About Phoenix Academy of Performing Arts of Pennsylvania

Facility

Construction Photos

Staff

Dmitry Myers

• Circus Arts Program and Creative Director
• Dance Program Director

Dmitry Myers was born in Russia and raised in State College, he is a circus arts, dance and gymnastics professional who has studied with full scholarship at the American Ballet Theatre Intensive Program at the University of Alabama and at the National Circus School of Canada (Ecole Nationale du Cirque) in Montreal. In 2013 he completed two years of study at the Circus Warehouse in Long Island City, New York. He has performance experience in all forms of dance, including Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop, including starring roles in the ballets Nutcracker and Sorcerer's Apprentice. He performed in Coppélia on stage at Eisenhower Auditorium and was a featured tumbler in the 2011 New York City Columbus Day Parade. Other performance experience includes; SummerStage Festival NYC, APAP at Lincoln Center Jazz and several shows with HMC, a collaborative company in NYC. He recently performed with the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Philadelphia as a principal dancer in La Boutique Fantasque. While in Philadelphia he was a teacher on the faculty of the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. He has extensive study in Flying Trapeze and is one of a handful of people who performed the Quad. He has acting to his credit and was a competitive gymnast and diver. When he was not performing Dmitry was on staff, as a teacher and coach, at Nittany Gymnastics, where he started his gymnastics career taking classes at the age of 3. Dmitry is a graduate of the State College Friends School and the Delta Program at State High. Dmitry is excited to move on to the next phase of his career as Circus Arts and Dance Program Director and Circus Ars Creative Director at the new Phoenix Academy of Performing Arts of Pennsylvania as he works to bring state of the art Circus Arts, Dance and Gymnastics to Central Pennsylvania.

Finda Reichert

• Gymnastics Program Director
• Gymnastics Head Coach

Holds Degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education from LeMoyne College
From Syracuse NY
Started gymnastics at age 2 with Fred “PINKY” Stone at CNY Gymnastics Center
Competed USAG through Level 8- Sectional and State Champion on Floor
Started Coaching and Choreographing at age 14

Moved to Rochester NY : Taught 6th grade in the Rochester City School District
Joined the coaching staff at Victors Gymnastics- coached littles up through Compulsories.
Coach Level 4 -2010 State Champion Team - many individual All Around and Event State Champions

Moved to State College in 2011- Started coaching Level 3/4’s at Nittany Gymnastics. Many State Events and All Around Gymnasts. Attended Congress and became Primary Compulsory Instructor for the new routine cycle.
Taught Ballet for Levels 3-10 USAG Team
Became the Head Coach USAIGC Program in Fall of 2016. The Nittany Gymnastics USAIGC Program had numerous State and Regional and World ( International) Individual Events, All Around, and Team Champions.

After Nittany sadly closed its doors. Phoenix Gymnastics Academy was created with a small group of amazing loyal gymnasts. The 2021 season was a study of determination and fortitude. The team again was successful at the State and Regional level. But most importantly supported each other during this unprecedented time.

Now, Phoenix Academy of Performing Arts of Pennsylvania, our new program, is a dream come true. It is the result of years of experience and hard work. We are excited to bring our style of gymnastics and training to the area.

Finda is also Mom of 4 Great kids ; Mikayla, Rylea, Kynzie Grace, and Liam
Finda and Michael are high school sweethearts and have celebrated 26 years together.
They love traveling, Ireland, Colorado and the Denver Broncos!

Kai Phoenix

Kai has 8+ years of Flow Arts (Object / Fire manipulation) experience. The props in his line of work include hula hoop, staff, dragon staff, Chinese fans, silk veil, poi, scimitar, eating torches and palm torches. Three months after beginning his Flow Arts career he decided to add fire manipulation to his resume. Once he understood how to dance with his props and the fire, he endeavored into the world of Fusion Bellydance; becoming 1 of 2 professional male Bellydancers in the tri state area.

He teaches and performs Fusion Bellydance; taking modern / Folkloric Egyptian, Turkish, and Arabic dance and mixing it with Ballet, Tribal style dance, Hip Hop, and Acrobatics. Kai has performed for music festivals, weddings, community days, Pittsburgh silk screen Asian Music and Arts Red Carpet Gala, State Collage Theater and Dance fest, and Cirque Phoenix Production of Within A Dream.

In 2018 Kai was honored to be in the Derek Woods Band music video, Nothing Rhymes with Orange, where his Fire dancing skills are showcased. He has been training / teaching Aerial arts since 2021; focusing on Lyra, Hammock, and Silks. Since becoming a Circus/Dance instructor at Phoenix Academy; Kai also coaches intro to circus (youth and adult), Circus 1, Hoop Flow, Bellydance, Adult Dance Exploration, Intro to Aerial, and Lyra.

On top of being a resident Circus / Dance artist, he is also our resident lighting and stage designer; helping to create the magic that brings our shows to life. Kai looks forward to continuing his work for Phoenix Academy and being apart of the wonderful growth.

Phoenix Academy of Performing Arts of Pennsylvania
118 Hawbaker Industrial Dr
State College, PA 16803

814-470-5911