2025 Fall Performance Workshop | REGISTRATION OPEN!

Training season is here! We're back for with another Performance Workshop coming to you this fall!

Our Performance Workshop offers students the opportunity to refine their skills in various dance styles while fostering a sense of community among peers who share a passion for dance and a willingness to foster and grow their education in their favorite styles. Each year, we host dance showcases that highlight students eager to elevate their dance journey and perform on the big stage. If you're looking to grow your skills in dance, improve performance quality and build yourself up with a community of dancers, this is a great opportunity for you! This seasons intensive features a total of 15 dynamic instructors ready to bring you a spectacular and memorable training season.

This workshop series includes 8-week and 5 week sets of rehearsals. Single ticket drop-ins are allowed for the first two rehearsals for students to test out the workshop. Workshops are limited, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance. Join one of our artists in a training series for the chance to perform for our 7th showcase on November 16th and fifth time performing at The Great Star Theatre! Please note, performing at the showcase is not required, as we respect the individual growth process of every dancer. Performing on stage is encouraged, but sometimes dancers need more room to prepare for the big stage. For those that are unable to attend the showcase, or do not want to perform live, you are still able to sign up for the series.

Location for Rehearsals:

Rae Studios, 414 Mason St., #705, San Francisco CA, 94102

8-Week Series (Sept. 21st - Nov. 15th):

$275 Full Series + Showcase | $250 Member's Discount

$40 Single Session (available for first 2 sessions)

(Sales end 10/12)

5-Week Series (Oct. 12th - Nov. 15th):

$200 Full Series + Showcase | $175 Member's Discount

$40 Single Session (available for first 2 sessions)

(Sales end 11/02)

Payment plans available. Select "Use payment plan" at checkout. Note payments collected every two weeks. Must have a valid card on file. Credit card fees applied.

Show Date & Location:

Sunday, November 16th, 2024 | The Great Star Theatre

2025 Fall Intensive Mentors🎉

Featured Instructors (8-Week):

ANDREA SENDEK | @andreasendekbellydance

ANDY NGUYEN | @andyluvskpop

CAROLINE ZENG | @zeng_zeng_jr

ELIZABETH VIERA | @shiny.eliza

EMMANUEL HERNANDEZ | @emmanuelhernandezofficial

JACKSON TRAN | @jxtrxn

JESSICA RAE | @jraesf

KAIT SKYE | @k8skye

LUMA PRUDENTE | @luma_prudente

OLIVIA PIPER | @analyze.create.release

SARA TEMPLETON | @coqui.sf

TASHI COWAN | @tashitheeterminator_

TAYLOR BAZILE | @evolvingwithtay

TIANA HESTER | @tianahester

Featured Instructors (5-Week):

FRAN BALAGTAS | @hello.sassi.fran

JASPER SANCHEZ | @jasperdances

Venue for Sunday, June 1st, 2025: Great Star | 636 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Train with one of your favorite instructors and showcase your journey.

Each workshop series instructor is highly trained and knowledgeable in their practice and will guide you through a series of rehearsals to build a deeper relationship in their movement background. At the end of the series, Rae Studios will host a live showcase featuring all of our performance workshop instructors, students, plus special guest performers.

As a participant, you will receive personalized training, feedback, and resources from our instructors. You'll learn, rehearse, and perform a set personally made for your cohort. You'll also have the chance to show your friends and family all the progress you've made in your workshop series.

Guidelines and Policies:

• Students participating in the showcase are required to sign the student agreement form to take part in both the series and showcase

• Students are expected to attend all the weekly sessions for their registered workshop series. Students are not required to be at the showcase.

• Students who purchase single session tickets will have those tickets subtracted from the full series total should they choose to move forward with the full series. Avail for both 8 and 5 week series
  

• Attendance policy - Any missed session will be forfeited and credits are not transferable. Missing 3 or more rehearsals may result in removal from the series.

• Students are expected to provide their own makeup and outfit for the showcase unless indicated otherwise by the instructor or management team.
  

• Students are encouraged to invite friends and family to see the showcase.

Specials Partners, Vendors, and Amenities:

• Each student participating in a workshop series will receive a special discount code to share with friends to receive 10% off on tickets for the show. Discount code will be available when ticketing launches.
  

• Participants get to attend the Rae Studios Showcase for free.
  

• The showcase event features other performance workshop series groups and guest artists with a featured host.

