When Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero joined Miami City Ballet as principal dancers in 1967, there wasn’t much support for ballet in South Florida. They found an almost identical situation when they joined Gulfshore Ballet as teachers in 2011.
“When we first came to Fort Myers there was no real love for ballet,” Lopez recalled. “I remember we joined the school and it was located on Andrea Lane in this old warehouse that I thought, oh my god, how can a ballet school be over here? We need to find a new place.”
Fast forward 15 years and Gulfshore Ballet is on the brink of establishing a full-time professional ballet company to complement its ballet school.
“We would love to be able to have full-time dancers where they are here, where they have a social security, where they can have all the benefits from when you work in a professional company,” Lopez said.
And that would raise the barre for students, dancers and audiences alike.
“Having a professional company will make the Fort Myers people very proud, the Southwest Florida audience very proud,” she predicted. “There is a symphony, there is opera. Now we need a professional ballet company as well.”
Of course, that presupposes donor and audience support.
Since 2011, Gulfshore Ballet has made great strides in earning audience acceptance.
“I see more interest from our audiences to come and see who we are,” Lopez noted. “In the beginning, when we first started, the theaters were not packed. Now, we're selling our houses way in advance, like for our performance of Don Quixote, we sold the tickets a month in advance. So, that says a lot.”
Another measure of this changing landscape is the partnerships Gulfshore Ballet has forged with other Southwest Florida arts organizations.
“We have been able to start collaborations with the Gulf Coast Symphony and Opera Naples,” said Lopez. “So, that's a huge plus for us that our students have the opportunity to dance to live music. It's huge. As a kid I never got that opportunity so I really hope my students appreciate all of that because it sets the standard of the school in a very professional way.”
Megan Berry, whose 9- and 10-year-olds are students at Gulfshore Ballet, certainly recognizes how rare this is.
“There's not very many places in the country, let alone Florida, where you can perform with a live orchestra,” she observed. “And Gulfshore Ballet and the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra have collaborated every ‘Nutcracker’ season, every December, and these students actually get to perform with a live orchestra. That's invaluable. I don't think a lot of students realize how special that is.”
But there are other important pay-offs that Gulfshore Ballet students derive.
“The discipline aspect of ballet, and what they're teaching every day to these young dancers, it's remarkable,” Berry added. “It's invaluable. And it overflows into their everyday life, into their schoolwork, into their homework. They learn. They learn that the dedication and the time you take, it pays off in the long run.”
Barry’s children have gone from introverted to outgoing. They now exude self-confidence. And the ballet technique they learn has empowered numerous students to pursue careers as dancers all over the world.
“Kai Perkins, who studied with us since she was, I don't know, maybe 5 years old, she went on to be accepted as a full scholarship student at the School of American Ballet and now she was offered a contract as an apprentice with the New York City Ballet,” Lopez reported. “Alyssa Douglas, who also studied with us since she was little, now she's a soloist with the Royal Danish Ballet in Denmark. We have dancers that are professional dancers with Milwaukee Ballet, with Arizona Ballet, dancers that are trainees with Boston Ballet. So that goes to say the caliber of dancing that we teach at Gulfshore Ballet.”
Last year, two Gulfshore Ballet students, Kayla Rathur and Madelena Urban, were second out of 220 competitors in the duo competition at Universal Ballet, one of the top competitions in the United States for ballet students.
Results like these make it much easier to attract top professionals to Southwest Florida – such as Natalie Alvarez, who has performed in the “Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty” and most recently “Don Quixote.” Over that span, she’s witnessed an increase in both the size and the enthusiasm of the audiences who attend Gulfshore Ballet performances.
“I've definitely seen more respect for the ballet and for the arts with my time being here for sure,” said Alvarez. “I see it in the audience aspects and even in how the students engage. There's more motivation, the parents backstage of support, in all aspects the backstage. I see just the development on a higher more company-like level.”
Gulfshore Ballet’s association with the Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros Trust is another factor that will help it attract top dancers from around the world.
In the realm of musical theater, Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune and Lin-Manuel Miranda shaped the choreography audiences see onstage today. During his life, Jimmy Gamonet possessed similar stature and cachet. He died of COVID in 2021, but the Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros Trust has granted Lopez and Gamero the right to produce the more than 50 ballets he choregraphed during his 15-year tenure at Miami City Ballet. Lopez and Gamero expect their ability to produce his choreography to signal to both professional dancers and audiences alike their vision of what the Gulfshore Ballet Company can and will be in the coming years.
Gulfshore Ballet’s immediate future may also include collaborations with the newly formed Fort Myers Philharmonic. Board Chair Carol Robinson reports that the Philharmonic is in discussions to partner with Gulfshore Ballet during its inaugural season.
Long-term, Gulfshore Ballet hopes to expand its reach both locally and internationally as Opera Naples in combination with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Theater in the Garden progress with their plans to build a 900-seat state-of-the-art opera house, outdoor amphitheater and Pavarotti museum in Naples. That effort has been advanced recently with the State of Florida providing a $1.1 million grant for the project. The ability to perform in such a prestigious venue is likely to make Gulfshore Ballet even more attractive to internationally acclaimed dancers.
“If we offer the dancers a good way of living by having decent salaries and having a professional setting, then I'm sure we will attract the best dancers in the world to come dance for Gulfshore Ballet,” Lopez said. “That's our dream.”
While some speculate that it’s a dying art form, ballet is alive, well and growing here in Southwest Florida.
More Information:
Gulfshore Ballet is a Florida not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. It operates both a school and professional ballet company.
