Taryn Welch

Receptionist

Nicole Rivor

Jazz, Contemporary

 
Nicole Rivor is a dancer-singer who studied ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, tap, salsa, rumba, and improvisation. She attended UC Irvine, where she danced in the department’s two performing ensembles: Etude Ensemble and Insight Jazz Ensemble. She graduated cum laude from UC Irvine with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Anthropology in June 2015. After graduation she began dancing with JazzXchange, a company based in OC that keeps jazz alive through connecting to movement from Europe and Africa. She also dances with Multiplex Dance Company, a modern dance company in LA that integrates athletic and acrobatic movement with digital media and electronic music . She is the Co-Founder and Administrator for the “Shining Stars” Dance Organization, which is an outreach organization that provides free dance programs for underserved youth in OC. She teaches at My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, Newport Dance Theatre, OC Dance Studio, and is a substitute teacher at several dance studios in OC.

Sara Gentile

Musical Theater, Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz-Funk, & Hip-Hop

Dancing since the age of 9, Sara Gentile has trained in the areas of musical theater, jazz, contemporary, ballet, modern, tap, jazz-funk, & hip-hop. She trained and danced competitively for several years all over Orange County, winning numerous national titles, scholarships, & awards. Sara has traveled across the country to learn from the best choreographers in the industry. She has trained under choreographers such as Jerome Alexander, Clarisse Takemoto, Chalatorn Ujamras, Amy Nakamura, Sheryl Murakami, and Stephen “Twitch” Boss. Sara has performed in LA’s renowned Choreographers Carnival & has appeared in music videos with artists such as European DJ, Paul Kalkbrenner’s “Feed Your Head” and Irontom’s, “The Minista,” produced by Jack Irons & Charlie Sheen.
Sara has always loved performing but also has a passion for teaching and choreographing. Sara has received various choreography awards and recognitions for her work. She has had the pleasure of teaching all over Orange County and Los Angeles at various studios and schools such as San Juan Hills High School and University of Southern California. Sara is currently pursuing a professional dance career in Los Angeles.

Racquel Davidson

Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern

Racquel began dancing at Newport Dance Theater when she was 12 years old. Although she started dancing later than most of her classmates at the studio, she never let anything stand in the way of achieving her dance goals. She trained in ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. She began competing with NDT in 2010, obtaining several Top 10, Top 5, and Top 1st Overall Placement awards at various regional dance competitions in Southern California.

Racquel’s performance credits include “HALO – a benefit show for Autism”, “Dance 2 Your Door” for the Holocaust Survivors in Laguna Hills, and “Arreis: NHHS Dance Concert”. She obtained placement on the NHHS Dance Team in her senior year and performed in multiple shows and rallies. She also enjoyed being a teaching assistant for the dance classes at NHHS, which is what fueled her passion for teaching dance.

Racquel is very excited to be on faculty at her home studio. She is a very nurturing teacher and loves seeing her students achieve their goals each and every week.

Nancy Bryant

Tap,Jazz, Ballet & Musical Theater

Nancy is currently an instructor here for young children and adults. She is also the dance choreographer for Showboat at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. She enjoys instructing and performing with the “Happy Hoofers”. She has choreographed numerous dances in local plays, enjoying the longest running sold out show “Anything Goes” at the Newport Theatre Arts Center.

Michelle Maasz

Ballet, Contemporary

Michelle Maasz began her dance training at age nine under the direction of Cassandra Crowley at the School of Canton Ballet, where she had the opportunity to work with internationally renowned guest artists, including Laura Alonso (Ballet National de Cuba) and Rochelle Zide-Booth (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo). At the age of sixteen, Michelle was mentored in dance pedagogy under the guidance of her next ballet teacher, former Ukranian national dancer Elena Baltovick, at Danceology. She has also danced with New West Ballet, under the direction of Eugenia Keefer. In June of 2014, Michelle graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with degrees in Dance and Art History. Her ballet professors included Diane Diefenderfer, Jodie Gates, Michel Gervais, Molly Lynch, and Tong Wang. She was fortunate enough to dance abroad as a Medici Scholarship recipient, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she danced at the 50th Annual Bartholin Bournonville Ballet Seminar. Michelle has been training young students for the past seven years, and loves to share her passion for ballet.