Meet Your Mentors🎉

Emmanuel Hernandez

Contemporary [Intermediate] (8-Wk)

Mondays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10

Emmanuel Hernandez is a choreographer, dancer, and creative artist from Los Angeles, CA. currently residing in San Francisco. He started dancing at the age of 11 when he joined his middle school’s dance team and found his passion for choreography just one year later at the age of 12. Emmanuel has trained in various styles such as ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, jazz funk, and hip hop. He grew up choreographing throughout high school and college at recitals, showcases, festivals, and dance productions emphasizing on ballet, contemporary, and modern choreography. Emmanuel most recently danced with the Kenneth Walker Dance Project in Los Angeles and holds an associate’s degree in dance from Long Beach City College. Emmanuel enjoys blending movements that are free in nature along with technical ability to nurture both the body/mind connection and performance expression. Emmanuel believes that dance is what you make it and should be preserved in a way that reflects modern day society. 

You can find Emmanuel on instagram @emmanuelhernandezofficial

Intensive Description: Contemporary [Intermediate]:

Class format will begin with a brief description and lecture of contemporary dance, each week we will focus on a pioneer and their contribution to contemporary dance (Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, Jose Limon, Lester Horton, Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn) . We will then explore said pioneers techniques, fundamentals, and choreographic process through an in depth warm up and conditioning which will come together to create a choreographic work using these techniques and combining them with some structured improvisation. The goal of each rehearsal would be to educate the dancers on contemporary dance, to strengthen their technique, physical ability, performance skills and love for the art form. The piece will be choreographed to showcase the strengths of each dancer and challenge their areas of improvement to build their confidence.

SIGN UP: HERE

Jasper Sanchez

ShuffleBreak [Intermediate] (5-Wk)

Mondays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10

Intensive Description: ShuffleBreak [Intermediate]:

Through this intensive, we’ll learn the foundations of Shuffling & go from a beginner extent of comprehension of the dance style to an intermediate one. We’ll practice group choreography, working with others, make friends & develop more skills that can be applied in the future throughout our dance experience.

SIGN UP: HERE

Olivia Piper

Hip Hop Fusion [Beg/Int] (8-Wk)

Tuesdays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11

Raised in Santa Rosa, California, Olivia Piper began her dance training in hip hop and ballet but has since broadened her movement skills in jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, African, krump, musical theatre and more. In 2016 she attended Dance Theatre of Harlem's summer program followed by joining Auxiliary Dance Team in 2018 when the team competed on World of Dance (WOD). Gaining experience in teaching through private lessons, classes, musical theatre performances, and week long camps, Olivia loves sharing the gift of dance with others. 

After attending the illustrious Spelman College in Atlanta GA, she graduated with an honors degree in dance performance and choreography in 2023. It was there she gained a deeper appreciation for dance therapy work and choreography that tells intricate stories. Her first self produced work Our Protected Light, debuted in 2023 sharing a story of personal discovery while appealing to communities of curious minds, and young black women holding space for themselves. Olivia’s work urges movers to be raw, bold, and risky in the artistic space while simultaneously sharing proper technique and movement history.

Olivia has curated her own movement company A.R.C or analyze, release, create. She hopes to collaborate and hold space for participants to work through mental health blocks and create meaningful movement art to promote healing. She is excited to continue learning and share her movement with others as a first time teacher at Rae Studios! 

Intensive Description: Hip Hop Fusion [Beg/Int]:

By taking the elements of hip hop culture and really having time for movers to embody these elements ( MC, breaking, graffiti, and DJ) and a good understanding of technique, we can curate a work that allows for different dynamics and styles. 

As a dancer I move fluidly but love sudden jolting moments so hip hop fusion will allow me to play with movement more freely. I am a big fan of working with unnatural movements and using popular choreographic devices to work against what is typically seen in performance dance. I want to stray from predictable movement and “TikTok style dance” while also using a base foundation to build from, creating a work that engages everyone involved. 

For this work specifically I want to utilize devices that express a breakthrough. While I want to include my own perspective, I want to leave space for dancers and audience members to put their own meaning behind it. Taking the first rehearsal to set the tone and  explain my vision and intention for this work and then have them get familiar with my movement style. I’ve been seeing a lot of growth in my classes and want to take this opportunity to push the dancers into trusting their movement and being confident in it. Using stage presence, facial expression, textures and more to create a work that inspires. I want to work more specifically on technique and execution in this workshop so then dancers feel ready to move from beginner levels, forward. While dance is heavily focused on in the body, it's important to understand its origins and history. I am excited to delve deeper into this work and work with others in creating a space for community, learning, sharing, and exploring. Hip hop has been a way for me to feel powerful and confident in my work and who I am. It also allows me to play with feminine and masculine energies without having to commit to only one. I want to share that with others, allowing them to find their artistic voices. 

