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As founder and artistic director of Jacksonville Ballet Theatre, Dulce Anaya has had a steady stream of dancers pass through her doors over the past 40 years. She passes on her exceptional technique and artistry and her experience as a Prima Ballerina to her students. These students stand out in auditions, workshops and performances and gain recognition and scholarships to national and international professional dance companies and schools.

At age 7, Dulce's mother, Dulce Ventayol, a Cuban schoolteacher with a great appreciation for the arts, took her to study under George Milenoff and Alicia and Alberto Alonso at Sociedad Pro-Arte Musical. Ms. Anaya never had a perfect ballerina physique. She didn't have the height, the extensions, the natural turnout, or the feet for ballet. She had to work harder than the other naturally talented girls.

In 1947, Ms. Anaya started her professional career as a ballet dancer at age 15 dancing in New York City for American Ballet Theatre. Ms. Anaya gained her Prima Ballerina status at age 26 after dancing the title role of Undine for the Bavarian State Opera Ballet in Munich, Germany. Ms. Anaya was invited to the Hamburg State Opera Ballet as Prima Ballerina. She danced leading roles in ballets, such as: Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia and Les Sylphides.

Ms Anaya's career took her all over the world, dancing for illustrious audiences such as President Peron in Argentina and the Prince of Albania. George Balanchine and other great choreographers created ballets specifically for Dulce Anaya.

In 1970, Ms. Anaya founded Jacksonville Ballet Theatre. She became known as Jacksonville's Prima Ballerina, teaching students and staging professional level performances for the Jacksonville community.

"Attending JBT is like going to finishing school," says Meme Broadfoot, a 1970's alumni of JBT. "Dulce has the unique ability to apply European finesse to her students exceptional technique." Ms Broadfoot landed a full scholarship to ABT after training with Ms. Anaya. She then went on to establish her own dance school in California.

Ronda Stampalia, a guest artist for JBT in its earlier years, who is now Dance Director at Douglas Anderson School of the Performing Arts, said two main things she learned from Ms. Anaya that she passes on to her own students are purity of line and true artistry. "The chance to be coached by a Prima Ballerina is once in a lifetime. She lived it, she did it and she passes it on," Ms. Stampalia said.