ROWDEN METZGER
Ballet
As a performer and instructor, Rowden has lived a life in the arts. Starting in early childhood, his training and experience spans many styles and genres, from classical ballet, tap, and modern, to contemporary dance and experimental theatre. Having trained extensively with many revered ballet educators, he has worked closely with Marat Daukayev (Kirov), Yuri Grigoriev and Arkady Nikolaev (Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet), Stanley Holden and Margaret Graham Hills (Royal Ballet). As a principal dancer and guest artist, he has performed with numerous contemporary ballet ensembles and classical ballet companies. Rowden danced with the LA Opera for five years, as well as productions at the Hollywood Bowl and the inaugural concert for the Roy E. Disney Center for the Arts in New Mexico with the Francisco Martinez Dancetheatre. His classical repertoire includes: Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Les Sylphides, La Bayadere, Nutcracker. He has also worked with such notable directors and choreographers as Twyla Tharp, Grover Dale, Danny Daniels, and Kenny Ortega. He has been profiled in several dance publications. Rowden graduated with honors from Saint Marys College of California, with a BA in Performing Arts.
Rowden Metzger teaches a highly technical process with a fundamental ideology based on his own training methods and performance experiences. The class begins with a thorough and precise warm-up at the barre, setting solid technical and physical groundwork for continuing the dance in the center. Rowdens class is designed to challenge and educate the student as well as encouraging all participants to explore the joys of the art form.
CYNTHIA MILTENBERGER
Ballet, Creative Movement
Bio Coming Soon
CAITLIN NEGRON
Ballet, Pointe
Caitlin Negron began her dance training at Fort Wayne Ballet in Fort Wayne, IN. She continued her studies at Southern Methodist University and graduated summa cum laude with degrees in Dance Performance and Anthropology. While at SMU Caitlin choreographed for the Brown Bag Dance Series, led choreographic workshops and received honors in both the Dance and Anthropology departments. Caitlin also attended summer programs with ABT, Richmond Ballet, ADF, and The Martha Graham School. After graduation Caitlin joined Dance Kaleidoscope of Indianapolis under the direction of David Hochoy. She danced for four seasons with DK performing in Mr.Hochoy's work as well as pieces by Martha Graham, Cynthia Pratt, Nicholas Owens, Roberta Wong, Erica Rose Jeffrey, Ashley Benninghoff and Mariel Greenlee. Caitlin has also performed with Thodos Dance Chicago (New Dances 2009), Winifred Haun and Dancers, Matter Dance and Fort Worth Ballet. Caitlin teaches ballet, modern, pointe, and movement and enjoys working with educational outreach programs. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Robert and is the Managing Director and co-founder of The Indy Convergence, a nonprofit dedicated to creating new, collaborative works and providing free accessible workshops for artists of all genres
LYNDSEY MAKOVSKY
Jazz/Contemporary/Lyrical
Born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Lyndsey began dancing at the age of 4, and knew from the start that the art form would always have a place in her life. She studied on Presidential Scholarship and graduated with honors from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA in 2007. Upon graduation she received her B.F.A. in Jazz Dance Performance as well as the Outstanding Performance in Jazz Dance award. Shortly after, Lyndsey set sail on board Norwegian Cruise Lines as a dancer with the Jean Ann Ryan Company, entertaining audiences around the world. She has also performed professionally in numerous music videos and shows throughout the New York City area, including the off-Broadway rock musical, Crazy Head Space. Lyndsey has been a dance teacher for 10 years, and has received numerous choreography awards in national dance competitions throughout the east coast for her work. Most recently, she had the rewarding opportunity to choreograph for Physique 57s benefit for Dancers Responding to Aids at the Peridance Capezio Center Theater in New York City. She is currently an instructor at Physique 57 in Beverly Hills. Lyndsey recently relocated from New York City, and is so excited to share her passion for dance, teaching, and a healthy lifestyle with the west coast!