SIGN UP: HERE

Fran Balagtas

K-Pop [Intermediate] (5-Wk)

Tuesdays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11

Francesca Balagtas, aka Fran, was born in San Francisco but raised in Las Vegas. She started dancing at the age of 4 doing tap and ballet. Throughout childhood and adolescence she added in other styles such as jazz, hip hop, street jazz, Hula, Tahitian, and Maori. At the age of 18, Fran moved back to her birthplace of San Francisco to study art in a BFA program for sculpture at San Francisco Art Institute. Although her studies were in visual arts, she always hungered for dance. She began dancing with many dance groups in San Francisco such as Bay Area Flash Mob, Sexitude, and Bay Area Dancers. After graduating from SFAI, she found herself getting back into k-pop music, something she had first discovered in high school. In 2017, Fran and her close friend, Patrick Santos, decided to start a K-pop dance class and group as a way to find other k-pop lovers who also want to dance. Thus K-Pop-Up was born and Fran has been teaching k-pop dance ever since! As k-pop has become such a universal phenomenon, it is Fran’s goal to always teach k-pop in a welcoming and inclusive way that is friendly to people of all dance levels. In addition to teaching K-pop around the San Francisco Bay Area, Fran is also a local drag performer known as Sassi Fran. Sassi Fran incorporates k-pop into many of her drag performances and hosts a quarterly Queer K-pop Dance Party/drag show to continue spreading the joys of k-pop music and dance.

Intensive Description: K-Pop [Intermediate]:

In this 5-week intensive you will master intermediate K-pop choreography, gain stage presence, and perform like a kpop idol to a medley of Golden and Takedown from the original Netflix movie Kpop Demon Hunters. You'll learn a combination of the official movie choreography, Fran's original choreography, as well as incorporate your own freestyle. You'll also learn formations, practice facial expressions and lip-syncing with charisma, and gain confidence in performing in a group. Come have fun and live your Huntrix idol fantasy!

SIGN UP: HERE

Luma Prudente

Hip Hop [Int/Adv] (8-Wk)

Wednesdays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12

Luma Prudente is a dynamic and experienced dance instructor with a rich background in both classical and contemporary styles. Born and raised in Brazil, Luma started dancing at the age of 2, specializing in classical forms such as ballet, which she practiced for 9 years, along with jazz, flamenco, and contemporary. Over time, she expanded her skill set to include circus arts, jazz funk, zumba, heels, Afro, and hip hop, which has become her primary focus.

While in Brazil, Luma led a dance workshop and choreographed a team for a major performance, showcasing her leadership and creative vision. At 18, she moved to the Bay Area to pursue further opportunities and deepen her dance studies. Now 20yo, she is a member of the professional dance team Sauce and has performed at notable events such as World of Dance Bay Area. Her performances have also included dancing at the Oakland Arena as a backup dancer for an international singer.

Luma is passionate about continuous growth and sharing the joy of dance with others. Her teaching style combines her classical foundation with modern dance forms, creating engaging and inspiring classes for dancers of all levels.

You can reach Luma at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram: @luma_prudente.

Intensive Description: Hip Hop [Int/Adv]:

This hip hop workshop is designed to sharpen musicality, develop strong footwork, and improve technique with a focus on precision and clarity. You’ll train both the body and the ear to dance with intention and confidence—not just copy steps. We’ll build control, creativity, and freestyle skills, with feedback given to support your growth and help you move in a way that feels true to you.

SIGN UP: HERE

Elizabeth Viera

Jazz Funk [Beg/Int] (8-Wk)

Fridays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14

Elizabeth is a lifelong dancer with over 25 years of experience. She began her training in competitive jazz, tap, and ballet, building a strong technical foundation that continues to shape her performative style. While she’s explored many genres over the years, she found her true love in jazz-funk, K-pop, and musical theater — styles that let her fully embrace character, storytelling, and expression.

