Conny Mathot. BA. CDTA. RAD Associate Teacher
Ballet / Jazz / Contemporary

At The National Theater Ballet School in Melbourne, Australia, Conny studied under the careful guidance of Director, Gaileen Stock. On graduation Conny was awarded a full scholarship to The Victorian College of The Arts – School of Dance. Completing four years of full time study, Conny Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and a Teaching Major. Her performance experience included touring with Ballet, Opera and Musical Companies, Plays and Commercial Ventures including Video Clips, TV Commercials, Band Gigs, and Fashion Shows.
As a teacher Conny has had a variety of positions in both styles and environments. These include: Teaching formalized Dance Techniques in Dance Studios, Setting up and implementing Teaching Programs at TAFE College/University and Movement and Dance Programs in Public and Private Schools. Conny has tought Master Classes and has judged at dance festivals. Past students have and are still working professionally in Classical Ballet Companies, Musicals and Commercial Ventures. In addition to student design, Conny’s choreographic experience includes professional works created for corporate events, commercials, city festivals, broadcast awards, club entertainment, casino shows, theater and television.
Recently Conny won 1st place in the McCallum Theater Choreography Festival “Dancing Under the Stars”. And was awarded Outstanding Choreographer at the 2008 Youth American Grand Prix Regional. Conny is a Full Teaching member of the Royal Academy of Dancing and an Associate Member of the Classical Dance Teachers of Australia.

Nicolette Atkins, Associate Teacher
Ballet

Started ballet lessons at the age of 3 with Sannie Marie Slabbert (her mother), who continues to teach in South Africa. Studied ballet (Cecchetti Method) and some tap, modern and Spanish with Pam Wedd and Hennie Grobbelaar. Graduated from the Pretoria High School for Art, Ballet and Music with a distinction in Practical Ballet, and completed Cecchetti Advanced Exam in the same year. Attained the Cechetti Associate Teacher's Diploma (with Honours) and is a member of the International Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D.). Graduated from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) with a Bachelors of Arts degree (English, Afrikaans/Dutch as majors, and History of Music (sub-major)) and attained the post-graduate Teacher's Diploma. She also has a Marketing Certificate from Damelin College, Durban South Africa. Nicolette has worked in arts marketing in South Africa and at the Los Angeles Opera, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. She is married to an opera singer. “I love ballet, and I love to teach at Theatrics because I believe in a solid technique, the beauty of each little person, and the positive gifts that dance brings into our lives. . I hope that everyone -- whether a dancer or a member of the audience --, will experience the joy that dancing has given me.”

Nichelle Bane, Associate Teacher
Jazz

Nichelle Bane was born and raised on the central coast of California, where she studied at The Academy of Dance throughout her youth. She was a featured member of the San Luis Jazz Dancers for over 12 years, as well as a corps member and soloist with the Civic Ballet for 11 years.
Nichelle was a line captain and featured dancer on the Princess Cruise Line. Upon departure from cruise life, she decided to move to LA to further her career. Some of her credits include Friends, Clueless, Austin Powers II, Totally Blonde, Divine Design and Her Last Chance. Commercially, she has worked with Mervyn's, McDonalds, Bacardi, and NBC.
As a teacher and choreographer, she is on faculty for the EDGE Performing Arts Center, and Los Angeles Ballet Academy. She has traveled with L.A. Danceforce, Hollywood Vibe, and to various studios across the country. Nichelle has had the opportunity to work extensively with Doug Caldwell on projects including a Trading Spaces commercial. Most recently, Nichelle debuted Reflections Dance Company, which is a collection of her choreographic works and vision.

Dominic Chaiduang, Associate Teacher
Contemporary

Dominic offers a mix of contemporary, lyrical, and other various styles of jazz. His passionate and intuitive approach to choreography will inspire and motivate you to move differently. His class focuses on execution, dynamics, and attention to details. He has taught in Tokyo and Seoul as well as studios across the states.

His film and television credits include Dreamgirls, Poseidon, Mr. Fix It, 7th Heaven, The Starter Wife, House, According to Jim, Britney Spears VMA, and Dancing With the Stars (with Dee Caspary/Marty Kudelka, and Wade Robson. He also assisted Mandy Moore and Mia Michaels on So You Think You Can Dance Commercials and videos include SBC, Trading Spaces, Josh Groban, and Fiona Apple. Industrial and stage credits include Nike, IBEW, McDonald’s, Nokia, Schwarzkopf Professional. He has traveled across America with the national tour of “Wicked” and toured the globe with legendary Paul McCartney as well as the vocal diva Celine Dion.