BLAIR HOLLINGSWORTH
Musical Theater
Blair Hollingsworth is a recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine with a BA in Drama, Honors in Musical Theatre. Teaching students the arts has become a life passion for her as well as a source of inspiration for her own work as a performer. Blair has been teaching musical theatre/dance to children ages 3-18 since her sophomore year in high school at San Diego Junior Theatre, the Gifted Students Academy, Dana Point Middle School, Le Studio Dance and the former San Diego Children's Theatre.
She has been trained in tap, jazz, musical theatre dance, ballet, and characterized movement. Her credits include: Once Upon a Matress and Phantom at Candlelight Pavillion, My Fair Lady, Oliver and JC Superstar at Starlight Musical Theatre, Threepenny Opera and West Side Story at University of California at Irvine, Countess Maritza, Pirates of Penzance , The Boyfriend and The Mikado at Lyric Opera San Diego, and LOVE-IN with Ben Vereen.
EMMA MESROBIAN
Jazz/Modern
Emma Mesrobian began dancing in various dance studios at the age of nine. At age eleven she joined Nare, an international Armenian Dance Academy. There she studied various styles of dance. She began doing extensive jazz training through out high school. Later, she decided to continue her education and major in dance. In 2003, she transferred to California State University Long Beach, and was accepted into their prestigious dance department. There she studied Paul Taylor, Lester Horton, Martha Graham, and Ballet. During the course of her studies she was awarded the Jose Limon Scholarship. She proudly received her Bachelors in Dance in 2006. Since then she has been part of various projects and actively auditioning for various artists. She was the co-founder and artistic director of Couture Dance Company. Her company was offered to be part of the residence dance company for Glendale Community College for the 2007-2008 school years. The company was reviewed by the Glendale News Press and by a full house of satisfied audiences. She has been, and is part of various projects through out Los Angeles. Emma Mesrobian has danced with The Istanbul National Ballet, California Contemporary Ballet and Deborah Rosen and Dancers. She is now working with Sergei Tumas, for his big production of Tango Nuevo Cabaret. Emma is now teaching in La Canada, Cal Poly Pomona, and private lessons through out Los Angeles. She loves combining her eclectic styles of ethnic dance with traditional contemporary dance. Her mission is to continue educating her students the art of passion, which is Dance!
ELLIOTT SCHER
Musical Theater, Tap
Elliott holds his degree in Musical Theatre Performance from Wagner College in New York City. He had the opportunity to study under the guidance of such Broadway and Ballet veterans Ann Reinking, Richard Adler, Drew Scott Harris, Norb Joerder, Rusty Curcio and long time Radio City Rockettes Michele Tolson and Nancy Nelson.
His performance and choreography credits are in professional regional and summer stock productions such as Beauty & The Beast, George M, Anything Goes, The Will Rogers Follies, Fiddler On The Roof, South Pacific, Into The Woods, Guys and Dolls & Oklahoma!
In addition to teaching dance, Elliott has spent the past several years in New York City and Los Angeles working at renowned theatrical talent management companies and bi-coastal talent agencies. His experience in the business side of entertainment has allowed him to offer a unique perspective of how to approach material, create a well-rounded character, market oneself, and book a job!
His classes designed to inspire students to bring their inner-self to their work while focusing on clean technique, style and musicality.
KATIE ZIMMER
Jazz Technique
Katie comes to us from Long Island, NY. After 14 years in New York she went south to The University of North Carolina where she received her BFA in Dance in 2007, with a concentration in Performance and Choreography. While in college she taught master classes, workshops, and summer camps. After graduating Katie continued to teach and work while living, auditioning, and performing in New York, then Las Vegas and now LA. She has danced professionally for Norwegian Cruise line, regional theater productions, Disney, Paul Mitchell Hair Systems, Charity events and most recently with Don Arden's Jubilee in Las Vegas. She has choreographed for live events, night clubs, dance teams, television, and currently working on 3 works for Silverlake Contemporary Ballet. She is excited to be spreading her love and passion for dance as a member of our teaching staff.