Now based in San Francisco, Elizabeth brings a bright, energetic presence to everything she does. She is the creative director of the Baybaes, a casual K-pop cover group, and an avid weightlifter. She blends artistry and athleticism in her approach to dance, with a focus on helping people feel strong, confident, and at home in their bodies — wherever they are in their movement journey.

Her classes emphasize performance and are infused with influences from many styles and cultures. She’s trained in four languages across Detroit, New York, Toronto, Tokyo, and San Francisco. After three years as a dancer in the RAE community and participating in four performance workshops, Elizabeth is thrilled to join the RAE teaching team.

You can find her on instagram @shiny.eliza.

Intensive Description: Jazz Funk [Beg/Int]:

Eliza’s 8-week Jazz Funk Performance Workshop is your chance to bring the drama, flirt with the spotlight, and perform like you mean it! We’ll dive into a bold, high-energy piece that blends jazz funk with waacking, Fosse-inspired details, musical theater flair, and commercial dance attitude. This workshop is all about confidence, stage presence, and learning how to connect—whether you’re performing for a live audience or the camera. Open to dancers of all backgrounds, we’ll meet you where you’re at and help you unleash your inner star. By the end, you won’t just know the choreography—you’ll own every beat, every look, and every moment on stage and on film.

SIGN UP: HERE

Peyton Crawford

Heels [Intermediate (8-Wk)

Fridays, 9pm-10:30pm

Dates: 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14

Coming from her home town Sonoma, CA, Peyton Crawford is a passionate driven dancer

who wants to share her love for dance and performing with the world. Peyton has

experience of dance through dance conventions, intensives, classes and more. This young athlete has been dancing in classes since the age of five. She comes from a long history in the pageant world, since the age of two months, and has been on stage ever since. She has choreographed numerous routines within the industry and directed pieces in numerous

ways, including Rae Studios. Not only has Peyton had a pageant history background, she

was the dance intern at her middle school and proceeded to gain experience in dancing and

choreographing on her high school's dance team. For a short amount of time, Peyton

attended SSU gaining experience in the modern dance world and adding to her horizon of

dance styles which consist of: Jazz funk, heels, hip hop, afro, contemporary, modern,

commercial and more.

When this enthusiastic dancer is not dancing, she is working with horses and enjoying the

sun. This young lady aspires to be a professional dancer and model for artists and brands.

With her journey at Rae Studios she hopes to invite individuals to a space where they can

feel comfortable and grow not only as a dancer, but as a person as well. She holds space as a

place of honor and celebration to life. If you know Peyton, you know she has a huge love for

stars. With that being said, be a STAR and join her in her weekly classes!

You can find her on:

Instagram: @peyton _craw

TikTok: @peyton_craw

Intensive Description: Heels [Intermediate]:

During these precious 8-weeks with Peyton Crawford she will be providing space and knowledge to her dancers to gain confidence and grow as individual artists. Throughout rehearsals Peyton will not only direct a performance piece, but she will break down each move and focus on the technicality within it and provide one-on-one feedback. These weeks will consist of learning basic technique, choreography, the process of blocking and performing on stage. Peyton’s style is heavily influenced by the dance industry and consists of musicality, technique, and details with fast and upbeat music. If you’re looking to gain knowledge in the dance world and challenge your inner ROCKSTAR to bring the stage to life, Peyton is patiently waiting to welcome you and bring you along for a revving journey.

SIGN UP: HERE

Caroline Zeng & Jackson Tran

K-Pop [Intermediate] (8-Wk)

Saturdays, 1:30pm-3:00pm

Dates: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15

Caroline (she/her) is a dancer and choreographer raised in Minnesota and now is based in San Francisco after moving to California in 2019. Her journey with dance kicked off with joining collegiate teams at Stanford University where she learned K-Pop and open style choreography, founded a K-Pop cover dance team, competed at World of Dance Bay Area, and discovered her love for teaching.

Caroline continues her dance journey training in a variety of styles including Hip Hop, Jazz Funk, Heels, and Contemporary at studios throughout the Bay. She is excited to share her Hip Hop Fusion choreography with the Rae community and dance together with everyone.

IG: @zeng_zeng_jr

Jackson has a diverse background in Hip-Hop, Jazz Funk, and K-Pop dancing. He is a founding member of a K-Pop dance crew based in Santa Cruz called StarChrome. Additionally, he served as a director for JK Family, a beginner-friendly choreography dance crew that blends various dance forms with a passion for Japanese, Korean, and American music. Jackson enjoys exploring new styles and merging different techniques to create choreography that transcends any single genre. Currently, he teaches choreography to students of all ages, from children to adults, at Rae Studios and other studios where he is involved. He plans to continue expanding his skills and evolving as a dance instructor who can express dance through a diverse range of styles.

