A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and English. Monica began her formal training in 1970 under the direction of Stevan and Melanie Grebel at The University of Alabama Birmingham.  Monica was named principal dancer at Ballet UAB from 1971-1981 while pursuing her degree. Monica began teaching ballet at the age of 17, where she taught at UAB in the community school located at the University. Monica’s professional career as a principal dancer with The Alabama Ballet began in 1981 under the direction of Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski she performed leading roles such as the “Sugar Plum Fairy” from the “Nutcracker”, the “Swan Queen” in “Swan Lake,”  “Juliet” in “Romeo and Juliet,’ and “Cinderella” in “Cinderella”.  She has performed throughout Europe and studied in Cannes, France at the Centre de Dance International with Rosella Hightower, Jose Ferrand, Elena Tchernichova and Patricia Neary.  Summer studies were spent in New York with Robert Denvers, Melissa Hayden and David Howard.
Monica has sat on the Board of Trustees at The Alabama Ballet where she was an active supporter and continues to support the current Artistic Director and her staff.

Monica has been a guest teacher for company class at The Alabama Ballet and is  recognized as one of the best fundamentals ballet teachers in our area. Professional dancers from American Ballet Theatre, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Boston Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet of Russia and many other companies have and continue to come through her school, where they take class and teach on a regular basis. Exclusively Ballet & Dance currently has students working for and dancing with The Alabama Ballet. Exclusively Ballet & Dance students have traveled to London and participated in summer studies at the International Ballet Academy with world famous teachers such as Lynn Seymour and Madame Messerer.  Monica’s students have been accepted for summer studies with some of the best programs throughout the United States, such as American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, University of South Carolina and many more.  Monica often takes a group of students to spend 2 weeks in New York taking classes at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Centre.

Monica was 4th runner up to “Miss Alabama 1976” and won the Diane Waite Talent Scholarship Award.  Monica coached and choreographed for Heather Whitestone for three years leading up to her performance of “Via Dolorosa” in the 1995 “Miss America Pageant”, where Heather was crowned “Miss America”.  Exclusively Ballet & Dance students were featured with “Miss America 1995” on the nationally televised “Kathie Lee Gilford Christmas Special” and “20/20 with Barbara Walters”.  Monica Choreographed the “Miss Alabama” Production from 1983-88 and coached “Miss Alabama 1985” Angela Tower in the “Miss America Pageant”, where Miss Tower finished as 4th runner up and talent winner. “Miss Alabama 1995” Ashley Halfman was an Exclusively Ballet & Dance student and was featured in the 1998 production of “A Christmas Ballet on Ice” with Danny Tate as her partner.  Other former students that have brought recognition to Exclusively Ballet & Dance are Julie Oliver, MTV’s Original Real World “Julie” and Becky King, a Radio City Music Hall Rockette. Monica coached "Miss Alabama 2005" Alexa Jones to Miss America where she was 2nd Runner Up to Miss America. Alexa is now the CBS Morning News Anchor here in Birmingham Alabama. Liz Cochran, a long time student of Exclusively Ballet became "Miss Alabama 2009". Liz is now pursing a her Pre Med Major at Birmingham Southern College after her year of service.  Evan Volgas, a former student currently lives in Washington, D.C. and is a graduate of Rhodes College. Evan is pursing his MBA in Finance at NYC Leonard Stern School of Business.After spending two and a half years working with non-profits on homelessness and housing, Evan has accepted a job as a Data Analyst with Capital One. With his MBA Evan will focus on non-profits, social enterprises, and entrepreneurship.

Monica has won numerous choreography awards. She won the prestigious “Choreographers Award” at Panoply for Ballet in 1996 and 2003.  She has been recognized in Dance Magazine and other publications such as Birmingham News and other local papers for her work in the community and the excellent program she offers.  Monica and her students travel to local schools and perform lecture demonstrations, in order to make the children of the community aware of the Arts and Dance in particular.  She believes in building a great self-esteem in her students and is very active in helping her students move on in life in whatever direction they choose.  She stresses education and hard work and has seen many students go on to successful careers.  Many return on a regular basis to take class or just to thank her for being an inspiration in their lives.

Monica‘s community service includes Co-Chairing the Gene Stallings Retirement Party with proceeds going to the RISE Center for young children with disabilities and the Alabama Ballet.  Exclusively Ballet, Heather Whitestone and United Way partnered together to raise much-needed funds for the Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund of 2004. Christmas 2005 raised much-needed funds for Childhood Cancer at Children’s Hospital here in Birmingham.

Exclusively Ballet’s current location in Greystone offers the community state of the art dance floors and the highest quality of dance-educated teachers. The studio offers 7200 square feet of studio space and has a current enrollment of 300 students.