After years of teaching throughout the Greater New York City area, Jackie Parrott opened Uptown Ballet Academy to share the joy of dance in Upper Manhattan, and to also bring a high level of dance education to the neighborhood.   Our emphasis is to provide children and developing dancers with a nurturing and disciplined environment for their dance studies.  Younger students are given an introduction to how the body moves, interacting with music, and learning to participate in a group.  Older students will learn the necessary foundations of dance in small class sizes, focusing on poise, terminology, strength, and flexibility.  Our mission is to nurture dancers in an individualized setting by providing them with a quality dance education that will foster a life long love of dance and also prepare them for more intensive training when desired.   

Jackie Parrott (Director of Uptown Ballet Academy, Ballet)

Jackie was trained at the School of American Ballet, Royal Academy of Dancing in London, and several preprofessional programs in the U.S.  After dancing professionally in the Northeast, she returned to school to pursue a degree in Art History - leading to positions at Holly Solomon Gallery, P.S.1, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  In 2010, after the birth of her daughter, Jackie returned to teaching dance.  Having been a longtime active member of the Inwood community, she is excited to finally be able to share her love of dance and movement with her neighbors.  Jackie's teaching style is structured yet encouraging, emphasizing musicality and coordination.   Jackie's former students have been accepted to the Paris Opera Ballet School, School of American Ballet, and American Ballet Theater's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. 

JR Bruno (Contemporary, Tap, and Ballet)

JR recently returned to teaching after a long run with The Book of Mormon.  He has danced with Cincinnati Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, as well as several Broadway productions and touring shows.  JR has also appeared on So You Think You Can Dance.  His students have been featured in countless commercials, TV and Broadway shows, including the current casts of Kinky Boots, The Lion King, School of Rock and Miss Saigon. 

Ilona Wall Nambisan(Ballet)

Ilona trained at the School of American Ballet, and also at Ballet Academy East, under Francis Patrelle’s direction. Ilona has danced professionally with Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY, and Chamber Dance Project, and Dances Patrelle. She has been an assistant professor for Movement for Opera Singers at the Manhattan School of Music for four years, while also choreographing independently. Ilona holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and has written reviews and features for several publications, including Pointe Magazine.

Abigail Mentzer (Ballet)

Abigail grew up in Inwood and received her training at the School of American Ballet. Upon graduation, she spent a year performing with Miami City Ballet before joining Pennsylvania Ballet in 2002.  Abigail danced with Pennsylvania Ballet, under the direction of Roy Kaiser, for 11 years reaching the rank of Soloist. In 2012, she appeared in the Susan Stroman musical, Little Dancer, at the Kennedy Center and then joined the North American Tour of Phantom of the Opera.