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Instructor Bios
Naja Gentry
Naja Gentry is the Director and Owner of Spotlight Arts Academy. She is also the Cheer/Dance Team Director for the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco and in addition the University’s Dance Department Coordinator. Naja is the Former Westlake School of Performing Arts Jazz Director, Former Performing Arts Teacher for the Dublin School District, Former Dance Technique Coordinator for De Anza College Dance Teams (Phase II, III), 3-year Member of the Warrior Girls, 3-year 49er Goldrush Member, 1-year SaberKitten Director’s Assistant, 1-year American Spirit Association Director of Sports Team Entertainment, toured with M.C. Hammer, danced with Paula Abdul and is a Nine Time National Anthem Singer. Naja was awarded 2002 “Spotlight Dance Cup” Choreography of the Year and 2007 “Hall of Fame” Best Choreography Award.
Lizabeth Burrows
Lizabeth was born in Fairfield, California, and starting dancing at age five at the Solano Civic Ballet. At age 17 she began training at the Contra Costa Ballet School. She has attended summer programs such as the Colorado Ballet, Contra Costa Ballet School and CSSSA. She began dancing professionally in 1998 with Moving Arts Dance and in 2002 became one of the founding members of Company C Contemporary Ballet. Lizabeth has also performed around the bay area as a guest artist with schools such as Berkeley City Ballet, the Halal Ballet and Spector Dance School.
Saki Suto
Saki specializes in Jazz and Lyrical Dance and has worked with some of the world's top dance instructors, including renowned instructor Sheila Barker at the Broadway Dance Center in New York. Saki is widely known both for her technical ability and the diverse repertoire of choreography she performs both live and in televised appearances across the United States and Japan. Saki's classes are a perennial source of challenge, inspiration and delight among dancers in the Bay Area.
Esther Cardona
(Bio to Come)
Mitch Mung Lim
Born and raised in Hawaii, Mitch started dancing at a late age and has been dancing and teaching for over 15 years. He first started dancing with Dance Central and Big City Productions which was based out of the Central YMCA in Honolulu. He began teaching youth classes and danced professionally for SLAM Dance Co. Currently he is the director of Future Shock San Jose one of the youth out reach troupes of Culture Shock Oakland whom he dances and directs for as well. Mitch is known for working well with kids and kids at heart and also being a great role model.
Cassie Freeborn
(Bio to Come)
Rosemary Robertson
Rosemary graduated from the University of Illinois with a BFA in Dance and has extensive training in Ballet, Yoga, Pilates, Modern and Creative Movement.
Danielle Smith
Danielle trained for 12yrs at Marti's Dance in Los Altos in Ballet, Jazz and Tap. She is a former dance instructor for ROCO Dance in Mill Valley, The Dance Company in Los Altos and the City of Walnut Creek
Dereleek Sanchez
Has been dancing professionally for 6 years. He’s a member of the world famous "Flexible Flave" crew straight out of San Francisco/Sacramento! Flexible Flave represented Nor Cal all the way around the world, with victories in France, Germany, Korea, South America, and the United States. Also known as Flex Flave, they have managed to dominate the b’boy comeptition scene as well as entertain crowds alike.
Anthony LoCascio
Performer, Master Teacher, and Choreographer has been associated for over 7 years with the Broadway show Tap Dogs. He also performed in Monte Carlo at the Sporting Club and opened shows for people such as Natalie Cole, Earth Wind and Fire, and Stevie Wonder. He made TV appearances on MTV LIVE, Live with Regis and Kathy Lee, and MACY'S Fourth of July Spectacular as well as local news programs all across the nation. Currently he is on the faculty of PDTA, Hoctor's Dance Caravan. He teaches at Conventions and Festivals all across North America. In February of 2005 he was featured in "Dance Teacher Magazine." He is also a published author as well in the April, 2005 edition of "On Tap International."
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