Leonard Mardis
With Leonard’s Academy of Dance & Centre for the Arts & United Nations of Dance Musical Performance Troupe
any in the area are probably unaware a celebrity in the international dance community lives and operates a highly successful studio here in the heart of Brandon, Florida. Meet Leonard Mardis, a man exuberant about life and one who knows his call. A native of Grenada, Mississippi, Leonard is the owner of Leonard’s Academy of Dance & Centre for the Arts (LAD) and Founder of United Nations of Dance Musical Performance Troupe (UND).
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Retired Army officer with a mission to improve and expand the lives of people around him, a love for dance that has inspired him through decades of dance performance and choreography, Leonard has spread his passion throughout North America, Asia, Europe, Iraq and, Africa to individuals of all ages who enjoy the art of dance. He has choreographed for Mariah Carey, opened for Kirk Franklin, danced in the world premier of H.O.P.E. the Musical, Frankfurt, Germany (a play about the election of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States), and by special invitation of the American Embassy and the Russian Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Leonard and 5 members from LAD and UND traveled to Moscow, Russia to conduct a series of dance and vocal workshops throughout Russia. While there, the troupe also performed an abbreviated version of their stage play “A Passage Through Time” at the Russian International Dance Day event. He’s choreographed and performed for Royal Star Cruise in Africa, and taught and performed in Germany, Korea, Malaysia, and Iraq. Leonard has choreographed and performed for the US. Army Soldier show and is an Alumni of Tampa’s Chocolate Nutcracker. Leonard’s influence has led to two LAD instructors becoming finalist in the
has led to two LAD instructors becoming finalist in the
2007 Chicago Audition of So You Think You Can Dance with one of them (his brother, Jarvis) becoming one of the top 75 finalist out of 5,000 that auditioned.
He has worked with world class choreographers Troy Powell, associate artistic director for Alvin Ailey II, Monica Richardson, choreographer for the Chocolate Nutcracker; and Keith Cross, Choreographer, Houston, Texas. World performer, director, and choreographer, Leonard has brought his vision of international expansion to LAD in Brandon. Leonard is now working with other agencies nationally and internationally to bring the experience of world class instructors to train the students right here in Brandon. His message is to empower our youth and sees no limits to what a young person can achieve.
empower our youth and sees no limits to what a young
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