Nevada County Teaching Dancers Directory
Dance • Creative Movement • Choreography
The following list of dancing educators primarily includes those who live in Nevada County, but also some who live in surrounding counties. We endeavor to make this list as complete and accurate as possible, but information changes continually.
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To revise existing info, or be added to the directory (no cost), contact Paul Harrar at 478-6400 x 212 or email:
paul@
This directory was last updated May 30, 2008
Unless otherwise noted, all phone number area codes are 530
Section I: Nevada County dance studios and organizations
Section II: Individual dance instructors
Section III: Razzmatazz Swing
Nevada County Dance Studios and Organizations
CONGOLESE DRUM & DANCE WORKSHOP
Address: (mailing) 2500 Pike City Road, North San Juan
Phone: 288-3603
E-mail: web@congorhythms.org
Internet: http://www.congorhythms.org
Teaches: Congolese drumming, dancing, singing, cooking and related musical instruments
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: Annual 10-day Congolese Drum & Dance Workshop takes place in late July (July 25-Aug. 3, 2008)
This annual event features internationally renowned master instructors and draws students from throughout the world. Local instructors (Cai Sorlein and others) teach classes Thursdays with a live drumming group at St. Joseph’s Cultural Center.
Directors: Cai Sorlien, Regine N’Dounda, Mbemba Pangou
DANCE WITH LAURA BISHOP
Address: 540 Searls Ave., Nevada City
Phone: 265-2690
Teaches: Creative movement, ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom dancing
Students: Most classes are for younger children (age 2 and up); teens and adults (ballroom dancing)
Experience/background: Director: Laura Bishop. Laura has been teaching for 20 years.
ECHAPPE´ DANCE ART THEATRE
Address: Jukebox & Java (upstairs at Club Sierra), 130 W. Berryhill Drive, Grass Valley;
34-B West Church St., Colfax
Phone: 271-1200
E-mail: cu@echappe.com
Internet: http://www.echappedance.com
Teaches: Ballet, pointe technique, tap, jazz, modern dance (Cunningham methods), hip-hop, music theatre, "movement for babies and moms," belly dance, "cardio" capoeira, yoga
Students: youths and adults
Experience/background: Director: Bon Marie Munier
Instructors include Bon Marie Munier, Marissa Hernandez (assistant director), Santia Hershey Enos (assistant director), Karen Attix, and Kandi. Studio gives a holiday performances of "The Nutcracker," studio recitals and musical theatre shows.
FOOTHILLS SWING DANCE SOCIETY
Phone: 530-906-2048, 916-660-9255
E-mail: emma@intheswingofthings.com, chris@intheswingofthings.com
Internet: http://www.intheswingofthings.com
Teaches: East Coast style swing dance
Students: youths and adults
Experience/background: Instructors Emma and Chris Farrell teach locally on 2nd Saturdays of the month at St. Joseph’s Hall, as well as in Placer County. Check the web site for class schedules. The nonprofit organization has taught monthly swing dance classes and workshops since 2001.
KA HALE HULA — O PILIALOHAOHALANI O HILO GRASS VALLEY
Phone: 477-5687 (class info)
E-mail: hulasister@stardustweb.net
Teaches: Ancient Hawaiian art of hula
Students: Youths and adults
THE MOVEMENT ALLIANCE
Phone: 277-2046 (Lovie Bucknell)
E-mail: directory@themovementalliance.org
Internet: http://www.themovementalliance.org
Teaches: Creative movement and dance (all levels). Offers "Immediate Dance Workshops" in schools and youth group settings. Has a school assembly program (interactive introduction to creative movement).
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: The Movement Alliance, a non-profit organization founded in 2002, is dedicated to promoting Modern Dance as an authentic American art form and artistically enriching our community with fresh and innovative work. Currently the company consists of six dancers ranging in age from 20 to 42 years old. Director Lovie Bucknell is a Sierra College dance instructor since 1999. Has worked with at-risk youth in local high schools and Juvenile Hall. Has BA in dance/psychology. Taught by Lovie Bucknell, Marni Marshall, Marissa Hernandez, Kate Haight, Maria Dicintio and Karen Woerner-Brown
MOVING GROUND STUDIO
Address: 410 S. Church St., Grass Valley
Phone: 272-4240
E-mail: reagan_marianne@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.saintjosephsculturalcenter.org/stjcc dance studio.htm
Teaches: Creative movement, modern dance, yoga, belly dance, Flamenco and improvisational movement
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: Director: Marianne Reagan
The studio instructors are Marianne Reagan, Jacquie Bucknell (intermediate belly dance, 265-4770), Ramone Stark (beginning belly dance, 273-4150), Lovie Bucknell (modern dance, 277-2046), Drea Pacot (Flamenco, 274-2833) and Maxima Kahn ("Contact Improv," 273-3566)
MUSIC TOGETHER GOLD COUNTRY
Address: 138 New Mohawk Road, Nevada City; 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley (Sierra Dance Institute)
Director: Ann Keeling Friedman Phone: 477-7028
E-mail: ann@musictogethergoldcountry.com
Internet: http://www.musictogethergoldcountry.com
Teaches: A national early childhood music/movement program
Students: Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers.
