Faculty - Round Rock Repertory Dance Centre

Elif Tuzer

Dallas native Elif Tuzer has been teaching classical ballet for the past seventeen years. Her education started with her parents, professional ballet dancers Pat and Tanju Tuzer at the age three. Tuzer Dancenter, their studio, has been educating students in Richardson, Texas for forty years.

She went on to study with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Kirov Academy and Ballet West. She has performed many ballets including Swan Lake, Coppelia, La Bayadere, Les Sylphides, Serenade, Giselle and La Vivandiere. She earned a B.A. in English from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina and enjoys writing in her spare time. Elif looks forward to meeting new students and families this year!

Isabelle Burnetta

Isabelle began her ballet training at The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet under

Margarita de Saa White (Ballet Nacional de Cuba) and Tatiana Kudrjavcev (San

Francisco Ballet). She attended her first summer intensive at The South Carolina

Summer Dance Conservatory at age 13, which was her first exposure to professionals

from New York City Ballet, her favorite company. The following summer she attended

The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC for the first time, in addition to

Kaatsbaan International Dance Center in Tivoli, NY. She continued for the following

three summers to attend both programs and was awarded a full–time scholarship to the

year–round program at both Kirov and JKO. At age 16 she accepted a scholarship to the

Walnut Hill School in Boston, MA where she attended and performed leading roles in the

schools performances. Following her time at Walnut Hill she attended her last summer

at Kaatsbaan, as well as the Rock School, where she was offered a full scholarship to

the year–round program. Her senior year of high school she began dancing with the

Brandywine Ballet in West Chester, PA, which she continued throughout her college

career at The University of Pennsylvania. During that time she also trained with Barbara

Sandonato of the Pennsylvania Ballet, guesting and having the opportunity to perform

with the company, as well as with the Wilmington Ballet. After graduation she moved to

Manhattan where she worked for a fashion brand doing business development, a job in

line with her college major, but her true love has always been and will always be dance.

She ended up teaching at a studio in the city as well as guesting with several small

companies and schools. She moved to Austin three years ago and calls this city her

home. She currently teaches at several studios in the area and dances with Austin

Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble and other local groups. Her favorite things in the world

are: teaching students ballet and supporting them as they grow into successful dancers, performing on stage, and dancing in Balanchine works.

Lauren Hawkins

Lauren Hawkins was born in Austin, TX and primarily trained at The Austin City Ballet, formerly known as The Austin Conservatory of the Arts. She has been dancing for over 20 years, and has attended summer intensives at The Virginia School of the Arts, Houston Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Ballet Austin. She has trained with the Richmond Ballet in their Trainee program, and performed with their company in their annual Nutcracker, Stoner Winslett’s Windows, Malcolm Burn’s Romeo and Juliet and George Balanchine’s Who Cares?. While dancing with Ballet Lubbock, she was offered a teaching position, which is how she discovered her love for teaching dance. Lauren graduated from Texas State University with a degree in English and Mass Communications, and currently is the head of Marketing at Movin’ Easy Dancewear, and performs with Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble as a resident artist.

Danielle Juarez

Danielle Juarez began her dance training in Boston, Massachusetts with Boston Ballet at the age of 6. After training with Boston Ballet for four years, she was given the opportunity to expand her dance education at Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy in Aiea, Hawaii. Several years later she began dancing with The Dance Studio in Austin, Texas under the direction of Lucretia Lomax Alvarez. At the Dance Studio Danielle expanded her dance education to include modern, jazz, lyrical, musical theatre, tap, and hip hop in addition to her ballet studies. She has been fortunate to train with Melanie Kregel, Patricia Hall Loring, Svetlana Krylova, Amanda Booth-Neidhardt, and Marla Valk at Westwood High School. In 2010 she became a resident artist for Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble and was fortunate to perform and choreograph for two seasons. Shortly after, Danielle had the opportunity to work with The Dance Project dancers and choreographers for several years. She thoroughly enjoys working with the dancers at Round Rock Repertory Dance Center as she can share her passion for dance with the students.

