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Meet Our Expert Ballet and Dance Faculty
Donatella Oppenheimer
Director
Donatella Oppenheimer (née Accardi), Director of the American Academy of Ballet, is a ballet educator whose training and career are rooted in the Balanchine tradition. Born in Palermo, Sicily, Donatella moved to New York City at the age of nine after receiving a full merit scholarship to The School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, the official school of the New York City Ballet founded by George Balanchine.
At SAB, her training was grounded in the Balanchine technique, an influence that continues to shape her teaching and artistic philosophy.
Donatella danced professionally with Tulsa Ballet Theatre and Boston Ballet under the direction of Bruce Marks and Anna-Marie Holmes. Her classical repertoire includes Cinderella, Bournonville’s Napoli, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Eugene Onegin, and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as Balanchine’s Serenade and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2.
Her performing career also extended into contemporary and modern repertory, including works by Twyla Tharp and Merce Cunningham. She performed Tharp’s acclaimed Water Babies Bagatelle and Cunningham’s groundbreaking Breakers, expanding her experience into repertory shaped by two of the most influential choreographers of the twentieth century.
Since joining the faculty of the American Academy of Ballet in 2007, Donatella has played an integral role in the school’s development. In April 2025, she assumed the role of Director, guiding the Academy with a renewed emphasis on strong classical foundations, musicality, and disciplined technique.
Known for her nurturing yet rigorous approach, Donatella is committed to developing dancers who are technically precise, musically sensitive, and artistically expressive. She shares her knowledge of the Balanchine method with her students while preparing them for serious training and professional pathways.
Maris Battaglia
Director Emeritus
Maris Battaglia, Founder and Director Emeritus of the American Academy of Ballet, received her training at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York City. She has carried the principles of her SAB training throughout her career, shaping generations of dancers both regionally and nationally.
In 1990, she was invited to teach at the Riga Ballet School in Latvia, the school that trained Mikhail Baryshnikov. Over 130 of her students have gone on to dance professionally with major ballet companies in the United States, Canada, and Europe, as well as on the Broadway stage.
Maris has served as Associate Director of the Chautauqua Institution’s School of Dance since 1989. She also served on the New York State Council on the Arts for four years and received the Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County Award for Outstanding Arts Contributor in 2008. She was the recipient of the national Artist Excellence Award in 1997 and was inducted into the Western New York Dance Hall of Fame in 1999.
Her vision, discipline, and commitment to classical excellence remain at the core of the American Academy of Ballet.
Gary Marino
Gary Marino is a dedicated and longstanding member of the American Academy of Ballet faculty with extensive experience as a performer, choreographer, and teacher.
His performance credits include work with the Skidmore Dancers, Saratoga Ballet Company, Schenectady Civic Ballet, Buffalo Repertory Ballet Company, and Camelon Dancers. At Artpark, he choreographed and performed in productions of La Traviata and Rigoletto, and he has also appeared with Configuration Dance Theater in Michael Shannon’s ballet Been There Done That.
Gary has created numerous works for the Buffalo Repertory Ballet Company and has taught at Skidmore College, SUNY Albany and Buffalo, the New York State Summer School of the Arts, and a wide range of dance programs throughout Western New York.
His training began in the music department at SUNY Albany before continuing his dance studies at Skidmore College, where he trained with teachers including Melissa Hayden, Elizabeth Carroll, Edward Villella, Kay Mazzo, and Peter Martins. He has also studied jazz at the Luigi School in New York and modern dance with Ethel Winter of the Martha Graham School.
In addition to ballet instruction, he has coached figure skating and gymnastics, bringing a strong understanding of alignment, strength, and athletic development to his teaching.
Debbie Molloy
Debbie Molloy brings more than 30 years of experience teaching acro, tap, and jazz throughout Western New York. She began her training at Carol Joy’s School of Dance in Buffalo, founded by her mother, where she discovered her passion for movement and teaching at an early age.
Her students have been recognized at both regional and national competitions for their strong technique, performance quality, and versatility. Debbie is known for creating a classroom environment that is energetic, supportive, and focused, helping dancers grow with confidence and discipline.
