Education Faculty

EDUCATION & FAMILY PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR

MUSIC INSTRUCTOR

David Estevez, originally from South Florida, is a first-generation American of Cuban descent. He is a graduate of New World School of the Arts and an accomplished pianist, accompanist, and musical director. David served as the education director for the highly successful Miami Children’s Theatre educational program. Most recently, he has been a musical supervisor for Norwegian Cruise Lines, overseeing new productions around the world through their final rehearsal period to opening on cruise ships. His work in theatre, film, and cruise line entertainment has exposed him to the inner workings of the ever-changing music and theatre landscape.

DRAMA & ACTING INSTRUCTOR  
 
Darrin Person is an actor, filmmaker, podcaster, cinema scholar, and historian with a Master of Fine Arts in theatre from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a bachelor’s degree in film studies from the University of Kansas. Person conducted his residency with The Missouri Rep and The Coterie Theatre in Kansas City. He appeared in a production of Whose Life is It Anyway? at Kansas City’s American Heartland Theater.  
 
He also appeared in productions of A Soldier’s Play, Picnic, and Mary Stuart. He taught theatre for the New York City Department of Education for 11 years and was a contributing member of the city’s Office of Arts and Special Projects, a department that was instrumental in establishing the Arts Based Standards and Assessments for the New York City school system.  
 
Person was co-founder of The Brooklyn Summer Shakespeare-ience, a high school summer arts program that was awarded a proclamation from Brooklyn Borough and City ofNew York. Person learned cinematography at NYU and has taught urban filmmaking at The New School, theatre history at the John Jay College for Criminal Justice, and acting at the Harlem School of the Arts.

DRAMA & ACTING INSTRUCTOR 

Kathy Norman is a Florida State University acting graduate who has had an extensive career in film, television, and theatre. Beginning her professional career at FSU Repertory Theatre, she moved into television directing on the Home Shopping Network, in addition to becoming a speaking model for several product lines.  
 
She then moved back to live performance in the Busch Gardens Comedy troupe. Other work of note includes entertainment staff on MV Costa Classica luxury cruise ship, dancer on a Dick Clark Productions TV special, performer on Animal Planet training videos, and an appearance in Dolphin Tale 2. Norman is now at New Tampa Performing Arts Center as acting instructor, house manager, and volunteer program leader. 

DANCE & MOVEMENT INSTRUCTOR 

Marion Kampert holds an Associate of Arts in dance from Hillsborough Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and behavior analysis from the University of South Florida. She is originally from Ecuador where her dance journey began at the Conservatorio Raymond Mauge Thoniel in Guayaquil. After migrating with her mom to the United States, she continued to explore dance studies at Howard W. Blake High School. Her passion for dance deepened while training with Christina Acosta at Hillsborough Community College. She then joined Moving Current Dance Collective in 2008, where she had the opportunity to perform works by Cindy Hennessy, Erin Cardinal, Dione and Andy Noble, and Bill Doolin.  

In 2009, Marion performed in The Agreeable Husband, a show produced by All Out Rep under the direction of Shana Dunhue and Amie Salle. In 2011, Marion joined REVolutions Dance, where she learned about inclusive dance and traveled to Russia and China teaching inclusive dance workshops and performing repertoire. Marion continued her growth as a dance educator and practitioner from her years directing a K-8 dance program at Rochelle School of the Arts in Lakeland, where she produced shows, created curriculum, and collaborated with different fine art disciplines.

DANCE & MOVEMENT INSTRUCTOR 
 
Carissa Smith began her training in Cuban-Vaganova-style ballet and modern dance at America’s Ballet School (ABS) in 2009. During her time there, she participated in numerous classical and neo-classical productions and was a member of the ABS modern ensemble. In the summer of 2022, Carissa attended the summer intensive program at the Dutch National Ballet Academy.  
 
Later that year, she joined Tampa City Ballet and has since performed in various experimental contemporary and classical ballet productions with the company, including Candlelight, Underline, One on One and Alice in Wonderland as the title role. Last summer, Carissa traveled back to the Netherlands to take part in the Scapino Ballet Summer Intensive. She teaches ballet and contemporary dance to all ages because she believes everyone can dance.