Trudy Weaver, the founder of Elite Fine Arts Academy LLC, started dancing at the age of
11 at the Fairegreve’s School of Dance in Pennsylvania. There she studied Ballet/Pointe’, Jazz, Partnering, and Musical Theater. She also studied semi-classical voice and acrobatics/tumbling. After moving to Florida, she continued her Jazz and Ballet training with Marcy Tuttle who now owns and operates a popular dance competition company. Under her tutelage, Trudy competed as part of a trio, winning several dance competitions including Showstoppers in Raleigh, North Carolina. In high school Trudy started her own dance line called the “Pirettes.” It was Port Charlotte’s first line of its kind and entertained the crowd at all home basketball games.

 She auditioned and was accepted into the dance department at the University of South Florida in Tampa under former ABT dancer/instructor Gretchen Ward Warren, who is a renowned teacher and author of a book on ballet technique/terminology  “Classic Ballet Technique”. Trudy was a Dean’s list fine arts major taking classes in ballet, advanced jazz, and modern including extensive studies in Luigi’s, David Howard’s, and Cunningham’s techniques. She also studied music theory for dancers. While attending USF Trudy was privileged to dance in the grand opening ceremonies for their newly opened Dance Department.  She was also the only freshmen dancer to audition and be chosen to dance in USF’s annual spring recital. Trudy has performed in many original productions such as Smurfs on Broadway, Pinocchio, and The Wizard of Oz. She has also held lead roles in The Music Man, Babes in Toyland, and the drama Up the Down Stair Case.

Choreography is her passion and she has many credits to her name. Some of which include The Fantastiks, Nathen and the Neon Night Light, numerous 2nd act pieces for SEAD’s Nutcracker, Spotlight on Dance in 1993, 1997, 1998, and 2001, original ballet works for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and pieces for the televised Christmas Pageant at Port Charlotte’s First Baptist Church. Trudy appeared in and choreographed a hip-hop video Documentary for the Sarasota Film Festival. Her dancers recently appeared and were invited back at Disney performing her original choreography to American Band. Trudy’s students regularly appear in performances with Charlotte Players and Venice Little Theater. Her dancers have had the opportunity to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Orange Bowl Half time Show.  Many have gone on to have educations/careers in the Arts. A few of their credits include: Bally’s in Las Vegas, Fine Arts Major in Musical Theater- Point Park College, PA, PBS Documentary Ballet – Santa Fe College-Gainesville, FL, and many of her students have ended up teaching in local dance studios around Charlotte County and with many numerous dance companies throughout the state and country. View Miss Trudy's past students on our Elite "Wall of Fame." Miss Trudy taught for 25 years at Stars of Tomorrow and is currently knee deep in Elite's 15th year, choreographing hundreds and hundreds of numbers.

She was also 1984 Miss Charlotte County’s representative to Miss Florida in the Miss America Pageant.  She is happily married with two extraordinary children and living in North Port, Florida.Her desire is to inspire and encourage her students to be better dancers and to be exceptional people as well!