Experience/background: Instructors are Ann Keeling Friedman and Mary Thompson. Programs include singing, music and movement games and listening and creative responding to music. Follows a well-organized nationally taught curriculum. Weekly sessions are 45minutes for 10 weeks. Ann is a certified level 1 Music Together teacher.
NEVADA CITY BALLET ACADEMY
Address: 540 Searls Ave., Nevada City
Phone: 265-6892
E-mail: ncba@zoomshare.con
Internet: http://www.ncba.zoomshare.com
Teaches: Beginning, intermediate and advanced ballet; pointe and pre-pointe instruction; jazz/lyrical dance (taught by Dara Sherrill); stretch/strengthening sessions
Students: Youths
Experience/background: Director: Krista Pagan
The Nevada City Ballet Academy opened in the summer of 2005. The studio emphasizes careful, correct ballet training in a safe, non-competitive and comfortable environment.
NEVADA COUNTY FOLK DANCERS
Address: (class location) Nevada City United Methodist Church, 433 Broad St., Nevada City
Phone: 272-2149, 265-5748
E-mail: unterman@nccn.net
Teaches: International and Balkan folk dances.
Experience/background: Directors: David and Nancy Unterman
Meets most Friday evenings May-September (call for schedule). Dancing to live band every few weeks.
PENN VALLEY ACADEMY OF DANCE
Address: 17324 Penn Valley Drive, Penn Valley
Phone: 432-8985
SALSA SIERRA
Director: Dominique Del Chiaro
Address: (mailing) P.O. Box 1474, Grass Valley, CA 95945
(Class locations) Salsa classes are at Jukebox & Java (upstairs at Club Sierra), 130 W. Berryhill Dr. Grass Valley. Other classes are at the LOVE Building in Condon Park, 660 Minnie St., Grass Valley.
Phone: 477-0767
E-mail: info@sierrasalsa.com, razzmatazzdance@sbcglobal.net
Internet: http://www.salsasierra.com
Teaches: Salsa dancing (all levels), Rueda, Zumba (Latin dance aerobics)
Students: Youths and adult
Experience/background: Staff includes Dominique Del Chiaro, Gabriel Molina, Gabriel Ross and Lucy Galbraith
SIERRA DANCE INSTITUTE
Address: (studio) 314 W. Main St., Suite 100, Grass Valley, CA, 95945. Located above the Center for the Arts
Phone: 477-7644
Internet: http://www.sierradanceinstitute.com
Teaches: Ballet (various levels), "Pre-Dance" (ages 2-3), "Kid Dance" (ages 4-6), tap, jazz, hip hop, "Acro Dance" and vocal instruction. Non-staff instruction in capoeira, Argentine tango, clogging, and hula,
Experience/background: Director: George Jayne
Staff includes George Jayne (jazz, tap), Beth Jayne (voice), Barbara Siebert (ballet), Ben Sayles (break dancing), Chris Foucht (break dancing), Daisy Hang (hip hop), Ellen Metz (jazz, ballet), Gaia Powell (hip hop), Haven Caravelli (jazz), Kevin McNeal (hip hop), Myrna Galle (ballet), Susie Knight (ballet) and Tresa Honaker (jazz, "acro dance")
TOMMYKNOCKER CLOGGERS
Phone: 477-5129
E-mail: carolrs@gv.net
Teaches: The American folk dance of clogging
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: This is a longtime Nevada County performing and instructional group
LAURA BISHOP/Dance With Laura Bishop
Address: (studio) 540 Searls Ave., Nevada City
Phone: 265-2690
Teaches: Creative movement, ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom dancing
Students: Most classes are for younger children (age 2 and up); teens and adults (ballroom dancing)
Experience/background: Laura has been teaching for 20 years and has been dancing since age 2. Has a B.A. in child psychology and a minor in psychology. Has danced for the Sacramento Ballet Company and the CSU Chico dance program.
LOVIE BUCKNELL/The Movement Alliance
Phone: 277-2046
E-mail: directory@themovementalliance.org
Internet: http://www.themovementalliance.org
Teaches: Creative movement and dance (all levels). Also, "Immediate Dance Workshops" in schools and youth group settings. With the Movement Alliance, has school assembly program (interactive introduction to creative movement).
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: Sierra College dance instructor since 1999. Has worked with at-risk youth in local high schools and Juvenile Hall. Has BA in dance/psychology.
