Tamu Wilson Ortenzio

Artistic Director

Tamu Ortenzio became Artistic Director of WOCB in 2007 after eighteen years of teaching, performing and choreographing. Mrs. Ortenzio trained at Mobile Ballet with Vasile Petrutui, Homer Garza, Ann Duke and Winthrop Corey. Mrs. Ortenzio studied further with the Joffrey Ballet School, Atlanta Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Giacobbe Dance Academy and Rotaru Ballet School International. Professionally, Mrs. Ortenzio danced with Ballet Rotaru International under the artistic direction of Pavel Rotaru and Delta Festival Ballet in New Orleans, LA under the direction of Joseph Giacobbe. While teaching, Mrs. Ortenzio continued her education in Political Science at Spring Hill College and in Social Science in a master’s program at Southern University, Baton Rouge. After owning her own dance studio for many years, Mrs. Ortenzio decided to focus on choreography by starting a professional dance company. Mrs. Ortenzio began exploring integrated choreography in 1997, experimenting with various styles of dance with a contemporary edge without neglecting classical lines and traditional ballet technique. She has created original works for WOCB as well as other companies and staged full-length classical ballets in New York, Louisiana and Florida.

Diana Jones

Executive Director

Dianna Jones received her early dance training from Margaret Powell and Donna Blanchard and continued her education at Louisiana State University under the direction of Dr. Terry Worthy. Ms. Jones studied professionally with David Howard, Finis Jhung, Mia Michaels, Joe Tremaine, Wilhelm Burmann, and Paula Morgan-Maddox. She has owned and directed the renowned Jean Leigh Academy of Dance for 25 years. Ms. Jones is a gifted master teacher whose students have been accepted to such prestigious schools as School of American Ballet, The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Jacobs's Pillow, and American Ballet Theatre School. Dancers trained by Ms. Jones have performed with notable companies including Poz Dance Theatre, Villeneuve Dance, Wes Veldink Movement, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Fusion Dance Company. In 2002, her company was invited to perform at the Tanzsommer International Dance Festival in Innsbruck, Austria, receiving rave reviews. Her expertise was most recently noted in the October 2006 issue of Dance Teacher magazine in which she was one of only three dance educators chosen to address the subject of authentic artistic expression.

Brandi Bales

Development and public Relations

Dianna Jones received her early dance training from Margaret Powell and Donna Blanchard and continued her education at Louisiana State University under the direction of Dr. Terry Worthy. Ms. Jones studied professionally with David Howard, Finis Jhung, Mia Michaels, Joe Tremaine, Wilhelm Burmann, and Paula Morgan-Maddox. She has owned and directed the renowned Jean Leigh Academy of Dance for 25 years. Ms. Jones is a gifted master teacher whose students have been accepted to such prestigious schools as School of American Ballet, The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Jacobs's Pillow, and American Ballet Theatre School. Dancers trained by Ms. Jones have performed with notable companies including Poz Dance Theatre, Villeneuve Dance, Wes Veldink Movement, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Fusion Dance Company. In 2002, her company was invited to perform at the Tanzsommer International Dance Festival in Innsbruck, Austria, receiving rave reviews. Her expertise was most recently noted in the October 2006 issue of Dance Teacher magazine in which she was one of only three dance educators chosen to address the subject of authentic artistic expression.

Willowoak Dancers

Chase Madigan

Chase Madigan is originally from Leesburg, VA, where he grew up training and competing with the Loudoun School of Ballet.  In 2008, just out of high school, he was cast in the original company of the revival of West Side Story on Broadway.  Since the fall of 2009, he has enjoyed touring with New York City Dance Alliance as a dancer/assistant under the direction of Joe Lanteri.  Most recently he toured Australia and Europe with Rasta Thomas and the Bad Boys of Dance in the hit show "Rock the Ballet".

Raymond Kraus

Raymond Kraus was born and raised in Novi, Michigan.  Growing up, Raymond played just about every sport and had dreams of becoming a professional baseball player.  Upon his sister's insistence, he enrolled in classes at Dance Dynamics Performing Arts Center in Walled Lake, Michigan.  Raymond has had the pleasure of performing in pieces choreographed by Lucinda Childs, Sidra Bell, Patricia Hoffbauer, Cherylyn Lavagnino, and Gus Solomons, Jr.  He recently received his BFA in Dance from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.   Raymond is excited and honored to be performing with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet.

