Ultimate Dance Center is a team of highly skilled and motivated individuals who are passionate about dance as an art form! UDC employs only dedicated individuals who love what they do and whose primary goal is to support the growth and vitality of our dancers and studio at large. Our elite Staff & Instructors are well trained to ensure that each student has the Ultimate Dance Center Experience! Take a look at our dance family here at Polk County’s premiere dance studio!
Artistic Director & Owner, FrediDance Project
Ferdinand “Freddie” DeJesus has been immersed in the world of dance since the age of 12, building a career that spans more than two decades as a performer, choreographer, educator, and artistic leader. Deeply passionate about accessibility in the arts, Freddie is dedicated to exposing people of all backgrounds to the power and beauty of dance.
Freddie currently serves as the Creative Artistic Director of Ultimate Dance Center. His formal training includes studies at renowned institutions such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
His performance career includes work with acclaimed companies such as Philadanco, New World Dance Company, Joyce Trisler Dance Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Annabella Gonzales Dance Theater, Dance Compass, Donald Byrd The Group, DANCESAIS, Bruce Wood Dance Company, and Florida Dance Theater.
From 2003 onward, Freddie served as Resident Choreographer and Associate Artistic Director of Florida Dance Theater. He is also a Jazz Dance Professor at Florida Southern College and a faculty member and Resident Life Assistant with the Earl Mosley Institute of the Arts Summer Intensive (EMIA).
Freddie is the founding Artistic Director of the NY/FL–based contemporary dance company FrediDance Project, where he continues to create, mentor, and inspire through movement.
To learn more about Freddie please check out this video on YouTube:
Competition Co-Director
Danielle Fudge is a dedicated performer, choreographer, and educator whose lifelong passion for dance is matched by a relentless work ethic and deep artistic curiosity. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, Danielle began her movement training in gymnastics at age three before discovering dance at six, studying at The Ballet School. By age nine, she had relocated to Central Florida and fully committed herself to pursuing dance at an advanced level.
Danielle continued her early training at Florida Dance Theater, where she first met Ferdinand DeJesus, and later expanded her studies at Raskin Dance Studio. Known for her drive and determination, she immersed herself in as many classes as possible and assisted instructors to further her growth. By her late teens, Danielle was training across multiple studios, including the Orlando Ballet School, Studio Zero G, Hardrive, Center for Contemporary Dance, New Dimensions, and the Russian Academy of Ballet.
Her education was further enriched through master classes with renowned instructors such as Edgar Godineaux, Lonnie Hightower, Patrick Daniel, and Jermaine Terry, as well as participation in leading conventions and competitions including Jump, NYC Dance Alliance, Shake the Ground, 24SEVEN, COdance, and Adrenaline. This extensive training has allowed Danielle to become proficient in more than twenty dance styles.
Professionally, Danielle has performed with companies such as Universal Studios Orlando Resort, Arabian Knights, Dawn Branch Works, With Love Productions, and IDEX DOTY. Her choreography and assistant choreography credits include stage productions such as Eden (performed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts), Mary Poppins, In the Heights, West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, and High School Musical, as well as Tampa Pride.
Danielle has choreographed works for numerous companies and studios, including FrediDance Project, Dawn Branch Works, New Dimensions, Center for Contemporary Dance, Arabian Knights, and Ultimate Dance Center. Her creative work also spans music videos, Quinceañeras, and weddings. She holds certifications from Acrobatic Arts and has trained through workshops such as The Beginnings Workshop and Ballet Magnificat.
Currently, Danielle serves as Competition Co-Director at Ultimate Dance Center, where her choreography has earned multiple National First Place titles and World qualifications. She is thrilled to be in her sixth year with UDC and her third year directing the competition team, continuing to mentor dancers with passion, discipline, and heart.
Performer · Choreographer · Arts Educator
Daniel Z. Smith Jr. is a Chicago, Illinois native and graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where he earned a B.A. in Performing Arts Management. He began teaching dance at the age of 17, though his mentoring journey started even earlier at age 12 as an assistant to his karate sensei—laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to youth development and arts education.
Daniel’s early career included teaching and mentoring in Chicago’s inner-city schools, churches, dance studios, and community centers, as well as performing with Ted Williams’ Third Dimension Theater Company. One of his most meaningful contributions came through his work as a grant writer for the BAGS Foundation, where he created and implemented a dance program that operated in three Chicago public schools and provided students the opportunity to travel and perform internationally in Japan.
Professionally, Daniel’s performance career spans stage, screen, and global touring. His credits include working with Apple Inc. as a silhouette dancer for an iPod commercial, modeling for Leo’s Dancewear costume books, performing at Walt Disney World, and touring internationally with Feld Entertainment as Chad Danforth in High School Musical: Summer Celebration. He also performed at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Neil Goldberg’s Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy.
Daniel later joined Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, performing in the Broadway musical After Midnight under the direction of Tony Award–winning choreographer Warren Carlyle and director Jason Sparks. Beyond performing, he has held leadership roles within NCLH as Theatrical Operations Manager at the Shows and Experiences Creative Studios in Riverview, Florida, and currently serves as Theatrical Deployment Coordinator.
In addition to his national and international work, Daniel is the Creative Director of Ultimate Entertainment Polk County, producing large-scale professional events, including Lakeland’s signature downtown holiday production, Xmas Xperience.
Daniel continues to teach and choreograph throughout the United States, driven by a mission to give back to the dance community by mentoring and shaping the next generation of professional artists.
