Susan Dellinger
Owner and administrator
Dawn Del Castillo
Owner/Dance Director, Tacoma: Dawn has been dancing for 19 years. She focuses on creating a supportive and encouraging training ground for aspiring dancers. Dawn has enjoyed competing and performing at a young age, she has won several awards including First Place in Sonics. After high school she began volunteering her time to teach dance for under-privileged teens. There she founded the Hip Hop group Next Generation which provided the kids opportunities to perform at schools in hopes to get kids off the streets and into dance. Since then she has taught at several dance studios and choreographed and directed the award winning FLY Dance Hip Hop Company. She also co-founded the hip hop groups Identity and ID both of which performed with other talented Hip Hop Crews in Seattle including Daniel Cruz's Battle of Seattle. Identity and ID also took first and second place for the Best Dance Crew in Tacoma in 2009. Dawn lives by the knowledge that God has given us our talents, and so let us not think we can do things apart from Him.
Simone Peterson
Owner/Dance Director, Gig Harbor: Simone Peterson has been teaching and choreographing in the Tacoma/Seattle area for the last 13 years. In college, she worked with the Repertory Dance Group at the University of Puget Sound, where she graduated with a B.A in Psychology. She then began teaching at Harbor Conservatory in Gig Harbor from 2002-2005, where she helped run the Performing Company. Simone subsequently taught and choreographed for the Lakewood Family YMCA, and became the Dance Director for the program in 2005. As director at the Y, Simone supervised 18 instructors, ran the FLY Dance Company, planned and ran all productions, and spearheaded integral values and arts based curriculum. Simone continues to take classes at Westlake Dance Center, is a performer and choreographer for En L'air Dance Benefit Concerts, choreographs for local musicals, and is the founder and director of "La Vie Nouvelle".
Larieza Leigh Smith
Hip Hop: Larieza Leigh has been dancing for 8 Years; 3 years she spent on her High School Dance Team at Mount Tahoma (2006 – 2009) and 4 years as assistant coach and head choreographer (2009 – 2013). She choreographed for there school assemblies and competition routines. They won many awards including the award 4th in the State of Washington at their WIAA Dance and Drill State Competition, in March 2011 and again in March 2013, as well as taking 1st at Districts and also the award District Champions in March 2013. Larieza has also performed with Reality Check, Parietal, Kon-Artists, OutKasted and Koncrete Movement. She is also the founder of the crew NoDef. Her goal is to teach others and help them excel in the art of dance as her teachers have helped her. She truly loves watching Dancers grow, and she hopes to continue to inspire others to dance while she continues through her dance journey. * Live to Inspire & Be Inspired *
Shelby Alexander
Ballet and Jazz: Shelby has been a dancer of many different styles for the last 21 years. She graduated from Tacoma School of Arts with a major in Dance and a minor in performing. She has danced with Encore Theatre, Tacoma City Ballet and MLK Ballet. Shelby was a company member with MLK Ballet under Kate Monthy for many years. She is now a free lance dancer who performs with fellow artists including barefoot collective and Joel Myers.
Noah Nieves Driver
Tap: Noah Nieves Driver has been dancing for 8 years with
a strong focus on tap and expanded his focus into ballet, jazz, contemporary,
and musical theatre in 2010 when he joined Washington Contemporary Ballet.
Noah’s teaching experience ranges from subbing acrobatics, hip-hop, and jazz
master classes to choreographing school musicals and solo dances. Some
highlights of his work and training include acceptance into Dance Theatre of
Harlem’s 2013 Summer Intensive program with a partial scholarship, performing as
a Silver Spurs Dancer with Victorian Country Christmas for the past 2 years,
and performing in 5th Avenue Theatre’s RSP production of Carousel as
Dance Ensemble. Noah is excited to build up the tap program at Freedom Dance
Center.
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Furgaan Omer
Hip Hop: Furgaan began dancing his sophomore year in High School as a self trained dancer. He trained from watching youtube videos and other social media.
After only one year of dancing he began accepting performance opportunities for his high school. His passion for dance continued to grow and the need to press harder was apparent. He then began competing in competitions and his first debut was at “All styles battle” a competition that requires a knowledge of multiple styles of hip hop. It was here that he created a name for himself. Shortly after debuting in “All style battle”. Since then Furgaan has continued his dance training and choreographing in the Tacoma/Seattle area. Furgann believes that as an artist your style should always be evolving.
After only one year of dancing he began accepting performance opportunities for his high school. His passion for dance continued to grow and the need to press harder was apparent. He then began competing in competitions and his first debut was at “All styles battle” a competition that requires a knowledge of multiple styles of hip hop. It was here that he created a name for himself. Shortly after debuting in “All style battle”. Since then Furgaan has continued his dance training and choreographing in the Tacoma/Seattle area. Furgann believes that as an artist your style should always be evolving.
Adrian Renon
Hip Hop: Originally from Maui, HI, Adrian Renon started dancing when he was 15 years old, starting with pep rallies and school assemblies. He then started choreographing his own pieces as a hobby throughout high school. In 2011, he moved to Tacoma for a change of scenery and to pursue dancing. In 2012, he began taking classes at Westlake and also Freedom Dance Center. While taking classes, and also working 2 jobs, he still managed to choreograph on the side and release video projects. In 2013, he became a dance instructor for Freedom Dance Center, also becoming one of the choreographers for NoDef, a dance team based out of Tacoma. In early 2014, he became also one of Surge Dance Center's hip hop instructors. His main goal is to motivate and inspire people to never give up on their dreams and goals, and that nothing is impossible if you're willing to work hard.
Daniel Jerome Obispo
Hip Hop: Daniel Jerome Obispo; (Born April 30th, 1991 from Spanaway Washington) is a self trained dancer that started b-boying in 2003 and began choreographing in 2008. Since then he has taught workshops, won local b-boy/all style competitions, toured Asia dancing for korean popstar, Jay Park, featured in his music videos, and continues to travel the world teaching. He is also a member of the Seattle known b-boy crew "Art Of Movement", founder of the dance crew "Chapter1NE", and sometimes dances with "Soreal" out of Houston, TX. He hopes to continue sharing his love for dance through his work online and inspiring students around the world.
Branden Obispo
Hip Hop: Branden started doing studio hip-hop in 2012 mainly training at Freedom Dance Center. Throughout the years, he has taken various workshops and classes at studios hailing from Northern Washington all the way to Los Angeles, California. From classic choreographers like Elm "Boogie" Pizarro to up-and-coming names like Devin Solomon or even getting a scholarship to Millennium Dance Complex from the renowned Monsters Dance Convention during their first event in Seattle in 2014. Branden started off teaching by subbing for various instructors at Freedom Dance Center in 2014. Since then, he's taught at Westlake Dance Center, the Seattle branch of UW via the Student Hip-Hop Association, and now has his own slot at Freedom Dance Center! In the future, Branden aims to connect the Washington dance community and become more involved in the industry side of the dance world!