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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.
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.
Digz
Digz was first introduced to the world of dance by his brother through the style of Capoeira. Digz then studied Capoeira for several years. He noticed similarities in Bboying and decided to fuse the styles making it his own. After building a reputation around the Bay Area and Southern California with his crew “X-Force,” he had the opportunity to perform with LL Cool J and Amerie at the AFC Championship halftime show. There he connected with East Bay group Culture Shock Oakland. Since then, Digz has danced and trained with Culture Shock Oakland, Funkanometry SF, Groove Junkies, Gen2, Phoenix Dance Company, The Company and is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of For The Cause.
Robert Dekkers
Robert Dekkers received his professional training from the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre under Artistic Director Lisa Sheppard-Robson. He has also studied with Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Atlanta Ballet. Dekkers has performed in Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival, at the Tanzsommer Festival in Vienna, and with the Atlanta Ballet in London. He danced with Ballet Arizona from 2002-2008 where he originated a featured role in Julia Adam's Before and performed the principal role in August Bournonville's Flower Festivalin Genzano. Dekkers has performed in many other ballets including Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Paul Taylor's Company B; George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Rubies, Prodigal Son, Serenade, and Theme and Variations; and Ib Andersen's "Danse Bohème" from Carmen, Sueños, Dance of the Hours, Coppélia, and Romeo and Juliet.
Maggie Hall
Maggie has been dancing for 15 years and has earned a BA in Dance from San Francisco State University. She has traveled and performed with San Francisco State’s Dance Company. Maggie has been teaching dance for 4 years, and we are pleased to have her on board.
Ellizon Javier
Former member of Academy of Villains seen on
America's Best Dance Crew. Javier is also an award winning
choreographer for the World of Dance Tours in Hawaii.
Sam Weber
is an internationally acclaimed performing artist, master teacher and
choreographer who regularly appears throughout the world.
A protege of Stan Kahn in San Francisco, Sam Weber has appeared
with such tap legends as Charles "Honi" Coles, Steve Condos,
Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines and the Nicholas Brothers.
Sam has also performed with the San Francisco Ballet, Sacramento
Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre and Smuin Ballets/SF.
Kristen Ellis
has been teaching ballet and pre school dance in the South Bay for
over twenty years. She has also choreographed for competitive
dance teams winning regional awards. Kristin helped to perfect
Olympic gold and silver medalist gymnast Amy Chow's floor
routines. She started her early training studying the Royal Academy
of Dance syllabus at Elizabeth Neumann's Ballet Studio in Saratoga,
CA. She also studied at the Los Gatos Academy of Dance, San Jose
Dance Theatre under the direction of Paul E. Curtis Jr. and Shaun
Stuart, Ballet West and Boston Ballet School.
Heintje Soriano
teaches our Ballroom Recial and Competitve Classes.
He specializes in Latin and Rhythm Dances.
Wendy Haddock
is originally from San Diego and started training intensively
in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, acrobatics and tap 22 years ago.
She trained at various dance studios throughout the San Diego and
Los Angeles areas. She continued her education as a double major
in dance and art at California University State Long Beach.
Wendy danced with various professional companies from
until 2006, Unity Dance Ensemble, Diamontez Dance Company
and John Stronk's In the Light to name a few.
Cyndi Wright
A late bloomer, I experienced the joy of movement when I joined my high school modern dance club. My instructor (Mrs. Wharton) was confident enough in my ability and offered me a solo in our spring show...bliss!! This late start in the world of dance served as the jumping off point for my entry into tap at age 20. I love jazz, modern and hip hop, but I always come back to tap. It is sublime! I have gained ground by virtue of learning from Judy Gamet (Motion Dynamics, Vacaville) and Gregg Geoffroy (The Beat, Berkeley). I love choreography, I love teaching, but most of all, I love tappin'...late starts seem to agree with me!
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