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ANNA REZNIK (Director, A&A BALLET) is the former Founding Artistic Director of the Joffrey Academy and the Joffrey Studio Company (2009-2016). In a very short time, she developed the Academy as one of the most innovative and fast-growing dance organizations worldwide. 

She began her career in Moscow at the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Degree of Ballet Artist) and the Bolshoi Institute of Choreography (Degree in Pedagogy). Ms. Reznik toured throughout the world as a Principal Artist with the Moscow Festival Ballet (later the Russian National Ballet), England's Northern Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, BalletMet, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, and the Russian and European Stars of the Ballet. Her performances received rave reviews in the New York Times, Los Angels Times, Dance Magazine and La Danse de Paris.

Ms. Reznik has won numerous awards, including a Special Diaghilev Prize, Silver Medal at the 1996 Lifar International Ballet Competition, as well as the top prize at the 1996 Nureyev International Ballet Competition and the 1996 Maya International Ballet Competition.

Ms. Reznik was featured nationwide in the PBS Holiday Specials Love is Here to Stay and A Family Thanksgiving. In 2002, Ms. Reznik was recognized as one of the most influential people in the Arts in Cincinnati. She has been praised for her extraordinary ability to work with today's young dancers.

Her thorough knowledge of the most current teaching methods and styles has produced many dancers who have been accepted into some of the most prestigious companies worldwide, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Staatsoper Berlin, Dresden Semperoper, Norwegian National Ballet, Polish National Ballet, Estonian National Ballet, New Zealand Royal Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Met, Kansas City Ballet, Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, Sarasota Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Tulsa Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dortmund Ballet, Complexions and many others.

In 2007 and 2017 Ms. Reznik received the Outstanding Teacher Award at the YAGP. Under her leadership, the Southold Dance Theatre was named Outstanding School at YAGP in 2008, and the Joffrey Academy of Dance claimed the same title at YAGP every year they participated in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. Ms. Reznik also received the Achievement Award in Culture from the Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI).

BARBARA YOKOM  (Executive Director/Founder, The School of Performing Arts) is widely recognized as a champion for the advancement of the performing arts and has built a notable reputation throughout the Chicagoland area as a leader in the field of arts education.

A graduate of Millikin University, with a degree in Business, and a minor in Fine Arts, Yokom has been an active performer, educator, administrator, choreographer and community leader. SPA is celebrating 26 years of arts education in DuPage County and has recently expanded to downtown Chicago in collaboration with Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik, former Artistic Directors of The Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet.

A recent graduate of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, Barbara has overseen tremendous growth at SPA.  She prides herself in never losing touch with her passion for teaching. With over twenty years of teaching experience, from primary to adult levels, Barbara continues to be an innovative arts educator and administrator.