Elite Studio of Dance

Faculty

Allison Evans - Owner

Heather Caden - Assistant Director

Student Teachers

Minji Boyd

Gabby Dong

Catie Winemiller

Zoey D’Auria

Sophie LeDoux

Dominique Doria

Cooper Miller

Teachers:

Jacquie Alvarez - Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical

Christina Cooper - Intro, Jazz, Ballet, Special Needs

Wren Crisologo - Hip Hop

Sandy Gomez - Intro, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop

Sam Hall - Tap, Contemporary

Casey Harris - Intro, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Special Needs

Charli Ramos - Hip Hop

Chelsea Renfree - Jazz, Tap

Maia Wilkins - Ballet

Amy Wolf - Ballet

Guest Faculty

Alex Blitstein

Born and raised in Northern California, Alex Blitstein's dance career began after 12 years of competitive gymnastics training. Alex earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Science from San Diego State University. Alex's passion for dance education and strong technical background has granted him wonderful opportunities to spread his knowledge and love of dance around the world. He is currently a faculty member on 24 Seven Dance Convention and this season has also been a guest faculty member on both JUMP and NUVO. 

Some of Alex's credits include: Jennifer Lopez, Glee, American Idol's Jessica Sanchez, Disney Channel, FOX Networks "Mobbed", America's Got Talent and dancing in industrials for Estee Lauder, Adidas, Genetech, FIAT and Flash Mob America. 

As a dance educator, Alex has found himself around the globe working in many different arenas aside from his work at studios, universities and with professional companies. Most recently Alex was in Tokyo, Japan for 7 weeks where he was training some of Japan's most famous boy bands and solo artists. He also works at the World Arena-Olympic training center in Colorado Springs where he privately coaches U.S. figure skaters, synchronized swimmers and gymnasts.

Morgan Burke

As a Nashville Native, Morgan Burke began his performance career as a child, appearing on national platforms like “American Juniors,” “America’s Most Talented Kids,” and “Showtime At The Apollo.” They performed in City Center Encore’s Production of “Golden Boy” and delivered a solo at Carnegie Hall during a benefit concert for “Seeds of Peace.” They also honed their craft at DC Dance Factory and Nashville School of the Arts before being awarded a full scholarship to the prestigious Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Over the years, he has performed with Florence and the Machine, Chaka Khan, American Idol, and in Macy’s Stars of Dance.

Cheryl Copeland

Cheryl graduated with a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Cheryl’s fresh, unique style and approach to dance has made her in demand and given her notoriety across the United States. Having studied and performed extensively in Florida, New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, her training and technical expertise is reflected in her classes and choreography. Her professional work includes Tap Kids, Between Lines, Superbowl, Disney, MTV, as well as several industrials. She has worked under such notable choreographers as Mia Michaels, Milton Myers, Lisa Hopkins, and Winifred R. Harris. 
As a teacher, her students have received countless awards, scholarships, and gone on to dance with artists such as Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Aaron Carter, and can be seen in Target , Gap , and Old Navy commercials. Some of her students are even pursuing degrees at the notorious Juilliard. 
As a choreographer, she has won countless awards including a Choreography Under the Stars finalist cash award, A young choreographers award from NYCDA, and several outstanding choreography awards from various regional and national dance competitions. 
After touring with Tap Kids as assistant to well known tap choreographer Lisa Hopkins, and serving as resident choreographer for Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area, Cheryl relocated to Los Angeles where she can be found teaching at Edge Performing Arts Center and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio. She can also be found teaching master classes, workshops, and residencies all around the country, (her most recent being in Austin, Texas at Tapestry and The Dance Spot) and she is currently in the process of founding her own modern dance company, BHumn Dance. She has been an adjudicator for Art of Movement, Starbound, Bounce, Creation Dance Championships, and Jump/ Cheryl’s ballet classes combine classical technique with a contemporary flare. Her contemporary jazz classes encourage students to move organically and connect emotionally while still utilizing their technical foundation.

Nick Dinicolangelo

Nick DiNicolangelo has become one of the most in-demand tap choreographers in the country. With his unique and energetic approach to teaching, Nick hopes to inspire students across the country to embrace tap dancing and explore its rich history and community.  Nick was a charter member and captain for the New Jersey Tap Ensemble and was an original member of Mike Minery’s Tapaholics. For the past two decades Nick has traveled the country on faculty at numerous dance conventions. He also is grateful to the many studios he teaches and choreographs for nationwide.  Nick founded the popular, Syn.co.pate Tap Intensive in 2008, bringing together many of the most talented tap dancers in the nation. In 2012 Nick created the  “Hands Down Tap Project”, an inspiring collaboration of young tap artists dedicated to creating performance opportunities for tap dancers. Nick is excited to once again travel the country educating dancers with Revel Dance Convention.

Haily Foster

As a recent graduate from USC with her BFA in Dance and Minor in Entrepreneurship, Haily has trained extensively in Ballet, Musical Theater, Modern, Jazz, Contemporary, Whacking, Improv, Pointe, and Heels. She has performed a variety of dance genres by renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Merce Cunningham, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Justin Peck, Bret Easterling, Penny Saunders, and Peter Chu.

