Graciela Acedo -
Graciela began her dance training in Caracas, Venezuela. She earned
Multiple scholarships to train with elite programs in the
United States such as Boston Ballet and Harkness Ballet, NY. She studied
pedagogy in Cuba and began her professional career with Ballet Teresa Carreno.
Graciela moved on to dance with Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas and soon became a
principal dancer. She traveled the world with Ballet Nuevo. In the
U.S. Graciela has danced with Oakland Ballet, Margaret Wingrove Dance Co.,
Pacific Dance Theatre of San Francisco, Western Ballet, Peninsula Ballet
Theatre, Santa Clara Ballet, and Princeton Ballet. Currently, she teaches
at Dance Attack, U.S.F., Berkeley Ballet, SOTA S.F. School for the Arts, Ayako
Ballet School, and Diablo Ballet pre-professional program. Graciela has
been a guest teacher for several Bay Area and international dance schools such
as
Pacific Dance Theatre of S.F. and University of Nebraska,
as well as assistant director to programs at Western Ballet.

Joseph
"Scooby" Aguilera has been teaching
breaking here at Dance Attack! since 2000. He has been dancing since 1984.
He was first inspired and taught by Poe One of Style Elements and Killafornia.
Scooby is in Floor Rockers crew and Killafornia. Over the years Scooby has
performed, taught, and battled all over the world. He now works full time
at Stanford University in the Athletics Dept.

Melissa
Bebee
graduated
from San Jose State University with a B.A. in Early Childhood Education.
She started her dance training at age 4. She studied jazz,
ballet, and tap at Mission
Dance for 5 years and then
trained at Yoko's Dance for 5
years where she won numerous
awards at competitions. She
also taught jazz, combo, and
pre-ballet classes. In 2000
she participated
as
an ambassador for the City of
Fremont with their sister city
in Japan, where she performed
for the Governor and other
dignitaries. Melissa is
currently co-director
of the Performing Company at
Dance Attack!. In 2004, she
worked with internationally
known dancer, Christopher
Morgan on choreography for the
Performing Company. In
December 2004 she
co-choreographed the opening
number for the San Jose
Holiday Parade, which was
broadcast on NBC in its
entirety. Melissa is
working towards her teaching credential at SJSU and will is teaching here at Dance
Attack!
Denise Boucher began dance training at the age of three and started teaching jazz as a
student teacher when she was just in high school. Denise coached the Monta Vista Drill Team for four years, including the year they took first place at the USA Cal State and National Drill Team Competitions. Denise loves children and has three of her own-she is an involved, full-time Mom along with her two part-time jobs as a manager at Macy's and a teacher for Dance Attack!. She also coaches the Performing Company at Dance Attack! Sunnyvale.
Tracy Lynn
Coad is a recent graduate from Cal Poly San
Luis Obispo, with a BA in Speech
Communications and minor in Psychology. She began dancing at the age of
two, and has been
performing ever since. Tracy's experience in teaching dance is vast,
ranging from tap, ballet, jazz,
hip hop, and musical theater to ages 3-18. Her performance history
includes working at the Disneyland
Resort as an Atmosphere Character, competing in many tap competitions, being a
member of the CHS
dance team, along with performing in many musical theater productions within the
Bay Area. Tracy has also been an Assistant Choreographer for a children's musical theater production.
Liesl Coffin
is a Los Gatos native, is a fourth
generation ballet dancer. She received her training at San
Jose Dance Theater, Western Ballet, and with Christine Elliot at Zohar School of
Dance. Summers were
spent dancing at American Ballet Theater in New York, and the Pacific Northwest
Ballet in Seattle, WA.
As a professional, Liesl danced with the Oakland Ballet and received additional
training at Alonzo King's
LINES Ballet in San Francisco. Since dancing professionally, Liesl has
received her BA in English from
UCLA and is certified Pilates instructor. She continues in her love for
ballet through teaching children and
adults the beauty of dance.
Lisa
Dominguez
has been dancing for over 9 years
and is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and modern.
She was a member of the Independence Dance Company, also known as IndependDANCE.
Lisa has
been a teacher with Dance Attack! for 3 years now. She hopes to work more
closely with the Performing
Company in the future and continue creating innovative choreography for the
studio. A recent
accomplishment of Lisa's was having a piece of her original choreography chosen
to be a featured dance
in UC Santa Cruz's Jazz Repertory production this spring. Lisa will
graduate from UC Santa Cruz in June
with her BA in Political Science. She is excited to continue teaching here
at Dance Attack!.
Emilie
Dunworth
has been dancing
at Dance Attack! for the past 6
years. She has been on many
cheer and dance teams in the area
including Homestead Dance, Cheer,
and Song teams. Emilie is also
an alumni member the Sunnyvale Dance
Attack! Performing Company.
