Reclaiming and Restoring the Arts for the Lord
Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
Our Mission
To pursue Godly excellence in the arts.
To assist is restoring dance and performing arts as an eloquent expression of worship for the Church.
To present the gospel to audiences of all walks through visual expression and theatrical experience.
To provide a witness to the community, most especially those in the arts.
To teach and disciple dancers and other artists to be salt and light in the world.
To offer encouragement and hope to other believing artists to use their gifts for the Kingdom.
Our Statement of Faith
WE believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Lordship of Jesus Christ; his birth, life and death as told in the whole of Scripture, the Body of Christ, his Church, the existence of God's call and purpose in the individual life of the believer, the necessity of that call to be lived out in community, the truth that the Christ-centered life is shaped by servant hood, humility and radical obedience. (adopted from "Scribbling in the Sand" by Michael Card, inter varsity Press).
Andrea Sanders, Director
Andrea began her ballet training at the age of seven in Winston Salem, North Carolina. She received her formal training and performance experience with Robert Joffrey, NYC., Edward Vilella, Miami City Ballet, Violet Verdi, Henry Parish, Edith Royal, Martin Friedman and mentor Anzia. Andrea has performed with Tampa Ballet as principal dancer, Spanish Lyric Theater, Baton Rouge Ballet Company, Miami City Ballet and Southern Ballet Theater. Her college focus was Music and Dance at St. Petersburg College and University of South Florida with extensive study, performance experience and directing background in Musical Theater. She has appeared on national TV commercials, exercise videos and Disney children's show. She developed and directed summer theater camps for the City of Largo and Cultural Center for four years and taught Arts Education in Pinellas County private schools for ten years. Andrea was a pioneer in developing the dance program for Pinellas County Center for Performing Arts, Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, FL. As Artistic and Administrative Director for Affirmation Ballet and Performing Arts Centre she designs programs and curriculum for all levels of dance, theater camps and summer outreach. Partnering with local YMCA's and schools developing dance and theater programs for children of all ages that may not otherwise have the opportunity. On global mission Andrea has traveled often with the ABC team to Ecuador, Costa Rica and Bosnia to bring the gospel using the medium of dance and theater to the lost. Dedicated to reclaiming the ARTS for the Lord she has helped establish dance and drama ministries in local churches and abroad. She and her husband Don live in St. Petersburg, where they raised two children and now have twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Several being gifted in the ARTS. Andrea is grateful to be a servant of Jesus surrendered to His creative call in the Arts to further the Kingdom.
CiGi Shea, Co-Director
CiGi was born in Pinellas Park, Florida. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Pinelas Park High School. After High School she pursued a teaching degree at St. Petersburg College where she graduated with her Bachelors in Education, 2011. Taught Kindergarten and Third Grade in Pinellas County Schools for four years. CiGi began her formal dance training in 1999 at The Ballet Society in St. Petersburg, Fl. In 2004 she began her training at Affirmation Ballet where she studied Ballet, Jazz and Modern dance and danced as a Company member from 2006-2009. In the summer of 2006 CiGi traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to train at Ballet Magnificant's Summer Dance Intensive. In 2007 she was accepted to Sarasota Ballet's Summer Intensive. She has danced various roles with with ABC and leading role in the ballet "Transfiguration" in 2008. She is a gifted teacher and mentor of children of all ages. She has been on faculty for 10 years and headed up our outreach program partnering with the YMCA. She continues to be excited to share her passion for dance and follow God's calling in her life. CiGi, her husband John, son Bradley and daughter Emmalyn, who is now studying dance, live in Clearwater, FL.
Madelyn Trujillo, Dance Instructor
Madelyn Trujillo is a high school junior dual enrolled at St. Petersburg College, with the hopes of receiving her AA degree alongside her high school diploma. She has been dancing at Affirmation Ballet Company since she was four years old. She auditioned and was accepted into the performing company as a trainee when she was eleven. Her role now as a senior company dancer includes mentoring junior company members. She began as a student assistant with the lower-level classes in the school at thirteen years old and this year she is teaching solo.
Madelyn has had the privilege of dancing with ABC in many of the signature ballets created including a leading role in the 2024 performance of “the Seasons of Life”. She values Affirmation for its impact on her life not only in her artistic and technical dance training but also in her faith journey and she is excited to continue to pour back into its students. Madelyn lives in St. Petersburg with her family.
Sofia Rodriguez, Dance Instructor
Sofia Rodriguez began her dance and acting training at Affirmation Ballet when she was six years old and became a company dancer in middle school. She graduated from the St. Petersburg High School IB program in 2024 and is now a freshman at the University of South Florida. After performing and writing skits she began co-teaching a stagecraft class while she was a junior in high school which she is teaching solo this year.
Her graduation performance 2024 with Affirmation Ballet was a lead role in the production of The Seasons. As part of staff, she is excited to continue to build her students’ confidence on stage and grow in their relationship with Christ.
Sofia is so grateful for the technical and spiritual training she has received at Affirmation. For the teachers that poured into her life and the community of dancers that she has grown up with. And now she is grateful to have the opportunity to do the same with others.