CENTER STAGE

DANCE ACADEMY
3418 N. LOS COYOTES DIAGONAL
LONG BEACH, CA. 90808
(562) 497-1181
Faculty
Steph is so thankful to be teaching!  Her dance training was shaped by amazing artists including Keri LaGrand, Ray Leeper, The Caspary’s, Julie Rhoton, and Mike Esperanza.  Steph currently dances with RhetOracle Dance Company and Tapsounds Underground.  Her favorite experiences have been in 42nd Street, Grease, Seussical, Disney, Star Search, Cold Case and True Blood.  Steph has danced alongside Belinda Carlisle, Rufus Wainwright, Jamie Pressley, Christopher Lloyd, and Chazz Palminteri.  Though Steph speaks most efficiently through dance, she’ll begin the masters program at CSULB this fall for Speech Pathology.  She loves empowering students and eating ice cream with her husband.

Stephanie Davis
AT CSDA, all of our instructors are part of an artistic support team that keeps our Academy on the creative edge. Our faculty holds holds various Bachelor and Masters of Arts degrees from major colleges and universities. Our team strives for excellence while giving students insightful material and individual guidance through our training process. Many of our students have gone on to work on Broadway, performing with major ballet companies and working in commercials, television, and movies. The safety of your children is a top priority, so ALL of our teachers are fingerprinted and undergo a strict background check.

Leslie Clifford has been a dance teacher and choreographer in Southern California for over 25 years.  She has been a studio owner for 15 years with a student  body of approximately 750 students.  Specializing in advanced and intermediate tap and jazz instruction, her classes include students of all ages.  Many of her students (past and present) are working in the performing arts.  She is on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles-based professional tap company, Rhapsody in Taps, under the artistic direction of Linda Sohl-Ellison.

Brooke currently teaches Combination Class, Tap and Hip Hop
Teresa Root
Naomi was born and raised on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific where she was exposed to many different forms of dance; however she began her formal dance training at Center Stage at the age of ten.  She has extensively trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and improvisational dance forms.  She has also been a parade performer for the Disneyland Resort, and has had the honor to perform famous works such as Twyla Tharp's Noir, Alonzo King's Rite of Spring, and Balanchine's Seranade.

Naomi recently received her bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from the California State University, Long Beach, where she was the recipient of the Dramatic Allied Arts Guild scholarship in 2007 and the Betty DuPont scholarship in 2008.  Naomi is currently working with Dorcas Roman Dance Theatre, and has been a teacher and choreographer for Center Stage since 2003.
Jennifer has been dancing for more than 27 years.  She has been an instructor at Center Stage for 16 years teaching combination classes as well as ballet, tap and jazz.  She attended Long Beach City College where she majored in dance.  She was the head choreographer for the City of Long Beach Musical Theatre Group for 6 years.  Jennifer regularly continues her education in dance by attending master classes in several styles of dance. 

Rochelle Mapes graduated from Cal State Long Beach on scholarship receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance.  Her professional credits include dancing on the television show “Nip/Tuck” and performing with such artists as Gladys Knight and Wayne Brady.  After dancing with several modern companies in Los Angeles, she became a founding company member of BARE Dance Company under the direction of Mike Esperanza and currently dances with RhetOracle Dance Company with Nate Hodges.  She choreographs extensively throughout the country for nationally ranked dance teams and studios and teaches commercial and classical dance at the Orange County High School of the Arts.  For the past eleven years Rochelle has been a head instructor and regional/national judge for the United Spirit Association and is a twice named “MVP” of the USA Dance Staff.

Brittny currently teaches Combination, Ballet, and Jazz classes at CSDA.

Teresa Root was a student at Center Stage Dance Academy for 11 years.  She studied Classical and Commercial Dance at Orange County High School of the Arts for 3 years and received an AA in dance from Orange Coast College.  She has a BS degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University Fullerton. Teresa was a member of Marguerite Derrick’s Performing Company and  danced in Disneyland’s Electrical Parade for many years.

Jill has been dancing for 12 years and does not plan to stop anytime soon! She has been teaching since the young age of 16 and loves sharing her knowledge with eager dancers. Jill has done countless dance competitions, winning awards such as “Miss Spotlight” and “Miss Kathy Roe.” During her time at Wilson Classical High School she was one of the four dancers chosen to be on Advanced Dance as a freshman. Over the course of her four years on advanced dance she received awards such as, “Best Dancer” for each grade level, “Best Choreographer,” and she was the senior student director for the Wilson Spring Dance Concert in 2008. She has been fortunate enough to take class from and work with choreographers such as Rochelle Mapes, Lorin and Lisa Johnson, Nate Hodges, Keith Clifton, Holly Johnston, Susan McClain and many others. She is currently a Dance Major at Cal State Long Beach and is on the Long Beach State National Champion Dance Team. After receiving her degree in dance she wants to dance professionally, whether it be dancing in a company or any other performance opportunity, she knows she wants to be on stage for as long as she can! Besides dancing and teaching, Jill loves being in the sun and spending time with friends and family.



