Santa Monica Dance Studio

Benedicte Schoyen | Ken Anderson | Marie Bergenholtz| Rebecca Brancato | Ginger Broussard | Lisa Kellogg | Yana Makarova | Laura Mazur | Lee McCarthy | Tiffaney Moore| Anne Nguyen | Tiffany Panhilason | Carrie Plescia | Rhythm | Chavva Smith | Jill Strauss |Josie Walsh |
Rebecca Witjas | Toney Wilson

Scroll down to see everyone's schedule and contact information.

Ballet for Adults and Kids Program	Benedicte Schoyen Benedicte was the owner and director of Santa Monica Dance Studio for 12 years. Now she is working with Born To Play Productions, producing children's dance DVD's. Born and raised in Norway, she was educated at the Norwegian Opera Ballet School. Upon completion of her studies there, she left Oslo to study at The Royal Academy of Dance in London, and later to study at the Studio Paris Centre in Paris, France. Prior to opening her own studio, she danced professionally for 15 years while teaching at Morolandis Studio, Debbie Reynolds Studio, and Third Street Dance Academy as well as at U.S.C. She is currently a faculty member at U.C.L.A. As an assistant professor she regularly teaches jazz ballet to students at the Musical Theater Dept. Recently she choreographed and stage several major television shows for Norwegian Broadcasting. At her studio she teaches ballet to children, as well as ballet on all levels to adults of all ages. She continues to strive to uphold her vision of creating a place for serious study in a relaxed and unpretentious environment - a studio that welcomes professional and amateur dancers alike and where all students can focus on learning and achieving their personal goals in dance under the guidance of outstanding and dedicated instructors. www.benedictedance.com
Cardio Funk Classes Sundays 10-11:30 am Mondays 7:30-9 pm Wednesdays 7:30-9 pm Classes at The Adderley School	Kenneth Anderson For over 25 years Ken Anderson has enjoyed careers in both the fitness and dance industries. A former professional dancer who has choreographed and appeared in films, stage, television and video, Ken has combined the disciplines of dance with the practical application of exercise physiology and fitness theory to build a reputation as an inspiring instructor of safe and effective workouts and dance classes. Schooled in Jazz, ballet, tap and modern, Ken has also studied anatomy, physiology and kinesiology and applied his dance skills to group exercise instruction to become a national aerobics competition first - place winner. As an AFAA certified instructor / trainer, Ken brings to his classes a contagious energy and dedication to craft that result in fun dance classes and motivating workouts. www.xanadu-fitness.com \| Ken@Xanadu-Fitness.com
See website for kids and adult classes.	Marie Bergenholtz Marie was educated at the Ballet Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden and the Dance Academy in Stockholm, Sweden. Marie is also an accomplished singer and has performed all over Europe, Japan and the U.S. Her numerous credits include "Cats," "Fame," "Cabaret," "Phantom of the Opera," "Grease," and "Carmen," among others. Here at SMDS she teaches classical ballet to children starting at age 2 ½ years, as well as beginning ballet to adults. She is also available to teach privates in both ballet and jazz. www.mariebergenholtz.com \| mariebergen@hotmail.com
See The Pretenders Studio for her class schedule.	Rebecca Brancato Rebecca Brancato teaches tap for children and adults of all levels. Recently, moved to the west coast from New York, Rebecca performed in many musical productions including : West Side Story, Grease, Sweet Charity Pippin and many more. Rebecca encourages her students to express their passions for life through their love of dance.
See The Pretenders Studio for her class schedule.	Ginger Broussard Before moving to Los Angeles, Ginger was the owner and director of Company One Dance Studio in Baton Rouge, LA for five years. In 1998 she became the coach and choreographer for the Louisana State University Tiger Girls, where, in their first year, they won the Universal Dance Association National Championship. Ginger has danced for twenty-five years and has studied ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, and musical theatre. She has toured extensively throughout the country and taught master classes for over ten years. Her work has been performed from Oahu, Hawaii to Cannes, France and many places in between. Her choreography continues to win national titles for several dance studios in the south. She has choreographed for and performed in Dancescape, a benefit helping art and music programs around Los Angeles.
