FACULTY

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Tap, Jazz & Musical Theater
Lisa has been teaching dance for over 40 years! She started her young career as a competitive gymnast, and after numerous injuries, decided to get involved in dance. She trained in all styles throughout the valley and had the opportunity as a young adult to dance her way through New York and Russia with a performing company. At the young age of 15, Lisa realized teaching dance was her life passion! Immediately after graduating high school, she opened the studio with her sister, Lori, and the rest is history. Her specialty is jazz and tap for all ages, although, Lisa has a special knack for the toddlers beginning at age two. She loves her “tiny dancers” and has a unique curriculum which creates a love of dance structure and listening skills in a fun, yet caring way. Moreover, Lisa has helped at a variety of studios throughout Arizona including Dance Connection 2, the sister studio in Chandler AZ, where she taught for numerous years. Above all, Lisa’s heart is in Dance Connection, Scottsdale and she believes it is a place for everyone to dance at.

Contemporary & Jazz

DeQuan Lewis is a Phoenix, Arizona native and choreographer, educator, and Company Director at Dance Connection Scottsdale. He trained at the University of Arizona, where he performed works by José Limón, Ohad Naharin, Alexei Ratmansky, Darrell Moultrie, and Tammy Dyke-Compton.

Following his training, DeQuan performed professionally with Doug Varone & Dancers from 2018 to 2021 and worked as a guest artist with Andrew Winghart, Will Johnston, and Justin Giles’ SoulEscape from 2015 to 2021. In 2018, he attended Springboard Danse Montréal, where he collaborated with artists including Shannon Gillen’s Vim Vigor and Mark Caserta.

DeQuan’s choreographic work has been recognized and awarded on a national level. As a director and educator, he is committed to developing well-rounded dancers through a training approach that emphasizes artistry, musicality, discipline, and longevity. He continues to expand his choreographic portfolio while mentoring and shaping the next generation of pre-professional dancers across the country. He currently leads a competitive program whose dancers go on to collegiate and professional opportunities.

Company Instructor

Nicole Hennington spent her first two decades in Arizona where she danced at Dance Connection, Scottsdale and graduated from The University of Arizona with a B.F.A. in Dance and a minor in Finance. During this time, she studied with Chuthis, Nederlands Dans Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New Dialect, and Ate9. Upon graduation, Nicole joined GroundWorks DanceTheater in Cleveland, Ohio where she danced for four years. With GroundWorks, Nicole danced in original works by James Gregg, Peter Chu, Antonio Brown, Brian Brooks, Hannah Garner, Robyn Mineko- Williams, Adam Barruch, Dianne McIntyre and others. Nicole attended Springboard Dans Montréal in the summer of 2022 where she worked with RUBBERBAND Dance Group and UNA Productions. In January 2023, Nicole joined NW Dance Project and has collaborated with internationally-acclaimed choreographers such as Joseph Hernandez, Ihsan Rustem, Nicole Von Arx, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Caroline Finn, Bryan Arias, Serge Bennathan, and Sarah Slipper. As a choreographer, Nicole was commissioned by GroundWorks DanceTheater in 2022 and was a choreography fellow for Carmel Dance Festival’s Inaugural Choreography & Dance Fellowship Program in 2023 and the Jacob’s Pillow Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship Program in 2024. She has also choreographed for NW Dance Project’s In Good Company and Summer Dance Platform. Nicole is now based in Scottsdale, Arizona where she teaches locally and continues to choreograph for pre-professional studios across the country. 

Squad Team Director, Jazz, Combo, Leaps and Turns & Hip-Hop

Liz Blalock graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and was a member of the ASU Dance Team for 4 years. She has professionally cheered and danced for the Arizona Rattlers Sidewinders, the Arizona Cardinals and the Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad.

Liz’s passion for dance opened up opportunities to travel and instruct for Universal Dance Association and served as a judge for local and National competitions. She has assisted the Head Coach to the dance teams at ASU and GCU and this past year was the Head Cheer and Dance Coach at Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona.

Liz is currently a fitness instructor and teaches Pure Barre, Cycle and Dance Fitness. She also guest choreographs for the Arizona Rattlers Sidewinders and Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders. Liz resides in Central Phoenix with her family. (Husband- Austin, Daughter- Logan Age 5 and Son- Dak Age 2.

Guest Choreographer; Jazz, Musical Theater & Contemporary

Aspen Waddell is a New York City based choreographer, professional dancer, and teacher. She has worked with top choreographers such as Marguerite Derricks, Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo, Nick Kenkel, Brooke Wendle, and more. Some of her credits include Gwen Stefani, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Co-Star), L'Oréal Paris, Good Morning America, Cadillac, New York Fashion Week, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Neiman Marcus. Her professional choreography debut was at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center performed by Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. Aspen is currently a faculty member at Joffrey Ballet School and on faculty at Broadway Dance Center. She is represented by MSA Talent Agency.  

 Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop & Dance Team

Amanda Dexl grew up as a competitive dancer in Illinois and trained in all styles of dance from a young age. She competed primarily with Perseverance Dance Company and has performed on several industry events and TV shows. After high school, Amanda lived in Los Angeles for two years working as a professional dancer. She has worked with some of LA’s top choreographers and regularly danced in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. In her junior year of college, Amanda danced for the University of Minnesota dance team and contributed to defending their national title. Amanda currently teaches and choreographs competitive routines for both studios and dance teams throughout the country. She emphasizes the importance of teaching a strong work ethic and hopes to train, challenge, and inspire dancers of all ages to build a strong technical foundation while pursuing their passion.

Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop & Dance Team

Brianna Dexl grew up as a competitive dancer in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. She has trained in all styles of dance from a young age. Majority of her training was under Missy Ridgway, Lizzie Mackenzie, Mandy Moore, Sonya Tayeh, Dee Caspary, and Brian Rabenda as well as her experience on University of Illinois Dance Team. She then moved westward to Los Angeles for several years working as a professional dancer. While connecting with some of LA’s top choreographers, she regularly performed in a show within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. She has had the opportunity to perform on TV shows, award shows, music videos and industry events, some of which include America's Got Talent, Capezio Ace Awards, and Radio Disney Music Awards. She’s spent many weekends judging for Hall of Fame Dance Challenge and In10sity, offering her professional insight to current competitors. Brianna is now a full time dance teacher and choreographer for studios throughout the United States. She emphasizes the importance of a strong dance foundation built upon hard work, dedication, and passion.

Ballet

Teisha Metz has been teaching at the Dance Connection for 21 years.  Born and raised in Arizona she began dancing at the age of three.  Teisha was part of Dance Connection's competitive company.  Along with training at Dance Connection she attended Arizona School for the Arts where she studied Ballet and Modern at the School of Ballet Arizona.  Upon graduation she received the Katherine K. Herberger Scholarship to Arizona State University where she continued her ballet and modern training.  Most recently Teisha has completed her 500hr Yoga Teacher Training and has been teaching at Modern Yoga for two years. 

Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop & Tap/Jazz

Jaymie is a DC alumni! Starting at the age of two, Jaymie has danced competitively with Dance Connection for 11 years. She is trained in all styles, but is most passionate about contemporary, jazz, and lyrical. Jaymie was also a member of the Desert Mountain pom team and was Pom team captain. Moreover, she furthered her dance career and is a former GCU dancer.  Currently, Jaymie works as a JV pom coach, as well as an assistant varsity coach at Arcadia high school and attends GCU working on her degree in marketing and advertising.  Overall, Jaymie loves working with children of all ages. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and her best friend Duchess, a German shepherd.  We are so excited to welcome Jaymie as part of our faculty family!

Bio Coming Soon

Ballroom

Originally from Wisconsin, Natalie Crandall began dancing at the age of 3 and by 6 years old was an active competitor in ballroom dance. She pursued a career in competitive ballroom dancing for over 20 years, obtaining multiple National & International Amateur Championship Titles and 3 National Professional Titles.

In 2020 Natalie refocused her journey on becoming an educator and ballroom dance coach along with becoming an all around movement expert. That year she became a certified spin instructor, 200hr yoga & meditation instructor and most recently a Guide for Kinrgy - a dance fitness modality created by Julianne Hough.

Natalie has continued on to lead many dance masterclasses and fitness workshops at events with household names and corporations such as Tony Robbins, Meta (Facebook), Alo Yoga and Dance Vision. Natalie also organizes Desert Sol Dancesport, an NDCA Sanctioned Pro/Am Ballroom Dance Competition in February in Phoenix.

After years of relentless training as a competitive dancer, continuing her education and branching out into different movement modalities, Natalie thrives on guiding dancers to their most technical, authentic and creative selves.

Hip-Hop

Ceci was born & raised in Arizona and has been dancing since the age of 6. When she first started she was in crews around the valley and later moved to the studio scene. Ceci specializes in Hip-Hop and happily teaches all levels & any ages. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2019. She has been teaching since 2016 and has loved being able to make an impact on student’s confidence in Hip-Hop. 