Acrobatic Arts Director
Alicia Boyte Allen is a highly experienced movement educator, performer, and coach with a strong foundation in both gymnastics and dance. She began gymnastics training at the age of three and added ballet, jazz, and hip hop to her studies shortly after. By thirteen, Alicia had reached Level 9 in gymnastics, earning advanced tumbling and elite acrobatic skills that continue to inform her teaching today.
During high school, Alicia performed with the George Jenkins Wind Dancers and began coaching gymnastics and competitive cheer at Gymtek in 2004. She also coached all-star cheer teams and co-choreographed award-winning routines with Jose Santa, earning a National Championship title in 2006.
In 2014, Alicia expanded her teaching career as the Acro instructor at Kidzdance, where she continues to create choreography for studio productions. She has also coached gymnastics and tumbling at Champion Athletic Center and remains active in both coaching and performance. Her recent performance credits include With Love Productions, and she currently choreographs for The Ultimate Nightmare Before Christmas.
Alicia is a certified Acrobatic Arts Level 2 instructor and teaches Acro at the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, as well as Baby Acro for ages 2–5. As Acrobatic Arts Director, she is passionate about building strong, safe, and confident dancers through proper technique, progression, and a love of movement.
Hip-Hop Instructor & Competitive Choreographer
Marcilyn Holmes is a Florida-based hip-hop instructor and competitive choreographer whose passion for movement began at the age of five. She started her dance training at the Lakeland Academy of the Arts, studying ballet, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, pointe, tumbling, and hip-hop, while competing at multiple competitions each year.
At the age of twelve, Marcilyn continued her training at Ultimate Dance Center, where she refined her focus on hip-hop, street jazz, contemporary, and competitive dance. Throughout her teen years, she developed a deep connection to hip-hop culture and dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge, technique, and performance quality within the style.
As her time as a competitive dancer and student at Ultimate Dance Center came to a close, Marcilyn transitioned into teaching, becoming a hip-hop instructor and competitive coach. She now shares her love for dance with students of all ages, emphasizing confidence, musicality, and dedication.
Marcilyn is proud to continue her journey at Ultimate Dance Center as one of the studio’s Team Energy Competitive Choreographers, inspiring the next generation of dancers through passion, authenticity, and artistry.
Jazz Instructor & Adult Program Faculty
Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ron Hankey brings more than 25 years of experience as a performer, educator, and arts professional. He completed twelve years of intensive training at the Fort Wayne School of Dance before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Business Management from Ball State University in 2005.
While at Ball State, Ron was a two-year company member of Ball State Dance Theater and remained deeply involved in performance and choreography through student and faculty projects, showcases, and master classes. In 2002, he had the honor of performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as part of the Celebration of College and University Dance—an event recognizing Ball State’s Dance Department as one of twelve nationally selected programs. His performance featured Isadora Duncan’s powerful work Varshavianka, a piece dedicated to the victims of the 1906 Bloody Sunday massacre in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Alongside his collegiate career, Ron taught tap, jazz, and lyrical for four years at Dazzle Dance Academy in Muncie, Indiana, working with performance-level dancers. He began teaching dance at the age of fifteen and has since dedicated his career to mentoring dancers of all ages and skill levels.
Beyond the studio, Ron has contributed extensively to the dance competition world, serving as a backstage manager for NexStar Talent Competition for seven years and as a judge for the FLY Dance Competition.
Over the past two and a half decades, Ron has worked with numerous dance studios throughout Central Florida. He currently serves as a Jazz Instructor and Adult Program faculty member at Ultimate Dance Center, where he continues to share his passion, experience, and artistry with the dance community.
Belly Dance Instructor & Performer
Saffera is a Lakeland-based Egyptian-style belly dance performer and instructor whose name—of Egyptian origin—means “ambassador.” She began studying the ancient art of Belly Dance in 2005 and was invited to perform professionally for the first time in 2008. Since then, she has built a rich performance career rooted in traditional Egyptian and Arabic styles.
Her performances often incorporate expressive props such as silk veils, Isis wings, candelabra, silk fans, candles, cane, and sword. Saffera has performed extensively at The Hookah Palace, as well as at local events, private celebrations, and theater productions throughout Tampa and Orlando.
Saffera began teaching Belly Dance in 2015 and has been sharing her knowledge and passion ever since. She views Belly Dance as both an art form and a joyful way to exercise—strengthening abdominal muscles, improving balance and posture, and increasing flexibility through isolations and controlled movement. Her classes are welcoming, empowering, and rooted in cultural authenticity.
Originally from Mexico, Saffera has over ten years of dance experience and remains actively involved in community events and performances. She is excited to bring her artistry, culture, and energy to the team at Ultimate Dance Center.
Dance Instructor
Kaitlyn Hoobin is a licensed hair stylist with a creative foundation rooted in dance. With over fourteen years of dance experience, including seven years as a competitive dancer, she developed a strong eye for detail, artistry, and presentation—skills that translate seamlessly into her work as a stylist.
Known for her passion, dedication, and creativity, Kaitlyn brings a thoughtful and artistic approach to everything she does. She is proud to be part of the Ultimate Dance Center team, where she combines her love for beauty and performance to help dancers feel confident and stage-ready.
Contact Us
Our Location
2980 Lakeland Highlands Rd.
Lakeland, FL 33803
Our Hours
Monday – Friday:
3:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday:
10am – 2:00pm
Summer Camp Hours
Monday – Friday:
8:00 am – 4:00 pm