Howard W Blake High School of the Arts - Dance Faculty

Albena Arnaudova - Dance

Albena Arnaudova is the Ballet faculty at Blake High School for the Arts Dance Department in Tampa, FL. Along with this she teaches at the Academy of Ballet Arts in St. Petersburg, FL and Academy for Dance and Circus Arts in Clearwater, FL.

From 1997 - 2004 she was an Adjunct professor at the University of South Florida and co-founder and director of Tampa Bay Repertory. Since 1996, she has been teaching extensively throughout the Bay area contributing to the development of many well trained dancers. Presently some of her students dance professionally with companies such as Alvin Ailey II, Dance Theater of Harlem, Huston, Nashville and Richmond Ballet. Few of her very accomplished pupils attend prominent universities such as J. K. Onassis School of American Ballet, Boston Conservatory, Fordham University, Julliard, University of the Arts,. Suny – Purchase College, University of the Arts, Bates College and others.

Ms. Arnaudova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria where she begun her ballet education at the Bulgarian Choreographic School. From 1978 until 1981 she continued her training on a full scholarship at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy – Moscow, Russia. From 1981 to 1996 she danced with the Bulgarian National Ballet touring extensively throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. Her repertory includes roles in the classical ballets such as the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Cinderella, Don Quixote and many others.In the US Mrs. Arnaudova danced with Dance Project Baroque Company performing at the Connecticut Early Music Festival, Lincoln Center Library in New York, Florida Dance Festival and others.

Ms. Arnaudova received her BFA in Dance cum laude from the University of South Florida. She is an active member of the National Dance Education Organization – Florida chapter and a recipient of number of grants including the Teacher incentive Grant from the Arts Council in Tampa, FL.

Kelly Rayl - Dance

Kelly Rayl was a gymnast and a springboard/tower diver before attending the Florida State University on an academic scholarship. She graduated from FSU with a B.S. in Chemical Science, a minor in psychology and a new found longing to dance. She received her B.F.A. in dance performance from the University of South of Florida. While attending USF she received numerous talent scholarships and the Bill Hug Choreography. Her choreography has been presented at the Fall Dance Concert at USF in, the American Collage Dance Festival, National High School Dance Festival and New Grounds Concert. She wrote and managed a project called “Natures Beauty as an Expression of Art” which was supported by the Mayors Beautification Grant, CANDO. INC, City of Tampa and the Polk County School Board. Kelly performed the multicultural, interdisciplinary, collaborative project “Visions of Peace” at the Theatre Dejazet in Paris, France in 2005. She is also a recipient of the Hillsborough teacher incentive grant. She is currently teachers Modern Dance, Choreography, and Dance Technique at Blake High School of the Arts, dancing with Moving Current Dance Collective, pursing a Master degree in Curriculum and Instruction and enjoying the world of motherhood.