WESLEY QUINN
Hip Hop / Flash Mob
Wesley Quinn knew whole-heartedly that he wanted to be an entertainer. He began his technical dance training at the tender age of 6, studying extensive jazz, contemporary, ballet, and hiphop and went on to win the national title at various dance conventions and competitions in his youth. At 17, Wesley moved to Los Angeles when he was hand picked by Warner Brothers music executive Tommy Page to be one of the 5 members of the boyband, V Factory. Their music has since hit top 40 on the pop radio charts. In addition to the band, Wesley's presence as a top dancer and choreographer in Hollywood has become more and more apparent. His credits include working alongside Janet Jackson, Flo Rida, Backstreet Boys, Pitbull, LMFAO, Kelly Clarkson,Ashley Tisdale, MC Hammer, the Sugar Hill Gang and many others. In 2009, he danced in the epic MTV VMA performance, tributing Michael Jackson. You can also see him now on tv, dancing regularly on the number one hit show in America, Glee. He can also be seen on the Nickelodeon shows Victorious and ICarly. He will appear in the dance film, Honey 2 in August of 2011 and in November you can find Wesley in the latest Muppet Movie.
BRYAN BOOGIEMIND EAST
Hip-Hop/Breakin
Originally from the small town of Parsippany, New Jersey
Bryan BOOGIEMIND East is an International Dancer, Choreographer, and Instructor. He is one of the co-founders of THE BOOGIE BOTS and owner of BOOGIE BOTS LLC (top 4 finalist) on MTVS AMERICAS BEST DANCE CREW SEASON 2. Currently signed under MSA (McDonald Selznick Associates) As someone both on stage and behind the scenes Bryan has gained much experience in the worlds of Production, Management, and Hosting through working with such companies as JLS ENTERTAINMENT, WORLD OF DANCE, and Interactive Media Lab.
Bryan has trained under the Legendary SHABA-DOO of the Original lockers and currently Richie Rich of the LA CITY ROCKERS. His formal HIP HOP training as a dancer and choreographer he spent several years with Culture Shock Washington DC Dance Troupe specializing in Popping, Locking, and Breaking. Bryan has been honored to work with choreographers such as Jesse Lee Santos, Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo, Mike Maldonado, Hi-hat, Geo Hubela and many other amazing talents. He has taught throughout the United States, India, Guam, and Trinidad. He hopes to share his own knowledge/experiences as he continues to learn as well.
JARED MURILLO
Ballroom
I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. At age 6 I started taking dance lessons. By the time I was 8, I performed with Donny Osmond, in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat production. I was the youngest cast member of the show. After a 4-month run, at age 11, I was chosen to perform at the famous Suzuka Race Curcuit in Nagoya, Japan. I sang and danced my way through all the excitement and thrills of speed racing.
I wanted to seriously compete in ballroom dancing and become a national champion. I achieved my goal of winning world and national titles when I captured with my partner, the World Swing, United States Swing and the United States Youth Latin Ballroom Championships and the AAU National DanceSport Championships.
I have recently worked on Glee the tour 2010, and was on the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing the original Dancing with the Stars in the UK. I am currently working on a movie, doing Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing for the feature film Gangster Squad with Sean Penn, Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling.
Ellen Davis
Former owner-director of Rozann-Zimmerman Ballet Center in Los Angeles, and artistic director of ballet conservatories in the U.S and abroad, Ellen Davis danced with the Stuttgart Ballet Company and was a Ford Foundation scholarship student at the School of American Ballet in N.Y.C. She has taught beginning through professional level ballet for over thirty years in the United States and abroad and is a current adjunct faculty member at Pasadena City College.
Ellen offers careful, nurturing, attentive, professional, classical ballet training that honors each individual body, mind, and spirit.
Ellen uses the teaching of dance as a way of evoking self-acceptance, beauty, balance, grace, a sense of unity and love for the process of learning. She takes a yogic approach to teaching and acknowledges and nurtures the "dancer within" all of her students, giving careful and attentive professional training regardless of age, body-type, limited self-belief, or level of training.
