Instructor

Tess Cogley began her dance training at BalletNova Center for Dance in Arlington, Virginia. She studied there for twelve years, training in ballet, pointe, contemporary, and jazz. During this time, Tess also attended summer intensives at American Ballet Theater in NYC and Richmond Ballet. After graduating high school, she earned a BFA in Ballet at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). At UNCSA, Tess performed principal roles in Ilya Kozadayev’s The Nutcracker and Echoes, John Taras’s Firebird, soloist roles in Bournonville’s Napoli and Petipa’s Swan Lake, and a demi-soloist role in Balanchine’s Serenade. Currently, Tess is entering her second year as a trainee at Ballet Des Moines. During her first year, she performed in Tom Mattingly’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella. She has five years of experience teaching ballet technique, pointe, and variations for ages 11-18 at her hometown studio, BalletNova Center for Dance.

Tess’ 2026-2027 Course Offerings

Ballet 4	Tuesday 7:00pm-9:00pm
Gold Enrichment Class	Tuesday 9:00pm-9:30pm

The fall semester of Tess’ Gold Enrichment Class will feature 8 weeks of variations and 8 weeks of dynamic stretching.