s Rehearsal Director and in her second season with Houston Contemporary Dance Company as Ballet Mistress and Rehearsal Assistant to the Director.