She believes that along with proper placement and technique, the awakening of expressive truth, musicality and one's innate creative intelligence are equally important in empowering dancers to use the body as a means of creative self-expression and extend the grace of dance to all of life.
JAMES KEENE
Ballet/Jazz/Modern/Contemporary
James is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory where he earned a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography. While in Boston, James worked with the Boston Ballet, Ballet Theater of Boston and the internationally renowned Emiko and Yasuko Tokunaga founders of the Tokunaga Dance Ko. James also had the privilege to work with Anna Sokolow, Kathryn Posin, and Jennifer Scanlon, a principal dancer with the Jose Limon Dance Company for 20 years.
James relocated to the West Coast where he has worked with the Nevada Festival Ballet and assumed the role of Dance Master for the Dorothy Farnon Dance Co. James currently works with Santa Monica Contemporary Ballet, Lions Pounce Dance Theater, and Creations Dance Theatre.
James founded Earthwalk Dance Company in 2007 where he teaches and choreographs works based on technical principles created by Jose Limon and Martha Graham. James currently teaches at the Dance Collaborative, Studio A Dance, and is excited to be a part of Synthesis Performing Arts.
ELIZABETH TERSCHUUR
Contemporary Ballet/Modern
Elizabeth Terschuur is a professional seeker, performer, dancer, choreographer and educator. She has an MFA in Dance from UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance where she researched dance film, mixed media, and stage in regards to social constructions of the body in community. Her awards include grants from UCLA, Towson University, the Golden Key International Honor Society, National Society for Arts and Letters DC chapter, Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet, Harid Conservatory, and the Vienna Opera Ballet School in Austria. In her past life she was a graduate of the Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of Roudolf Kharatian, Mary Day, and Patricia Berrend. She went on to dance professionally with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Having diversified her professional interests and performing experiences since then, nowadays she is considered a trickster by her colleagues, seeking to debunk normative notions of identity and cognition within greater dance culture. She was a graduate student teaching assistant at UCLA in ballet and modern as well as an internship coordinator for 2 years. Currently she is adjunct faculty at The American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Hollywood and has been a guest chorographer at Santa Monica College. Her work has been seen at UCLA, Santa Monica College, AMDA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Hollywood Fringe Festival. She is proud to have a BFA in Dance from Towson University in Baltimore.
NANCY DOBBS OWEN
Ballet/Pointe
Nancy has danced both nationally and regionally with ballet and modern companies and as a ballerina and Meg in the National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Regional theater includes American Musical Theatre of San Jose, The Magic Theater, 42nd St. Moon, and Berkeley Opera. LA theatre includes appearances at Theatre of Note, The Alex Theater, The Hudson Theater, Santa Monica Playhouse and as Lucy in the Production Company’s critically acclaimed Sweeney Todd.
LA choreography includes Skeleton Stories at Theatre of Note, Assassins with Sight Unseen Theatre, M. Butterfly and Sweeney Todd at the Production Company and additional choreography for both I’d Rather Be Right at the Hudson Theater and Dolls! at the Santa Monica Playhouse. She also works with many schools on their musicals and show choirs. Shooting in Nov. of 2011 is her first music video, for the band Pie.
She holds a BA from UC Irvine. She completed the Teacher Artist Training Program through the Music Center in 2010 and participated in the 2011 Directors Lab West at the Pasadena Playhouse.
REGGIE BROWN
Modern/Contemporary
Reggie Brown (Modern/Contemporary) born and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Brown began his formal dance training as he pursued an acting career. His primary training came through a work-study position at Steven Peck Dance Studio in L.A. Other studios include Roland Dupree Dance Academy, Santa Monica Dance Center, Joe Tremaine and Debbie Reynolds. Mr. Brown also apprenticed and performed with The Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Theater (Lula Washington, Director) and has been featured and co-choreographed on television commercials for Cherry Coke, L.A. Gear and radio stations: B104-Baltimore, WZAK-Cleveland and WVEE-Atlanta.
