Royal Dance Works - Phoenix, Arizona's Premiere Dance Studio and Dance Lessons

Phoenix, Arizona's Premiere Dance Studio & Instruction -- Welcome to Royal Dance Works online

Carole Royal (Director) Carole has over 33 years of teaching experience in both the public school systems and the private sector. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education (Performing Arts), danced and ice skated professionally touring Canada and the US, and then opened Royal Dance Works in 1979. Carole has been responsible for training national championship dancers, Star Search winners, and professional performers who have appeared in the US, Japan, France, Australia, and Caribbean. In addition, as director of Dance International, a foreign dance exchange program, she's taken dancers to study in Australia, London, Paris, and Italy.
Lupe Espinoza Lupe Espinoza started dancing under Carole Royal's instruction 28 years ago at Dysart H.S. and was RDW's first employee when it opened in 1979. Now, as assistant director and teacher, her emphasis on discipline and technique has changed the lives of many students. Lupe was a member of Carole's original Performance Company and helped Carole build the program to what it is today. She specializes in teaching jazz to beginning dancers and perfecting the technique of our experienced performers. Lupe additionally supervises backstage areas at all performances.
Susan Allen Susan grew up at Royal Dance Works, beginning dance classes at age 7. As a member of our performance company since the age 10, Susan's hard work paid off with many competition awards, including competing in the 1990 National Championship. At age 18, she was awarded a scholarship at the famed Tremaine Studios in Los Angeles. Susan then danced professionally for six months in Japan. She completed her degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Fine Arts. Susan teaches both childrens' classes and jazz, co-directs the Petite and PreTeen Performance Companies, and produces over-all high point choreography. In January, Susan completed her first marathon.
Brooklyn Anderson Brooklyn is welcomed back to Royal Dance Works as a teacher. As part of our Senior Company in the past, Brooke won numerous national awards. She additionally trained at the Arizona School for the Arts, School of Ballet Arizona, Edge Performing Arts, and ASU. She is a current member of “Furious Styles Crew”, under the direction of B-Boy House. She was also on the panel of judges in JAMZ, “Arizona’s Best Dance Crew”. Brooke has been the 2009-2010 choreographer for the Roosevelt Row Concert Stage and has been featured in the “Best of 2010” New Year’s edition of the Phoenix New Times. She is director of the dance company “On the Level” which has been featured in this year’s “Celebration of Dance”.
Humberto Bandero Humberto Bandero received his early training as a teacher and dancer at the School of Ballet of Santiago de Cuba. As a student at Camaguey’s Academy he was involved in many international festivals and participated in classes with some of the best professors of the School of Cuban Ballet. In 2002 Humberto joined Ballet Santiago, performing a variety of ballets that included Swan Lake, Coppelia, Paquita, and several modern works. In 2005 he was invited to dance with the National Ballet of Cuba in Giselle. He has spent the last two seasons as a professional member of Ballet Arizona. Humberto has taught ballet at the studio for the last two years.
Melissa Baum Melissa Myers has been dancing at Royal Dance for 22 years and was a prominent member of our performance companies for 11 years. Melissa has received regional and national awards as well as Dance Scholarships to The Edge Performing Arts Center in L.A. She has choreographed and taught master classes at local high schools. In 1994 she was chosen to travel to Australia with Dance International, and in 1996 studied and performed in London and Paris. She recently received her BA degree in Communication from ASU. Melissa teaches jazz and lyrical with the added responsibility of directing our Troupe Performance Company.
LaShawn Benson LaShawn has 11 years of competitive Gymnastics training with multiple state and regional titles from 1991 to 2002. She has participated in ongoing hip-hop competitions within Phoenix and California. LaShawn continues her appearances on Soul Train. In addition to her gymnastics, LaShawn is a freelance personal trainer and fitness coach at Curves. She is currently attending Scottsdale Community College, studying Business and Dance. She attended Cosmetology School from 2003-2004, sign language classes from 2002-2005, and has CPR training certification. LaShawn coaches our young gymnasts.
Rosemary Beyer Rosemary Beyer, Director of our Children's Division, has been teaching at Royal Dance Works since 1988. She brings over 25 years of teaching experience, a graduate certificate for extensive teacher training and 8 years experience directing her own dance school in Chicago. She also taught classes at dance conventions and teachers' training sessions in Chicago. Having studied under many internationally known teachers, she incorporates the strengths of the Cecchetti, Russian and French methods in her ballet classes. Rosemary performed in several musicals, such as Camelot and Ode de Paris, and was a soloist for the Du Page Ballet Company. She is a favorite among our dancers and enjoys the awesome responsibility of shaping young lives.
Maria Burrola Maria has been dancing at Royal Dance Works for 10 years, and been a performance company member for 8 years. She was awarded Performer of the Year in 2001. Maria has studied intensely under such choreographers as Mia Michaels and Wes Veldink, and is a scholarship receipient for JUMP and West Coast Dance Explosion. She performed with "Royal T" on Star Search. She choreographs for our top, competitive performance companies, and teaches Jazz & Lyrical. This season Maria was among 100 dancers to make it too the final Las Vegas rounds of "So You Think You Can Dance." Maria is a current member of the performance company "Soul Escape," based in Dallas, TX.
