Our Staff
ToshikoTOMPKINS
Owner/Director
Toshiko Tompkins danced professionally in Tokyo. Toshiko and her husband Jay have been benefactor's of ballet since 1987. They sponsored several performances of the Star Dancers Ballet in Tokyo. After moving to Washington, D.C., they sponsored two separate performances by the National Ballet of Japan at the Kennedy center. Mrs. Tompkins also sponsored numerous other ballet productions in McLean, Virginia.
Toshiko and Jay are also major supporters of the American Dance Festival through their friendship with Charles and the late Stephanie Reinhart, Co-directors of the Festival. The Reinharts also were Directors of Dance at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Toshiko and Jay's daughter, Mimi Tompkins, dances with The San Francisco Ballet.
Toshiko founded the Naples Academy of Ballet in 2008 and has built the school into one of the finest in Southwest Florida. Students from her academy and the community currently put on two ballet productions a year; one in December and one in May.
Marilo V CAMPOS
Administrator and Production Coordinator
Marilo Campos is responsible for the smooth operation of the day-to-day business of the school, meeting the school’s human resources, office services and operations, facilities management, and organizational needs. Marilo is in charge of the general administrative responsibilities keeping our Naples Academy of Ballet school running efficiently.
Our Instructors
Liliam GOMEZ
Ballet Mistress
Ms. Liliam Gomez Gandol was born in Cuba and educated at the Vocational Ballet School of Holguin and the Professional Ballet School of Camaguey. From 1986 to 1998 she danced professionally with the company of “Ballet de Camaguey” under the direction of Fernando Alonso, the professor and founder of the “National Ballet of Cuba”. She performed a huge repertory of Classical, Neo-Classical, and modern Ballet, advancing to the category of Soloist.
In 1986, she was awarded first and the gold medal in the category of “Best Female Performance” in the “National Cuban Ballet Festival”. At the same time she received her BA from the Superior Institute of Arts of Cuba, during those years Liliam made her debut as a choreographer and her creations were performed and considered a part of the company repertoire.
From 1998 until 2000 she danced at the Company “Rodrigo Prats Lyric Theater” where she also staged and choreographed. In 2000 she co-founded a new ballet company, The “Camera Ballet” of Holguin, with the cooperation and support of Alicia Alonso Co-founder and general director of the “National Ballet of Cuba”. She worked as Artistic Director, choreographer, maitre, soloist dancer and also made several of the costumes' designs.
From 2002-2004 she was a guest teacher at “The Cuban Ballet School of Ensenanda”, Baja California, Mexico, under the direction of Nora de Guevara, where she had the opportunity to continue dancing and creating new choreographies.
During her career, Liliam Gomez Gandol has danced and toured in many countries and participated in several national and international ballet festivals, while at the same time she worked in cooperation with choreographers such as Jorge Leffebre, director of “Wallonie Ballet of Belgium”, Alberto Alonso, creator of the ballet “Carmen” and co-founder of the “National Ballet of Cuba”.
Since 2005 she has lived in Naples Florida working as a Ballet Teacher, choreographer, and stage production manager.
Christophe MARAVAL
Ballet Master
After nine years as a Principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Mr Maraval retired at the end of the 2007 season to join the faculty at "Ecole Superieure de Ballet Contemporain de Montreal"…the most prestigious school in Quebec. Mr Maraval has been teaching Vaganova style with some French Flair, American musicality and energy to all levels of students and has also coached for numerous competitions and other performances. Christophe’s style is to teach his students method, rigor and the passion for dance. He believes Ballet is discipline and it will follow you all your life.
Mr Maraval began his training at the Opera de Paris and the Superior Conservatory of Paris and at age 16 joined the Ballet national de NANCY (under Pierre Lacotte). He left after 6 seasons to work with Nanette Glushak at The Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse (France). It was in Toulouse that he discovered Balanchine and decided to move to America, first with Cincinnati Ballet under the direction of Victoria Morgan and finally PNB under Kent Stowell, Francia Russel and Peter Boal.
During his career Mr Maraval danced with various professional Ballets in the US and Canada as a Guest Artist including Tulsa Ballet, Oklahoma Ballet and Gala Des Etoiles of Montreal 2004, 2007.
With a vast repertory, some of his favorite ballets are from George Balanchine,William Forsythe, Val Caniparoly, Ben Stevenson, Richard Tanner, Glen Tetley, Jose Limon, Jerome Robins, Ulysses Dove, Kent Stowel and more. Numerous choreographers created ballets for Mr Maraval such as Kirk Peterson (Amazing Burning dream, Carmen) Paul Gibson (Rush, Piano dance) Dominique Dumais (Scripted in the body, Time and others Matters).
Rosario LEYVA "Charin"
Ballet and Modern Instructor
Rosario Leyva was born in Holguin, Cuba, Ms. Leyva began ballet training at the Vocational School of Art in her hometown from 1978-1983, where she was selected for further study at a higher level at the Vocational School of Arts in Camaguey. Three years later she received her graduate degree. Ms. Leyva started dancing professionally in 1986 at the Opera Theatre Company Rodrigo Prats in Holguin, participated in shows of national and international repertoire and ballet, in addition to working as a teacher at the Academy of Ballet with children and adults. She was awarded the title of first level as a dancer in musical theater and ballet. Between 1995 and 1998 she joined the cast of the prestigious Camaguey Ballet under the direction of Jorge Rodriguez Vedes. In 1999, she graduated from the Art institute of Camaguey, Cuba. In 2004, she had the opportunity for a contract of employment in Chihuahua, Mexico as Head teacher, Artistic Director, and Choreographerof the ballet school Sergio Franco.
Since 2009 she has lived in Naples and danced as a guest in Naples Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” as a party lady and “Aurora’s Wedding” a selection from "Sleeping Beauty" as Danse de Baronnes and Garlarnd Waltzan . Currently she teaches ballet at the Naples Academy of Ballet.