Workshop Description: K-Pop [All Levels]:

Join us for an 8-week K-pop performance workshop where you’ll train with two experienced instructors in dance, stage and presence delivery. We’ll break down popular choreographies, work on synchronization, and build your confidence for the stage—ending with a live showcase to show what you’ve learned. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up, this is a space to grow, sweat, and have fun.

SIGN UP: HERE

Taylor Bazile

Heels [Beg/Int] (8-Wk)

Saturdays, 1:30pm-3:00pm

Dates: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15

Taylor Bazile (she/her) is a dance instructor and former student-athlete, born and raised in the Bay Area. Since the age of five, she’s expressed herself through movement with dancing at home, with friends and family, in talent shows, on the Monte Vista High School’s freshman dance team, and throughout her life in community while growing up as an athlete.

Her deep love for music, movement, and wellness led her to explore dance more seriously after transferring from community college to the University of Southern California. While in school, she expanded her vocabulary in contemporary, heels, hip-hop, jazz, and modern dance, and began teaching in 2021, encouraged by her heels teacher at home, Kionna. Since then, she’s worked in recreational, competitive, and community settings. Taylor completed her B.A. in Communication coursework in 2022 and officially graduated in May 2023. She fully immersed herself in dance studies alongside her communication courses, completing a variety of electives at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Under the guidance and mentorship of professors such as Anindo Marshall, Moncel Durden, Jesus “Jay” Fuentes, and Amy O’Neal, she discovered dance/movement as a grounding and holistic outlet that supported both her academic and personal growth.

Taylor’s background in arts administration and teaching reflects her commitment to creating inclusive, welcoming environments where people can explore their relationship to movement, wellness, and identity. She has also performed professionally, including paid solo work with ChingChi Yu, adding to her dynamic experience as both an educator and artist. Her teaching blends technical training with artistry, helping dancers develop confidence, creative expression, and body awareness. She sees movement not just as performance, but as a tool for healing, storytelling, and self-discovery, and she brings that intention into every class she leads.

You can follow her on Instagram @evolvingwithtay.

Workshop Description: Heels[Beg/Int]:

Are you ready to explore the art of heels dance? This 8-week intensive is designed to welcome beginners while challenging experienced dancers to find power in simplicity. We’ll build a strong foundation in technique, alignment, and safety while cultivating confidence, artistry, and stage presence. Choreography begins on day one and evolves throughout the series, leading up to a final performance. The goal is to grow, have fun, and walk away with a deeper connection to yourself and your fellow dancers. Let this be a space where you tap into your inner power, on and off the dance floor!

SIGN UP: HERE

Tashi Cowan

Hip Hop [Beginner (8-Wk)

Saturdays, 3:00pm-4:30pm

Dates: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15

Tashi Cowan (she/her) is a dancer and choreographer who has diverse experience in multiple forms of performance arts.

A Marin County native, free styling to Janet Jackson at 4 years old, she received her first formal lesson in hip-hop at 10 years old and has been hooked on dance ever since. She continued her dance education while studying for an Associate Degree in Dance Performance at College of Marin and performed in dance productions such as ‘Signatures of Motion’ and ‘Dance Upon a Song’ as well as local theatre productions and town parades. 

Tashi was recognized by the College of Marin Foundation with the Saragay Stetson Dance Scholarship, a competitive award recognizing outstanding talent within the department. She also has had musical theatre training performing with the Stapleton Theatre Company’s Rendition of “Fame” where she received the Rookie Award.

She has trained at Playground LA and CityDance SF and had workshop intensive training with industry professionals such Brandi Chun (Winner Dance100 Netflix, House of Ninja), Amanda LaCount (Rihanna, Katy Perry) and Aliya Jannel (Beyonce, QueensNLettos). Recently she was a featured choreographer in Rae Studios annual Spring Showcase 2024 teaching Beg./Int. Hip Hop. 

A graduate of San Francisco State University, she studied abroad in London, England and was a member of the Kingston Cougars Latin Dance Team which ranked 2nd and 3rd place for Best Latin Style Dance. She’s a certified Zumba instructor and has taught classes at numerous locations in the Bay Area including Bay Club (SF and Marin). 