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.” – Martha Graham

Zeke Zimmerman

Zeke Zimmerman has studied the art of tap dance for 19 years in Austin, TX. He’s had the pleasure of studying at Tapestry Dance Company under a number of talented tap dancers such Acia Gray, Nicholas Young, Jason Janas, Matthew Shield, and many others. He is a graduate of the McCallum Fine Arts Academy where he majored in dance. He also apprenticed with Tapestry’s Professional Company from 2014-16 seasons where he appeared in the shows “Of Mice and Music: A Jazz Tap Nutcracker” and “In Your Shoes” under the direction of Acia Gray, and has performed in the 2015 Soul to Sole festival. He has performed and collaborated with a number of Austin musicians and groups including Tina Marsh & The Creative Opportunity Orchestra, Dr. James Polk and Centerpiece, Alex Coke, Randy Zimmerman, and many others.

Sarah Sofia Cantoran

Sarah is originally from Los Angeles CA. In California, Sarah received dance training at Attitudes Dance Academy under the direction of Megan Hart and Joshua Romero. After moving to Texas, she studied dance at Metamorphosis Dance Academy under the direction of Melanie Kregel and Mel Glouchkova. Sarah went on to join Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble at the age of 12. Sarah has been fortunate to perform in ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. Sarah has also studied in master classes including choreographers such as Emma Portner, Mia Michaels, Randall Flinn, Steve Rooks, and Dorrell Martin. Intensive studies include Sam Houston State University and Noble Motion Dance. Although only 20 years old, Sarah’s choreography has been featured in Ballet Under the Stars and with The Dance Project. Sarah has also received several “Choreographers awards” from dance competitions. Sarah graduated in June 2015 from Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville TX. She currently teaches at Round Rock Repertory Dance Centre and hopes to share her love of dance with her students. Sarah also co-directs RRRDC’s own dance company Emerge. Sarah plans to continue her dance training with a focus on choreography.

Sam Nelson

Sam is an Austin native who found his passion for dance when he was 10 years old. He spent 6 years training at a local studio and competed on a pre-professional dance company. During these years Sam attended many dance conventions and competitions and received numerous awards including 2 National titles and 4 Regional titles. He has also received scholarships from Jump, 24 Seven, Radix, Hollywood Connection, the Streetz, NYCDA, Tremaine, Velocity, WCDE, Adrenaline, NRG, Revive, and AMDA. In addition, Sam received scholarships to train at Steps on Broadway, the EDGE PAC, Complexions, Summer Dance Sessions, and Trans4m.

Sam is a versatile dancer who is trained in Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Jazz Funk, Ballet, Ballroom, and Tap. He has learned from many top professional choreographers and helped teach young dancers of all ages and levels. Sam has had the opportunity to travel across the country as a Company Assistant to the faculty touring with 7 national dance conventions including Adrenaline, Revive, the Streetz, NRG, Tremaine, the Pulse, and Dance League. He is currently on faculty at NEXT GEN Dance Intensive.

Sam is passionate about creating. His choreography has won several Judge’s Choice, Technique, and Choreography awards at Jump, NUVO, Showstopper, Platinum, Celebrity, and Top 10 Dance Challenge. One of his biggest honors was winning the National Title of Teen Mr. Adrenaline in 2016 with his Self-Choreographed solo. In 2017, another of Sam’s solos won 1^st Overall at Nationals at Dancearchy Ultimate Dance Challenge. He creates pieces for other dancers as well and has choreographed college dance solos that have been accepted into Marymount Manhattan, Julliard, University of Arizona, and USC Kaufman. Another very proud moment came in 2018 when one of his students won 1^st Overall at Rainbow National Dance Competition with the solo he choreographed for her.

Upon graduation Sam plans to study Dance and Statistics in college. When he’s not dancing, Sam enjoys listening to music, playing with his 2 dogs, traveling, spending time with his friends and family, and serving in his community.

Jesee Smart

Jesee Smart is originally from Chicago, IL. She has studied dance for more than 20 years under various professionals including Lisa Boehm (Ballet), Frank Boehm (Jazz), Randall Newsom (Ballet, Graham Technique), Judith Chitwood (Ballet, Horton Technique), Paula Frasz (Modern, Tap, Musical Theatre), Karen Williamson (Ballet, Modern), Lila Dole (Spanish), Danny Herman (Broadway Jazz, Tap), Rocker Verastique (Broadway Jazz), Kenney DeCamp (Jazz, Performance), and Joel Hall (Jazz).