The school was founded by Melinda Roy, a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet. Roy operated the school for 10 years, setting the foundation for Gulfshore Ballet to provide classical dance training and education of the highest caliber.
Following Roy’s retirement in 2011, former Miami City Ballet Principal Dancers, husband and wife, Franklin Gamero and Iliana Lopez, took over as artistic directors.
In addition to performing and teaching careers in ballet, both Lopez and Gamero had been the recipients of numerous awards for their outstanding contributions to dance and the arts.
In 2018, the school relocated to its current studio, which features sprung floors, a costume and props room and a waiting area for parents.
The school continues to grow, offering classes from pre-ballet to pre-professional levels as well as adult ballet and adult pointe classes. Open classes are given throughout the season during breaks in the school’s regular schedule, allowing students to continue their ballet training.
In the past few years, the school has added Ensemble I and Ensemble II, Saturday programs that give the students a feel for what being a professional dancer entails.
As student dancers progress through different levels (i.e. beginner, intermediate, advanced), they take various classes in Technique, Pointe, Variations, Pas De Deux, Vaganova Floor Barre and Lyrical to give them a well-rounded curriculum.
Gulfshore Ballet provides summer intensive programs which culminate with in-studio performances at the end of the session.
Periodically, guest teachers are invited to teach workshops and master classes, offering a wide range of classes in different genres of dance, including such renowned dance professionals as Douglas Gawriljuk, Marife Gimenez, Ashley Bouder, Chad Luke Schiro, Rasta Thomas, Melinda Roy, Roberto Munoz and Jock Soto.
Each year, Gulfshore Ballet collaborates with Gulf Coast Symphony to perform Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. This production has become an annual holiday tradition, eagerly anticipated by both the community and Gulfshore Ballet’s students and professional company members.
Gulfshore Ballet has also partnered with the Gulfcoast Opera for various live performances.
“Our wonderful school could not prosper without our generous donors, Friends of Gulfshore Ballet, corporate sponsors, grants and the fantastic support system we have through our volunteers and parents and grandparents,” noted Lopez. “We appreciate all of your contributions, dedication, effort and commitment so much.”
2025 marked the 25th anniversary of Gulfshore Ballet, which is dedicated to continuing the mission and vision that was created in 2000: to offer excellent ballet training in a positive and welcoming environment of learning and growth, which leads to a love for the beautiful art form of ballet.
Alumni achieving success
Gulfshore Ballet prepares students for professional dancing careers and promotes academic, athletic, cultural, and social growth. Many of its students have gone on to pursue professional dance careers in major ballet and dance companies, both internationally and in the U.S. Some are mentioned on the school’s website here.
Other students who’ve achieved success include:
Kai Perkins
After training as a youth with Gulfshore Ballet, Kai Perkins left to go to the School of American Ballet in the heart of Manhattan, where students live in dorms on residence hall floors in Lincoln Center. The School for American Ballet is the incubator for New York City Ballet. Each enrollee aspires to get an apprenticeship with the company when they graduate. Perkins is completing her final year at the School of American Ballet and recently joined a select group of SAB dancers who made their international debuts in the Next Generation Festival hosted by the Royal Ballet and Opera. In the course of that event, Perkins delivered a brilliant performance in “Valse Fantaisie.” The exposure she received in the broader global dance community is likely to translate into offers from top companies throughout the world, including New York City Ballet.
Anna McKinney
Anna McKinney studied at Gulfshore Ballet for eight years before leaving for the University of Florida. Midway through her four-year degree, she was accepted into the San Francisco Ballet School. Two years later, McKinney landed an apprentice contract with the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto before an injury forced a hiatus. Following her rehab, she joined Gulfshore Ballet last December for “The Nutcracker” in the coveted role of Sugar Plum Fairy.
Skylar Fry
Skyler Fry first appeared in “The Nutcracker” at age 8. She performed as an angel for Miami City Ballet when MCB came to Artis-Naples. She tackled additional roles in “The Nutcracker” after joining Gulfshore Ballet as a sixth-grader. Following her high school graduation, Fry was accepted into the University of Arizona’s dance program, landed a job as a dancer and head of education and community outreach at Roxey Ballet and eventually relocated to New York City to pursue opportunities there before sustaining injuries in an automobile accident. She returned to Gulfshore Ballet in November of 2025 to reprise her roles as Dew Drop and lead Spanish and be one of two Snowflake soloists.
Frye thrived during her time at Gulfshore Ballet. She said she enjoyed the discipline, the drive to meet and exceed goals, the air of professionalism that permeated the school and Gulfshore Ballet’s performances.
Previous segments on WGCU
For more, hear/read:
“Gulfshore Ballet performing ‘Don Quixote’ at Tribby Arts Center”;
“Gulfshore Ballet helps Skylar Frye rekindle passion with invitation to dance 'The Nutcracker'";
“Gulfshore Ballet casts alumna Anna McKinney in role of Sugar Plum Fairy in ‘The Nutcracker'";
“Gulfshore Ballet welcomes back three alumni for this year’s ‘Nutcracker’ performances";
“Two Gulfshore Ballet students enjoy success at Universal Ballet Competition";
“Gulfshore Ballet performs story of toymaker and his doll in 'Coppelia'”;
“Gulfshore Ballet brings ‘The Nutcracker’ to three venues this holiday season”;
“Gulfshore Ballet's 'Carmen' is loving tribute to choreographer Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros";
“Gulf Coast Symphony and Gulfshore Ballet make Nutcracker a SWFL holiday tradition";
“A Midsummer's Night Dream showcases young students at Shell Point Tribby Arts Center";
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