She continues to train at Rae Studios, and CityDance and Mission Theatre in Heels Technique, Hip Hop and Jazz Funk. She is constantly learning and growing as a dancer and believes that to dance and being able bodied is a blessing and joy! 

Ig: https://www.instagram.com/tashitheeterminator_/

Intensive Description: Hip Hop [Beginner]:

My workshop will be a journey into the intersectional essence of hip hop as political resistance, expression of self, and love of yourself and community.

SIGN UP: HERE

Tiana Hester & Kait Skye

Hip Hop [Int/Adv] (8-Wk)

Saturdays, 3:00pm-4:30pm

Dates: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15

It looks like you may have a little dancer” - as her mother would tell the story about what the doctor said during her ultra sound. TiAna- in the womb, with the heel of her foot in her mouth, was literally born to dance. In just the small city of Antioch, California at Delta Ballet Academy, TiAna started training recreationally at just eight years old in Hip Hop with LaTonya Watts. She then started training in ballet, as it became a requirement for her to continue with a competitive team. Her ballet teacher expressed to her mother, that there was no way it was her first time training in that style.

It was then that she knew dance was not just a “talent” that she had picked up, but a Gift. TiAna continued to expand her training in other styles such as jazz, lyrical, and contemporary. At the age of twelve, she started competing and traveling as a dancer. She continue to pursue her career through out high school, and started teaching dance once she graduated, in 2008.

In 2012, TiAna moved to New York City to pursue her dance career. She grew tremendously, training at studios like Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey, PeriDance Center, and Brickhouse NYC. She has worked with well known artists; Sevyn Streeter, Justine Skye, Nikki Tino, Demi Grace, and more. TiAna has Choreographed, danced backup, and hosted classes for music labels like Atlantic Records, and Def Jam. While pursuing her dance career, she picked up a love for fitness and established a name for herself as a fitness instructor. TiAna “Your favorite instructor” Hester has been featured in the New York Times, New York Post, Shape Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar as #4 of the Top 20 Fitness Instructors of New York. In 2019, she brought her expertise back home and has continued to learn and teach as a professional dancer. TiAna is grateful to have trained under so many well known choreographers from the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York such as, Corey Action, Allen Frias, Matthew J. Day, Denzel Chisholm, Jerry “curls” Paulino, Antonio “Tony” Jefferson, and more! She has taught and choreographed for over 15 dance studios, and hopes to be able to continue move with purpose, on purpose, and share her visions with the world.

[she/her]Kait Skye is a Chicago-area native performer, educator, and choreographer currently living in San Francisco. Dance has always been a part of her life; she began dancing before kindergarten and her passion for dance only grew larger over the years. She continued broadening her training across all genres through college including hip hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, pointe, and more. She has a long list of training and teaching experiences including training with Hip Hop ConnXion HQ of which she was a company member for 11 years as well as teaching and directing at M3 Dance (formerly Chicago Ballet Conservatory) prior to moving to San Francisco. Kait’s biggest passion within dance is teaching - she loves passing on her knowledge to other artists and helping them become the best versions of themselves, both personally and professionally.

Intensive Description: Hip Hop [Int/Adv]:

Join TiAna Hester & Kait Skye for an 8-week hip hop intensive inspired by the TRL era bangers that defined a generation. We’ll build a production-style piece rooted in musicality, performance, and technique, with a strong emphasis on character and ensemble work.

Each week will focus on learning choreography, refining details, and building group dynamics. This Int/Adv intensive will be collaborative, nostalgic, and high-energy.

SIGN UP: HERE

Andrea Sendek

Belly Dance [Intermediate] (8-Wk)

Sundays, 2:00pm-3:30pm

Dates: 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9

(she/her)

With a rich background in the performing arts, Andrea Sendek brings a lifetime of passionate involvement in acting, music, and dance to her role as artist, teacher, organizer, and director.

