Faculty

Yvette Frias

Company Director

–

Biography

Yvette Frias joined the MUL staff in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since! She quickly took over the coveted position as Company Director in 2020 through her commitment to her students and innovative teaching technique. She single-handedly organized and launched Masters Upper Level Kingwood in Kingwood, TX, while teaching and directing both companies.

Yvette is most known for her technique classes that have taken her across Texas to studios and schools such as Profusion Performing Arts, Lake Houston Performing Arts, Stacy’s Dance Studio, MECKKA, Summer Creek High School, Kingwood Fillies, Cinco Ranch, New Caney High School, River Wood Middle School, Atascocita High School, and Creek Wood Middle School, and Westlake Houston Middle School. Her training has enabled students acceptance into programs such as Chapman University, Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Texas Tech, University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State University, Tremaine, HSPVA and more.

Yvette worked with Marching Auxilaries of America, MA Dance, for several years while pursuing her double major from Sam Houston State University; a BFA in dance and undergraduate degree in psychology.

Kara Townsend

Asst. Company Director

–

Biography

Kara Townsend is from Sugar Land, Texas, and has been dancing since the age of two. She trained and competed with Masters Upper Level Dance Company for 11 years and graduated as a Dance Major from Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 2017. As a Saint Mary’s College of California Gael Academic and Performing Arts Scholar, Kara was a member of Saint Mary’s Dance Company for four years and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Dance: Choreography and Performance double major in May 2021. She had the honor of performing at the American College Dance Association West Regional Conference for three years. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Kara was also a member of the multi-generational modern dance company, Dana Lawton Dances in Oakland, California, during the 2019-2021 season. In 2018, she served as an intern at Regional Dance America’s National Choreography Intensive at Sam Houston State University. Kara’s passion for storytelling and emotional expression through the art of dance started at a very young age. As an alumni of Masters Upper Level, she is very excited to teach at her home studio and encourage others to pursue their love for dance.

Morgyn Pottorf

Asst. Company Director

–

Biography

Morgyn is from Houston, Texas where she started dancing at the age of four and immediately fell in love with it. She trained in all styles of dance and went to many dance competitions and conventions. Morgyn attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, then moved to California for college. She graduated from Chapman University with a B.F.A in Dance Performance and a minor in Nutrition. After college Morgyn continued her dance journey in Los Angeles participating in a multitude of live performances and dance films, but she also found a passion for the fitness industry. Morgyn is currently a Lagree Fitness Trainer and an Assistant Director at Masters Upper Level Dance Studio. She loves being able to combine her dance training and fitness training to help dancers grow every day, while she continues to pursue her professional dance career.

Adrian Ciobanu

Company Ballet Instructor

Biography

Adrian Ciobanu was born in Cluj, Romania where he graduated from the Liceul de Choregrafie, Octavian Stroia with honors, under the direction of his father, Florin Ciobanu. He then went on to work with the Romanian Opera Ballet for one year before moving to the Hungarian Opera Ballet. During his five years there, he was promoted to Principal dancer. He toured extensively throughout Europe including France, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.

In 1996 Adrian moved to Sarasota, Forida, and became a member of the Sarasota Ballet dancing many major Principal roles and creating many roles as well. His repertoire includes many major classical ballets, and many contemporary ballets by such choreographers as Robert North, Alberto Alonso, Katherine Posen, Steven Mills, Todd Allen, Ament Istvan, and many others. Since 2002 Adrian has been teaching and coaching for the Sarasota Ballet School, Dance the Next Generation, and many local and regional schools such as Brandon Ballet; The Dance Center, Brandon, FL; West Florida Ballet, St. Petersburg, FL; Florida Ballet Arts; and Alyson’s in Bradenton, FL.

In 2003, Adrian was promoted to Principal of Academy, Sarasota Ballet. He has doubled the number of students and increased the budget significantly since his direction. He has staged many full-length productions for the Academy, such as: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, La Boutique Fantasque, Paquita, and others.

In 2008 Adrian was promoted to Ballet Master of Sarasota Ballet and still worked extensively with the Academy. He worked with such stagers and choreographers as Hans Van Manen, Monica Parker, Alexander Grant, Dominic Walsh, Sandra Jennings, Joyceanne Sidimus, Julian Moss, Andre Prokovsky, Gilles Maidon, Jackie Hollander, Donald Mahler, and Margaret Barbieri.

Nao Kusuzaki

Company Ballet Instructor

Biography

Nao Kusuzaki is born in Ehime prefecture, Japan, and began her ballet lessons at 3 years old at Yatsuzuka Ballet School. After moving to the U.S. at age 10, she continued her training with The Washington School of Ballet and Boston Ballet School. Nao became a member of Corps de Ballet with Boston Ballet in 2001. In 2004 she joined the Houston Ballet, and was promoted to Soloist in 2009. She has danced numerous leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. Some of her featured roles include: The Sugarplum Fairy and The Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Nikiya in La Bayadere, Madame Butterfly in Madame Butterfly, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and Odette and Odile in Swan Lake. She has also performed in Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort, Sinfonietta, and Falling Angels, William Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, and Mark Morris’s Pacific. Most recently, she was invited to stage Swan Lake and perform Odette/Odile with the Victoria Ballet Theater in March, 2019.

