The Faculty

The Faculty of Philadelphia Studio Ballet

Ms. Suzanne Slenn is a native of Philadelphia and received her early training at the School of The Pennsylvania Ballet (now Philadelphia Ballet); The Centre de Danse Classique with Rosella Hightower, Cannes, France; Interlochen Center for The Arts, Michigan; Harkness House, New York; and The Joffrey Ballet, New York. Ms. Slenn’s transition from dance student to aspiring professional produced an invitation to join the Trainee program at Joffrey prior to joining Pennsylvania Ballet. During her time with Pa. Ballet Slenn danced many roles, classical and contemporary, with both the parent company and the second company. After leaving Philadelphia, she joined the NBC Entertainment Corporation and toured Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, Canada, and Mexico as both a principal and corps dancer in many Equity productions.

Upon returning to New York, an opportunity to perform as a soloist and featured artist with Edward Villella and the New Jersey Ballet was offered and accepted. Ms. Slenn returned to Pennsylvania and began her conversion from dancer to teacher. After retiring from performing, Suzanne enjoyed a long tenure as a faculty member of the Shirley Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet where she choreographed a wide variety of works appearing in the school's repertoire. She served as Regional Director and Ballet Coordinator for Rock School West and rendered her services as teacher and choreographer. Suzanne didn't fully give up the stage, however; she could occasionally be seen performing character roles with Pennsylvania Ballet.

Ms. Slenn held the position of Adjunct Associate Professor of Dance at the University of The Arts where she taught ballet technique and pointe. She also served as Faculty Advisor overseeing choreography for the Student Choreography Workshop - a student driven course with emphasis on the creation of choreography and understanding the process involved in taking their ideas from concept to actuality. During that time, she was also faculty at Bryn Mawr College and continued that collaboration until establishing her own school, Philadelphia Studio Ballet, in 2003. In 2012 Suzanne introduced a program for children with disabilities and it continues today. The girls can be seen performing in the studio’s annual Nutcracker and end-of-year showcase.

Felicia V. Cruz-Sharpe started dancing when she was three at the Dolly Haltzman Dance Academy in Allentown, PA under Dolores Haltzman, Jennifer Haltzman-Tracy, Maurice Brandon Curry and Gloria Govrin. She went on to train multiple summers at the Rock School in Philadelphia, and at Richmond Ballet of VA, where she was on scholarship. In 2002, she received an internship to study at Steps on Broadway in NYC. She graduated from the University of the Arts in 2010, obtaining her BFA in ballet with an emphasis in performance. A few of her performing highlights include; "Shut up and Dance" with the Pennsylvania Ballet, touring "Crossroads" with Jette` Performance Company, performing lead roles in "The Nutcracker", and "Dracula" with Repertory Dance Theatre, "Tell me what's next" by Matthew Neenan, "I spiral into water" by Kate Watson-Wallace, "Threw the Wake" and "Caged", a solo, both done by Meredith Rainey. From 2010-2013 she was a member performing with Carbon Dance Theater under the direction of Meredith Rainey. She is a founding member (2008) and currently performing with DanceSpora.

Since then she has risen to resident choreographer and has set original works on the company, one of which, "For Tranquility's Sake", was selected to be performed at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in summer 2012. She has also had the opportunity to enter her choreography into the Star Power.

Sydney Donovan (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based performer, choreographer, educator, and mystic whose work bridges contemporary performance, ritual, and embodied healing. She earned her BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in 2019.

Following graduation, Donovan was rehearsal director for Bobbi Jene Smith, Annie Rigney, and Paul Matteson, later returning to UArts as a guest choreographer, premiering Thy Spirit like Thy Flesh (2023). A frequent performer with Opera Philadelphia, Donovan appeared in The Listeners (2024), choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, Il Viaggio a Reims (2025), and EITCHTERLING’s collaboration with Anthony Roth Costanzo (2025). Her additional performance credits include works by Paul Matteson, Lilach Orenstein (featured in Dance Magazine), and Zoe Scofield, including a Princess Grace Award–winning work and a recent collaboration with Xiu Xiu. Since 2024 she has been a collaborator with BF & Artist.

Donovan has performed in both the Philadelphia and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals with choreographers David Gorden, Susan Marshall, Hillary Pearson, Wally Carbonell, and Britt Fishel. As a 2022 Artist in Residence at MOtiVE Brooklyn, she developed her solo The Many in One are Mingled. She later premiered TRINE (2024), launching her company, OmenThrice, which recently held residence at Philly PACK where Jack|Jill & the Hill (2026) premiered.

Her interdisciplinary work includes film and movement direction, with credits spanning performance and collaborative film projects. Donovan currently serves as a dance professor at Drexel University, where she restaged and reworked Thy Flesh like Thy Spirit (2025) and premiered Portal to Self (2026).
She is thrilled to be returning to PSB!