Andrea integrates philosophies into her work learned from training and performing, for over 2 decades, belly dance and other dance genres. Andrea began learning belly dance with Mesmera in Los Angeles from 1996-2004. In 2004 she relocated to the Bay Area and began her studies at The Salimpour School of Dance where for 10 years she trained under and assisted both Jamilla & Suhaila Salimpour. Since 2015 Andrea has been learning Arabic drumming and music with Susu Pampanin and Amina Goodyear. In June of 2021, Andrea began studying extensively with Egyptian master Tommy King. She Has taken countless workshops from Egyptian teachers throughout the years some of which include, Dandesh, Yossry El Hefni, Karim Nagi, Tito Seif, Adia Nour, and Mohammed Shahin.In 2022 Andrea was invited to teach annually at The Crazy Nights Festival in Cairo Egypt alongside of the industries top Egyptian artists. Andrea also takes weekly Egyptian Arabic classes to help with her dancing and understanding of the music she loves to perform to. 

As a performer, Andrea has an extensive background. Some notable performance venues are The Palace of Fine Arts, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Brava Theatre, and The Shelton Theatre. She has performed and taught across the United States and internationally; some highlights of her itinerary include appearances in Egypt, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada, and Chile. 

Andrea is the founder of Khepri Dance Comapny and Khepri Productions. Khepri Dance Company was featured in the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival in 2016.  Khepri Productions produces The Catwalk, a local variety show, Cirque Arabesque, and hosts notable artists from Egypt in San Francisco for workshops and shows. 

My dance goals are to keep developing my technique, my understanding of my art form, grow my student body, and speak  Egyptian Arabic fluently.  My big dreams would be to have a fully funded dance company and a regular venue where we can perform weekly with a live Arabic band and do classic shows to sold out crowds! 

Website: andreasendek.com

Intensive Description: Belly Dance [Intermediate]:

The format of the workshop is to teach choreography and staging to the students. Because the workshop is billed as intermediate, the students technique is implied and we will not be breaking down foundational technique and instead will be focusing on choreography and performing. The goal is to teach students the culture, history, of belly dance and the piece that we are going to do as well as give them insight as to how to train and behave like industry professionals.

SIGN UP: HERE

Jessica Rae

Pop Jam [Intermediate] (8-Wk)

Sundays, 2:00pm-3:30pm

Dates: 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9

Jessica Rae is a Filipino business owner and educator around movement and entrepreneurship. She is the founder and CEO of Rae Model & Talent Agency LLC and Rae Studios, located in downtown San Francisco, California. Jessica graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Speech and Communications and a lifetime advocate of dance and the arts.

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She is an energetic certified Group Fitness and Dance Instructor with a strong background in Cardio Dance, Kickboxing, MMA, and dance choreography.  She promotes healthy minds and bodies through music and movement while building a strong community motivating people to move outside their comfort zone.  Her certifications include: GF, AFAA, CPA and First Aid, Pound Pro, Cize Live, Barre Certified and has been seen coaching for Gap HQ, Athleta, Lorna Jane, Fitbit, William-Sonoma, Airbnb, Eventbrite, Salesforce, Facebook, Marriott, San Francisco Middle School, Dare to Bare amongst other established corporations.  

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Jessica currently teaches weekly classes at Equinox and Rae Studios. 

Intensive Description: Pop Jam [Intermediate]:

Pop Jam Performance Workshop is an 8-week series influenced by various dance styles including, Jazz Funk, Hip-Hop, and Latin Pop led by Jessica Rae. Students are expected to have basic fundamentals of these dance genres. This workshop moves at a true intermediate pace starting with a full body warm-up, stretching into choreography. Jessica's workshop will review signature Pop culture icons, taking a deeper understanding of stage presence, extensions, control, floor work, and blocking formations. Students are expected to attend every rehearsal and learn material on their own if they miss rehearsal. Missed rehearsals require approval. The final 3 rehearsals are mandatory for all students to attend to ensure the final block. Floor work and standing options are available.

SIGN UP: HERE

Sara Templeton

Reggaeton [Intermediate] (8-Wk)

Sundays, 5:00pm-6:30pm

Dates: 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9

Sara is a choreographer, teacher, and dancer born and raised in San Francisco.  She started her professional hip-hop career at sixteen, dancing with Culture Shock S.F. and L.A. and guest performing with independent artists throughout the Bay Area.  While earning her dance degree at Loyola Marymount University, Sara expanded her training to include ballet, modern / contemporary, and dunham technique, and also began a focused re-engagement with salsa and other Latin dances connected to her Puerto Rican heritage.  It was during this time that Sara truly honed in on her passion for choreography and teaching, and the ways in which the intelligence of different dance techniques could cross pollinate for the benefit of the artist.  Sara has performed alongside notable hip-hop artists Allan Frias and Jesse Lee Santos, and has done commercial work with musical groups Blue Boy and Spanish Fly.  Locally Sara has performed and presented work at Dance Mission Theater and ODC, and is blest to have trained with exceptional artists across disciplines including Janice Garrett (modern), Robin Dekkers (ballet), Brandi Chun (jazz funk), Pat Cruz (hip-hop) and others.  Most recently, Sara choreographed the Center Repertory Company’s sold out Spring 2023 musical production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights and continues to teach a variety of dance forms around the Bay Area.

