principal
Hope Etomi
Hope Eltomi began dancing at the age of six under the instruction of Jocelyn Woodruff at Vero Beach Ballet. Throughout middle and high school she attended summer programs at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston Ballet, and on scholarship at Miami City Ballet. She furthered her professional training at the UNCSA and graduated from their program in 2008 with a concentration in ballet.
Hope was able to study under acclaimed teachers such as Melissa Hayden, Frank Smith, Nina Danilova, Fanchon Cordell, and Christine Spizzo. Upon graduation, she was accepted into FSU’s dance program and continued her education there. She also had the opportunity to perform in works by renowned choreographers such as Darshan Bhuller and Monica Bill Barnes.
Hope joined The Tallahassee Ballet in 2013 as a Soloist dancer and was promoted to Principal in 2016. She has performed lead roles such as Snow Queen and Drew Drop in The Nutcracker, Violente fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, Nikiya in La Bayadère and Odette in Swan Lake. Hope is an American Ballet Theatre® (ABT) Level 3 Certified Teacher, and has been teaching dance since she graduated from FSU in 2012.