Olivia Bohrer is a Philadelphia based dance artist and Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of the Arts. She received her BFA in Dance under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield in the Spring of 2019. She began her dance training at the age of five at Colorado School of Dance and went on to join their competitive Artistic Performance Team at age nine, ranking with them both at the local and national level.

During her time at UArts, she had the pleasure of performing in works choreographed by Jimena Paz, Bobby Jene Smith, Teddy Tedholm, and Curt Hayworth among many others. In the Spring of 2018, she had the opportunity to study at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

During her time in Israel, she trained in Gaga movement language forms while learning repertoire from the Batsheva Dance Co., Vertigo Dance Co., and Noa Tzuk. In September of 2018, she had the pleasure of performing alongside 200 fellow dancers from Philadelphia colleges in Boris Charmatz' work in the Philadelphia Museum of Dance. In January of 2019 she spent time in France and Belgium, dancing and learning from artists such as Daniel Condomine, Gala Moody, and Clinton Stringer. That May, she debuted her immersive performance piece titled like a handful of smoke - an experimental look at transcendence and ephemerality through luminescent costumes and experimental sound scores. After graduation, she performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival with The Philadelphia Jazz Tap Ensemble (formerly known as Take It Away Dance) and has been taking time to develop her artistic practice and voice through other forms of movement such as Franklin Method and yoga. She is particularly passionate about promoting safe practices for injury prevention for all students in her classes. Most recently, she has been working in the film production industry with LaVelle Productions and has thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of working in a new artistic field.

She has been guest teaching at dance studios in both the Philadelphia area and in her home state of Colorado; hosting workshops, master classes, choreographing and setting solos and group numbers. Her goal as an instructor is to facilitate a space where each student feels safe, heard, and valued as they develop their technique and artistry.

Jordan Sweeney is a hip hop instructor and choreographer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a lifelong passion for dance. She began training at the age of five in multiple styles and discovered her love for hip hop at 14 as a member of Morton’s Dance Center’s nationally and internationally ranked hip hop competition team. During her four years on the team, she earned multiple national & international championship titles as both a dancer & team captain.

While attending Saint Joseph’s University, Jordan founded & directed Hip Hop Hawks, the university’s hip hop dance crew, where she choreographed and taught weekly classes while building a strong community of dancers. She also performed alongside artists including T-Pain, Sean Kingston, and DJ Pauly D.

For the past eight years, Jordan has taught and choreographed throughout the Philadelphia area, inspiring dancers of all ages and levels. She continues to train with leading choreographers including Matt Steffanina, Alexander Chung, Janelle Ginestra, and JoJo Gomez. Jordan is dedicated to creating a positive environment where dancers build confidence, musicality, technique, and a true love for hip hop.

Abby Donnenfeld grew up training at Philadelphia Studio Ballet in Haverford, PA, under Artistic Director Suzanne Slenn. In high school, she attended intensives with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. She earned her BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a minor in mathematics. Abby taught for the Tisch Future Dancers & Dancemakers program, illuminating her love of teaching dance. She performed work by Sidra Bell, Rafael Cañals, and was featured at Tisch Salute at Radio City Music Hall performing work by Gary McCall. After graduating, Abby moved home to teach at her alma mater, Philadelphia Studio Ballet and run the Enrichment program for dancers with special needs. She performed with Kun-Yang Lin / Dancers for three seasons and became their lead Chi Dance Instructor. She also performed with Opera Philadelphia in their recent production of Il Viaggio A Reims.

Em Godfrey is a Korean nonbinary performing artist, educator, and choreographer in the Mid-Atlantic region. Their dance training began in Maryland, where they obtained a B.A. in Dance and Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Em has performed at various establishments, including the John F. Kennedy Center, Baltimore Light Festival, the Kimmel Center, and World of Dance stages. Currently, Em performs with various companies, including Brian Sanders’ JUNK and Grace Dance Company, and many dance and drag artists. They continue educating dancers of all ages within the Philadelphia school system and community.

Mariah Wolk began her dance training at three years old at Louise School of Dance. Studying a variety of styles for 15 years, she found dance to be a safe space for self expression. Her teaching and choreography efforts began in high school with the Ridley Drama Group. Applying her dance training to musical theater inspired Mariah to tell stories through dance.

Mariah continued her dance training at the University of Pittsburgh. It was here she found a love for dance production, ballroom styles, and working with young kids.

Mariah's teaching experiences began at the YMCA and Step by Step Child Care Center as she honed her expertise with the youngest population of dancers. She utilizes her extensive child care experience to create a positive, welcoming environment for young dancers to explore a love for themselves, the art of dance, and creativity as a means for self expression. She has also choreographed a number of musical productions with Spotlight Theatre where she expanded her production experience and performance repertoire.

Mariah feels honored to share her talents to inspire young and old to find themselves through dance.