Jesee moved to Austin in 2006 after graduating from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (Human Resources) and a Bachelor of the Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Education. She currently choreographs and performs in and around Austin, including multiple performances per year at the Georgetown Palace Theatre. She is the Company Manager for the Youth Performance Company at the Palace as well.

Jesee taught ballet, pointe, modern, tap, and jazz for ten years prior to moving to Austin. She was a founding member of the award winning competition group “Petite Feet” with DancEncounter in Geneva, IL. While attending Northern Illinois University, Jesee was the director and producer of Art for Life, an AIDS benefit concert including all of the visual and performing arts. It was associated with Dance for Life in Chicago to benefit those artists living with and dying from AIDS.

People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life.Martha Graham

Laura Mobley

Originally from Orlando, Fl, Laura graduated from University of South Florida with her B.F.A. in modern dance performance in 2015. During her college career she had the opportunity to travel to France to study, dance, and choreograph in the USF Dance in Paris Program and the International Dance Festival in Trinidad and Tobago. After graduation Laura continued her training in summer programs with Robert Moses Kin, Repertory Dance Theatre, and Bodytraffic. During her remaining time in Florida she was a member of Red Right Return Dance Company where she performed at the annual Orlando International Fringe Festival. She then traveled to Maine to collaborate with Susan Douglas Roberts, Artistic Director of wildgoosechasedance, and dancer Alex Masi to launch its choreography project of the summer. Laura recently moved to Austin from Bloomington, IN where she collaborated with Stephanie Nugent Dance. Since moving to Austin she has performed in projects with Blipswitch, NunaMaana, Jennifer Sherburn’s 11:11:08, and Empty Maps Collective in this years Revolve: Movement Display.

Guest Instructors:

Joshua D. Estrada-Romero

Joshua began his dance training at Cal State University, Fullerton. He was a member of CSUF’s Dance Repertory Theatre and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance in 2008. His experience in dance, music, and arts evolved through his dance memberships and trainings with Palindrome Dance Company, RhetOracle Dance Company, BARE Dance Company, Nickerson-Rossi Dance Company. He also worked with artists of Limon Dance Company, Erick Hawkins Dance Company, and choreographer Victor Kabaniev. Joshua is the founder and artistic director of FUSE Dance Company based in Orange, CA. They have been sharing their movement throughout California as well as, Austin TX, Boston MA, NYC, and Seattle WA. He currently shares his passion as an instructor/choreographer to all dance students of California State University Fullerton, Mount San Antonio College, Orange County School of the Arts and Santa Ana College. Joshua received his Masters in Dance in June of 2017, from the University of California, Irvine.

Dorrell Martin

Dorrell Martin is founder of the jazz and contemporary dance program, LÉON Dance Arts that is associated with LÉON Contemporary Dance Company NY, of which Martin is the Artistic Director. Mr. Martin, a native of Houston, TX, the creator/director of the Jazz and Contemporary Program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. He is also former Artistic Director of Houston Metropolitan Dance Company and Center.

Martin has a solid training and performance background. He was a soloist for the national and international touring company “A Few Good Men Dancin” and has danced in shows such as Aida, West Side Story, Lion King, Swing and appeared in the movie ENCHANTED. Martin has also performed with many professional companies, including Arch Dance, Locke Contemporary Dance, Houston Grand Opera, Metropolitan Opera, and Richard Rivera’s PHYSUAL as well as Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular, just to name a few. He has performed in venues such as Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Joyce SoHo, Blaktino at BAAD in the Bronx, Riverside Theatre and American Dance Festival with some of New York’s emerging choreographers. Martin appeared on the talk show THE VIEW with singer Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls. He has performed with recording artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Debra Cox.

Martin has taken his experiences of working with such notable artists/choreographers as Sean Curran, Daniel Ezralow, Kevin Wynn, Liz Imperio, Pattie Obey, Margo Sappington and Mat Eks among others, to explore and find his own voice in movement. As a teacher, choreographer and director, Martin teaches jazz dance and contemporary dance throughout the country and has set works on colleges, universities, dance companies and schools, such as Belhaven College, Hope College, Lamar University, Muhlenberg College, Harrison High School in Michigan, Urban Soul Dance Company, SET Contemporary dance, High School Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX, Ballet Forte TX and St. John School just to name a few.