Dance Ensemble Directors: Daryl Bjoza and Sara Swinehart
Contact: Goldstd@cpsboe.k12.oh.us (Funds 3, Tech 1, 2, Style 1, 2, Sr. Ensemble) / Swinehs@cpsboe.k12.oh.us (Funds 2, 3, Tech 2, Style 1, 2, Sr. Ensemble) Kara Louis: (Beginning Dance, Funds 1, Junior Dance Ensemble) / Louiska@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Daryl Bjoza / Co-Director SCPA Dance Department / Co-Director SCPA Dance Ensemble / Ballet Instructor
Daryl Bjoza began his dance training on full scholarship with the San Francisco Ballet School. Subsequently, he received his dance pedagogy from that academy and his Career Technical Certification from Wright State University in Dayton. Additionally, Daryl obtained his Bachelor of Science in Human Service Management and his Masters in Psychology from the University of Phoenix. Dance wise, Daryl danced as a principal and soloist dancer with Lines Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco, Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, Long Beach Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, Feld Ballet NYC, San Diego Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Ballet de Santiago (Chile, South America), Theatre-Ballet Canadian (Canada), Cincinnati Opera, and the Cincinnati Ballet for 9 seasons. During his career, Daryl worked with many renowned choreographers and has performed in a variety of styles including many Balanchine ballets, contemporary pieces and modern works. Additionally, Daryl was director of Oklahoma Dance Theater for 2 seasons and his own Uptown Dance Company where he directed the company for five years. Daryl has choreographed for Uptown Dance Co., Next Generation Dance Co., Miami Valley Dance Co. Tulsa Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Lexington Ballet, Naples Ballet and our own SCPA Dance Ensemble. Along with his teaching at SCPA, Daryl has also taught locally and beyond at Dance Etc., Just Off Broadway, SCPA Lexington KY, Tipp Grant Artist, Dance Hall Cincinnati, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and Pro Dance. Some works choreographed for the SCPA Dance Ensemble include The Nutcracker , A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, Jungle Book, Aesop’s Fables, and Treasure Island. This is Daryl’s 28th year teaching and choreographing at SCPA.
Sara Swinehart / Co-Director SCPA Dance Department / Co-Director SCPA Dance Ensemble / Modern Instructor
Sara Swinehart, a former member of the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble traveled around the world from the age of 8 until 17 years of age with the company raising the standards of excellence in dance for children along the way. She received a B.F.A. in dance performance from the Ohio State University, and as a New York City teaching fellow where she received a full fellowship at Fordham University in NYC. While there, Sara obtained her M.S.T. She has taught dance in New York City Public and Kipp Charter Schools for 10 years. Sara studied dance and performed works by Ronald Brown, Tere O’Connor, Pat Graney, Hubbard Street, and Eleo Pomare. Sara taught, choreographed, and served as artistic director for the dance department at the University of Tennessee and Austin East’s School of Performing Arts, Knoxville, Tennessee. This is Sara’s 14th year teaching at SCPA.
Elizabeth Ramsey Modern Dance Choreographer in Residence
Originally from Toledo, Ohio, entered her fifth season as a dance artist with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company this year. She graduated from Wright State University summa cum laude with a BFA in dance, and was also a member of DCDC's second company for three years. She has attended several prestigious training programs, most recently traveling to Tel Aviv, Israel, learning and training in the Gaga Technique under the dancers of the Batsheva Dance Company, and Ohad Naharin himself. Her choreography has been featured in various productions all over the state of Ohio, including Toledo School for the Arts' "Limitless," Wright State University's Spring Dance Concert, the University of Dayton Dance Ensemble's Spring Concert, and a collection of DCDC company performances around the Dayton area. Most recently, her work has been set on the Dayton Dance Initiative, a collaborative project featuring dancers of DCDC and Dayton Ballet, as well as the School of Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has also experimented in dance for film, including her choreography for the WSU film department in a work titled "Anesthesiaphobia," which premiered at the Dayton Art Institute in 2015.
