Jelinkova received her early training at the National Conservatory of Dance (Prague), where she studied classical ballet technique and other dance forms, including Eastern European folk dance. She joined the Opera Ballet of the National Theatre in Prague, where she danced and toured worldwide for ten years. She attended the Academy of Fine Arts, receiving a Master’s Degree in ballet and pedagogy. Slavka taught extensively in the Czech Republic. In 1993 she was awarded a Dutch State Arts grant to complete pedagogical studies at the Conservatory of Ballet in Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam. In 1999 Slavka moved to Ann Arbor, where she has served on the faculties of FSPA, Arts in Motion, the Russian Classical Ballet Academy, and the Brighton Ballet School. For three years she taught character dance classes and choreographed for the summer camp of American Ballet Theatre. Performed as a free-lance artist with Michigan area choreographers and has also choreographed works for her students. In 2010 Slavka danced and choreographed the world premiere of Apple Train. She is also a nationally certified massage therapist specializing in sports massage. Ms. Jelinkova is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary-Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum