Our Team
Athena (Yutong Zhang)
FOUNDER & CHOREOGRAPHER
FOLKLORIC INSTRUCTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER
Athena is a famous Folkloric dance artist and producer with more than 35 years dance experience. She is a famous choreographer, and Oscar winner of the dance art industry: Lotus Award.——A dream chaser in the spirit of dance art.
As the founder of the Athena Dance Academy, she always pursues a love for the spirit of art in her dictionary. “Dance is a living art, dance art is an interpretation of internal personality, artistic spirit, and quality. The artistic spirit and quality of dance are the beginning source of dance art. “—— This is her artistic spirit and the best interpretation of Athena Dance Academy
Aniya Wingate
BALLET, TAP DANCE, JAZZ, CONTEMPORARY INSTRUCTOR
Aniya Wingate is a Houston-based dancer, choreographer, and youth advocate. A BFA Dance graduate from Sam Houston State University, she performs with Urban Souls Dance Company and teaches young dancers at Athena Dance Academy. Her work explores social and environmental justice, notably in Caution: Roses Die Here and the short film Shoulders Deep. She is also the subject of Raising Aniya, a documentary on environmental justice in the Gulf Coast. Her choreography has been showcased at the Limitless Dance Festival, The Black Agenda, and national events like the Climate Story Lab.
Sky Edward
HIP HOP, KPOP INSTRUCTOR
My name is Sky, and I’ve been dancing to Kpop for about 9 years. My favorite artists are XG and NCT, and I love all the different styles that Kpop has to offer! I started dancing on my own when I was 15 when I discovered Millennium Dance Studios on Youtube, and from then on I knew I always wanted to dance. In college I joined my first team which was a Kpop cover team that I eventually became the director of. Since then I have been in multiple kpop cover teams and I am now on an advanced competitive hip hop team at Soundbox Studios, while also directing my own kpop cover group Cosmix in my free time. In the past few years I’ve danced to many different genres, from waacking to hip hop, and I love exploring now styles and movement. I’m excited to start this new chapter in my dance journey with Athena Dance Academy!
Hope Magee
BALLET, CONTEMPORARY, ACRO, JAZZ, TAP INSTRUCTOR
Hope Magee began dancing at age 5 after watching her older sister’s ballet class and hasn’t stopped since. She trained in Humboldt County, CA, starring in ballets like The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, and Paquita, and won first place in a local competition two years in a row. At 15, she moved to Scottsdale to train at Master Ballet Academy and later continued her training at Sarasota Ballet’s Conservatory and BalletMet in Columbus, OH. Since 13, Hope has spent summers training under mentor Theodore Constant, whose guidance led her to Houston in 2023. Teaching is another passion; she began teaching at 13 and has taught a range of ages and styles, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, acro, and lyrical. Currently, Hope directs an Acro program and a competitive dance team, leading her students to multiple first-place awards. She is excited to share her experience with Houston’s talented dancers.