Mr. Brown is one of L.A.'s most respected dance teachers and has worked with a wide variety of talent including NBA cheerleaders, models, fitness competitors and singers/musicians. He has used his talents to inspire At-risk youth and mentally challenged children. Mr. Brown is known for his ability to nurture a dancer to a higher technical and performance level. He has taught and facilitated master classes at many popular dance studios in Southern California including being on faculty at Loyola Marymount University, Santa Monica College, Vanguard University and both Tremaine and Moro-Landis Dance Center. Mr. Brown was a contributing choreographer for Jazz Dance LA (1994-1997). Anne Rankin has described Mr. Browns work as Driving. He was a featured choreographer for the highly successful Men Dancing at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater (1998) and was commissioned to choreograph for Synapse Dance Theater (1999) and Loyola Marymount University (2000). Much his work often exudes both a spiritual and social awareness.
Mr. Brown was a prominent faculty member at The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (2001-2010) and is currently teaching at Pasadena Dance Theater and Katnap Dance Center. Now at Synthesis, Mr. Brown is also forming a youth contemporary dance company. The company will perform in theaters and site specific venues locally and abroad. A large part of the mission will focus on community outreach that will inspire, uplift and challenge the human spirit.
SHANE SPARKS
Hip-Hop
Shane Sparks is a dance icon and revolutionary choreographer recognized across the globe for his talent, determination, passion and contribution to the world of dance. Shanes star continues to rise as he presents his signature style of dance to the world through many creative and interactive mediums. In fact, as one of the most talented and sought after choreographers working in the entertainment industry today, Shane Sparks is internationally known for his groundbreaking choreography which has made him a favorite choreographer to chart topping recording artists such as *NSYNC, Lindsay Lohan, Omarion, and Marques Houston.
Known for his passion towards dance, Shane puts his heart into every dance step and that has translated into some of the most memorable dance performances of the last decade earning Shane a worldwide following of devoted fans and a spot on two of the most popular dance shows on television. Currently, Shane continues to star as a judge on the hit MTV series Randy Jackson Presents: Americas Best Dance Crew, executive produced by the American Idol judge which is starting its fourth season. Each week Shane offers the dance crews his encouragement, constructive criticism and wealth of experience as viewers get to vote for their favorite dance crew. Shane is also seen choreographing the contestants for the 5th season in a row on the hit FOX TV show So You Think You Can Dance where viewers tune in to see his signature moves and America votes for their favorite dancer.
Shanes choreography can also be seen in the Broadway musical "DREAMGIRLS" and box office smash You Got Served which earned him the 2005 BET Award for co-choreographing with Omarion and the 2004 American Choreography Award for Best Choreography in a Feature Film. In addition to choreographing videos, live performances and special events for some of todays most successful artists, he also helped to judge the 2004 World Hip Hop Championship and has choreographed promos for ESPN, Nationwide Urban Jams Dance Convention and The Steve Harvey Big Time Show. During the summer of 2007, Shane was involved with Secret Deodorants national Because Youre Hot campaign with Jennifer Lopez searching for the hottest young female dance who got to star in a new J-Lo music video.
Due to Shanes impressive body of work, he has been part of an all-star line up of the countrys leading choreographers in a seven-city national tour called The Pulse. The two-day jazz and hip hop dance workshop hosted by Broadway Dance Center NY featured a line-up of the dance worlds most esteemed choreographers including: Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Cris Judd, Laurie Ann Gibson, Wade Robson and of course, Shane.
Shane is also in the process of developing and producing a choreography-based reality TV show, his own dancewear, athletic wear and sneaker brands and a hot new video game. A man of all trades be on the look out this man is changing the perception of THE DANCER!!
JOHNNIE HOBBS III
Tap Technique, Imrov. Tap
Johnnie Hobbs has offered his acting talents to many Philadelphian theatre companies such as The New Freedom Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Interact Theatre and Act Two Playhouse, and was one of the five core creators in Pig Iron Theatre Companys premiere of Pay Up. Since living out in L.A. he has lent his comedic talents to 9.14 Pictures documentary Headspace. A film produced by the creators of the critically acclaimed documentary Rock School. He was awarded Best Actor in Beverly Hills Short Film Festival for his dramatic work in the role of Andre in Amber and Andre. His talent of tap dancing was showcased at The Showtime at The Apollo, and the Inaugurations events in Washington D.C. for President Barack Obama. This August Johnnie can be seen judging and performing in The Guatemala Dance Challenge in Guatemala.
Johnnie recently completed the filming of Coin Laundry for which he has a writer/actor and associate producer credit. He has also hosted the 2010 Miss West Virginia Beauty Pageant and opened for the world famous spoken word artist IN-Q in his one man show, The Lowest Common Denominator. Johnnie continues his work in the producing and directing field with another self-written work a tap dance film drama called, Nostalgia.
DASHA TERTOVA
Jazz/Musical Theater/Hop-Hop
Dasha was born in Moscow in 1986. From the beginning there was a reason she was born on the July 4th very independent, focused and absolutely obsessed with all kinds of performing arts. Music, vocal, piano, acting, ballet. She trained at the Bolshoi theatre school since age 5 and then went into the Molseyev Ballet Academy. She was accepted into the main company as a principal dancer. But, for Dasha its conservative views and community didn't lend itself to her passion for new ideas, new inspirations, moves, styles and choreography. She left for Europe to study Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Ballroom, African. She worked for "Burn the Floor" in London then left for a European tour with Riverdance. Shortly after she returned to Moscow and was accepted to Russian Academy as Ballet Faculty for the Masters. She stumbled into a Hip Hop class and fell in LOVE. This started the next chapter in her life two days later she decided to move to NYC. She studied hip hop and is the only `` Ballerina`` that can hold her own with best Hip Hop dancers. She moved to LA only about year ago but already been working with Beyonce,Cirque du Soleil,Black Eyed Peace,Daddy Yankee etc. She continues to explore new styles, creations as a teacher and choreographer working with many professional theaters,dance companies and competition teams in USA also been teaching internationally and assisting some of the best industry choreographers.
All of her classes are very passionate,technical and disciplined.Strong basics and creativity thats probably what makes them totally unique and DIFFERENT!!!
FRIT and FRAT
African Burn
Frit and Frat collectively hold BFA and MFA Degrees in Dance Performance and Choreography. They co-hosted TVs-9 On The Town for KCAL 9 and Extreme Fake Over for Pax TV. Their Commercials Include: Foster Farms, Truth, Sony, Captain Morgans, California Lotto, Lexmark, General Motors, Dominos Pizza, Hartford Insurance, Nike, 7up and PATH. They've worked under choreographers Keith Young, Patty Columbo, Russell Clark, Miranda Garrison and Tina Landon.
Film/Television: worked with directors Joel Schumacher, Henry Selick, Greg Beeman, Bruce Gowers, F. Gary Gray, Larry Einhorn, Woody Frazer and Jeff Androsky. Frit and Frat are the creators and Artistic Directors for the award winning KIN Dance Company. Other choreography includes 21 Stories performed in LA and NYC. "Flirting With Morty" (an NAACP Nomination). The Universoul Circus National and International Tour,
Also The Mrs. America & Mrs. World Pageants, for Pax TV, the Womens Entertainment Network and the Family Channel, directed and choreographed Vox Lumiere's:"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" National and International tour and were assistant choreographers to Julie Arnel for the stage production of "Much To Do About Nothing" with Helen Hunt. Theyve also created, directed and choreographed the stage jukebox musical "Down Around Brown Town" celebrating the music of the late Mr. James Brown performed in LA and NYC which received rave reviews.
JENNIFER SMALL/BRETT GRISWOLD
Argentine Tango/Performance Tango
