About The Movement MentoR Program

The Movement Mentor® Program trains and certifies passionate individuals to bring inclusive, joyful dance experiences to children of all abilities. Our program equips you with the tools, guidance, and community support to create movement classes that inspire confidence, creativity, and connection in every child.

ABOUT THE Adaptive Dance CLASS

The adaptive dance class provides training to children with various developmental, behavioral, and physical challenges in creative dance, ballet, and jazz basics. Classes are led by teachers who are trained and certified in the Movement Mentor curriculum, with each dance student paired one-on-one with an advanced-level mentor from the host school for a personalized and supportive dance experience.

Meet the Team

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    Heather Fryxell

    CREATOR / DIRECTOR

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    Cyndi Litz

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

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    Elizabeth Shook

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

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Heather Fryxell

Creator / Director

Heather Fryxell, a principal dancer and educational psychology graduate, began her adaptive dance journey in 1992 by creating a class for developmentally disabled adults that explored ballet, jazz, and creative movement. In 2000, she co-founded the Central Florida Ballet and its academy, launching her Movement Mentor® program—a licensed initiative pairing students of varying abilities with advanced peers for one-on-one dance instruction, fostering multi-directional learning.

After expanding the program in Utah and partnering with Ballet West, Fryxell introduced teacher training and certification in 2019. Today, she continues to impact the dance community as a teaching artist with Orlando Ballet, where her curriculum forms the basis of the adaptive program, Come Dance with Us!

Smiling woman in a black zip-up shirt standing indoors with a hand on her hip.

Cyndi Litz

Associate Director

Cyndi Litz, a native Floridian trained by Edith and Bill Royal, performed at Orlando theme parks and theaters before becoming a fine arts educator for Orange County Public Schools for 18 years. A 2006 Teacher of the Year and advocate for arts in education, she contributed to the Florida Sunshine State Dance standards and local dance programs. Currently, Cyndi is a community enrichment teacher at Orlando Ballet, continues to perform with the Still, Moving-Dance Company, and balances her professional life with family life alongside her husband Conrad and sons Aaron and Alex.

Elizabeth Shook

Associate Director

Elizabeth began her ballet training at Marin Ballet, later performing with The Pennsylvania Ballet School and Boston Ballet II before freelancing in New York, including a stint at Betsey Johnson’s Fashion Week. After moving to Florida in 2000 and becoming a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, she has spent 24 years in pediatric therapy. An ABT® CertifiedAffiliate Teacher, Primary - Level 7, and Level 3 certified in Progressing Ballet Technique®, Elizabeth has taught at Orlando Ballet School since 2015. She is proud to serve on the board of Boys Ballet Summer Intensive.

The Movement Mentor® program or curriculum is presented at the following schools:

  • Ballet West

  • Next Generation Ballet

  • Utah Arts Collective

  • Orlando Ballet

  • Scarsdale Ballet