Classical Foundation
Extensive ballet and dance training with respected teachers and ballet masters throughout my formative and professional years.
MEET OUR FOUNDER
Meet Mary. The Heart Behind Alouettes.
Dancer. Educator. Choreographer. Mother. Founder. For Mary, Alouettes began long before there was an academy. It began with a little girl who fell completely in love with dance and the family who believed in her dream.
MARILENA “MARY” SANCHEZ · FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
MY STORY
Dance Has Always Been Part of Who I Am.
I have spent most of my life inside a dance studio, first as a little girl who couldn't wait for ballet class, then as a student, performer, teacher and choreographer, and eventually as the founder of the academy I once dreamed of creating.
But when I think about how this journey really began, I don't think first about performances, degrees or professional credits. I think about being three years old. I think about my parents. And I think about one ballet class that changed everything.
This is the story behind Alouettes and why creating a place where children can fall in love with the arts means so much to me.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
One Ballet Class. One Very Big Dream.
I was three years old when my mom took me to my first ballet class. I can still remember it, and from that day forward, all I wanted to do was dance.
Ballet quickly became the place where I felt most at home.
During my school years, I couldn't wait to get home, finish my homework as quickly as possible and make it to ballet class. Even when I was young, I understood that if I wanted dance to become part of my life, training mattered.
I learned early how to balance academics with hours in the studio. The training became more demanding, but somehow that only made me love it more.
And through every class, rehearsal, recital and new challenge, there were two people quietly making it all possible: my mom and dad.
THE SUPPORT BEHIND THE DREAM
They Believed in Me Before I Knew Where It Would Lead.
My parents were my greatest support system. They took me to classes, made sure everything I needed was ready, and somehow survived the wonderful craziness of recital season right beside me.
I still remember my mom backstage with Bobby pins, hairspray, water and the smile that always made me feel calm. My dad would help with props and make sure the stage was ready for us. They weren't simply watching my dream from the audience. They were part of it.
Their support taught me something I would carry into Alouettes years later: when a child loves something, having someone believe in that passion can change the course of their life.
WHEN THE DREAM BECAME SERIOUS
Passion Became Discipline.
As my commitment grew, so did my training. I had the opportunity to study with respected ballet masters including Vladimir Issaev, Magda Aunon and others who helped shape my technical foundation and understanding of the art form.
When it was time for high school, I auditioned for the Dance Program at New World School of the Arts. Being accepted was one of those moments when the dream suddenly felt real.
New World opened an entirely new world of training, performance and artistic exposure. The days were long, sometimes eight to ten hours in a studio preparing for performances and auditions, but I was exactly where I wanted to be.
New World School of the Arts
Dance Program · Miami, Florida
THEN SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED
I Fell in Love All Over Again.
While I was still in high school, ballet mistress Albertina Fumagalli gave me an opportunity that would completely change the direction of my life: she asked me to teach a ballet class.
I loved it immediately. There was something incredibly special about helping a child understand a step, watching confidence appear where uncertainty had been, and sharing the same art form that had already given me so much.
Ms. Fumagalli continued mentoring me as a teacher and gradually trusted me with more classes. I was still dreaming about performing, but now another dream had begun.
I went home and told my parents: “After I dance professionally, one day I want to open my own dance studio.”
ALL THESE YEARS LATER
“When people ask me what I do for a living, my answer is always... Have fun.”
MARYFROM STUDENT TO PROFESSIONAL
The Stage Became My Classroom Too.
As my training continued, so did the opportunities to perform. I had the privilege of working with talented choreographers including Mia Michaels, Michael Uthoff, Gerald Ebitz, Mariana Alvarez, Judith Newman, Jane Carrington and Rosita Segovia, among others.
I performed in classical works including The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, Manon and Romeo and Juliet, along with musical theatre productions and original contemporary repertoire.
My journey also gave me opportunities to train and perform in New York and Paris. Every teacher, choreographer, rehearsal and performance added another layer to the artist and educator I was becoming.
Performing taught me what happens on stage. Teaching was beginning to teach me what it takes to help someone get there.
