Meet The Team

Elisabeth Krajina

Mrs. Krajina has a passion for dance and teaching. She is the founder of Red Leaf and is the author of ideas and beliefs that represent what this dance center stands for. She is known for her experience and demand toward discipline with a smile and friendliness. Dancing should be part of our daily lives to enrich our minds and bodies as it helps to keep us energized and healthy. The students know her as Miss Lis.

Education and training. Elisabeth is a New York native who began her dance training in 1984. She earned a B.F.A. in dance from Point Park University with a concentration in Modern and Jazz Performance. Over the years she has trained with the elite in the dance industry including: the Alvin Alley School of Dance, Martha Graham Dance School, Robert Battle, Heidi Latski, Lisa Race, Desmond Richardson and many others.

Performance work. Mrs. Krajina's professional credits in concert work include: John Paolillio Hip Hop Company, Attack Theatre, LABCO Dance, Alvin Alley II, Ballet Hispanico in NYC and over 200 additional freelance performances/shows. Her performance work later extended to the Commercial Industry with a primary focus on music videos, workout videos and concerts. Mrs. Krajina has worked with mainstream artists such as Chris Brown, Ciara, Britney Spears, Lil’ Wayne and Missy Elliot to name a few.

You may have also seen her work as a print model for several dancewear supply companies, Macy’s catalogs, Seventeen Magazine, and several Adidas advertisements. Mrs. Krajina has also appeared in TV commercials and shows for: DSW, Adidas, Macy’s and NYPD Blue.

Dancing and teaching. Mrs. Krajina's passion for teaching children began during her work instructing at a child development daycare center in Westchester, New York, where she excelled in program development and research. She continued educating in dance history, anatomy/ movement and choreography earning the title as Dance Company Director/ Choreographer.

She has been instructing various disciplines of dance across the country since 1999 and continued teaching throughout her professional career. She has lectured and taught in New York City’s public and private schools as well as Broadway Dance Center, Concert Dance Companies and Colleges as a Master Guest Artist.

Achievements. Red Leaf's achievements are our students. Mrs. Krajina’s students hold several Gold Medals in the World Dance Championships in Germany with Team USA for three consecutive years. They have been seen on Broadway starring in Billy Elliot, Annie and Les Miserable and have appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, TV commercials, dance related magazines and catalogs.

Way forward. Mrs. Krajina together with the Red Leaf team approaches her teaching methodologies with the same attitude as with dancing. What we care about is how to transfer the knowledge to our students. Every student is special and important to us. Dancing from a young age encourages the development of coordination, artistic feelings, emotional control, physical and psychological strength and discipline that can be applied to all aspects of life for a lifetime. Red Leaf is honored to have the opportunity to continue educating students in dance and hopes to see her student’s be enriched by dance for the rest of their lives.