She studies jazz, ballet, lyrical,
hip hop, modern, and belly dancing
at the studio. She enjoys
teaching and watching the 3 to 6
year olds grow into exciting young
dancers. Emilie is currently
persuing a degree in Kinesiology and
dance.
Sara Frausto
graduated from San Jose State
University, majoring in dance.
She began dancing when she was very
young at Center Stage Dance Company,
training in ballet, tap, jazz and
hip hop. Sara was captain of
her high school dance team her
senior year and, upon graduation,
joined the United Spirit Association
as a teacher and judge. At SJSU she performed with the
pre-professional dance company UDT
as well as in other various dance
concerts. She works with many
schools in the bay area and
surrounding cities, including
Homestead and Saratoga, helping
their dance teams with technique and
choreography. At Dance
Attack!, Sara teaches jazz and works
with the Performing Company.
Ali Gardner
started at Dance Attack! at the age
of 3. She has performed and
competed with Dance Attack! in jazz,
ballet, lyrical, tap, and hip hop
for 15 years. Ali taught dance
in Los Angeles for 2 years and then
moved back to the South Bay where
she now teaches for Dance Attack!
and various other studios in the
Santa Cruz area. She is also a
certified Pilates instructor.
Azura George
joined Dance Attack! in 2006
teaching belly dance. She
began studying ballet, jazz and
Scottish Highland dancing.
Azura added Middle Eastern Belly
Dancing to her repertoire in 1999.
She has studied the classical
Egyptian style as well as the
Folkloric, Lebanese, and Gypsy
Fusion styles of belly dance.
Azura has performed locally in the
San Francisco Bay Area, and
internationally in Cairo, Egypt,
London, England, and in the
Caribbean Islands. She strives
to show her students a balance of
joy and discipline in their dancing.
Cathy
Gregory
has been dancing and choreographing
since childhood in jazz dance,
cheerleading and gymnastics.
Later she began training in
ballroom, tap, bellydance, hip hop,
modern and ballet. Currently
Cathy teaches tap dance for Dance
Attack! and ballroom lessons for the
Fred Astaire dance studio.
Cathy has performed with Dance
Attack!, Fred Astaire, the
University of Calgary Dance Club,
and for may charity events.
She is also experienced in
competitive couples dancing in
Ballroom, Country, and Swing dance.
Liz Homer-Smith
has been making
music withy her feet since she was
seven years oid and began her
professional career in Robin
Tribble's Tap Express. She
performed extensively in New York
City, where she had the great
pleasure and privilege of working
with such jazz and tap greats as
Buster Brown and McCoy Tyner.
Liz was an original cast member in
Roxane Butterfly's Beauteez 'n' the
Beat. A regular on the New
York improv scene, she performed and
guest hosted at the Internet Cafe
jam sessions with Hayes Greenfield,
danced at Buster Brown's Swing 46
tap jams and Barbara Duffy's Jazz
Tap Brunch, and collaborated with
Bill Ware's Vibes Trio at the
Knitting Factory. Liz
performed with Stomp in both the New
York and San Francisco productions,
as well as a US tour. Liz
loves teaching all age groups, and
encourages tap dancers to think of
themselves as musicians. Her
classes focus on developing
musicality and technical facility,
and she pushes her students to
explore all the music-making
possibilities of their bodies.
Dominique Lomuljo
has a BA degree
in dance from SanJose State
University. She started
dancing at Dance Attack! when she
was 4 years old and was an original
Performing Company member. She
started assistant teaching at the
age of 12 and has been teaching
classes at Dance Attack! for the
past 7 years. Trained in
ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and
modern, Dominique considers her
areas of expertise to be jazz and
lyrical. She was very involved
with her high school dance program
and varsity song leading team.
Dominique has choreographed many
award-winning routines for Dance
Attacks' Performing Company.
She received the Young
Choreographers Award at the 2007
American Dance Awards competition.
Dominique is now a member of
SJDanceCo. Dominique hopes her
students have learned as much from
her as she has learned from them.
Katie Malooly
has been dancing since she was six
years old. She started taking
classes in tap, jazz, hip hop, and
ballet under the direction of Cindy
Ginanni. At eight years old
she began dancing with the 49ers
goldrush cheerleaders and tapped in
master classes with Tony Coppola.
At 11 years she moved on to pointe
shoes and began choreographing
alongside her ballet teacher for her
pointe dances. She began
teaching and assisting classes at 17
years old and began taking hip hop
classes with many local hip hop
crews. She has performed and
choreographed for the Hybrid Project
in San Francisco and performed in
Beatbox a Raparaetta at
Sonoma State. She is currently
dancing with Loose Change.