A LIFE IN THE ARTS
Training. Performing. Always Learning.
Each chapter of my career shaped the way I would eventually approach training young artists of my own.
Classical & Contemporary Repertoire
Experience spanning classical ballet, contemporary work, musical theatre and original choreography.
Beyond Miami
Opportunities to continue training and performing in artistic communities including New York and Paris.
A Second Calling
Years spent teaching alongside performing revealed that developing young dancers was becoming just as meaningful as performing myself.
ARTISTRY MET EDUCATION
Understanding the Artist And the Child.
My parents had supported every part of my dance journey, but there was one thing they always asked of me. They wanted me to finish college.
After high school, I continued my education at the University of Florida on a full scholarship while still dancing professionally and teaching. My studies brought together two subjects that would later become deeply connected in my work: dance and psychology.
Understanding how children develop emotionally, socially and cognitively changed the way I thought about teaching. Technique mattered tremendously, but so did the way a child experienced the process of learning it.
I later pursued my MBA, adding another piece to the dream I had carried since my first experience teaching. If I was going to build an academy someday, I wanted to understand not only the artistic side of that dream, but the business behind making it sustainable.
University of Florida
Bachelor of Fine Arts · Dance & Psychology
Master of Business Administration
Graduate studies in business and entrepreneurship
THE PIECES WERE COMING TOGETHER
Artist. Educator. Future Founder.
Looking back, the things I was studying and experiencing separately were actually preparing me for the same purpose.
01
Dance
Years of training and performance taught me discipline, artistry, technique and respect for the craft.
02
Psychology
Studying development helped shape my belief that great teaching must consider the whole child, not only the dancer.
03
Business
Graduate study helped prepare me to turn an artistic vision into an academy that could grow, evolve and serve families for years to come.
AND THEN LIFE ADDED ANOTHER PIECE
I Found My Partner in the Dream.
Somewhere along the journey toward my MBA, something happened that had absolutely nothing to do with a business plan. I met the love of my life and the person who would eventually become my partner in bringing Alouettes to life.
The dream of opening an academy had been with me since I was young, but dreams do not always happen exactly when we imagine they will. Financial realities meant waiting a little longer. So I continued dancing, teaching, learning and preparing.
Sometimes a dream isn't delayed. You're simply still becoming the person who will be ready to build it.
THE DREAM FINALLY HAD A HOME
August 22, 2012. Alouettes Opened Its Doors.
My husband and I finally had the opportunity to turn the dream I had carried for years into something real. Opening Alouettes was exciting, terrifying, exhausting and incredibly rewarding. It wasn't easy, but neither of us had ever been afraid of working hard for something we believed in.
What began as a dream of owning a dance studio quickly became something much more meaningful. It became a place where I could bring together everything I had learned as a dancer, performer, teacher, student of psychology and business professional.
ALOUETTES ACADEMY OF THE ARTS · EST. 2012MORE THAN THE STUDIO I DREAMED ABOUT
It Became A Place to Belong.
From the beginning, I knew I wanted Alouettes to be a place where excellent training and genuine encouragement could exist together.
I wanted children to work hard, develop discipline and receive strong artistic training, but I also wanted them to walk into class excited to be there. I wanted them to feel known, supported and proud of their progress.
Most of all, I wanted families to feel part of the journey. My parents had shown me how powerful that support could be. Now I had an opportunity to help create that experience for another generation of young artists.
The little girl who once couldn't wait to get to ballet class finally had the chance to create that feeling for someone else.
“Alouettes began with my love for dance. But it grew because of my love for teaching, for children and for watching young artists discover just how much they are capable of.”
MARY · FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
WHAT ALL OF IT TAUGHT ME
Train the Artist. Nurture the Child.
Years of performing taught me the importance of discipline, technique and preparation. Years of teaching taught me something equally important. Children learn best when they feel supported, challenged, understood and excited to come back.
I never wanted Alouettes to be a place where excellent training came at the expense of a child's love for the arts. I believe we can ask our students to work hard while still encouraging them, celebrating their progress and allowing them to enjoy the journey.
