Ballet Artist, Educator, Choreographer and Competition Judge

Ommi P. Leffler is a Thai-American ballet artist, educator, choreographer, and international competition judge. She currently serves on the ballet faculty at Metropolitan School of the Arts and The Washington School of Ballet. She is also a guest faculty member in the Western Dance Department at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.


Ommi began her ballet training at Varaporn & Kanchana Ballet School in Bangkok, where she received the Royal Academy of Dance's prestigious Solo Seal Award. She later earned a three-year full scholarship to study at The Royal Ballet School in London.


Ommi went on to become the youngest dancer and the first Thai artist to win the gold medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition, now known as The Fonteyn International Ballet Competition. While studying at The Royal Ballet School, Ommi performed leading roles in school productions and was selected to appear with The Royal Ballet in numerous full-length ballets. During her final year, she represented the United Kingdom at international galas throughout Europe and Russia, including appearances at La Scala and the Bolshoi Theatre. She graduated with honors and received a Professional Dance Diploma.


Ommi joined San Francisco Ballet as its youngest soloist and was named one of Pointe Magazine's "25 to Watch" emerging artists. She later became a principal dancer with Ballet San Jose, performing an extensive repertoire of classical and contemporary works, including productions of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. Her career has also been featured by ABC7 News Bay Area and Voice of America.


Ommi holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Hollins University. She is certified in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum and is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. She has also been selected to attend RAD examiner training at the organization's London headquarters.


Ommi has taught dancers extensively throughout the United States and Asia. Her teaching experience includes Pacific Ballet Academy, Menlo Park Academy of Dance, San Jose Dance Theatre, Southern California Ballet, and Bay Pointe Ballet, where she served as ballet master. Across Asia, she has taught at institutions and intensives including Bangkok Dance Academy, Marlupi Dance Academy, and Sonata Thailand Dance Intensive. In addition to teaching, Ommi choreographs original solo and ensemble works and serves as a judge for international ballet and dance competitions.


As an AK Artist, Ommi plays an important role in AK Dancewear's commitment to ballet education, mentorship, and meaningful opportunities for young dancers. Her work with AK has included the AK Singapore Masterclass, the AK x NBC collaboration in Wilmington, Delaware, and the 5th Annual AK Dancers Event in Lewisville, Texas.


At the 2026 AK Dancers Event, Ommi led a two-hour ballet technique masterclass and created choreography for a special filmed project set to music composed specifically for the event. Through masterclasses, workshops, creative projects, and community experiences, Ommi continues to share her international expertise while helping AK Dancewear inspire and support the next generation of dancers.

The Miko Fogarty Edit

Her favorite picks for the season