Katie's specialty is fusing all
forms of dance into her choreography
and is currently teaching combo
classes and hip hop.
She works
with the Performing Company,
Hip Hop crew
at Dance Attack!.
Michael “Mappy” Mappala: is best known
for his R&B and soulful influence, as well as his
passion and commitment to dance and the community. Mappy has been
affiliated with dance companies like Ronnie Reddick’s City Slam, Culture Shock
San Francisco (later renamed Culture Shock Oakland), freestyle dance crew Mystic
Disciples, Mind Over Matter, Funkanometry SF and Phoenix Dance Company. He has
taught classes and companies all over the Bay Area, throughout Southern
California, and in Las Vegas. He has also worked on a variety of projects,
dancing and choreographing for Bay Area recording artists Malyssa, Desi, Immij
and Kim Del Fierro. And he also choreographed and danced for Black Eyed Peas, in
the music video “Bebot.” In September 2006, Mappy co-founded reDEFINE
youth urban dance company. With Mappy as Artistic Director, reDEFINE went on to
perform at several major venues in their first year, such as the Golden State
Warriors Game and Battlefest Live 360. As a full-time hip-hop director at
Dancemakers Studio of the Arts, in Newark, a PDC dancer and a direcor for
reDEFINE youth urban dance company, Mappy continues to live out his passion for
dance in his daily life. He is constantly teaching and inspiring up-and-coming
dancers, and looking for ways to bring recognition to the Bay Area dance
community.
Amanda Marquez
received her training from the
Garden State Ballet, Rutherford,
New Jersey, where she studied
Ballet, Modern, and Jazz.
After moving to California in 1999,
she continued to study at San
Francisco Dance Center, ODC, De Anza
College, Moorepark College, and San
Jose State. Her training has
extended into various Ballroom and
Latin styles, and if very necessary,
Hip Hop. Amanda has worked with
several Bay Area choreographers and
has danced backing up national bands
and artists including traveling to
Cabo San Lucas with the Bill Hopkins
band. She was also part of
Fashionate Rhythm, a Latin dance
company with which she performed
through-out California as well as New
York City. Amanda has
appeared on Latin Television and also
worked on the film "Rent". She
is currently part of San Francisco
based modern dance company "Push"; and
accepted to the intensive workshop at
ODC.
She
has received her
training certification from Greenpath Yoga in San Francisco.
Amanda
teaches
Ballet, Yoga, Tumbling, and Jazz at Dance Attack!
Nicole McAleavey
received a BA in dance from San Jose State University.
She began dancing at an early age, but it was in high school where she discovered a true passion for
it. She was a member
of SJSU's University Dance Theatre for five years, and is currently in "Push
Dance Company"
and SJDanceCo.
She teaches ballet and jazz at Dance
Attack!

Tina McLean
graduated from San Jose State University
with a degree in dance. She was one of Dance Attack!'s first students in Santa Clara and she went on to become a member of the Performing Company. She
was in SJSU's University Dance Theater and has performed at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, the American College Dance Festival, and in several dance program concerts.
She was a member of
Funkanometry for several
years and is currently a
member of Loose Change and
intern at Push Dance Co. She teaches combo, jazz, hip hop, ballet
at Dance Attack!.
Catherine Pinto is a graduate of San Jose State University with a degree in Accounting. She began tap dancing with Dottie White in 1986. In 1990 she started dancing with Dance Attack! Mountain View founder Sioux Lehner and expanded her dance experience to include jazz, ballet, hip hop and being a member of the Mountain View Performing Company. This last year she joined the cast of the rap opera, Beat Box, for performances in Oakland and at the Hip Hop Theaterfest in NYC. She was instrumental in creating our tiny tots program and has choreographed several prize winning routines for our Performing Co. As co-director of our Performing Company, she and Lovetta
Downes won the Co. Dance "Educator Award". Our resident tap guru, she teaches tap and jazz, and designs costumes for the Performing Co.

Juliet Pinto has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She started tap dancing with Dottie White and went on from there when she met Sioux Lehner at Dance Attack!. She studied breakdancing and danced several years with the hip hop outreach group, Culture Shock S.F. In 2000, she was honored by LA Dance Magic as a "Magic Performer". She has appeared in several music videos including "Dimples" by John Lee Hooker, " Written on my Heart" by Plus One, "Block Party" for Lisa Lefteye Lopez, and "Tainted Love" for Marilyn Manson. She has appeared in commercials for American Express and Dr. Pepper (with Mark McGrath). She also appeared in the movie "Legally Blonde 2" as a cheer leader.