Tammi Wedlock has studied ballet, jazz, and tap since the age of 3 at various studios in L.A. and Long Beach including Center Stage Dance  Academy.  She has studied privately with Ray Leeper and Tony Gonzales.  She has a strong background in gymnastics and cheerleading.

Tammi was a dancer in several parades at Disneyland and was Wendy in Fantasmic.  She also performed at the Crystal Cathedral as the Flying Angel in the Glory of Christmas and the Glory of Easter.   

Paige Keen
Leslie Clifford
Brooke Axup
Andrea Evans
David Lewis
Andrea studied at the Redlands Academy of Dance with Cecile and Axel Hering.  She also trained with Pacific Northwest Ballet on scholarship and has worked with Victoria Koenig, Colleen O'Callahan and Jeff Slayton.  Andrea has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from CSULB and a Paralegal Certificate from Cerritos College.  Andrea performed for 5 years as soloist with Redlands Festival Ballet.  She is the creator, choreographer, and performing member of Pointe Blank Ensemble and she has done the Nutcracker with Ballet Pacifica.
Jennifer Gallant
Paige currently teaches Hip Hop classes at CSDA.
Naomi King
David Lewis has had extensive experience in children's theater as performer, writer, director and teacher.  He has coordinated and taught acting programs at elementary schools, the YMCA, Long Beach City College, and Long Beach Center for the Arts.  He has experience in community, regional, and commercial theater along with numerous film and television credits.

David's teaching approach is designed to increase awareness of individual creativity.  It provides techniques to enhance performance abilities by allowing students to draw upon their own life experiences and observations.

Rochelle Mapes
Brittny Moore
Jill Schroeder
Anne has been teaching voice for over a decade, and is very happy to be part of the Center Stage Dance Academy team. She is on applied faculty at AMDA LA and  at Mount St. Mary’s College. Anne teaches the technique for all styles of singing. Anne has performed in diverse venues ranging from nightclubs with small jazz combos to musical theatre performances and concert halls with big bands and orchestras. Anne has appeared as a solo artist at concert venues throughout Southern California including the Carpenter Center. Not a stranger to this venue, Anne has worked with Musical Theatre West in various shows including Mame, where she played the role of Pegeen Ryan, and had the privilege of working opposite Carol Lawrence and Sally Struthers.Currently, Anne also performs as a solo artist regularly in venues that include: La Traviata Resturant, Spazio, Spagettini Jazz Club, The McKinney Center for the Performing Arts, and The DePietro Performing Arts Center.

Her focus as a solo artist is on the classic American standards, and Brazilian jazz, and her favorite accompanist is her talented husband Tom Zink. Her versatility as a singer, and extensive scope of instructional techniques is what sets her apart as a teacher. From her studio in the Los Angeles area, Anne teaches a technique for all styles of singing; from classical and light opera to jazz and pop. Her training includes a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from California State University Long Beach and she has studied under Jane Lahikainen, the late Malama Robbins, Marvalee Cariaga, Andy Beonttner (Seth Riggs associate), Elizabeth Hynes, Marge Rivingston, and Joann Zajac. For more information see: http://www.annewalsh.com


Anne Walsh
Maurice Watson
Maurice currently teaches Jazz and Hip Hop classes at CSDA.

Tammi Wedlock
Mindy Millard Copeland is a featured dancer with Rhapsody in Taps and is currently on staff at Irvine Valley College, Saddleback College, and Santiago Canyon College. She has studied extensively with tap masters Sam Weber, Fred Strickler, Linda Sohl-Ellison, Mark Mendonca and Christy Hernandez. She is the founder and artistic director of Tap Overload and associate artistic director of Montage Dance Theater.

Mindy has appeared in the short film Tap Heat, starring Arthur Duncan and Jason Samuels Smith, where she performed choreography by Danny Daniels. She also danced on the 2003 Jerry Lewis Telethon live national television broadcast in an Emmy-winning tribute to tap dancing where she shared the stage with Fayard Nicholas of the legendary Nicholas Brothers.

Mindy Millard Copeland
Amanda Meek is thrilled to be returning to Center Stage, where she taught combo, ballet, tap and jazz for 12 years. Amanda received her B.A. in Theatre Performance from California State University, Long Beach and her M.A. in Theatre Education from Emerson College where she recently assistant directed the East Coast Premier of “The Hundred Dresses."  Amanda has created, directed and performed in many original pieces, most recently “21 Pieces of This and That” with her fellow This and That Group members.  She has recently appeared with “This and That” in Fever Fest 2009 and the New England Russian Theatre Festival.  Amanda has spent the last 3 years in Boston, training with numerous theatre companies specializing in European Theatre, most notably with Double Edge Theatre Group.  Amanda has a serious love and dedication for teaching, encouraging students to bring their voice and passion for art to the classroom.
Amanda Meek