We are proud to welcome Debbie to the AAB faculty. She brings a deep love of dance, a history of excellence, and a fresh perspective to our community.
Mackenzie Pautler
Mackenzie Pautler began her dance journey at the age of four at the American Academy of Ballet, where she trained extensively in classical ballet and developed a genuine appreciation for the art form. Over many years at the Academy, she built a solid technical foundation and an interest in working with younger dancers.
By the age of thirteen, Mackenzie began assisting classes, gaining early experience in the classroom. A year later, she began teaching her own classes and has continued to grow in her role as an instructor.
Mackenzie is currently pursuing a degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Dance at the University at Buffalo, where she is also involved in the university’s performing arts community at the Center for the Arts, supporting a variety of live performances and productions.
She currently teaches ballet, pointe, and contemporary, and works to create a focused and encouraging classroom environment for her students.
Gina Roginsky
Gina Roginsky began her training at the American Academy of Ballet at the age of four. By eleven, she was assisting classes, gaining early experience working with younger dancers.
In addition to her training at AAB, Gina further developed her technique through competitive programs with the LIV team in Buffalo and the All American Dance Factory in Florida. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Florida while remaining actively involved in the dance communities of both Florida and her hometown of Buffalo.
Gina teaches ballet, pointe, and jazz technique at the Academy.
Evgenia Todenhagen
Evgenia Todenhagen was born in Kazakhstan and raised in Moscow, Russia. She received her professional ballet training at the Choreographic Lyceum of the Institute of Modern Art in Moscow.
During her performing career, Evgenia danced with the Moscow State Chamber Theatre, Ballet Moscow, where she performed leading roles in classical productions including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Don Quixote, as well as a wide range of contemporary works.
She has toured and performed internationally in Japan, South Africa, Ukraine, Martinique, and Italy.
Evgenia holds a Master’s Degree in Pedagogy of Ballet from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, commonly known as the Bolshoi Academy.
Jessamy Zarragoitia
Jessamy Zarragoitia grew up in Lancaster, New York, and began her ballet training at the age of five with Classical Ballet of Western New York under the direction of William Gentes and Susannah Dwyer.
She furthered her training with The Rock School for Dance Education, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and the New York State Summer School of the Arts ballet program under the direction of Daniel Ulbricht of New York City Ballet. Jessamy also competed at the Youth America Grand Prix Toronto Regional Semi Finals for three consecutive years.
During the 2022 to 2023 season, Jessamy danced as an apprentice with Minnesota Ballet. She is currently studying Dance and Environmental Studies at the University at Buffalo and has most recently performed with Neglia Conservatory of Ballet, Onium Contemporary Ballet, and in a variety of University at Buffalo productions.
Jessamy brings a strong classical foundation, current performance experience, and a thoughtful approach to her work with students at the American Academy of Ballet.
Lexi Zogaria
Lexi Zogaria is a dynamic performer and teacher with credits that include performances in the Justin Bieber Purpose Tour, The Nutcracker with Neglia Ballet Company at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, and numerous appearances with Express Dance Company at Walt Disney World, Six Flags Darien Lake, and the Erie County Fair. She is currently a professional dancer with the Buffalo Bandettes, where she performs at NLL Buffalo Bandits home games.
Lexi grew up dancing at Eugenia’s Dance Studio, where she trained in jazz, hip hop, tap, lyrical, contemporary, and ballet. She is thrilled to be joining the American Academy of Ballet faculty in 2025. She has taught at Eugenia’s Dance Studio and Center Stage Dance Studio, sharing her passion for hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and performance-driven styles. She has earned recognition as a Hollywood Dance Jamz Top 20 Senior Dancer of the Year and Senior Grand Prize Winner at Hollywood Vibe Chicago.
Her favorite style of dance is hip hop and jazz funk, and what she loves most about teaching is seeing the growth of her students from the beginning of the season to the end. Lexi brings both energy and experience to the classroom, inspiring dancers with her creativity and her genuine love for dance.
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