Owner/Director

After twelve years living, dancing and teaching in L.A., New York, London and Japan, Debi returns to the El Dorado County area bringing her experience and passion for dance back to the place of her roots.

Upon seeing the Sacramento Ballet's Sleeping Beauty at age five, she enthusiastically started training in ballet and by age 13, was accepted into the newly formed Expressions Company, touring extensively, culminating in a trip to the Island Kingdom of Tonga to dance for King Toupou's 78th birthday on the palace grounds.

Securing her first professional contract at the age of 17 with Music Circus's Broadway Series Camelot, she was later contracted by the Miss America U.S.A. Pageant System as resident choreographer and dancer touring the United States.

Through all of this, Debi continued her dance education, living and teaching in L.A. while earning her Bachelor degrees in Dance and Anthropology from UC Irvine.

After a time studying at the American Ballet Theatre in New York, she moved to Japan for three years to teach English and take a post as producer and choreographer for the musical theatre group Hokkaido Players, and was invited to choreograph a showcase for the NHK televised Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival of Sapporo City.

From Japan Debi headed to London to earn Masters degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Dance Studies at the University of Surrey, Roehampton, where she taught Cecchetti method ballet and 'American style' jazz in the University's dance department.

Currently, Debi serves as Professor of Dance at Folsom Lake College developing an A.A. Degree/Certificate in Dance Studies and is thrilled to lead El Dorado Dance Academy, teaching and sharing her love of the performing arts with young dancers in her 'old stomping grounds!'

Shirin Keyani-Rose

Shirin Keyani-Rose began her early training in Tehran, Iran at the Arts Conservatory, under the direction of Bijan Kalantari. In 1975 she moved to United States and continued her training in Santa Barbara with Tamara Kinsell and by the age of 15 was performing principal roles in major classics with the Santa Barbara Ballet. She has received scholarships to American Ballet Theater, Pennsylvania Ballet and San Francisco Ballet summer programs and has performed with Alonzo King's Lines Contemporary Ballet as well as Sacramento Ballet, having served as ballet mistress to the Sacramento Ballet. Ms. Keyani-Rose currently lives in Sacramento and teaches at Deane Dance Center (School of Sacramento Ballet) and Alonzo King's San Francisco Dance Center, in addition to her classes at El Dorado Dance Academy.

Gina Talcott

Ms. Talcott holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from Califonrnia State University, Sacramento and has trained extensively in Tap, Lyrical, Jazz and Hip Hop. She has performed with Repertory Dance Company at Disneyland and in Las Vegas at the Tremain Convention. In addition to stage and television experience in numerous musicals including Will Derryberry's I Think I Saw an Angel music video, Ms. Talcott danced with Dance Theatre West from 1996 to 2002, and completed teacher training at Broadway Academy to become a dance instructor. Lending her incredible enthusiasm and expertise in Tap, Lyrical and Jazz to the dance classroom, Ms. Talcott has worked at several local dance schools, and taught after school enrichment program for the El Dorado School District. Ms. Talcott is now full time faculty at El Dorado Dance Academy. Her choreography debuted internationally and was filmed by NHK TV in Japan during El Dorado Dance Academy's first international tour with Kaleidoscope Company. Her work has been featured at Tokyo Disney, the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York, Daley Plaza in Chicago and at the Great Wall of China while on tour with El Dorado Dance Academy's Kaleidoscope Touring Company. Ms. Talcott's choreographic accomplishments are broad, her multi-disciplinary dance skills comprehensive and her drive to accelerate her student's dance and life skills situates her quite suitably as El Dorado Dance Academy's choreographic mainstay, creating dances for Kaleidoscope Touring Company, while also cultivating the potential of our youngest dance troupe, the Spectrum Mini-Company.

Grace Hegy

Ms. Hegy has been teaching voice in the El Dorado/Sacramento area for over 20 years, in dance studios for touring troupes, Miss California America Pageant system and as a private vocal coach. Her professional credits include acting musical director (and performer) for Theatre El Dorado, and has been seen in numerous productions at Garbeau's Dinner Theatre, Magic Circle Theatre and Sacramento Music Circus. She has toured interntaionally with her vocal solos and musical theatre renditions, including the Scotland Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and Tokyo. From this, Ms. Hegy commands a rare expertise offering a great deal of professionalism for EDDA's Musical Theatre cirriculum. She was head of the the music program at Sacramento's Visual and Performing Arts Charter High School (VAPAC), leading them to the top level awards at the Heritage Choir Festival in New York. Ms. Hegy, in addition to her own performing, is in the business of preparing artistically talented youth for professional careers in voice, music and musical theatre.

Ashley Reber

Ms. Reber, also known as 'Miss Ashley', is an accomplished dancer and choreographer, and El Dorado Dance Academy is delighted to have her heading up the Prism Apprentice Dance Company. She studied dance technique for over 16 years before turning to teaching and has competencies in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, Polynesian and Clogging, though her area of expertise was refined within the disciplines of Jazz and Lyrical, building on her many gifts as a multi-talented dancer. Her childhood studies were with Sue Geller in Sacramento, with Cynthia Hall, also in Sacramento as a member of the Junior Dance Company, and from 1989-2000, Ms. Reber studied at Dance Expressions School of Dance, accepted as an Apprentice Company member from 1989-1991, and then into Expressions Touring Company from 1992-2000, joining Expressions on tour in Japan in 1994. In 1996, Ms. Reber received a scholarship to study Modern Dance at the Ruth Rosenberg School of Dance in Sacramento, and attended intensive workshops in jazz and ballet under the tutelage of Kristen Loving and Carol Fisher at the Academy of Ballet in Placerville. Ms. Reber was Director of Expressions Apprentice Company from 1999-2002, and continues her choreographic work now as Prism Apprentice Company Director at El Dorado Dance Academy. Her choreography has been featured at Daley Plaza in Chicago while on tour with El Dorado Dance Academy's Prism Apprentice Company.

Kira Carlson

Kira Kersey enrolled in her first dance class at age 2 1/2 and at age 4 joined the Sacramento-based performing group Galena Street East. She performed locally and toured with with Galena for 12 1/2 years training in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, clogging, and Irish hard-shoe. Ms. Kersey began her clogging career at age 9 and since has attended the reknowned BYU Clog Camp for six consecutive summer sessions, being awarded a first and later, a third placetitle in the Clog Camp Clog Off Competition. As a member of the Butte View Clogging Team and the competition group Aftershock, Ms. Kersey has worked under the artistic direction of Karen Smith and Kelly Henzel, as well as studied advanced clogging with such names as Andrew Smith and Gary Larson. She has taught and assisted classes in clogging, acting as permanent substitute instructor for Galena Street East. Her involvement in Musical Theatre playing lead roles in shows such as Joseph, Oklahoma!, and The Sound of Music, has Ms. Kersey well acquainted with the demands of stage acting, vocal and dance as a combined stagecraft. She heads the clogging program at El Dorado Dance Academy and contributes her dynamic chorepgraphy to local Harvest Festivals, the Kid's Expo and Holiday Showcase engagements in addition to assisting in El Dorado Dance Academy's Dance On The Move Outreach Program in the Buckeye Union School District.

Sarah Lowry

Having trained in the disciplines of Ballet, Lyrical and Jazz, Sarah Lowry ("Miss Sarah") has taught technical ballet curriculum throughout El Dorado County for First Steps, Inc. based out of Placerville, California. In addition to implementing ballet into pre-school education, she has performed in numerous local extravaganzas including Union Mine High School's Elderly American's Brunch and with the Placerville Ballet at the El Dorado County Fair in 2003. Her years of dance training in multiple disciples has underscored Ms. Lowry's exquisite style as a dancer, and her participation in Dance Conventions and Competitions enliven her teaching style. Ms. Lowry toured Japan in 2005 with Kaleidoscope Dance Company as a ballet soloist and corps company dancer, and has performed in New York, China, and Chicago with Kaleidoscope as an alumni artist. With 11 years of musical training on the flute and the French horn, Sarah's innate sense of musicality brings added benefit to her students of Dance Discovery, Creative Movement and Ballet at El Dorado Dance Academy, whereby music and movement are thoroughly explored. Miss Sarah is also certified by Music Together International, synchronizing her exquisite skills in both music and dance for children in the El Dorado County community. She currently attends college to obtain her B.A. degrees in Dance and Sociology while teaching full time at EDDA.

Rosalie "Lokalia" Stearns

El Dorado Dance Academy's Polynesian program is supported by a strong staff of experienced instructors, and to head up the program is Rosalie "Lokalia" Stearns who studied Polynesian dance for over 40 years, under the tutelage of well known Kumu Hulas (Master Teachers of Hula) such as Uhalu Dancers, Stanford University Dance and Folklore Department's Professor Lidster, Auntie Rose Thomas and Ida Wong Gonsalves. Ms. Stearns lived and trained at the Polynesian Culture Center on Oahu, Hawaii, and was awarded the Kumu Hula Certificate from Master Joseph Kamohai Kaha'ulelio in 1982. She moved back to the mainland and stayed active in the Hawaiian community as Secretary of Northern California Kumu Hula Association, and as instructor with the Polynesian Cultural Association Hui Ana. Additionally, Ms. Stearns instituted a Polynesian program at the Walnut Creek Recreation Department, taught at Ohlone College in Fremont, formed her own halau, the ' Ohana I Ka LeiLokalia' (Family lei of Lokalia) and performed with them throughout Northern California. Ms. Stearns brings to El Dorado Dance Academy an expertise and passion we are thrilled offer our students of Polynesian, where dance and culture are intertwined, creating a new family of aspiring hula dancers at El Dorado Dance Academy!

Sheri Rasmussen

Ms. Rasmussen's dance training began in Canada at the age of 5. She completed a 4 year dance instructor training program at age 16 including Choreography, Tap & Jazz which included graded exam classes by renowned dancer and instructor, Al Gilbert from Los Angeles. She has been teaching jazz and tap for 21 years, drawing from an impressive palette of dance styles, including Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Modern, Ballroom, Salsa, Square Dancing and even Break dancing! Her performing experience includes the Canadian Summer Olympic Games, a showing for Prince Andrew, an NBA halftime show, and Tattoo 200. She attends numerous dance conventions annually such as Al Gilbert & Dale Retter from L.A., Dance Masters of America (DMA), CoDance and Tap Dogs. Ms. Rasmussen holds two degrees—Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy & BSC in Biology, and now works as a Physical Therapist at Folsom Mercy Hospital. She has done massage & acute injury work with marathon runners, and has taught Physical Therapy related classes for 11 years. While in school, Ms. Rasmussen directed & choreographed "For the Health of It", a University Benefit show. She has choreographed & taught for the San Juan Dance School in San Jose, and is currently a classroom volunteer for Tap Dance at Jackson Elementary School, in El Dorado Hills. Ms. Rasmussen's skill set is an incredible asset to El Dorado Dance Academy's faculty, and we are thrilled to have her contagious positive energy fill the studio each week!

Hilary Stankiewicz

Ms. Stankiewicz has been dancing for 25 years. She has taught and performed focusing primarily on ballet, in addition to social dance. She trained in ballet at Sierra Nevada Dance in Reno, The Nevada Festival Ballet, Oakland Ballet, and California Ballet Academy, in Martinez, California. She has had experience with Royal Academy of Ballet syllabus (R.A.D.), Ceccetti (Italian), and Vaganova (Russian) Ballet styles.  Ms. Stankiewicz's ballet teaching and performing experience has been with California Ballet Theatre (CBT), whose goal was to bring quality dance instruction and full-length ballet performance opportunities to children and adults outside of metropolitan San Francisco.  Ms. Stankiewicz performed, choreographed and assisted in staging many of CBT's annual ballets.  Some of her favorite leading roles have been Swanhilda/Coppelia in Coppelia, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. In 2000, Ms. Stankiewicz began supplemental training in Ballroom, Waltz, Polka, Mazurka; she was soon asked to join The Alameda Vintage Dancers. She performed with them recreated period dances from the 1800's-1900's in full period costume. They performed in park demonstrations, and appeared at the San Francisco Annual Waltz Ball.  The Alameda Vintage Dancers performed Grand Waltzes, Can-Can's, Quadrilles, and Mazurka. As an instructor of dance, “Miss Hilary’s” classes are positive and cheerful, but firm in discipline and expectations. She teaches classical French ballet terms and history, and is creative in her choreography. Miss Hilary is currently guiding students at El Dorado Dance Academy from age two through adult, from beginner to company members, bringing a wealth of cross-disciplinary knowledge to the ballet program at EDDA.

Kristen Smeltzer

Since the age of three, Kristen Smeltzer began studying Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Lyrical dance at Freddie Finn Dance Studio. She continued her training there until the age of fourteen, during which time she travelled throughout California and Nevada participating in dance competitions, master classes and workshops in all dance disciplines. Locally, she was a member of the Oak Ridge High School cheerleading team and competition squad, competing in both regional and national competitions. Ms. Smeltzer teaches Modern Dance at El Dorado Dance Academy, a rare treat indeed, as she completed her undergraduate education at University of California Davis in both Dance and Biology. She credits her own unique style of modern dance to the college classes in modern that gave her the opportunity to explore new avenues in dance and to develop her own unique style. While attending University, she had the privilege of creating two works "Shutters" and "Vent", both of which were staged in the UC Davis Spring Dance Concert in 2002 and 2003. She has also enjoyed a residence in the Keagen Marling Company, and explorative contact improvisation group. Throughout her dancing career, Ms. Smeltzer has had the incredible oportunity to work with reknowned dance artists such as Linda Baer, Bobbie Bolden, Nigel Charnock, Ron Cunningham, Della Davidson and Bill T. Jones. Today, Ms. Smeltzer continues to dance and explore new movement ideas for her students at El Dorado Dance Academy, drawing from her own life and dance experiences, and improvisation techniques.

Wendy Schultz

Ms. Wendy Schultz comes to EDDA with over 30 years of dance experience. She has trained extensively in Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Lyrical since the age of 13 and after receiving a dance scholarship in 1985 to Rodanunsky Art Center, she relocated to Los Angeles to further her dance education under the guidance of Helene Phillips, Dennon Rawls and Jorge Rodanunsky. Ms. Schultz's professional history includes film, television, music video and stage work, not only in LA, but San Francisco, New York and Japan, as well. After assisting Andre Paradis and Jerry Evans on various choreographic projects, Ms. Schultz discovered her love for teaching dance and returned home to San Jose in 1990. She began teaching dance full time while earning her Bachelor of Arts degre in Biological Sciences, graduating cum laude from San Jose State University. Married in 1994, she became mom to fraternal boy/girl twins in 1996-- teaching dance consistently all the while! Ms. Schultz now owns and operates her own interior decorating busines, Censible Style in the Sacramento region while enjoying her other passion at El Dorado Dance Academy, "teaching young women and men a strong technical dance foundation which also helps them to develop a path toward the same personal enrichment [she] experienced as a result of dancing throughout [her] life". Welcome to EDDA, Miss Wendy!

Erin Kennedy

Ms. Erin Kennedy has been studying dance since the age of two; studio trained in San Luis Obispo, she was a company member and travelled to dance competitions receiving numerous awards and scholarships from prestigious conventions such as Tremaine, LA Dance Force, Dupree and the EDGE studio in Los Angeles. In college, Ms. Kennedy performed with the San Diego State University championship competitive dance team from 2000-2002. In April 2002, she was selected to become a member of the NFL's San Diego Chargers professional cheerleaders. In the ensuing three years, she annually assisted in choreographing more than 350 dancers and gymnasts between the ages of 4-15 in NFL Half Time shows, benefitting the Make-a-Wish Foundation. She was also selected to represent the Charger Girls in Las Vegas for the 2004 Super Bowl, and was awarded "Top 10 Professional Dancer" at the USA Professional Cheerleading Convention for NFL/NBA/AFL in 2005. Ms. Kennedy's instructional dance experience ranges from teaching technical dance and fitness classes to choreographic projects for advanced level dancers. Ms. Kennedy comes to El Dorado Dance Academy not only with a lifelong passion for dance and choreography, but the aim to positively make a difference in the lives of her students.

Tyler Drewitz

Mr. Tyler Drewitz under construction. --El Dorado Dance Academy

Aimee Boucher

Ms. Boucher (pronounced "Boo-Shay!") is originally from the Bay Area where she began her dance training at Dance Attack! Sunnyvale from the age of four. She is comptetively trainede in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary and Tumbling. As a member of the Dance Attack! performing troupe for nearly a decade, Ms. Boucher was awarded numerous awards at dance competitions throughout the United States. She has taken master classes with choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance?, including Mia Michales and Brian Freidman. As a Junior 49'er Cheerleader, Aimee was featured on the promotional literature. Other professional credits include having the opportunity to perform as a variation dancer (local hire) with the Moscow Ballet tour of The Nutcracker Suite in 1999. Committed to enriching her community through dance, Ms. Boucher danced with her high school dance and song teams, which placed 5th at the National Competition, as well as attending USA Song Camp where Miss Aimee was awarded "Miss Super Sensational" for her dynamic teaching methodologies and charismatic stage presence! Currenly attending college, Ms. Boucher will major in Dance while teaching full time at El Dorado Dance Academy, continue her touring with EDDA's Kaleidoscope Dance Company, performing again at the Miss Teenage California Pageant bringing her enthusiasm and contagious energy to the students and staff at EDDA!

Rachel Koch

Ms. Rachel Koch under construction. --El Dorado Dance Academy

Lynnette Falls

Ms. Lynnette Falls under construction. --El Dorado Dance Academy