DOMINIQUE DEL CHIARO/Salsa Sierra
Address: (mailing) P.O. Box 1474, Grass Valley, CA 95945
Phone: 274-2411
E-mail: info@sierrasalsa.com, razzmatazzdance@sbcglobal.net
Internet: http://www.salsasierra.com
Teaches: Salsa dancing (all levels), Rueda, Zumba (Latin dance aerobics)
Students: Youths and adults
Background/experience: Dominique teaches and performs salsa dance in Grass Valley and through out California. Her focus in class is on creating a fun, positive and invigorating environment for students to become successful in learning the structure of salsa dance. She is currently performing with Yemaya Salsa, a premiere salsa dance team based in Sacramento, as well as starting a Rueda performance team locally. She returned from Cuba in early January and is implementing Cuban style into her salsa dance classes.
ANN KEELING FRIEDMAN/Music Together Gold Country
Address: (studio) 138 New Mohawk Road, Nevada City; 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley (Sierra Dance Institute)
Phone: 477-7028
E-mail: ann@musictogethergoldcountry.com
Internet: http://www.musictogethergoldcountry.com
Teaches: A national early childhood music/movement program
Students: Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers.
Experience/background: Ann is a certified Level 1 Music Together teacher. Has a MFA in dance from UCLA and a BS in dance education from the University of Wisconsin. Has taught dance to all ages, including pre-school elementary, university students to seniors.
JITTERBUGS, Inc./Russ and Jeanette
Address: Classes take place at the Center for the Arts, 314 w. Main St., Grass Valley
Phone: 274-3565
Teaches: Beginning and intermediate East Coast wwing dancing.
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/background: Partners not required for classes.
MAXIMA KAHN/Moving Ground Studio
Address: (mailing) 19646 Silvers Lane, Grass Valley, CA, 95945
Phone: 273-3566
E-mail: maxima@infostations.com
Internet: http://maximakahn.com/
Teaches: "Contact improvisation" dance. See also LITERARY directory.
Students: Adults
Experience/background: Maxima has performed as a dancer in Vermont, Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado and California. She makes her living as a writer, editor and writing teacher.
GABRIEL MOLINA/Salsa Sierra
Phone: 274-2411
Internet: http://www.salsasierra.com
Teaches: Salsa dancing with Salsa Sierra
Students: Youths and adults
Background/experience: Guest instructor at Salsa Sierra. A member of the Stanford Salseros Dance Team.
KRISTA PAGAN/Nevada City Ballet Academy
Address: (studio) 540 Searls Ave., Nevada City
Phone: 265-6892
E-mail: ncba@zoomshare.con
Internet: http://www.ncba.zoomshare.com
Teaches: Beginning, intermediate and advanced ballet; pointe and pre-pointe instruction; stretch/strengthening sessions
Students: Youths
Background/experience: Krista is the owner/director of the Nevada City Ballet Academy, which opened in the summer of 2005.
MARIANNE REAGAN/Moving Ground Studio
Address: (studio) 410 S. Church St., Grass Valley
Phone: 271-7080 (home), 272-4240 (Moving Ground Studio)
E-mail: reagan_marianne@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.saintjosephsculturalcenter.org/stjcc dance studio.htm
Teaches: Dance, creative movement, yoga, disability awareness (see also listing for Kids On The Block)
Students: Youths. Works mainly with children age K-6
Experience/background: Teacher-Director of Moving Ground dance studio at St. Joseph's Cultural Center. More than 20 years experience as a dance/movement educator. Extensive work in various Nevada County and Santa Cruz County schools as a guest artist. Teaches as a artist-in-residence at Williams Ranch School. Has worked with Nevada County Superintendent of Schools Office's Teaching Artist Program and as a teacher trainer.
CAI SORLIEN
Phone: 288-3603
Teaches: Congolese dance; African-style dancing. Classes take place Thursdays at St. Joseph’s Cultural Center with a live drumming ensemble
Students: youths and adults
Experience/background: A master Congolese drummer and dancer, Cai is a founder and teacher at the internationally renowned Congolese Drum & Dance Workshop (see listing above). Cai has occasionally provided instruction for students in local schools as an introduction to African culture.
KATHRIN WILSON
Address: 115 E. Berryhill Dr. #27, Grass Valley
Phone: 272-4073
E-mail: krwoogiewoman@hotmail.com
Teaches: Creative movement, modern dance, hip hop, loco-motor skill development lessons.
Students: Youth and adults
Experience/background: Currently teaching at Cottage Hill and Alta Sierra schools’ after-school programs (through Bear River Parks & Recreation); Has substitute taught dance and physical education for Sierra College. Has taught the Upward Bound program at Yuba College. Has worked as a choreographer for Lake Wildwood Little Theatre and Community Players.
Director: Dominique Del Chiaro
Location: Jukebox & Java (upstairs at Club Sierra), 130 W. Berryhill
Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945
Phone: 477-0767
Address: (mailing) P.O. Box 1474, Grass Valley, CA 95945
Email: razzmatazzdance@sbcglobal.net
Internet: www.razzmatazzswing.com
Teaches: Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Charleston, Balboa and Lindy Blues
Students: Teens and adults
Experience/background: Staff includes Dominique Del Chiaro, Matt Richey and Tasha
Gold. We also offer a training to be on our performance team. We
have a summer intensive and year long performance opportunities.