|
|
Karen Roper Is a 5 th generation Floridian and grew up in Okeechobee. She started dancing when she was 3 and was mostly trained by her mother, when there wasn't a local studio in town. She attended The University of South Florida and earned a B.A. in psychology while minoring in American Sign Language and taking Ballet and Modern classes. She moved to Central Florida and volunteered as a reverse interpreter for Deafinitely Theatre. Always a dancer at heart and an exercise enthusiast, she found herself in a Jazzercise class. Karen bought a Jazzercise franchise and has been an instructor for 16 years. One of Karen's first Jazzercise classes was at CDPA. She has been teaching dance at CDPA for 9 years and has 3 children who dance there as well. She currently teaches Junior Hip Hop and Creative movement, but has taught tap, jazz, ballet and acrobatics in previous years. Karen has been married to Charles Roper for 16 years and they have 3 children, ages 9, 8 and 6.
Caitlin Snelson Is a Senior at West Orange High School and a veteran of the CDPA studio. She began her dance training in her mother's womb and came out with a top hat and cane! Caitlin's mom, Director Kathryn Austin, is most proud of her daughter's movement intellect, natural understanding of dance patterning, and an excellent sense of rhythm. Caitlin has a long resume of accomplishments in dance and specifically in Scottish Highland Dancing. This past spring, she passed her Associate Teacher's Exam with a Highly Commended rank and joins the staff this year teaching highland dance and Jazz/Tap I. Caitlin is also an accomplished flautist and is featured in CDPA's annual production, In His Name...We Dance. In addition to her teach responsibilities and a very stringent academic schedule, Caitlin serves as President of the CDPA Performing Ensemble
|
|---|