Phone

+813-490-ARTS(2787)

Address

402 Oakfield Dr Brandon, FL 33511

Faculty

Meet our faculty members

Meet our awesome FAOPA Faculty! We are all happy to answer any questions you may have. Just send an email, give us a call or come by the studio.

Heather Ochalek

Heather Ochalek

Executive Director

When I designed the concept behind Music Showcase, I had one thought in mind….healthy children need encouragement, inspiration, opportunities and motivation regarding music education. We are a family owned and operated business and we are thrilled to be able to offer music education through quality services and products to the tri-county area. It is a proven fact that music makes you smarter and moves toward developing life skills such as confidence, character building and discipline. The goal of Music Showcase is to blend the best of both worlds….large variety with names brands and several choices in educational programs with the personal touch. Building Music Showcase has taken discipline, self-motivation, determination, perseverance, commitment and passion……I love what I do and after twelve years, I am finding the balance between work and family. I leave early to spend time with my children, sing with some local bands at weddings, conventions, etc, volunteer with various organizations that touch my heart, I teach a handful of students voice and piano and I am making every effort to embrace life. I have a very strong faith and relationship with Christ and I owe my many blessings to him. Everything has not been perfect, but even through the hard times, the storms and the trials he was there and he walked through it with us and we have come out stronger and more blessed. Remember, there is no dream too big and with hard work and perseverance, if you live passionately, and spread your wings you will fly to places you once thought were unreachable.
Danielle Sanchez

Danielle Sanchez

Director

I am Tampian! Born and raised in the Tampa area! I come from a family that instilled music and the arts into my life from the very beginning. My passion for the arts continued throughout my educational career. I have been involved in productions as a house manager and an assistant to various directors. My love for musical theatre and drama led me to pursue a public relations degree with a focus on advertising and marketing. My dream was to accept a job in NYC working for a Broadway production company. However, God’s plans do not always align with ours! I found my life taking a different direction. I stayed local, married my best friend I met while working in a restaurant during college, and now I have three beautiful daughters. I returned to college and received two Master’s degrees in Elementary Education and TESOL, and have worked at various schools in the county. It is important to me to cultivate a love for the performing arts in all children, but especially my own, assisting in them being well-rounded. My children have been personally involved with Florida Academy for the past few years. I am looking forward to meeting all of you and working with current and future FAOPA students.  

Miguel Oquendo

Miguel Oquendo

Showcase Players Instructor

I have been singing for 11 years and teaching for 6 years. I enjoy teaching because I like to see the progress that my students make week-by-week. I am a firm believer in students trying different styles of music, which contribute to the appreciation of other styles.

Music is a way for a person to express his or her feelings and emotions. Music is a challenge in every sense of the word, but when the outcome is a positive one, it is worth the struggles.

Being a complete performer is living the music as well as singing it. I can teach you how to sing, but you have to love it for yourself.

Christy Heaton

Christy Heaton

Dance Instructor

I have over 17 years of experience teaching ballet. I have choreographed
and staged many ballets including The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides and excerpts from Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.

I recently relocated from Las Vegas, NV, where highlights of my diverse performing career include being a Showgirl in Donn Arden’s Jubilee! on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, a singer/dancer with Legends in Concert and a singing cocktail waitress.

Before my time in the desert, I performed in several ballet and modern companies across the country, some of which include the Sacramento Ballet, San Jose Dance Theatre, LA Chamber Ballet, James Sewell Ballet and Minnesota Dance Theatre. I also danced and toured internationally with Labayan Dance in San Francisco and Ricardo Peralta Danza Performa in Mexico.

During my off seasons from dance company work, I enjoyed performing in musicals, such as Chicago and South Pacific, and operettas such as The Merry Widow, The Ancient Mariner and The Desert Song.

Since transitioning from performing to teaching, I have trained to become a certified yoga instructor. I love teaching yoga in the park and enjoy the beautiful nature Florida has to offer.