 Ballet & Contemporary

Born and raised in California, Season started dancing at the age of two. She trained under the Royal Academy of Dance and received the highest honours up to Advanced II. From there, she danced at the Colburn Academy under Glenn Edgerton and Leslie Carothers which prepared her to be asked to dance at The Boston Ballet at age 17. She danced with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago where she had the opportunity to perform ballets such as Raymonda, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker.  In 2011, she was asked to be the Principal ballerina at State Street Ballet where she had “The Secret Garden” title role, Mary Lennox, choreographed on her by Josie Walsh. She has danced in the Gala of the Stars, Gala de Danza, and has been a founding member with BalletRED, Barak Ballet, and Luminario Ballet. She has also performed on Glee, with Leeann Womack, and commercials such as Conair.

After retiring from performing, Season has gone on to train dancers that have received top prizes as YAGP, NUVO, Jump, 24 seven and many others. She won the IDA award for choreography and continues to choreograph and train dancers across the US with her three sweet daughters in tow! Her favorite part about teaching is sharing the love of dance and inspiring students to feel confident and beautiful.

Ballet

Tzu-Chia trained at the School of Imperial Eleven Ballet in Taiwan under the direction of Yung-Cheng Huang. With Imperial Eleven Ballet Tzu-Chia danced featured roles in La Bayadére, Esmeralda, and The Dying Swan. She continued her professional training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet; while in Pennsylvania Tzu-Chia performed featured roles in The Nutcracker and Le Corsaire. Tzu-Chia joined Ballet Arizona in 2005, and has since originated featured roles in Ib Andersen’s Preludes and Fugues, Play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1052 , Diversions and the title role in Cinderella. Tzu-Chia has also been featured in Les Sylphides, Christoper Wheeldon’s Polyphonia, and Twyla Tharp’s The Golden Section. Tzu-Chia’s George Balanchine repertoire includes leading roles in Divertimento No. 15, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, La Sonnambula, Apollo, and La Valse. Tzu-Chia has danced principal roles in Raymonda, Andersen’s Swan Lake, and as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Tzu-Chia’s received critical acclaim for her interpretation of the siren in Balanchine’s Prodigal Son by The New York Times in June 2010.

Ballet

Originally from Indianapolis, Emily began training at a young age for a career in dance. In high school she was asked to study extensively at Butler University in the Early

Entrance Program for Gifted and Talented Students. Here she had elite ballet training, and performed corps through soloist roles in many ballets. During those same years she spent

time training at professional studios in LA and NY, along with assisting Joe Tremaine, Doug Caldwell, and more with Tremaine Dance Conventions. In 1998 she moved to Los Angeles beginning her professional career performing in films, television, commercials, and theatre. Emily prides herself in being a versatile dancer, teacher, and choreographer.

Along with a dance career, Emily became a Pilates Master Trainer. She found the education and knowledge of Pilates was a great balance with dance, and was amazed at the benefit of injury prevention for herself and others. Emily truly loves being a teacher, choreographer, and mentor. She expanded this love

with two companies partnered with her husband, Josh Smith, creating Hardcore Pilates LA, and Core Training Techniques (CTT). Recently Emily & Josh relocated with Core Training Techniques to Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ. CTT provides one of a kind training

programs in person and virtually for cross training, Pilates, injury prevention, numerous genres of dance, technique, and specialty classes. CTT has been an integral part of training for many clients of all ages. Emily is honored to be part of the faculty of

Tremaine Dance Conventions, working with students and teachers nationwide since2015.

Some of her film credits include Academy Award winners; American Beauty and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Looney Tunes Back in Action, and The Haunted

Mansion. For almost a decade Emily spent her holiday seasons performing in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, with featured roles, including the 75th Anniversary at Radio

City Music Hall. She has enjoyed performing in shows such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Crazy for You at the acclaimed Sacramento Music Circus. Other Hollywood credits include The Emmy Awards, The Grammys, the hit TV show Glee, and numerous other performances. Emily has been blessed to experience performing internationally for special events in China and Germany, where she was not only a dancer, but was also a co- choreographer with her husband and others. She has appeared in a variety of other productions ranging from numerous classical and contemporary ballets, commercials,

industrials, and more. Emily is so thankful for her training with mentor, and dance icon, Mr. Joe Tremaine. Her

time studying and working with him, and other influential teachers (Doug Caldwell, Lynn Herrick, and Michelle Jarvis) helped shape her to a well-rounded performer and educator.

Emily’s favorite jobs include being a mother to sons, Zach and Oliver.