Carolyn Marshalsay Carolyn was born and raised in Phoenix. She received her training at Nina Marlow Ballet School and The Arizona Ballet School. Carolyn joined Ballet Arizona in 1999 and performed feature roles in Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The N utcracker, and The Sleeping Beauty. She has also appeared in Billy the Kid, Giselle, La Slyphide, Paquita, N apoli, Company B, Swan Lake, and Coppelia. Her Balanchine repertoire includes Agon and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, among others. We are delighted to welcome Carolyn to our Ballet faculty. She inspires our intermediate dancers to advance to the next level.
Dana Metz Dana was born and raised in Arizona. She began training at the age of 8 and had the opportunity to work with many choreographers such as Ray Leeper, Tina Caspary-Cyphert, Mandy Moore, Mark Meismer, and Dee Caspary. Dana attended Arizona School for the Arts for six years, and studied ballet and modern at the School of Ballet Arizona. Throughout the years of choreographing, she has built a national reputation and just recently received 1st runner-up in the prestigious A.C.E. Choreography Competition in NYC. She will be producing her own concert off-Broadway in the summer of ’11. We welcome her to the studio where she will be teaching technique, contemporary, and working with our performance companies.
Krystal Nestor Krystal, dancing since age 5, has enjoyed years of competing in award-winning performances with the Company at Royal. Krystal has also traveled the past three summers to the Broadway Dance Center in New York for Brian Friedman's Intensive. In 2005, she accepted a personal invitation from Brian to star as dancer on Friedman's Freestyle website. Krystal also had the opportunity to dance with Faith Hill on TV's "The View" for Faith's recent album debut. Krystal is proud to teach classes at Royal with the same energy and passion as was taught to her.
Renae Rochon Renae started dancing at age 4. She studied extensively in Chicago under a scholarship to the Conservatory of American Dance. She passed the Cecchetti Grade V pre-professional exam and received her teacher certification. Renae also received a Distinguished Artist Scholarship at Hope College. She performed at SuperBowl XXX, the Las Vegas Mirage, and the Beverly Hills Hotel. She has performed with the Beach Boys, James Brown, Standing O Productions, Contempo Tap Company, and Showstoppers. She travels to judge competitions and teach master classes around the US. Renae works with our Performance Companies and directs her own tap company.
Jaci Royal Jaci Royal moved to New York City in the summer of 2005 as a scholarship recipient of an intensive 10-month professional dance training program. Upon graduation, her journey continued. Jaci has taught at prestigious New York professional studios, Broadway Dance Center, Steps, and Dance New Amsterdam. Jaci produced and directed the annual Capezio Fashion Show, and assisted on a Reebok industrial. She's taught master classes and set choreography at various studios around the country. In June she performed at Solstice in Times Square, a professional performance featuring dancers from Lion King and other Broadway Shows. In July, Jaci left for two weeks to assist international teacher and choreographer, Wes Veldink, in Italy for a movie with Gwyneth Paltrow. She recently spent six weeks teaching and choreographing in Monterrey, Mexico. In between all of these adventures, Jaci finds time to return home and train our students. She has choreographed numerous high point routines for our top competitive companies. As 2nd runner-up in the A.C.E. choreography competition, Jaci produced her own concert on a Broadway stage this summer.
Tony Suski Tony Suski returned to Royal Dance after 6 years of work as dance captain for "Splash" in Las Vegas and Reno. As director of North Side Crew, a hip hop squad, he opened for acts such as Boys II Men, Kid and Play, and Jasmine Guy. He won on Star Search in 1993 as dancer and choreographer. Tony has been a master teacher, touring with Dance Olympus, as well as Dance International Europe and Australia, and Dancin' National Tour. In 2003 he played a pivotal role in helping our dancers appear on Star Search. In addition to dance, Tony is skilled in mixing and editing music, DJ and rapping. His dynamic style and creative energy are a hit with students.
Olga Tarasova Olga Tarasova joined our teaching staff in 1999, teaching ballet to our aspiring dancers. Her dance background is with the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. She appeared internationally in Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy, France and the U.S. and played the leading dance role in Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Thumbelina, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker and The Firebird. After performing professionally, Olga began teaching and bringing her love of ballet to her students. She travels to teach master classes and seminars around the country. Olga teaches Ballet IV through VI as well as Pointe at the studio.
Chris Wakimoto Chris has been dancing for 15 years, and teaching for 12. He has taught master classes and choreographed at local Phoenix area high schools. In 1996, Chris was selected to travel to London and Paris with Dance International, and later traveled to Australia in 1998. In 1999 he was named Distinguished Performer with LA Dance Magic. After taking classes at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, he returned to the Valley with even more passion to dance, teach, and share his new ideas and choreography. Chris teaches lyrical and jazz, and has worked with Ensemble and Troupe Performance Companies this season.
We look forward to seeing you soon! *IT'S NOT TOO LATE, DANCE CLASSES ENROLLING NOW* Please contact the studio to sign up!