Jess Hendricks 

Jess Hendricks graduated from the University of Colorado with a BFA in Dance. Her training includes Perry Mansfield School of the Performing Arts, American Dance Festival, Harvard Dance Festival, EDGE Scholarship, Gus Giordano, and Hubbard Dance Street.

Nicole Hogg

Growing up in the Bay Area, Nicole attended Dance Academy USA and later The Dance Company of San Francisco, under the direction of Chris Jacobsen and Sonya Tayeh. She worked with instructors such as Joey Tarwater, Brooke Pierotti, Tina D’amato-Sidoni, and Mark Meismer. She has had the honor of performing for Matthew Tseng in the Debbie Reynolds showcase and Sonya Tayeh in the Monsters of Hip Hop showcase. Nicole completed her BA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach. In addition to teaching at Danceology, Nicole teaches dance and Pure Barre in Orange County. She has also had the pleasure to choreograph United Spirit Association award-winning routines for various competitive high school dance teams and soloists. Nicole’s choreography is intricate, athletic, and engaging for her students.

Chris Jacobsen

Stepping into his first dance class, Chris Jacobsen felt himself come alive. A connection with the art was created that has guided him through life since that moment. His journey of creative discovery continued while attending The San Francisco School of the Arts, where he studied Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Afro-Haitian. Armed with a deeper understanding of dance, he then began to experiment with the art of choreography. In 1999, Chris established The Dance Company of San Francisco. As the Artistic Director, he created an alternative environment for passionate dancers to explore the art of dance with less focus on commercial standards and more on personal growth. Continuing through to today, the desire to share his passion consistently challenges his dancers to exceed their perceived capabilities. Chris has been traveling nationally with the highly acclaimed dance convention Adrenaline Dance Inc since its inception. He continues to create choreographic works for companies and schools across North America. He has been an Artist in Residence at Ruth Asawa (San Francisco) School of the Arts since 2016. As co-director and founding member of The Dance Sessions, Chris is driven to educate dancers in a loving and safe environment, so his students can enlighten and inspire each other with their own passion. He welcomes all to his class and invites us all to be present and let go of expectations.

Melody Lacayanga

Originally from the Bay Area, CA, Melody started dancing at the age of 5.  She was a member of The Dance Company of San Francisco under the direction of Chris Jacobsen and attended the School of the Arts High School, receiving the dance honor in her final year.

Melody moved to Los Angeles in the Fall of 2003 to explore new opportunities.  In 2005, she was fortunate enough to be a part of the very first season of FOX’s hit television show, “So You Think You Can Dance”, where she was the top female dancer, as well as the runner-up.  This experience opened up many doors for her, leading her to travel to the Philippines, Ireland, Canada, Turks and Caicos of the Caribbean Islands, and Singapore as a teacher and guest performer.

Some of her credits include Sonya Tayeh Dance Company, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Glee, the MTV European Music Awards, Wetten Das, Bunheads, America’s Got Talent and was an All-Star on the eighth season of “So You Think You Can Dance”.  She performed with Miley Cyrus’ “Gypsy Heart Tour” in South America, Philippines and Australia.

Danny Lawn

Danny is from Ontario and moved to Toronto to train with Linda Garneau, Tiffany McLean, Erin Waltman and Leon Blackwood.  He is currently the director of the world renown convention 24Seven dance.  He is an amazing choreographer and dance instructor. 

Jake Mcauley

Another one of our Elite Studio of Dance Alumni, Jake is currently dancing in Katy Perry’s World Tour, and just finished dancing in Las Vegas for Katy Perry’s two year residency.  He recently danced at the Grammy’s and was the 2nd runner up on World of Dance 2019.  He also travels around the United States working for Radix Dance Convention as an assistant to Brian Friedman. 

Kelsey McCowan

Kelsey McCowan is a renowned choreographer, teacher, adjudicator, and performer based in Los Angeles, California. She has choreographed for shows such as World of Dance, Dancing with the Stars, The Tonight Show, Little Big Shots, and Disney. Kelsey has become one of the most sought after coaches, having trained stars such as Derek Hough, JoJo Siwa, Azealia Banks, and Bette Midler for her Tony award-winning performance of “Hello Dolly.” Her work as a contributing choreographer to Derek Hough has garnered two Emmy nominations and one Emmy award.

Brittany Parks

Brittany Parks is from Austin Texas and is famous for being a dancer, actress and choreographer. Her famous credits are Annie, Teen Beach 2, La La Land, and Dancing with the Stars. She is also on the staff for NRG Dance Project. She has collaborated with many famous choreographers such as Mollee Gray, Jessica Lee Keller, Morgan Larson, Britt Stewart, Kayla Radomski, Kent Boyd, and William Loftis.