Combo Classes

Tap

Lola started her dance training at the age of two at Dance Connection Scottsdale!  She was a competitive dancer in all styles of dance for several years & her love for tap flourished!  She is now a dedicated tap dancer who had the chance to represent our country and be a finalist at the IDO World Championships 2024 in Prague. Lola loves working with children, sharing her enthusiasm for dance, and helping them discover their own talents. Her performances have taken her on a European tour, stopping in over seven countries where she captivated audiences with her artistry and skill. She strives to teach correct dance techniques while creating a fun and welcoming environment.

Tap, Jazz & Ballet

Lindsay started dancing in Texas the age of 9 at a competitive Dance Masters certified studio where she studied all forms of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, and tumbling. She was able to grow as a dancer through her experience of competing and performing all over Texas and at the national level. 

Upon moving to Arizona just before high school, Lindsay chose to leave the competitive dance world to pursue her study of ballet. Lindsay was accepted to the School of Ballet Arizona under the direction of Kee Juan Han as a member of their intensive ballet training program. Through this training, she was given the opportunity to dance in many of Ballet Arizona's professional performances including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Seasons, Midsummer's Night Dream, and Don Quixote. While classical ballet will always have her heart, she chose to not take a professional path and attend college. 

Lindsay then enrolled at Arizona State University with a major in social work and continued dancing as a member of the student dance company known as "Physical Graffiti". She also guest performed with both of Arizona's professional modern dance companies, "Center Dance Ensemble" and "Devere Dance Company."

 In 2001, Lindsay started teaching ballet at a studio in the the west valley which she later purchased in 2014. 

In that time, she became certified by test to teach Ballet and Jazz through Dance Masters of America. She is proud to have created award winning choreography at both the regional and national levels. While the competitive trophies and awards are amazing, the biggest reward for her is when dancers of any level discover their love and passion for dance.

In 2022, Lindsay chose to sell her studio to one of her former dancers as it was taking away from the time with her children while they are still young and very active. After focusing on being a dance mom for the last couple of years, she is ready to get back in the studio to share her expertise and love for dance with the dancers of Dance Connection.

Dana was born in Arizona and began dance training at the age of eight. She studied ballet and modern dance at the School of Ballet Arizona and has worked with some of the industry's top choreographers. One of the most popular teachers in Phoenix, Dana is noted for her innovative style and national award winning choreography. Dana travels extensively throughout the United States, teaching master classes and setting choreography.

Dana was named 1st runner - up at the 2010

Capezio A.C.E. competition. Dana has recently set pieces for Convergence Ballet and Wanderlust Dance Project and currently works with her own company Dana Metz Co.

Mandy Hauser is a passionate dance teacher who has been dancing since the age of four and sharing her love of dance with students for over five years. Mandy’s heart is in the early years. She loves working with young dancers, creating fun, engaging classes that build confidence, spark creativity, and help little ones fall in love with dance. She also has strong experience working with competition dancers and helping guide them through new performance experiences.

Turns/Leaps & Jazz

Mindy Murphy is an accomplished dance teacher with a lifelong love for choreography, perfecting dances, and teaching. After 16 years as a competitive studio dancer, her passion led her to pursue a minor in dance at the University of Nebraska. From 2011 through 2022, Ms. Mindy owned and directed an award-winning studio in Omaha, where her expertise and personal approach fostered exceptional growth and improvement. Mindy's choreography has been honored with multiple awards, a testament to her creativity and ingenuity. With contagious enthusiasm and an insistence on technical excellence, Ms. Mindy instills a love for dance in her students, inspiring them to achieve their full potential and cultivate a lifelong appreciation for dance.

Hope is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. She began dancing at the age of 7 and quickly developed a lifelong love for movement and performance. Hope went on to dance for the Arizona State University Dance Team, where she competed at both UDA Nationals and the ICU World Championships. In 2017, she earned a gold medal at ICU Worlds as part of the ASU Dance Team.

Following her collegiate career, Hope danced professionally as a member of the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders from 2022 to 2026, gaining valuable performance experience at the highest level. In addition to her dance background, she is a certified Yoga Sculpt instructor, bringing strength, flexibility, and mindfulness into her teaching style. 

Hope loves sharing her passion for dance with students of all ages, creating a positive, energetic environment that builds confidence, technique, and a genuine love for performing.

BALLET 

A former company member at the world-renowned Miami City Ballet (MCB), Christina Spigner retired from her decade-plus career having been inspired to share her industry knowledge and experience to uplift and equip the next generation of dancers.

