Academy Director | Maya de Leon
Maya de Leon is a Filipino-American dancer and instructor who began her training at the age of 4 at Greater Lansing Academy of Dance and Greater Lansing Ballet Company under the direction of Barbara Banasikowski Smith. She trained primarily in the Vaganova ballet technique as well as jazz, modern, character, Polish folk dance, and tap. As a student, she received scholarships to many summer intensives all over the US including Utah, Colorado, Michigan, and Mississippi. In 2014, she was selected to perform with Regional Dance America at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.
Maya continued her dance training at Point Park University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in dance. At Point Park, Maya had the pleasure of being cast in pieces by Jae Man Joo, Matthew Powell, Helen Simoneau, Christopher Wheeldon, and Edwaard Liang among others. She began her professional career at the age of 19 touring Michigan with Third Coast Dance Company under the direction of Kristin Bennett Harrison and Lynn Bowman. Maya began her time in Peoria as an apprentice with Central Illinois Ballet in 2020 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2022. During her time in the company she has had opportunities to perform some of her favorite roles such as Mina (Dracula), Sugar Plum Fairy (Nutcracker), Tinker Bell (Peter Pan), Juliet (excerpts from Romeo and Juliet), and Odette (excerpts from Swan Lake).
Maya has spearheaded outreach programs through CIB enjoyed by Peoria Public Schools, central Illinois'; homeschool community, the Montessori School of Peoria, and more. She has taught in many dance schools in Illinois in Peoria, Washington, and Pekin and out of state in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Iowa. In addition to dance, Maya is also trained in piano and enjoys making music, drawing, and reading. She is a certified Youth Protection Advocate in Dance and is excited to see dance taking strides toward wellness and inclusion. Maya hopes to continue the mission and vision of Cornerstone to help enrich the Peoria community through the arts and nurture the next generation to not only be good dancers, but great people.
Ivana Brown
Front Desk Coordinator
Ivana Brown is from Sarasota Florida, and she began her ballet training at Diane Partington Studio of Classical Ballet. She then continued her professional training with a scholarship to Colorado Ballet under the instruction of Erica Fischbach. She later joined Nashville Ballet as an NB2 trainee. Ivana spent her summers with Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet Arizona. Ivana is grateful to be dancing with Central Illinois Ballet for her second season. She is excited to share and continue her love for dance!