That philosophy has shaped the way we teach from our youngest students taking their very first class to our experienced dancers preparing for performances and competitions.
I want our students to become beautiful artists, but I also want them to become confident young people who know that hard work and joy can exist in the same room.
THE WHOLE CHILD
What Happens Beyond The Steps Matters Too.
My background in dance and psychology continues to influence how I think about arts education. A child walking into class is developing in many ways at once.
01
Confidence
We want students to discover what they are capable of and become comfortable taking healthy risks as they learn.
02
Discipline
Progress comes from consistency, preparation and learning that meaningful goals are achieved one class at a time.
03
Creativity
The arts give children permission to imagine, explore, express themselves and develop their own artistic voice.
04
Belonging
Children should feel that the studio is a place where they are known, encouraged and part of something meaningful.
WHEN TEACHING BECAME SOMETHING MORE
And Then Came Ally Ballerina.
After years of working with young children, I became increasingly interested in how differently our youngest students experience a dance class.
A three year old is not simply a smaller version of an older dancer. Young children are developing physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively all at once. I wanted their first experience with dance to honor that.
Together with knowledge from child development, early childhood education and dance instruction, we created Ally Ballerina, a program designed specifically around the way young children learn.
Through movement, music, imagination and storytelling, children are introduced to the foundations of dance while becoming part of Ally's magical adventures.
Their first dance class should do more than teach them steps. It should make them excited to discover what comes next.
Explore Ally Ballerina
WATCHING THEM FIND THEIR OWN PATH
Their Dreams Became Part of Ours.
Over the years, one of my greatest joys has been watching students take the confidence, discipline and training they developed at Alouettes and use it to pursue opportunities of their own.
Magnet & Arts Programs
Students have continued their training through selective arts schools and specialized dance programs.
Stage & Entertainment
Alouettes students have pursued opportunities including professional productions, Broadway experiences and entertainment castings.
Continuing Their Craft
Students have been accepted into pre professional training opportunities including programs associated with the Joffrey Ballet.
Recognition & Awards
Our dancers have earned regional recognition and special awards while learning that the growth behind the performance matters just as much as the result.
BUT THIS IS WHAT I AM MOST PROUD OF
“Success isn't only the student who goes on to perform professionally. It's also the child who walks taller, speaks with more confidence, discovers something they love and learns that they are capable of doing hard things.”
MARY
FOURTEEN YEARS LATER
The Dream Keeps Growing With Them.
Fourteen years after opening our doors, I still feel incredibly lucky to walk into Alouettes and do something I love every day.
Our programs have grown. Our students have grown. Our team has grown. We have added new disciplines, created new opportunities and watched little dancers become accomplished young artists.
But the heart of Alouettes has remained remarkably simple. We want every child who walks through our doors to receive excellent training, feel encouraged to grow and know that there are people here who genuinely care about their journey.
I once had parents who believed completely in my dream. Alouettes gives me the privilege of helping other children believe in theirs.
THE BEST PART OF THE STORY
The People Who Fill These Rooms.
A NOTE FROM ME TO YOU
Welcome to Alouettes.
If you're reading this because you're considering Alouettes for your child, I want you to know how seriously we take the privilege of being part of their journey.
I know what it feels like to be the little girl who can't wait for her next class. I also know what it feels like to be the parent watching from the other side, hoping your child is somewhere they will be challenged, encouraged, cared for and allowed to grow into exactly who they are.
Whether your child dreams of performing professionally someday or simply wants one hour each week to dance, sing, act, create and have fun, there is value in that experience.
Thank you for trusting our teachers and our academy with a small piece of your child's story. We never take that trust for granted.
I hope when your family walks through our doors, you feel the same thing I felt walking into ballet class all those years ago: excitement about what might be possible.
With love,
Mary
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Mary
COME EXPERIENCE ALOUETTES
Every Story Starts Somewhere.
Maybe your child's story begins with one class too. Come meet our teachers, experience our academy and discover a place where creativity, training and belonging grow together.