As a ballet instructor, Christina is a strong advocate for approaching technique, flexibility, and dance performance holistically.After receiving her Progressing Ballet Technique certification, she acquired multiple others through the NCCA-accredited National Academy of Sports Medicine, including; Personal Training, Stretching and Flexibility Coaching, and Youth Exercise Specialization Coaching. Additionally, Christina performs assisted stretch therapy at Massage Envy, holding certifications in their franchise for assisted stretch, massage gun practice, and kinesiology taping. She also loves sharing the principles of body awareness and strength training programs such as Gyrotonics, Pilates, and Feldenkrais, which contributed to her success during her MCB tenure.

Since the early days of her training, Christina attended many of the nation’s leading ballet institutions, including Master Ballet Academy, Ballet Maestro, Interlochen Arts Camp, The School of Ballet Arizona, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Christina’s first break on the main stage was in 2004 as Ballet Arizona’s first Black Clara in The Nutcracker.

At the age of 15, Christina moved to Miami to attend the Miami City Ballet School and, only one year later, was offered a company apprenticeship by founder and New York City Ballet legend Edward Villella. As a sought-after ballerina, Christina’scareer featured a diverse array of repertory in soloist and principal roles, including Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments (Sanguinic), Paul Taylor’s Company B (Mary/Rum and Coke), a triple threat performance in Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite (Rosalia), and more. Additionally, she enjoyed a robust national and international touring schedule dancing on some of the world’s greatest stages and most prestigious dance festivals, including; New York City Center for The Balanchine Festival: The City Center Years (NYC), The Kennedy Center for Ballet Across America (D.C.), The Spoleto Festival (Charleston), The Koch Theater (NYC), Radio City Music Hall (NYC), The Harris Theater (Chicago), The Queen Elizabeth Theater (Vancouver), and Northrop Auditorium (Minneapolis).

Outside of Miami City Ballet, Christina has been a featured guest artist with Peter London Global Dance Company (Miami) and The Black Iris Project (NYC). In 2016, Christina made her Ballet Across America festival debut at the Kennedy Center at Misty Copeland’s nomination. Christina has also had the pleasure of being a master teacher for workshops and summer programs throughout the nation during her dance career.

Winner of numerous awards and honors throughout her dance journey, Christina was a nominee for the Princess Grace Award, winner of three national contemporary dance competitions, and awarded as one of Miami’s 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow. Christina has been featured in a variety of publications and national marketing campaigns for her dancing and teaching, including Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher, The Miami Herald, City & Shore, two Miami City Ballet company campaigns, and a national dancewear campaign for SoDança (2017-2018).

"My passion is to share with students how to relate to ballet and themselves in a way that is healthy and honoring, which will inevitably bring out their best dancing and artistry, and extend their longevity.”

As an Arizona native, Angela grew up dancing around the Valley training in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Ballroom since the age of six. At ten years old, she began competing and at 15, she had performed with Becky G and was on tour with Velocity Dance Convention training with their commercial faculty. Her senior year, Angela performed at The Ace Awards in Erica Marr’s piece, “Dangerous”. She trained under Erica since she was twelve in ballroom, began competing in ballroom at 15 and relates a lot of her passion for teaching to Erica’s care and guidance in the classroom. 

Angela proudly graduated from Arizona State in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology. She finds that her educational background helps to strengthen her teaching in the classroom and builds dancers’ awareness of the strength of their bodies. Angela’s passion for teaching began at the age of 16 and she hasn’t looked back since! She is looking forward to continuing to share her love for dance with young dancers and assisting them to succeed in all of their goals.

“I hold it true to my heart that a teacher can have lasting effects on a student. I am here to provide not only quality and premium dance training, but also to be a role model to young dancers as to hold themselves as confident, disciplined, and passionate individuals who work together as a team for the betterment of each dancer in the room. I am looking forward to meeting your dancer and the exciting things they will learn in the classroom!” -Angela Wicks

Emma Matthies is a tap dancer, educator, and choreographer originally from Portland, Oregon, where she grew up training and competing in a variety of dance styles. Her passion for tap dance led her to further her training with renowned artists including Karida Griffith, Maud Arnold, Sarah Reich, Derick Grant, Gregg Russell, Mark Yonally, and many other influential professionals. She was a company member of Tap 24.7 from 2020–2023 and participated in the Tap Into The Network apprenticeship program from 2021–2025. She has also earned a Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Arts, Media, and Entertainment from the University of Arizona. Since 2024, Emma has been Assistant Director of Brendan Kellam’s DXX Tap company. In 2025, she founded Tap Shed AZ, a free monthly tap jam in Tucson dedicated to bringing together the local tap community, encouraging collaboration, and educating students on improvisation. With over five years of experience teaching, Emma is committed to providing well-rounded tap dance education that emphasizes strong technique, musical literacy, individual artistic development, and an appreciation for the history and traditions of the art form.