ADAM PETERSON

Discovering his passion for dance through Universal Rhythm at Sheldon High School, Adam has gone on to become a graduate of the Dominican University of CA/Alonzo King's LINES Ballet Program with his BFA in dance. He also trained with Elite Studio of Dance and participated in prestigious programs such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Summer Program, and ODC/DANCE Inside ODC Summer Audition Workshop. He has taught master classes and choreographed numerous pieces for local dance companies and studios and won choreography awards at various competitions and conventions. As a performer, Adam has graced the stage with world renowned companies such as the Limon Dance Co., Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, Dawson Dance Co., Project Agora, & ODC/DANCE Inside ODC.

Chris Ralph

Christopher Ralph was born and raised in Long Island, N.Y. While training at school, he simultaneously attended classes at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway with teachers such as Peter Schabel, Dorit Koppel, Frank Hatchett and Chio Yamada. Christopher Ralph has performed works by Aszure Barton, Lauri Stallings, Gregory Dolbashian, Loni Landon, Doug Varone, Rebecca Lazier, Patrick Corbin and Janis Brenner. Known for his fast paced clear movement quality, Christopher has been commissioned as an emerging choreographer by Dance Iquail and recently by Dixon Place. He has performed and toured in many countries throughout his career including, Greece, Indonesia, London, Spain, Japan and China.

Cindy Salgado

Born in California, Cindy moved to New York to train at the Juilliard School. She was honored to receive the Princes Grace Award in 2004 and earned a BFA in 2005. Since then, she has been a member of Aszure Barton & Artists, with director Aszure Barton. In 2007, she toured with Mikhail Baryshnikov in his Hell’s Kitchen Dance Tour. Cindy has worked with Andy Blankenbuehler on preproduction for a few Broadway musicals, and Mia Michaels as both a performer and an assistant on various projects since 2000. She is a cofounder and teacher for Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP), an outreach organization that provides arts programming for underserved children in New York, South Florida, South Africa, and India. In 2009 Cindy joined Kidd Pivot, a contemporary dance company based in Frankfurt, Germany, with artistic director, Crystal Pite. They are currently touring throughout Europe, Canada, Australia & the US. When Cindy’s not performing, she loves teaching and inspiring young dancers to live their dreams.

Justin Sears-Watson

Justin Sears-Watson is a passionate choreographer dedicated to amplifying the stories of those whose voices have gone unheard through contemporary dance and collaborative artistry. His socially conscious works inspire dialogue and encourage transformative action within communities, fostering an environment where identities intersect and thrive.

With a rich background in dance, Justin honed his craft in Chicago, studying under renowned instructors such as Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik, and training at the Cincinnati Ballet School and the Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Lou Conte Dance Studio Scholarship Programs. His impressive performance career includes engagements with esteemed companies like Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago II, Thodos Dance Chicago, and Dance Kaleidoscope, where he collaborated with some of the world's finest choreographers.

As an artist-educator, Justin has shared his expertise at institutions such as the Edison School of Performing Arts, Indiana University Ballet Department, and the New York Repertory School for Performing Arts. He is the co-founder and artistic director of the Phoenix Rising Dance Company and serves as adjunct faculty at the Indiana University Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance. Justin is now a Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion Institute Fellow and also an Arts with Learning Artist Building Community Fellow, where he is commissioned to build an arts curriculum at a Visual and Performing Arts School over the next three years with a seed fund of $30,000. Other accomplishments include being a returning guest teacher and choreographer with the Butler University Ballet Summer Intensive and presenting works at festivals such as American Performing Arts Presenters in New York and Waterstreet Dance Festival in Milwaukee, WI. Additionally, Justin has taught and choreographed for competitive dance studios in Chicago, Indiana, and the Midwest for over 15 years.

Having grown up in Evansville, Indiana, Justin’s journey began with a foundation in musical theater and classical vocals. He is currently pursuing his BSBA from the University of Wisconsin. His experiences navigating systemic racism and advocating for diversity in the arts have shaped his mission: to create an inclusive space that honors the richness of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Justin believes that art is a powerful tool for healing and transformation. He is committed to using his platform to educate, inspire, and push for change within the performing arts community. Through his work, he aims to build confidence and character while fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment in all participants.

Trevor Takemoto

One of our alumni and currently a dancer on the world tour with BTS.  He’s danced with Chance the Rapper,  Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, The Chainsmokers, the Grammy’s and is currently a regular teacher at EXPG LA, Movement Lifestyle and Kinjaz Dojo.  In the past few years he has taught in many countries and all over the United States. 

Reed Tankersley

Reed is from the bay area and starting dancing around age 5.  He graduated from The Julliard School in 2014 and began working with Twyla Tharp on her 50th anniversary tour and continues to perform with the company.  After performing a 12-minute solo, that was originally intended for Baryshnikov, the New York times referred to him as "Tharp star".  He has also performed with musical artists Charli XCX, Dorian Electra and Kimbra. 

Mikey Trasoras

Mikey Trasoras’ choreography credits include the sizzle reel for Hawaiian Style, Sarah Jaffe’s music video “Glorified High,” Ivivva Athletica YouTube video promotions, Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing season 5 kickoff in Hollywood, and for the Texas’ collegiate dance team The Apache Belles. Mikey’s students have appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, Abby Lee’s Ultimate Dance Competition, and X-Factor just to name a few.