BLDF FACULTY

Bruce is a graduate of Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet and Theater. Over the past 27 years, Bruce has taught master dance classes from New York to Los Angeles for Dance Masters of America, Dance Caravan, The Professional Dance Teachers Association, Dance Educators of America, NADAA, National Cheerleading Association and Dance Troupe, INC. to name a few. Bruce's students have won numerous American, World and National Dance Championships. His dancers have performed with Janet Jackson on her World Tour, in music videos, on the American Music Awards and Grammy Awards shows, danced on Broadway, in Las Vegas and on Cruise Ships. Several of his students have been Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. More recently three of his dancers competed on the CBS television show Star Search. 

On Broadway, Bruce danced with Bernadette Peters in the musical "On the Town."  He then moved on to a featured role in the smash broadway hit "Irene," starring Miss Debbie Reynolds. Bruce and Miss Reynolds struck a close relationship (Debbie is Godmother to his oldest son, Brandin) and he became a featured dancer and her dance partner touring the world in her Las Vegas Night Club show. Bruce was also the Broadway dance partner of Carrie Fisher (of Star Wars fame and  Miss Reynolds' daughter.) Off Broadway, Bruce co-starred with Danny Devito in the Cole Porter musical "Du Barry Was A Lady." 

Bruce's television credits include The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, The Sonny and Cher show, The Dinah Shore Show, Liberace and Bob Hope TV Speacials, the TV series Dallas, The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Movie, and most recently has appeared on the VH-1 TV series Bands on the Run with his sons Brandin and Fletcher Lea of the band Flickerstick. 

Bruce was stage director and choreographer of the Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant telecasts for 10 years, and has coached 3 Miss Texas winners. 

In Summer Stock and Dinner Theatres (most notable Casa Manana, where Bruce began his professional career at age 18), he has choreographed, danced, and starred in such musicals as: "George M", "Guys and Dolls", "Oklahoma", "West Side Story", "Dames At Sea", "How to Succeed in Business", "Irene", "Hello Dolly", "Call Me Madam", "Where's Charley", "The Sound of Music", "The Music Man", "Sweet Charity", "Take Me Along", "South Pacific", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Gypsy", "Showboat", "Sunny", "Good News", "Brigadoon", "Paint Your Wagon", "The King and I", "Little Me", "Man of La Mancha", "Du Barry was A Lady", "Mame", "Bye Bye Birdie", "Fiddler on the Roof", "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" and "A Chorus Line."

During his career, Bruce has had the privlege to work with Bernadette Peters, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Barry Manilow, Jeanine Turner, Betty Buckley, Sonny and Cher, Debbie Reynolds, Ruta Lee, Martha Raye, Gwen Verdon, Danny DeVito, Jane Powell, Liberace, Johnny Carson, Gower Champion, Carrie Fisher, Rip Taylor, Dinah Shore, Ken Berry, Peter Gennaro, and the Charlie Daniels Band. 

In 1998 Bruce returned to the New York stage as choreographer for the 25th anniversary revival of the Broadways show "Irene." Bruce, along with 18 of his fellow original cast members, performed in this very special show benefiting Gilda's Club of New York.

Christi is Co-Director of the award winning Bruce Lea Dance Factory. She has been a professional performer and teacher for the past 30 years. Christi has performed with the Charlie Daniels Band in Concert, was a featured dancer at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas and is Co-Choreographer of the Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant. Christi, along with her husband Bruce, teaches at 10-12 dance conventions throughout the country every year. Bruce & Christi now enjoy bringing the love of dance to their students and pride themselves with the accomplishments of the many past and present students that join with them. 

