Bonita Simpson
Owner, Artistic Director, Teacher

Bonita Simpson, owner and director of Bonita’s School of Ballet (1992), founded Monroe City Ballet (2004) and the Union County Youth Ballet (1992). She is certified by American Ballet Theatre through the National Training Curriculum Program, Primary through Level 3. She is also certified as a ballet teacher through the Royal Academy of Dance and the Cecchetti Council of America. Simpson trained at the Charlotte School of Ballet under Gay Porter Speer. In her earlier training, Simpson attended summer programs at the North Carolina School of the Arts. She has continued her training with summer Teacher Intensives with Finis Jhung, Ballet Magnificat, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Since she founded the Union County Youth Ballet, Simpson has directed and choreographed numerous full length productions including: The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and There is a God.

Amy Helms
Ballet/Pointe/Pre-pointe/Boys

Helms teaches ballet, pointe, pre-pointe, and boys' classes at Bonita's School of Ballet. She is certified by American Ballet Theatre through the National Training Curriculum Program, Primary through Level 3. She has studied Royal Academy of Dance and Vaganova (Russian) methods of classical ballet as well as modern, jazz, tap and ballroom dance. Amy is also an attorney in Monroe. She is married to District Court Judge Tripp Helms; they have three children; Madeleine, Zealy and Henry.

Lesli Todd
Modern, Jazz, Tap

Mrs. Lesli teaches all genres of dance including her specialty of modern dancing.
Lesli has been awarded top teacher and choreography awards for her work with the SFAC team.
Formerly, Lesli has performed with Mobile Ballet in Alabama and the Joe Jefferson Players. Lesli has been awarded many scholarships as well as having studied at Joffrey Ballet, Martha Graham Studio, Steps, and the Broadway Dance Center. After graduating from Leflore High School of Communications and Arts she moved to Chicago, IL to pursue a performing career in dance. While in Chicago, she performed with and was awarded scholarships to Gus Giorodano Jazz Dance Chicago, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre and the Of Light and Temptation Project. Lesli also had the opportunity to teach and choreograph for local Chicago schools. 1995 Co-Artistic Director of The Dance Center and a founding member of the Alabama Contemporary Dance Theatre where Mrs. Lesli taught and choreographed there as well as the Children's Musical Theater, and Culture in Black and White. 1999 Winter Dance Festival at NC School of the Arts. Former Certified Ballroom instructor for Fred Astaire. Former company member with Moving Poets in Charlotte NC. Mrs. Lesli has a long list of former students who have gone on to utilize their dance education professionally, from Hairspray on Broadway, NC School of the Arts and performing scholarships. Her natural athleticism presented an opportunity for her quickly gain accolades in the Disc Golf community holding the titles of 1998 World Championships, Rookie of the Year, 2000 & 2001 Women's National Championship and Player of the Year.

Skyla Caldwell
Ballet/Pointe

Skyla Caldwell, A.R.A.D. (Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance), trained at the Charlotte School of Ballet under Gay Porter Speer and The Point Park Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA as a scholarship student under the direction of Robert Munoz. Skyla has danced for NCDT as an apprentice under Salvatore Aiello and Jerry Kumery. Caldwell has also danced at the National Ballet of Cuba under Laura Alonzo in Havana, Cuba, and is associated with the Royal Academy of London. Caldwell has danced with the Moving Poets Theater of Dance for the last eight years and is currently serving as the Ballet Mistress of the Union County Youth Ballet.

Lisa Leone
Ballet/Pointe

Leone began her training in Tacoma, WA under Jan Collum. After dancing the role of Cinderella in Washington, the choreographer, Tom Pazik, director of Atlanta Ballet II, invited her to study in Atlanta. She later danced with the Atlanta Ballet and the Ballet Rotaru, touring Romania and performing at the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest. For three years Ms. Leone danced as a soloist with the Oregon Ballet Theatre. After relocating to NC she performed as a guest artist with area companies and was a member of the Moving Poets Theatre of Dance. She is a member of the faculty of the Sullivan Dance Centre, and lives in Marshville, NC with her husband, sculptor Stephen Smith.

Sydni Starnes
Student Teacher

Tara Simpson
Student Teacher