Countess V. Winfrey / Modern Dance Teacher and Choreographer
Countess has been an active teaching artist for over 9 years. She has experience in teaching dance through arts in education to K-12 students, and has taught recreational and Master classes in modern, ballet, and contemporary. Ms. Winfrey has had the opportunity to teach nationally and internationally, including The University of Memphis (Tennessee), the Grier School (Pennsylvania) , the International Association of Blacks in Dance (conference held in Dayton, OH), Bethune-Cookman University (Florida), Shanghai Normal University (Shanghai, China), Master classes in Russia and Kazakhstan (through the Dance Motion USA Tour) and more. Additionally, she was a Visiting Artist at the Ohio State University for the Spring 2021 semester. Her experience in curriculum development for community arts education has broadened her ability to create programs that will impact students’ ability to connect movement and education from a wholistic perspective.
Nashville native, Countess V. Winfrey, currently serves as a performer, teaching artist, choreographer, and rehearsal director for The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. She began her dance training at the age of 11 at Wharton Arts Magnet Middle school and continued her training at Nashville School of the Arts, before pursuing dance as a minor at the University of Memphis. Ms. Winfrey joined Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s pre-professional ensemble in 2012, which then led into a professional dance career with The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Ms. Winfrey has danced professionally with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and with ClancyWorks Dance Company based in Washington, D.C. She has had the opportunity to perform internationally in Kazakhstan, China, and Russia (including having performed in two sold out performances at the world-famous Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia). She has performed works by Ulysses Dove, Donald McKayle, Ray Mercer, Dwight Rhoden, Ronald K. Brown, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Abby Zbikowski, Dianne McIntyre, and Donald Byrd. Ms. Winfrey will be entering her 7th season dancing with the professional company and her 9th year with the organization.
Kara Louis
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Kara began her dance training at the age of five, studying ballet, tap, and jazz. She pursued more intensive ballet training with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Ballet Tech Ohio, and Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy. Kara continued her studies at Mercyhurst University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in Pedagogy and Choreography and a minor in Arts Administration. While at Mercyhurst, she performed with Lake Erie Ballet and SoMar Danceworks.
After graduation, Kara danced professionally for five seasons as one of the world-famous Radio City Rockettes in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. As part of the “Christmas Across America” touring company, she performed throughout the United States and Canada.
Following her performance career, Kara shifted her focus to teaching and sharing her passion for dance education. She has taught for a variety of organizations including Ballet Theatre Midwest, Cincinnati Ballet, and Hairston School of Dance. During the 2024–2025 school year, she served as a guest instructor and choreographer at The School for Creative and Performing Arts, where she is now excited to join the faculty full-time. Kara brings years of teaching experience and a commitment to fostering a nurturing, encouraging studio environment—one that inspires students to pursue their passions and reach for their dreams.
Patricia Rozow / Former Department Chair, Emeritus Director of Dance Ensemble.
Patricia Rozow began her dance training with the Irene Fokine School of Ballet in Ridgewood New Jersey. Her first professional job was with the Harkness Ballet in NYC. From there, she attended the top ranked Ballet College, Butler University, Indianapolis, on a full Dance Scholarship. Patricia graduated cum laude with a Fine Arts degree and subsequently was employed as a principal dancer with Ballet West in Salt Lake City UT.
Her career then led her to join the Cincinnati Ballet as principal dancer, where she danced for 11 years. While in Cincinnati, Patricia danced classical roles including, Swan Queen, Sugar Plum, and Giselle. She was mentored by Frederick Franklin and draws much inspiration from his artistic integrity. Patricia received her teaching certification from Xavier University and her Career Technical Certification from Wright State University. Patricia has been recognized as one of the top 100 of 2010 by the Princeton Global Network. 2020 Is Patricia’s 30th year with the SCPA!
Retired from SCPA 2020