Jessica "Jessi" McPherson grew up training at Bruce Lea Dance Factory began teaching dance at the age of 16. Jessi graduated with a BFA in dance performance from Chapman University in Orange, California. While attending Chapman, McPherson performed in the Musco Opening Gala, "American Celebration" fundraising events and dance department spring concerts. She also danced locally in Los Angeles in choreography showcases and musical productions such as "Singing in the Rain."  McPherson moved to New York in 2019 to further develop her craft and performed in commercial work. Currently, McPherson is the dance director and integration teacher for the Alma Martinez Intermediate Fine Arts Academy in Mansfield, TX. She is happy to back home at Bruce Lea Dance Factory as she continues to fulfill her passion for choreography and dance education.

Jennifer hails originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where she was trained as a dancer, performer and choreographer. and has has been working in different aspects of the arts community for over 38 years.  

She began her dance training at the age of three and has trained in various forms of dance from jazz, tap and ballet to modern, African, Flamenco and more. She began teaching when she was sixteen years old and has taught across U.S., Mexico and China. She attended the University of Central Oklahoma studying dance and was a member of the Kaleidoscope Dance Company where she was thrilled to work with choreographers from across the United States.  Jennifer has worked and performed for Six Flags America, Texas Ballet Theater, Double JJ & Golf Resort,  Artisan Center Theater, Arts Fifth Avenue and Upright Theatre Company. 

Jennifer is also a  busy choreographer in the D/FW Metroplex having choreographed such productions as Camelot, Phantom the Musical, Scrooged, Sound of Music, Cinderella, Into the Woods, Shrek the Musical, Pinkaliciuos, Newsies, Fancy Nancy, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Aladdin Jr., High School Musical, Seussical, Newsies , Beauty and the Beast, and many more. 

Jennifer is proud to be a dance teacher in the D/FW Metroplex at various studios and has recently been training  with Dance for Parkinson's which helps patients  participants experience the grace, fluidity, and power of dance in a social, joyful, and supportive environment. She is a proud teacher of dance at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care to bring the art of dance to patients with dementia. 

Jennifer is a proud mother of two talented young adults and is thrilled to continue at BLDF for another wonderful year of dance. 

 Ana Rivero is a professional dancer with Texas Ballet Theater. She hails from Miami, Florida where she was an instructor for South Florida Ballet for 3 years before joining TBT. She is an certified Instructor of Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) which is an innovative body conditioning and strength-building program that prioritizes muscle memory development through ballet- specific exercises. 

 Ana attended Florida International University and received a BA in International Business Administration and a Minor in Economics, Honors College.

Hannah  is a graduate from Texas Tech University where she gained her BA in dance and minor in health professions.  Hannah has spent most of her life in Fort Worth, Texas, however she has lived in Colorado, California, and Florida due to her dad being in the military. She started dancing at age five and continued her dance training at Bruce Lea Dance Factory on a competitive level. During her time on Bruce Lea’s Competitive team she had the opportunity to partake in three National Dance Competitions in Florida and in San Antonio, many dance conventions, and performances at Texas Christian University sporting events. Hannah is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, modern, and contemporary. As a freshman in college, she started out as a dance minor but quickly realized that she was meant to major in dance. Hannah had the honor of attending and performing at ACDA (American College Dance Association) her freshman, Junior, and Senior year and had some of the best experiences of her life. Her Senior year she Choreographed for The Texas Tech University Fall Dance Festival and was stage manager of the site-specific production. She went on to present her work A$$UMPTIONS at the 2019 American College Dance Association South-Central Conference.  Her Sophomore year she was a member of The Texas Tech University Dance Company and was vice president of the company for the 2017-2018 year, and President her 2018-2019 year. She was also a member of the Chi Tau Epsilon dance honors society and has helped in the production of four Annual Benefit Concerts for the Hospice of Lubbock. Hannah treasures the time she has spent teaching dance at the Burkhart Center for Autism Research and hopes to continue working with them. Hannah plans to continue her passion for dance and the arts by hopefully dancing professionally and sharing her love for dance through teaching. She currently teaches dance and musical theater at High Point Academy and instructs contemporary classes at her home, Bruce Lea Dance Factory. She treasures the experiences and lessons dance has taught her and hopes to share these lessons with others.    

Parker Freeman