Talents Unleashed

Debra Arce-Carr has participated in music and performance almost her entire life! Beginning as a pianist, then accompanist, she received her AA in music from St. Petersburg College and her BA in Music Education from the University of Central Florida.  

Her years of experience include music church work in English and Spanish-speaking churches, 40+ years of piano teaching, 20+ years of homeschooling and creator and director of Vessels of G.O.L.D. in 2001.  Growth Opportunities for Learning and Development (GOLD) was followed by summer camps and the Talents Unleashed studio. Since that time, Aureus, Chrysos, Vessels Vault and now Nuggets of GOLD have been added to the list.

She loves the creativity and always-changing canvas of talents and ideas that pass her way. Her desire is to provide wholesome, creative environments, outlets and experiences for performers, teachers and audiences in the performing arts.  

Soli Deo Gloria!

Abigail Braniff has been dancing for over twelve years. She has experience in tap, jazz, flamenco, waltz and swing dancing. She is entering her first competitive Irish dance season in Spring 2018, and is a Senior  Contemporary Company member at her studio. Though she loves all styles of dance, Ballet is her passion, and this year she has had the opportunity to study Ballet at Miami Dade College. She has helped choreograph for A Midsummer Night's Dream, Chrysos, and Vessels in the past. Abigail loves performing, trying new styles and techniques, choreographing, and teaching. She has been part of Talents Unleashed since 2013, taking classes, participating as a Vessels member, and as a volunteer.  She is excited to return as a performer and teacher for the 2017-18 school year.

Adam Rothkopf is 17 years old and a high school senior. He has been part of the Talents Unleashed community for several years now, and during that time has (among other things) taught several improv mini-classes and guitar lessons, worked for years with performing group Vessels of G.O.L.D., interned as an organizer and public relations assistant, and served as a staff director, choreographer, drama/music instructor, and group leader at various Talents Unleashed summer camps. Most recently, he got the opportunity to write, direct, produce, and act in an original one-act show, “In-Between the Lines,” which took place over the summer of 2017. Adam is thrilled to be teaching perhaps his favorite subject, improv, at the studio this year! Having taken several years of improv classes himself, he truly believes that the rules of improv resemble the rules of life: always say yes to opportunities, trust yourself and those around you, make up the story as you go, and ALWAYS have a blast and a million laughs in the process!

Emily Nuñez was a performing member of Vessels of G.O.L.D. for 10 years before taking up the position of Assistant Director.  She then helped to found  Aureus Theater Group and has performed with them in four original productions.  She is currently the Co-Director and Head of Choreography for Vessels of G.O.L.D. and Vessels Vault; she also had the honor of directing Chrysos in five wonderful productions over the past few years.

Emily performed at the 2011 Miami Music Teachers Foundation Jazz Festival and 2011 MMTF Jazz Festival Honors recital and has received awards from the National Association of Teachers of Singing for her vocal performance.  She has taken vocal lessons for the past eight years and continues her vocal study with Colleen Amaya. 

She is currently the Co-Director of Talents Unleashed as well as a private vocal instructor. 

Cristina Fernandez has been taking Ballet and Tap since she was 3 years old. She is a Senior Company member in Pointe and Tap at Jill Mallory Studio of Dance. She also has some experience in Lyrical and Social Dance. Cristina began teaching group and private dance lessons in 2016. Through her dance studio, she has volunteered at various studio and community performances as well as helping with Dance with DisAbilities. Cristina played the part of the “Clueless Ballerina” in the stand-out performance in the Vessels of Gold 2015 show “Perfection.”

Cristina has taken Violin lessons since the age of 7 and has performed in the Greater Miami Youth Symphony and Community Arts Program orchestras. She has also played violin and piano in her church’s Praise Team. She has had 2 years of experience teaching violin.