Ms. Maciel de Faria was born in Brazil and began her ballet studies at age 3. She trained at the prestigious Ballet Cristina Helena, under the guidance of the studio’s namesake, Pablo Moret, Ofelia Gonzalez, Tania Suares and Graca Sales. Upon Ms. Faria’s graduation, in 2003, she moved to Germany to continue her education at the Palucca School of Dresden, under the instruction of Hans-Joachim Tappendorf.

 

Professionally, Ms. Faria has worked with the Sesiminas Company of Dance (Brazil), Columbia Classical Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and most recently, Cirque Du Soleil’s La Nouba, where she performed the role of The Lost Ballerina.

 

Her repertoire includes the roles of Swanilda in Coppelia; Kitri and Cupid in Don Quixote; Myrtha in Giselle; Medora in Le Corsaire; Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee; Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty; Cinderella in Cinderella; the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker; as well as leading roles in George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie and Who Cares?

 

Ms. Faria has appeared as a guest artist with several regional ballet companies and schools in the U.S. and abroad. Among her many awards, she received the Gold Medal in Danza Nino 97 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was also a finalist at the New York International Ballet Competition in 2005.

 

With more than 20 years teaching experience at all levels, Ms. Faria’s styles include ballet technique, pointe, variations, and conditioning. She is also Progressive Ballet Technique certified.

 

Ms. Faria currently teaches at multiple locations in Central Florida. Her students have been highly successful, winning awards in competitions including Youth American Grand Prix.

 

She previously taught at V&T Dance (CA), Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, A Touch of Class (LA), the Hammond Ballet Company (LA), the Russian Academy of Ballet (FL) and the Sesiminas Company of Dance, among others.