Stacey Valentino, Associate Teacher
Jazz/Tap

Stacy, born and raised in Los Angeles, began her intense dance training under the direction of Marguerite Derricks.  She became a part of Marguerite’s Teen Company “Generation Next” where she was able to train with top choreographers such as Liz Imperio, Doug Caldwell, and Michael Rooney.  She grew into assisting Michael at the Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys and Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood.  She also assisted Michelle Elkin under Jackie Slight’s competition/convention “LA Dance Magic” and is currently involved in Gregg Russell’s company Tapsounds Underground.  Stacy’s live show credits include “Promotion for candies Perfume”, “Relay for Life Cancer Benefit”, “Dancer’s Unite 3”, and guest artist in “S.H.E. Dance company”.  She is presently signed with Trio Talent dance agency and can be recently seen in a webisode aired in the presentation of Cisco video telephones.  Stacy has an Associates Degree in Psychology/Child Development and loves working with children of all ages.  She started teaching at the young age of fourteen, has choreographed award winning competition numbers for several years in a row, and she shares her passion for dance in teaching technique, discipline, self-confidence, and poise. 

Tracy Rounds, Associate Teacher
Ballet / Pilates

Tracey was born and raised in Chicago, IL . At the age of 5 Tracey started ballet classes at the Sammy Dyers School of Ballet. At age 9 she went to study at the Ellis DuBlay School of Ballet where she studied throughout high school. Tracey danced semi-professionally throughout Chicago.
In 1987 she joined the renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem, during which she performed nationally and internationally for over ten years. After relocating to Los Angeles, Tracey transitioned into Pilates and has been a certified in Pilates instructor in the greater Los Angeles area is for the past twelve years.

Samantha Weber, Associate Teacher
Preschool Dance/ Tap/ Jazz, Ballet

Samantha has been dancing since the age of 3 with Andrea Paris. She is an original member of Theatrics Dance Company. She takes 8 classes per week and teaches or assists 10 others. She has passed both her Intermediate and Grade 8 Classical Ballet exams. She is also a graduate of Granada Hills Charter High School and is on her way to becoming a dance teacher and physical therapist.

Alexander Greschenko, Associate Teacher
Early Release Ballet Program

Mikhail Tchoupakov, Guest Faculty
Ballet

Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, Mikhail graduated from the famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy. He had danced with the renowned Bolshoi Ballet for eight years, during which time he performed full repertory of the theatre, including soloist parts in such ballets as Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Spartacus, Swan Lake, Sketches, Raymonda, Don Quixote, Golden Age, and many others. Among his teachers are Asaf Messerer and Boris Akimov. With the Bolshoi, he toured all over the world, particularly such countries as Brazil, Australia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, France, Morocco, India, Japan, China, and the Unites States. Mikhail is a graduate of the Moscow State Choreography Institute. Under Professor Peter Pestov, he received his M.F.A. in Dance Pedagogy and Choreography.

Since 1990, Mikhail has been residing in the US. He has performed with the following companies: Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, and San Francisco Opera Ballet as well as appeared as a guest artist with many others throughout the United States. He spent six years with Colorado Ballet performing diverse classical and contemporary repertoire, including ballets by George Balanchine, Choo San Gogh, Alvin Ailey, Christopher Wheeldon, and Frederick Ashton. He has also served as a Ballet Master and Repetiteur for Colorado Ballet and on the faculty of the Academy of Colorado Ballet. He has taught for the Houston Ballet, Oregon Dance Theatre, David Taylor Dance Theatre, State Street Ballet, Ballet Arlington, Guangzhou Ballet of China, and Galili Dance in Netherlands. He has been a guest teacher in Brazil, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, and Great Britain, and appeared as guest lecturer at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK, Colorado College, and Wyoming State University. He served as a judge and master teacher for Youth America Grand Prix Competition as well as other international dance competitions. His choreographic credits include staging the all-Goleizovsky program for Ballet Arlington, TX, and Universal Ballet Academy (formerly Kirov Ballet Academy) as well as choreography for Opera Colorado’s Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, and Don Giovanni, and Grand Défilé for Youth America Grand Prix Competition Gala at Lincoln Center, NY. He taught for the Royal Ballet School in London and is now on the faculty of the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s official school, the Elmhurst School for Dance in Birmingham, UK.
Mikhail is an official representative and appointed trustee of the Kasyan Goleizovsky Foundation.

Michaela Pickett, Apprentice Teacher
Preschool Dance

Allyson Weber, Apprentice Teacher
Preschool Dance

Laurie Weber, Office Manager