www.hiphopdancer.comCapoeira Besouro Studio 2901 Ocean Park Blvd #103 Santa Monica, CA 90405 (at 29th St., behind Starbucks) Teens & Adults Hip Hop-open to all levels Mon & Wed 6:00-7:00pm Tues & Thurs 6:30-7:30pm Tues 8:00pm special "Intro level" sessions...email me for more info Sun 11:30am-12:30pm Kids Hip Hop Mon 5:00-6:00pm (8-12yrs) Tues 5:00-6:00pm (8-12yrs) Ahmanson Dance Studio-Boxenbaum Arts Building 1734 21st Street Santa Monica, CA 90404 Teens & Adults Hip Hop-open to all levels Sat 11:30am-12:30pm	Lisa Kellogg Professional choreographer, dancer, and instructor, Lisa Kellogg teaches hip-hop dance to children, teens, and adults. Her charismatic style is funky, fresh, and fun to do. Lisa has choreographed commercials, music videos, dance groups and pop artists in the U.S., Japan, and Europe. She has worked and performed with Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and Bobby Brown to name just a few. She can be seen dancing in commercials for Pepsi, McDonalds, Adidas and Pepe Jeans, as well as in the movie Men in Black II. Her television credits include "The Tonight Show," HBO, MTV, Fox Family Channel, "the Rick Dees Show," and the Super Bowl Halftime Show. A member of our faculty since the Studio's inception, Lisa continues to be a favorite among our students. Her Intro classes are designed for the beginner, her Open Level and Intermediate classes are meant for students who already have taken her Intro classes or have a basic foundation in hip-hop dance. Lisa is available to teach privates to both children and adults - any and all levels. In addition, she does great Dance Parties for both kids and adults. www.hiphopdancer.com \| hiphoplisa@yahoo.com
She teaches at West Side Ballet and The Adderley School.	Yana Makarova Yana Makarova comes to us from the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet. She trained in Russia at the Moscow Ballet's Academic School of Choreography - the official school of the Bolshoi Ballet Theater. Upon graduation she was offered to join the Bolshoi Ballet Dance Company, where she performed as a Solo Ballerina in almost all the famous classical ballets including "Swan Lake," "Giselle," "La Sylphide," "The Nut Cracker," "Romeo and Juliet," "Snow White," & "La Bayadere" among others. She has also performed as a Solo Ballerina with the Stanislavsky Ballet - adding to her repertoire such ballets as "Don Quixote," "Les Sylphides," (Chopiniana), "Esmeralda," and "Cinderella". In addition, she has studied at the Russian Academy of Theatrical Art - working to become a Ballet Master. She is a magnificent dancer and a devoted teacher who loves to share her tremendous experience with her students. Yana is also available to teach privately.
Contact Laura for schedule.	Laura Mazur Laura has a BA in dance from UCLA. She has trained at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and at the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia. She has performed with the Los Angeles Classical Ballet Company, has toured throughout Japan and Southeast Asia, and has appeared in videos, commercials and on film. An accomplished actress as well, Laura recently starred in another film called "Somewhere" which was shot entirely on location in Thailand. Laura uses all her performance experience to create energizing ballet classes. At SMDS she currently teaches adult ballet classes for the beginner to intermediate level student. Laura is available to teach privately - both in classical as well as in jazz ballet - all students - all levels. laurajmazur@hotmail.com
She teaches Pilates at The Adderley Schoo l. Wednesday 10-11 am.	Lee McCarthy A former national competitor in rhythmic gymnastics, Lee has been practicing Pilates for 20 years. She is also certified in the gyrotonic method. Here at SMDS she teaches Pilates mat classes for adults and teenagers. Pilates mat work is ideal for people who don't want to be dependent on the equipment. It develops a limber body, lean muscle tone with narrow hips and very strong abdominal and lower back muscles. Good for posture and useful for rehab, Pilates is a the way to achieve maximum flexibility and finally get a flat stomach. Lee teaches her classes with a sense of humor and from a dancer's point of view. She is available to teach privately as well - either for individuals or for groups. Call 310 392-5927.
