| Vanessa Bessler, MBA - Artistic Director

YAGP Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Vanessa Bessler is a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Panama. She started her dancing career very early and was a full scholarship student at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, New York. Her training includes the Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dancing, and Cecchetti methods along with modern dance and jazz. Vanessa has studied in Panama, Panama; New York, New York; Havana, Cuba; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Milan, Italy; and Miami, Florida under renowned teachers including: Wasil Tupin, Angelco Yureska, Belinda Writes, Hector Zaraspe, John Magnus, Marek Cholewa and Elena Kunikova among others. She also participated in several international dance festivals in Argentina, Peru and El Salvador. Vanessa performed principal roles in Ballets including: Don Quixote, Paquita, La Bayadere, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, Nutcracker, Spring Waters, Flower Festival, Paris Flames, Dying Swan (from Le Carnaval des), and Diana and Acteon.

In her twenty plus years of teaching, Vanessa has a track record of preparing successful students who have joined professional companies and strong college programs. She also has prepared numerous Youth American Grand Prix (“YAGP”) regional Top 12 Finalists and Award Winners, including dancers who have progressed to the final round of the YAGP competitions held in New York. Bessler has been recognized as Outstanding Teacher for 8 consecutive years at YAGP (2016 - 2023) and with the Outstanding School Award in 2018. Additionally,  her dancers have been selected to compete in the highly prestigious Prix de Lausanne, the Vaganova Prix, and the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS. Furthermore, her students have received numerous scholarships to world-renowned schools and summer intensive programs.

Vanessa holds degrees and certifications from the following institutions: Master of Business Administration, Barry University, Miami Florida; Postgraduate degree in Education, Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua, Republic of Panama; Bachelor of Arts, Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua, Republic of Panama; Bolshoi Academy Teacher Certifications, Cecchetti Method Teacher Certifications, and Royal Academy of Dancing Teacher’s training. She also completed a Teacher Training program at the renowned Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy and the Vaganova Ballet Academy.