Her latest performance was dancing with Mindtricks in the tribute show
"One4Gee", for the legendary Gary Kendell (Mindtricks/Jabbawockeez). who passed
away December 2007. Juliet teaches
Jazz, Ballet, Funk Styles, Breakdancing, and Tap.
Keith Pinto graduated from the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts and has toured with Fame - The Musical throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada. He was a member of the Mountain View Dance Attack! Performing Company for several years and danced with a group of boys there that caused quite a stir wherever they performed. He currently lives in San Francisco where he is a musician and MC in the hip hop band Felonious, performing throughout California and appearing in an Arrowhead Water commercial. The band
has also performed at the Hip Hop Theater Festival in NYC.
Keith has appeared in a
national television
commercial for Saturn.
He is appearing in "Becoming
Brittney" at the 2008 New
York International Fringe
Festival.
He teaches hip hop
in Marin, at San Jose State University, Ohlone College and here at Dance Attack!
Jardy
Santiago
has been studying Hip Hop dance
for over 12 years. He has been
influenced mainly by East Coast
styles showcased in the 90's
documentary, "Wreck'n Shop Live from
Brooklyn". He is a key solo
dancer and choreographer for the
crew "Soul Sector", a group of
formidable dancers of different
styles, bound together by friendship
and a common goal. He is a
main figure in the introduction and
development of New York House dance
on the West Coast, and has traveled
nationwide to spread the knowledge.
Jardy has been
teaching House at Dance Attack! for
the past three years.
Brooke
Serio
started dancing at the age of three. She found Dance
Attack! when she was six years old and has been dancing here ever since.
As a member of the Performing Company she competed and performed all over
California. She is now a student at San Jose State University where she is
pursuing a degree in dance.
Mariana
Sobral began her study of ballet as a
student of the "Escuela Nacional de Danzas" in
Argentina. Later she attended the University of Buenos Aires where she
achieved her Masters Degree in Performing Arts. While in school she studied Ballet Methodology,
Production, and Regie' where
she discovered her passion for creating scenery. In addition to working on
her degree, Mariana
performed as a Soloist and Principal Dancer in over a dozen of classical,
contemporary and neo-classical choreographies. Some of the classical repertoire that she
performed as a Principal Dancer
include "Giselle", La Bayadere", "Coppelia", "The Sleeping Beauty" and many
others. Since arriving in
the United States Mariana has taught ballet and directed students of all ages
and experience levels for
Ballet San Jose School, South Bay Dance Center, Santa Clara Ballet, and San Jose
State University to
name a few. She also assisted on the direction and created several sets
for South Bay Dance Center
production of "The Sleeping Beauty" and "The Nutcracker". A true believer
that all students have the
potential to reach their goals, Mariana employs a variety of teaching methods
depending on individual
student needs and with respect to each person's learning style. She
encourages a healthy work ethic
in a positive and healthy
environment so that students can incorporate dance a s an enjoyable part of
life.
Emily
Sprugasci
received
a BA in Dance from San
Jose State University,
with an emphasis on Modern
and Jazz and a second
major in Business
Management. She currently
performs with "Push Dance Company" (SF). Emily has also had the pleasure
of working with Kunst-Stoff (SF), Company Mayes (SF), U Dance Electra (SF),
Dance Around the World, and the SJSU University Dance Theatre. In addition
to her work at Dance Attack!, she has been a jazz and modern instructor for SJSU,
Saratoga and Wilcox High schools, South Bay Dance Center, and Body in Motion/Los
Gatos Ballet. She also
choreographed for Angels
Cabaret and lounge, Puredance Company, and
Presentation High School.
Holly Thomas-
Holly has a B.A. in Sociology
from UCLA. She has
recently moved to Los Gatos from
Southern California, where she
owned and operated Center Stage
Dance Academy for 12 years.
Holly grew up dancing and was a
scholarship dancer with Dupree
Dance Academy. She has a
wealth of experience teaching
tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, and
hip hop as well as developing
curriculum, choreographing
competition routines, producing
shows and taking care of all the
other aspects of operating a
dance school. Holly
currently developing a stress
management consulting
business. Holly is also a
yoga teacher, and very
interested in positive teaching
techniques for the young dancers
at Dance Attack!
Kory "Kato"
Watkins is a member of the hip hop crew
Housin' Authority. He has been a professional choreographer, performer,
and instructor in the Bay Area since 1992, and his video style hip hop is a
favorite with his students. Kory has enjoyed a professional career dancing
with artists such as Diana Ross, Bette Midler, TLC, and Tevin Campbell. He
appeared in Brandy's Best Friend video and in a silver spacesuit for the Intel
Pentium II commercial. Although Kory keeps very busy performing and
choreographing, he loves to teach, and someday to open his own dance studio.
Copyright 2008 Dance
Attack Studios LLC
HOME