She teaches Hip Hop at The Adderley School and ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop.	Chavva Smith received her dance training from the Chicago Academy for the Arts, Joel Hall Dance Center, Alvin Ailey School, Broadway Dance Center, and Jacobs Pillows. She performed with Techni_Que Dance Company, Sweet Charity, Jazz Fusion, Michael Jackson, L.L Cool J, L’Oreal, Geoffrey Beene and Zoot Suit. After graduating with her BFA she relocated to Los Angeles and started working with Benedicte at Santa Monica Dance Studio, and w/ Summer schools in Oslo. She also guest teaches at UCLA. You can see her in a Bally’s and Chase Manhattan commercial. She is also featured in a Rocawear ad and also has a two page spread in Mule magazine. Available for private lessons and choreography( modern/jazz/ hip hop):chavvas11@hotmail.com
Jill teaches Jazz at The Adderley School: Monday 11:30 am-1 pm Tuesday 10 am-11:30 am Tuesday 6:30 pm - 8 pm Thursday 10 am - 11:30 am Thursday 6:30 pm - 8 pm	Jill Strauss Jill's classic jazz work combines style and rhythm with strong technique in order to provide the dancer with a strong foundation from which to develop their own unique artistic abilities. She uses a wide variety of music to inspire and encourage this creative self-expression. Her goal: "To infuse the world of dance with joy!" Jill trained at some of New York's most well renowned schools: Luigi's Jazz Center, The Broadway Dance Center, and the American School of Ballet. Jill has performed and choreographed on both coasts, and toured extensively throughout North America. In 1997 she formed her own company, "J. Strauss Jazz," which performs throughout southern California. Jill has been with the Studio since its inception and is a favorite among our faculty. She teaches jazz for both the beginner as well as the intermediate to advanced student. Schedules, workshops, and private lesson information available on www.jillyjazz.com. jjillyjazz@aol.com
Contact Josie for info.	Josie Walsh A native of Los Angeles, Josie has her training from the School of American Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet School, the American Ballet Theater, the San Francisco Ballet, Victoria Koenig, Meredith Baylis, Yvonne Mounsey, Rosemary Vallaire, Nancy Bielski, Heimi Rogers, Rada and Phil Black among others. She has performed with the Joffrey Ballet, the L.A. Chamber Ballet, the Oregon Ballet Theatre, and the Zurich Opera. An accomplished choreographer as well, (she got her start choreographing for the Zurich Opera), she has choreographed for numerous stage productions including with The Groundlings, the LA Music Awards, fashion shows, music videos, sitcoms, and movies ("That's Life"/CBS & "Bullet Proof Monk"/MGM), industrials and fund-raising events. She is also the director, co-producer and head choreographer for her own critically acclaimed dance company called Myo Dance Company - and has as such produced "Carnivinyl" at the El Rey Theatre, and "Avalon" which played at (among other venues) the Ivar Theater. Here at SMDS she teaches contemporary ballet for the intermediate to advanced level student. Her unique approach and style is an evolution from the traditional classical technique she was trained in. She has added elements from other dance forms as well as yoga and she uses a mixture of both classical and contemporary music. She helps her students gain a deeper understanding of their bodies by learning to dance from their core - which allows them greater access to their highest potential both technically and artistically. www.myodance.com \| info@myodance.com
Toney teaches Jazz at The Adderley School: Friday 11:30 am - 1 pm Contact Toney for additional class information.	Toney Wilson Toney has been teaching at major dance studios, universities, and schools throughout Southern California and abroad for over 15 years. Toney has trained with jazz greats such as Jaimie Rogers, Michael Peters, Joe Tramaine and Dennon Rawles. He was a 5-year company member of "Jazz Dancers," Inc. and has just completed production on the "Toney Wilson's Congo Cardio 30-Minute Turbo Fitness Workout" TV show and home video. toneywilsonjazzdancer@yahoo.com
