UF Graduation
Ava graduated in December 2024 from the University of Florida’s School of Theatre and Dance with her BFA in Musical Theatre and minor in Dance. Online, she will finish her Masters of Science in Management with Warrington College of Business in Spring 2025. Ava is in the Fall 2024 tapping class of Florida Blue Key, the oldest leadership honorary in the state of Florida.
Feature Film Debut: Mississippi Scholar
Mississippi Scholar won “Best Feature Film” at the 2024 Beverly Hills Film Festival! Ava made her Feature Film debut as Lindsey in Mississippi Scholar. The film is produced by Emmy winner Obba Babatundé and directed by Emmy nominated Marcus Bleecker. Mississippi Scholar reveals the impediments one underprivileged intellectual must overcome to realize his dreams of the future. Principal photography was completed in May 2022.
Summer 2023: FSU Dance in Paris
From May-June 2023, Ava spent her time training through Florida State University’s Dance in Paris program. She took multiple classes each day in varying styles at Centre National de la Danse, Studio Harmonic, La Ménagerie de Verre, and Centre de Danse du Marais. She also took a Dance in Film class and created four short films, two of which are Dance Film pieces.
Resident Artist Internship
From June-August 2022, Ava was a Resident Artist Intern at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. While teaching children (ages 6-18) dance and musical theatre skills, she also trained her craft by performing in Chicago and Songs for a New World. Ava was also Associate Choreographer for Catch Me If You Can, directed by Stephen Nachamie and choreographed by Leo Alvarez.
BroadwayWorld Next on Stage Dance: Top 5
Ava competed and placed Top 5 in BroadwayWorld’s Next on Stage: Dance competition, in Season 1. Judges included: Phil LaDuca, Tyler Hanes, and Tony Yazbeck. She received an interview with BroadwayWorld and an interview with the Orange Observer, an Orlando newspaper.
AVA MADARA 