Cira Robinson
Cira was born in Cincinnati, Ohio where she began dancing at the age of 8. After graduating from the School for Creative and Performing Arts in 2004, she moved to NYC to dance full time with the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble.  During her 4 years there, she performed at the White House, as well as, the Protege Festival held in Washington D.C.  In 2008, she travelled to the United Kingdom to join Ballet Black.  She has worked with many well known choreographers in the UK.  Cira earned an honorable mention in Pointe Magazine's "Favorite Performances in 2009” for Antonia Franceschi's dance theatre piece POP 8. Cira was also featured in a spread for the April 2011 issue of Dance Europe magazine.  She first performed with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet in 2007 and is excited to return this season.

Courtney Horton
Originally from Bathurst, Australia, Courtney began his training at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts.  In 2006 he graduated and sought to continue his training at New World School of the Arts  in Miami, Florida where he recieved his BFA in Dance with highest honors.  Courtney has danced the works of Martha Graham, Michael Uthoff, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Robert Battle and many other well-known artists, and is looking forward to his performances with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet in the future.

Alexandra Lea Fraioli
Alex Fraioli, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University.  She was trained by Dianna Jones and Tamu Wilson Ortenzio of Jean Leigh Academy of Dance.  Alex has received many honors including scholarships to such esteemed institutions as the Joffrey Ballet School, Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, and The Rockette Dance Intensive in New York.  She was a featured soloist in Hammond Ballet Company’s “The Nutcracker.”  Alex currently resides in New York City, where she continues her dance training at professional schools such as Steps on Broadway and Peridance Capezio Center. 
Alex performed as a dancer and model in “MacroFashion Showcase,” produced by Anthony Ryan Auld, designer on Project Runway, Season 9.  This is Alex’s first season with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet. 

Traci Finch 
Traci Finch is a freelance dancer based in New York City and originally from Utah.  Her professional experience includes Ballet NY, Ballet Tucson, Connecticut Ballet, Ballets with a Twist, David Fernandez Dance, Lumiere Ballet, Ballet Neo, and Legacy Dance Theatre.  She graduated from Brigham Young University with her BA in Dance and performed with their resident ballet company, Theatre Ballet, dancing principal roles.  She has enjoyed performing as a guest artist in New York, California, Idaho, New Mexico, and Arizona.  Most recently, Traci traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark for the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar to study Bournonville Technique.

Damien Johnson
Damien was born in Dallas, Texas and received his training from Etgen-Atkinson School of Ballet and the Booker T. Washington School of the Arts.  He then studied on a full scholarship at the School of American Ballet.  In 2002, Damien joined the American Repertory Ballet and then the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble in 2003.  He first joined Ballet Black in 2005 before moving to Los Angeles Ballet in 2007.  Damien returned to Ballet Black in 2009 and is thrilled to be dancing with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet for his second season.

Grace Buckley
Since graduating from Colgate University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in political science, Grace Buckley has dedicated her time to working and training as a dancer.  She originally trained at Westchester Dance Academy in Westchester, NY, where she continues to teach and choreograph.  She has been touring as an assistant with New York City Dance Alliance, directed by Joe Lanteri, since October 2008.  When she is not traveling, Grace continues to focus on her training and teaching while also performing in various shows, benefits and industrials in and around New York.

Jordan Lynn McIntosh
Jordan McIntosh, originally from Detroit, Michigan, is thrilled to be working with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet.  Jordan toured as a dance assistant with West Coast Dance Explosion under the direction of John Crutchman and Alan Sherfield.  Jordan has studied with such master teachers as Desmond Richardson, Dwight Rhoden, Stacey Tookey, Mandy Moore, Jason Parsons and Joe Lanteri.  Jordan has performed with Walt Disney World Magic Music Days, Miss America Homecoming Show and can be seen in the Miley Cyrus video, "Who Owns My Heart".

Summer McCarroll
Summer McCarroll has trained extensively in contemporary, ballet, jazz, and musical theater.  Her early training was under the direction of Dianna Jones at Jean Leigh Academy of Dance in Louisiana.  Summer is a native of Baton Rouge and graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University.  She has studied with master teachers such as Jason Parsons, JT Horenstein, Jackie Sleight, and Joe Lanteri.  Summer was a guest performer with the Livingston Parish Dance Company at the Tanzsommer International Dance Festival in Innsbruck, Austria.  While in New York, Summer performed with Perceptions Contemporary Dance Company, was a principal dancer in the show Rock On/Live for Music, and toured with New York City Dance Alliance as   a dancer and assistant.  Summer has also toured with LA Dance Magic as a performer and assistant.  Summer performed as a dancer and model in “MacroFashion Showcase,” produced by Anthony Ryan Auld, designer on Project Runway, Season 9.  For the past year she was on staff as an instructor with Westchester Dance Academy, Westchester New Jersey.  Summer is thrilled to be performing with Willow Oak Contemporary Ballet and is an original company member.