Isabella (Isa) Fernandes (they/them) began their training in Rockville, Maryland at American Dance Institute under the direction of Pamela Bjerknes, training with Kimberly Parmer, Runqiao Du, Erin Du, and Vladimir Djouloukhadze.
Isa continued their training at Maryland School of Dance under the direction of Kimberly Parmer, training with Royce Kimpson Zackery, Ashlei-Rene Yancich, and Elizabeth Gaither.
Isa has received many merit scholarships for year round and summer programs, as well as competing in YAGP in 2015 and placing Top 12 in the Ensemble category. After high school Isa joined American Repertory Ballet as a Trainee for two seasons (2017-19) performing in company productions such as The Nutcracker and Coppélia under the direction of Douglas Martin, training with Mary Barton, Kirk Peterson, Aydmara Cabrera, and Maria Youskevitch.
They joined Ballet Fantastique as a Senior Apprentice for the 2019-2020 season under the direction of Donna Marisa Bontrager, assistant director Hannah Bontrager, and ballet mistress Jessica Jaye Mackinson where they performed demi soloist, and company corps roles.
Isa loved assisting with and substitute teaching virtual classes for The Washington School of Ballet from 2019-2020. They guested with Nevada Ballet Theatre for their 2021 production of The Nutcracker, and shortly with Virginia National Ballet. Isa enjoyed a Summer Season with Neville Dance Theatre in NYC before relocation to Columbia, South Carolina to join Columbia Classical Ballet under the direction of Brooklyn Mack.
They are currently in their third season with Columbia Classical Ballet, having performed works by Andile Ndlovu, Brooklyn Mack, and Simone Cuttino.
​Isa is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT®
Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