Kimberly Davis

Owner, Studio Director, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Lyrical

 
Kim is from Orange County, California, where she began dancing at the age of two. Kim was trained in Cecchetti ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, tap and hip hop and won many dance competition awards throughout her early years. Kim graduated from the University California at Santa Barbara with a B. F. A. in Dance, and received the Alice Condadina Performance Award. Kim performed in Santa Barbara Dance Alliance’s New Works Festival, and choreographed a main stage work which premiered in UCSB’s Fall Dance Concert 2007. Kim is a former member of the Nugent Dance Company and Backhausdance.

Kimberly Moss

Stretch, Conditioning, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop

Kimberly embraces a lifestyle that is centered around physical fitness. She was born and raised in Newport Beach where she began her dancing career at age 2. At 15, she began teaching dance and found that she had a passion for helping others reach their goals. Growing up with a competitive dance background gave her the opportunity to dance at San Diego State University. Kimberly graduated with a bachelors’ degree in Professional Studies and Fine Arts. Her passion for fitness led her to cheering at the professional level for the San Diego Chargers. She currently helps out on the field during Chargers Games, and has taught classes for the cheerleaders during their mini camp. Over the years, Kimberly has been a dance instructor here at Newport Dance Theater. She specializes in jazz, hip hop, ballet, and modern. Kimberly’s passion for dance and exercise also led her to pursue a career as a fitness instructor at Core Et’ Barre where she teaches a combination of mat Pilates, yoga, barre, ballet, and core work.

Erik “TomaHawk” Sandoval

Hip Hop

Erik started dancing at age 4, receiving extensive training from many master teachers. He received his ballet training from Lisa Thorngren and Elizabeth Huebner, as well as contemporary instructions from Leona Morimune. He has been a member of notable Hip Hop crews such as Team Millenia under Kenny Jones, The IV League led by director Austin Fernandez and Academy of Swag under director Jay Chris Moore. During his career, Erik has performed at UCI, the LA Clippers halftime shows, as well as won many awards at various competitions such as: Fusion, World of Dance LA, Ultimate Brawl, and Body Rock with his crews. Erik was brought to Las Vegas during his auditions for the famous television show So You Think You Can Dance. Erik also recently taught as a guest choreographer at iHollywood Dance Conventions’ Nationals.
In 2009 he created the Smurf Kids Dance Crew. Smurf Kids is a team consisting of young people that compete and perform across America, based out of Southern California. Under his teaching, they have won several awards including first place at Maxt Out Dance Competition. He is an award winning competition instructor.
Erik is an enthusiastic teacher with exciting classes and dynamic hip hop choreography. He strives to dance and better not only himself, but each student he has the opportunity to teach.

Christina Papandrea

Voice Training, Ballet, Modern & Tap

Christina is an Australian born triple threat. She moved to Massachusetts at the age of six, and to Southern California at the age of thirteen, actively performing in both locations. Beyond her classical and musical theater voice training, her dance training ranges from ballet to modern to Broadway tap. After competing in many dance competitions all through middle and high school and growing as a performer, she attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) Los Angeles, earning her BFA in Dance Theater June 2015. She was able to perform in many different dance concerts and musicals while attending AMDA, and now plans on actively working in Broadway productions as well as dance company and commercial work, with a goal to inspire her audiences and students.

Bri Murttland

Stretch, Conditioning, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop

Bri grew up in Orange County, California where she started her dance training at age 3. When she turned 5, Bri took interest in gymnastics and trained as a gymnast for 5 years. After seeing her younger sister perform in a dance recital, she realized that she had more of a passion for dance. She competed competitively at South County Dance Co for 7 years and she also competed on her high school dance team. She trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet and hip-hop. She is currently attending California State University, Long Beach and is continuing her dance education as a dance major. She is also currently a captain on the Long Beach State Dance team. Bri has been teaching younger students for many years and is excited to watch her students grow each week.