Nao is also active in the Houston community, producing Dance for Hope, a benefit Concert in response to Japan Earthquake of 2011; co-creating TSURU with Asia Society Texas Center in 2015; and directing and dancing the 45th Anniversary Ballet Performance celebrating Houston and Chiba Sister City Relations, which premiered in July 22, 2017. In November, 2017, Nao directed and danced in the revival of TSURU at the Miller Outdoor Theater, Houston, TX, where she was commended by the Consulate General, Japan. Nao is also the Founder of Creative Minds Collaborative Inc., a nonprofit organization which seeks to create meaning across artists, educators, and supporters of the arts utilizing dance as the main medium.

Lindsay Cortner

Company Instructor

Biography

Bio coming soon.

Carlie Turner

Company Instructor

Biography

Carlie Turner grew up dancing, beginning at the age of 3 at Becky’s Academy of Dance in Katy, Texas. She started training in many styles of dance such as ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, contemporary, hip hop, jazz funk, and musical theatre. For 13 years, she was trained by incredible teachers dancing at Becky’s, Progressions Elite, and finishing her competitive years at Top Flight Dance Center. During this time she got to work with impeccable choreographers such as DJ Guthrie, Destini Rogers, Kourtni Lind, Bobby Newberry, Braham Logan Crane, Desiree Robins, Christopher Huggins, Lisette Bustamante, TOKYO, and many more. Carlie also began teaching Contemporary, Jazz, and Improv at Top Flight Dance Center during her high school years and continued to do so throughout college. Carlie ended her senior year of high school (2014-2015) with the opportunity to tour around the US and Canada as an Artists Simply Human (ASH) assistant with phenomenal choreographers and mentors. Carlie attended the University of Arizona in 2014 and graduated in 3 1/2 years with her BFA in dance and a minor in psychology. During her time there, she performed in numerous faculty shows, as well as accomplished having her own choreographic piece performed on the Stevie Eller Stage. Carlie also had the opportunity to perform a piece choreographed by Tammy Dyke-Compton in Oklahoma at the Bell House Choreography Exchange. Carlie found she loved assisting choreographers and began to assist the incredible Lenorris Arnold around studios in Texas helping with choreography and master classes. In addition to assisting Lenorris, she has also assisted Kourtni Lind, Braham Logan Crane, and Destini Rogers. Destini and Carlie accomplished a studio tour the summer of 2016 choreographing and training many talented dancers across the US. In addition to assisting others, Calie has also done choreography on her own for studios in Texas and Arizona. She has received choreography awards in both states at numerous competitions and conventions. Carlie recently moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue her dance career and follow her dreams. While there, she trained with Mackenzie Martin, Liana Blackburn, Karen Chuang, and more. She then decided to move back to Texas and continue to educate dancers at local Houston studios and enhance her career working with foster care children. Her goal is to motivate others to follow their dreams and give everything they have to what they are passionate about.

Ruben Treviño

Company Ballet Instructor

Biography

Ruben Treviño graduated magna cum laude from Sam Houston State University in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance performance. While at Sam Houston University, Ruben trained under the direction of Jennifer Pontius, Jonathan Charles, Andy Noble, Dana Nicolay, and Dionne Noble. While in college, he was chosen twice to perform at the American College Dance Festival Association gala selection concert with his university. He was on scholarship and danced in numerous faculty concerts, graduate concerts, and student concerts. Ruben was also selected and given the opportunity to perform in a guest residency piece that was choreographed by Jane Weiner from Hope Stone Dance Company. Since relocating to Houston in 2012, Ruben has been contracted by and performed with Karen Stokes Dance, ChinaCat Dance, Bayou City Productions, Jonathan Charles, Ashley Horn, FreneticCore, Kingwood Dance Theatre, American Academy of Dance, Sandra Organ Dance Company, Noblemotion Dance, and the Pilot Dance Project. He has spent the last five years of his professional career dancing with Uptown Dance Company where he trained under Adrian Ciobanu and Alex Pandiscio. He has had the opportunity to learn choreography and take master classes from highly qualified teachers including Krissy Richmond, Tina Bohnatedt, Karina Gonzalez, Rupert Edwards, Chet Walker, Andre Silva, Barry Kerollis, Priscilla Nathan Murphy, just to name a few..

Kristian Skydanovych

Company Tap Instructor

Biography

Kristian started dancing at the age of 5. Since then, he has been practicing different kinds of dance styles, but his real passion is TAP DANCE. Kris has performed on various stages in France, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, and the USA. He has received numerous awards and has had the pleasure of dancing at Disneyland (Paris) in 2017, as well as on board of MSC Cruise ship in 2018. You can learn more about Kris from his website https://kris-tap.com.

Kristian has been recently developing himself in the professional sphere as a tap dance instructor and choreographer, along with participating in various shows. He is excited to be joining MUL’s faculty as a tap instructor.

In Memoriam: Gerald Hardy

We were shocked and saddened by the unexpected loss of our beloved drill team instructor and friend, Gerald Hardy. He was a talented dancer and patient teacher who exuded kindness, enthusiasm, and positivity. He is greatly missed by everyone at MUL and all who knew him.