Sara strongly believes in the joy of dance, and is dedicated to fostering a safe and playful space where students can work on sound dance technique while feeling motivated to grow.  When Sara is not in the studio teaching or choreographing, she is experimenting with dance for film, and running her online dance merchandise store ObjectsForArts.  Besides dance, Sara is an ardent, 20-year practitioner of Iyengar yoga, and a strong believer in massages and chocolate.

Intensive Description: Reggaeton [Intermediate]:

In this workshop we will go deep into an exploration of the how the three major cultural influences behind reggaeton - dancehall, salsa, and hip hop - came together to build the movement style of this dance form. Participants will get to perform a super-fun 'mashup' routine that showcases each of these influences while staying true to the essence of reggaeton rhythms and style. The first half of the workshop series will be dedicated to building choreography; during the second half of the series we will focus on performance style and giving each participant space to receive mentorship and support based on their individual goals.

SIGN UP: HERE

Andy Nguyen

K-Pop [All Levels] (8-Wk)

Sundays, 6:30pm-8:00pm

Dates: 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9

Andy Nguyen is a San Francisco native that started his dance career when he first joined SF Funkanometry’s youth team Funksters. He then graduated from funksters, to Project M, and now currently dances with Groove Against the Machines at In The Groove Studios in Oakland. He always had an interest in KPOP since a young age and found it as inspiration for him to go make dance covers, or even create his own choreography to KPOP music. He has competed for KPOP cover competitions with Allkpop and KCON 2016 (GROO7E). Now he spreads his love for KPOP by teaching it at City Dance Studios, In The Groove Studios, and now excitedly to add to the list, Rae Studios!

Intensive Description: K-Pop [All Levels]:

Get ready for the full IDOL experience on this 8-week intensive workshop. You’ll learn some new foundational techniques in dance covers/originals as well as the process on getting stage ready.

SIGN UP: HERE

2025 Spring Showcase | RECAP HERE

Location: Rehearsals are at Rae Studios, 414 Mason St. 705 San Francisco, CA 94102

Featured Instructors (8-Week):

ANDREA SENDEK | @andreasendekbellydance

ANDY NGUYEN | @andyluvskpop

CAROLINE ZENG | @zeng_zeng_jr

ELIZABETH VIERA | @shiny.eliza

EMMANUEL HERNANDEZ | @emmanuelhernandezofficial

JACKSON TRAN | @jxtrxn

JESSICA RAE | @jraesf

KAIT SKYE | @k8skye

LUMA PRUDENTE | @luma_prudente

OLIVIA PIPER | @analyze.create.release

SARA TEMPLETON | @coqui.sf

TASHI COWAN | @tashitheeterminator_

TAYLOR BAZILE | @evolvingwithtay

TIANA HESTER | @tianahester

Featured Instructors (5-Week):

FRAN BALAGTAS | @hello.sassi.fran

JASPER SANCHEZ | @jasperdances

8-Week Series (Sept. 21st - Nov. 15th):

$275 Full Series + Showcase | $250 Member's Discount

$40 Single Session (available for first 2 sessions)

(Sales end 10/12)

5-Week Series (Oct. 12th - Nov. 15th):

$200 Full Series + Showcase | $175 Member's Discount

$40 Single Session (available for first 2 sessions)

(Sales end 11/02)

Payment plans available. Select "Use payment plan" at checkout. Note payments collected every two weeks. Must have a valid card on file. Credit card fees applied.

Show Date & Location:

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 | The Great Star Theatre

Registration is required for this intensive series.

Our mission is to merge the ideologies of popular dance culture by bridging fitness gym and traditional dance studio mentality into a place that welcomes all levels of dance & fitness in a healthy progressive environment. Our goal is to provide San Francisco dance seekers with community, growth, and participation through artistic outlets of music + movement. Our culture is simple; create a space for dance and community to thrive, water the roots of our passion, fuel our dreams by action, and inspire others to do the same.

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