Contact Rebecca for info.	Rebecca Witjas REBECCA WITJAS studied and performed most of her life in New York City. Her primary instructors included Finis Jhung (San Francisco Ballet and Joffrey Ballet), Alfredo Corvino (Juilliard), Zena Rommett (Steps), Maggie Black, and Rosemary Valaire. She performed with New York Dance Quintet, the José Limon Company, and Facets Dance Company. Rebecca holds an M.A. in Dance from UCLA, has created two professional companies of her own, choreographed for stage, television and movies, and has 35 years of teaching experience. Besides her classes at Santa Monica Dance Studio, Rebecca also teaches at Pepperdine University and at Santa Monica College. Los Angeles Dances is a Los Angeles-based modern dance company directed by Rebecca Witjas dedicated to sharing our American modern dance tradition with other nations of the world through the International Dance Council of UNESCO. Our repertory is primarily modern with ballet undertones and we strive to represent the greater Los Angeles area through our ethnic and religious diversity and through the representation of various age levels. We partner with university dance students in conjunction with our dance professionals to provide a professional experience for talented young dancers. In 2005 the company traveled to the World Congress of Dance in Larnaca, Cyprus, to present ³White Light², a piece of and about joy set to Bach¹s 3rd Brandenburg Concerto. If you have any questions regarding LA Dances, please e-mail the company's Administrative Director at rebecca@balletbabes.com or rebecca@ladances.org www.balletbabes.com or www.ladances.org
	Tiffaney Moore Tiffaney has over 7 years experience teaching at UCLA and various studios. She has been performing belly dance for Arabic Concerts, in clubs and in the Los Angeles music industry.
	Anne Nguyen Born in Vietnam, Anne Nguyen came to the United States in 1975 to escape the communist regime and the fall of South Vietnam. Two years later at the age of 7, she started ballet and gymnastics. She was classically trained and sponsored by a company in Williamsport, Pennsylvania and later performed with the company for 8 years in various cities in PA and NY. She became versed in jazz, modern, and hip-hop when she moved to Los Angeles in 1993. She appeared in videos on MTV, national commercials, and in local Los Angeles theatres. Because Anne is so diverse, she developed her own style of teaching, it focuses on dancing from the heart, and developing an understanding and awareness of the body. Anne's other activities include platform diving, swimming, volleyball, and rock climbing. Her class is athletic, lyrical, expressive, releasing and absolute fun!
	Carrie Plescia Carrie graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in Latin American and Iberian Studies and a minor in Physical Education and Group Fitness. She has studied jazz and hip-hop and at UCSB she trained with National Aerobic Champion Kimberly Williams Evans. During her college years, Carrie also traveled and studied in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Cuba here she learned about the history, society, rhythms, and dances of Latin America. She subsequently started teaching Latin Style aerobics at the YMCA in Santa Barbara in 2000, and currently teaches Salsa Aerobics, Cardio Latin Dance and Salsa Step for both 24 Hour Fitness and LA Fitness gyms, as well as at several dance studios in the LA area. She is AFAA certified and a member of the IDEA Professional Association. Here at SMDS, her adult Cardio Latin Dance class teaches the basics of cha-cha, meringue, salsa, and samba. No partner is needed. Carrie's philosophy is to have fun wile working out - she pushes her students to "let their hair down, get crazy, and enjoy the sensual moves of these dances." Carrie is available for private instruction and parties.
	Rhythm Rhythm has performed with Will Smith, Jessica Simpson, B2K, Backstreet Boys, and more. He is also a featured dancer in the current movie "You Got Served" starring B2K and Marques Houston. Here at SMDS Rhythm teaches hip-hop open level classes for adults, and hip-hop/breakdance classes for children - specifically boys. His style reflects the many different techniques and movements he has worked with and studied - spanning from the late 80's to today and includes elements of hip-hop, breakin', locking, capoeira and urban movement. His adult classes geared towards the intermediate to advanced level student have become a studio favorite. We are very pleased to have Rhythm on our staff.
	Tiffany Panhilason An edgy dance form combining JAZZ, HIP-HOP, and FUNK. This style of dance can be seen in the latest hip-hop, pop, and R&B videos. Students are asked to strive for their best in class. Learn the importance of STAGE PRESENCE, BODY AWARENESS, and Self-Confidence in this HIGH Impact, HIGH INTENSITY class.