Southport Performing Arts Conservatory and Entertainment

Mrs. Fusun Naska is a native of Turkey, she started playing violin at the age of eight as a student of well-known composer and violinist Ekrem Zeki Un and Prof. Yusuf Guler Aksoz. After she graduated Istanbul State Conservatory, in 1988, she worked for 10 years in Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra as assistant-concertmaster.

Mr. Altin Naska is an internationally known award winning choreographer, dancer, and master teacher, with over two decades of performing experience in Europe and the United States. He was a soloist with Istanbul State Opera and Ballet and Istanbul City Theater in Turkey, also; soloist with Tirana State Opera and Ballet in his native Albania where he graduated from the Albanian Academy of Ballet and studied choreography at the Tirana Institute of Arts.

Hulya Alpakin is a native of Turkey and holds a Bachelor's degree in piano from Istanbul State Conservatory, a Master's degree in piano performance, and an Artist Diploma, both from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She has been performing internationally as soloist, as part of ensembles, and as accompanist. Her performances were featured on the radio and as well as on records, among them compositions especially dedicated to her.

Bryan Albert has enjoyed a multifaceted freelance career as a performer, studio artist, composer, and teacher. Outside of S.P.A.C.E. and his private studio, Bryan has taught at Northwestern University, Fox River Academy, Music Makers for Life, inc. and the McGaw YMCA. He has studied with Denis Azabagic, Brian Torosian, Anne Waller, and Tomas de Utrera, and performed in master classes with Sergio Assad, Oscar Ghiglia, and Robert Guthrie. Bryan has been a professional performer and teacher since 1998.

Abigail Simon, a dancer since the age of three, joined The Joffrey Ballet as a company member in 2006. Prior to joining The Joffrey, Ms. Simon danced with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Studio Company and was an apprentice with the American Ballet Theatre. She also performed with the School of American Ballet, Ballet Hispanico and the West Side Academy of Ballet in Santa Monica. She has also attended summer programs in Kaatsbaan and Chautauqua, as well as the Royal Ballet in London and The Joffrey Ballet School in New York.