ABOUT US

Mary Elizabeth Alfonso is proud to call New Orleans, Louisiana home. Beginning her training at a young age at Rhonda Edmundson School of Dance, she has studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, traveled to Greenwich, England to attend the Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, and spent an extensive amount of time participating in the world of the organization of Dance Masters of America. One of her favorite experiences is being a part of the National Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. Her passion for dance lead her to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where she received her B.F.A in Dance Education. At Southern Miss, Mary participated in the Repertory Dance Company where she worked and trained with choreographers such as Trebien Pollard, Stacy Reischman Fletcher, Kelly Ferris Lester, and Julie Hammond White. She performed at the American College Dance Festival in Bowling Green, OH and Tallahassee, FL. After graduation, Mary ventured to Mobile, Alabama where she was the established Dance Educator at Benton Cato Rain High School. During her time there, she created the Velocity Dance Company where her students were given various opportunities to perform around the community. Mary Elizabeth holds a Master of Arts from New York University; she also performed at the Fredrick Lowe Theatre at NYU as a part of the Masters Dance Concert. While in NYC, Mary had the opportunity to work for Joffrey Ballet School both in the studio and in the office under the esteemed Jo Matos, the Director of the Children’s and Youth Programs. Mary Elizabeth is a proud member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and the Florida Dance Education Organization (FDEO). She held a Board Position on the New York State Dance Education Association. Her choreography has won numerous awards and under her direction, the New Light Dance Project has been established as one of the most high demand dance companies on the Emerald Coast. In addition, Alfonso also offers private instruction, choreography, and mentoring. Alfonso Academy is HER and she IS ALFONSO ACADEMY. It’s a passion that was sprouted at a young artist who was determined to offer the ultimate experience as a dancer for all whom she crossed paths with. It is the direct result of a long lineage of hard work, diligence, and tedious efforts. While not in the studio, she enjoys traveling and juggling/spending time with her husband, Adam, and her kiddos Rhett Kristian, Romie Elizabeth, and Reid Anthony.

Aubrey Daboval is the Assistant Director and a dance instructor at Alfonso Academy, where she is passionate about developing confident, versatile, and technically strong dancers. She strives to create a positive and inspiring environment that encourages growth, discipline, and a lifelong love of dance.

Aubrey began her formal training at the prestigious New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where she received intensive pre-professional dance education with a strong foundation in modern and contemporary dance. She continued her dance career at Louisiana State University as a proud member of the nationally recognized LSU Tiger Girls dance team, further expanding her experience in collegiate performance and precision dance.

With a strong background in modern and contemporary movement, Aubrey blends artistry, technique, and athleticism in every class she teaches. She is dedicated to helping each dancer reach their fullest potential while encouraging creativity, confidence, and excellence both inside and outside the studio.

Jordan began dancing at the age of two in her hometown of Palm City, Florida. She trained at The Dance Academy of Stuart from ages two through eighteen, receiving extensive training in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, modern and hip-hop. At the age of ten, she earned a place in The Dance Academy of Stuart Company and continued performing with the company throughout her training. By age sixteen, she was also selected to train with the local professional company, Atlantic East Coast Dance Theater, under the direction of Alicia Chodera.

Throughout her training, Jordan performed in The Nutcracker for thirteen consecutive years, dancing numerous featured roles, including Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Her performance credits also include Coppélia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jewels, Alice in Wonderland, The Seasons, and other classical ballet productions. As a competitive dancer, she earned numerous scholarships, awards, and recognition for her performances and choreography, including her self-choreographed solos and pieces created for fellow dancers.

Jordan discovered her passion for teaching while still a student at The Dance Academy of Stuart. She began assisting classes at age twelve and was teaching her own classes by age fifteen. She became certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) in 2020, incorporating strength, conditioning, and injury-prevention into her ballet instruction.
Jordan continued to expand her training through prestigious intensives and workshops, including acceptance through competitive auditions into programs with Orlando Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet. She also attended the Florida State University summer intensive, where she studied under distinguished faculty, including Suzanne Farrell. In 2018, she was selected through competitive audition for the Florida Atlantic University Dance Team, a nationally ranked NCAA Division I program.

After relocating to the Niceville area, Jordan joined Alfonso Academy in 2021. She continued her education at Northwest Florida State College where she earned an Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology and an Associate of Arts in Health Sciences from Indian River State College.

Jordan’s goal as an instructor is to share her lifelong love and appreciation for dance with every student she teaches. She is committed to fostering strong technical foundations, artistry, discipline, and confidence while helping each student discover a love of dance in a positive and encouraging environment.

As a professional performer since the age of eleven, Candace is well versed in what it takes to make it on stage or in front of a camera in the dance industry. In addition to dance, as a model she has worked various industry and runway shows. A few of her dance credits include The Billboard Music Awards, Latin AMA’s, Dance Captain for Dream at the Sandcastle Theater in Guam, and ShowStoppers at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Experiencing performance first-hand has enabled Candace to be an expert at being a professional dancer. Her innate talent to interpret and communicate through the physical form has given many studios exactly what they needed to win that first overall or receive that call back.

Candace has captivated, shaped, and nurtured students for over ten years. She engages herself in the world of dance completely. She is compelled to share this fascination and love for dance with students from all over the world. From Guam to Canada and in between, whether she is teaching a master class, or setting choreography, her students are left inspired and reaching new levels of potential.

Currently, Candace is on faculty for Art of Movement Dance Convention. She and her husband Michael co-created AOM’s pre-professional assistant program, theACADEMY. Their 75-member team trains and assists on the Art of Movement tour. She is also an adjudicator for various dance competitions in the US. She can’t think of a better way to share her professional knowledge, broaden minds, and leave a little piece of herself for every student, than The Alfonso Academy.

Internationally trained and certified, Nicole Lupo, the founder of Sur le Pointe Academy brings over 16 years of teaching experience shaped by mentors including former New York City Ballet principal and Balanchine répétiteur Pat Neary, Penka Cangarova, Ruben Tonoyan, Addy Ador and other respected artists worldwide. Her training blends Vaganova discipline with refined Royal musicality and precision. Known for her sharp eye and honest corrections, she is equally recognized for her warmth, humor, and ability to truly see each student as an individual. After a career-altering ankle ligament injury at the peak of her performance path, she redirected her focus toward building dancers with resilience, intelligence, and strength on and off the stage. She created Sur le Pointe Academy to give opportunities to those willing to work especially those who may not always be “chosen” first, but are ready to rise. Her only non-negotiable: a genuine desire to learn.