Meet the Kittens
Since Fatcat's is one of the largest and best Ballroom Dance Studios in the Phoenix metro area, we naturally have the largest and best Staff to help you learn and enjoy Ballroom Dancing. This group of full time, part time, and volunteer members is dedicated to making the studio pleasant and professional for it’s customers. Since they’re all dancers themselves, they do their job like they were taking care of their own favorite place – it’s what makes us the BEST!
Instructors |
Administrative Staff |
Arizona Ballroom Teachers Academy Students and Helpers
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- Studio Manager
- Instructor
- Graduate, Arizona Ballroom Teachers Academy (AZBTA)
- DVIDA certified
- Specialty: Swing Dance, Lindy Hop
With a passion for dancing and a dedication for teaching, Sarah also serves as the Studio Manager. And during the Friday and Saturday night dance lessons, you will usually find her in the center of the class acting as the partner and demonstrator for the main instructor. more
- Instructor
- NDCA / DVIDA Certified
- Professionally Trained
Our fun-spirited and sassy Rehanna was Fatcat's first instructor, and she has a personality that's so contagious the studio fills with her energy! Her drive for the success of her students will keep you motivated to stay focused on your goals. Rehanna's intense training background will give your dancing a balance between dance steps, confidence and technique.
She plans to take her journey to the next level in Rising Stars competition, eventually going to the World Competition.
- Instructor
- DVIDA Certified
- Competitions: Sunburst, People’s Choice
- Specialties: Salsa, Bachata, Latin / Rhythm dances
Coming to Fatcat’s from Cuuernivaca, Mexico, Miguel has been dancing for over 10 years. Along with offering private lessons, he teaches the Salsa / latin group classes at Fatcat’s on Sunday evenings. more
- Instructor
- Specialties: West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango
A Phoenix native, Mary studied Jazz and Ballet at a young age. At 19 she became deeply involved with an “up and coming” Swing Dance performing group. After a few years performing Swing and Lindy she went to work at a local franchise studio, where she began her journey in the world of Ballroom Dance.
After a few years she took a break from the studio, but continued to teach dance periodically. During this time she also began to study martial arts, including judo, jujitsu, and yoga – all skills that enhanced her flexibility, balance, and floor craft.
Finally in 2009 she joined us at Fatcat’s Ballroom Dance, where she brings her energy and skills as a vivacious instructor and staff member.
- Instructor
- NDCA certified
Joshua has a great passion for giving the gift of dance to his students. His style of teaching is easy for the new student to understand.
A local TV station (Channel 5) featured him in a “Pay it forward” segment for helping a lady who was handicapped and in a cast to recover to the point where her cast was unnecessary – all through the study and practice of dance. According to Joshua, “Dancing changes peoples lives, and I love that about what I do”.
- Administrative Assistant
- Fatcat “GO TO” guy
A part of Fatcat's since shortly after opening in 2008, Brandon is the “Go To” for many of the tasks around the studio. Doing everything from cleaning to paperwork, he is indispensable to the smooth functioning of Fatcats.
While living in California, he gained a background in martial arts. In his late teen years he began dancing, and has been in love with it ever since. In the summer of 2002 he moved to Arizona, and continued with his dancing. Although he is not yet teaching dance, those plans are definitely in the future. Until then, he will continue to take care of the many details at the studio, and help the customers have a great dance time.
- Instructor
- DVIDA Certified
- Specialties: West Coast Swing, Samba, Choreography
Instructor Ren loves everything about dance - from performing to choreographing to teaching lessons. Since starting his dance career at the age of 10, he has traveled the world and worked with various companies from ballet to hip hop. Ren’s dance training is in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom and many others and has been teaching since the age of 15.
Above all else, his calling is to teach. He currently has his AA in fine arts (dance) and is getting his BA in education. Ren teaches beginners to pros. Ren is a fun and fired up type of teacher - keeping you on your toes and always leaving you wanting more.
- Instructor
- DVIDA Certified
- Specialty: Lindy Hop, Foxtrot, technique, timing
Baseball marked the time from early childhood through the end of high school for Dave. An unfortunate arm injury sidelined his dreams of pitching beyond college and the next few years began a search for a new passion. Stints in photography, motorcycle riding and softball all began and fizzled out while working the family tile business (then a 15 year veteran) and attempting to find a career path through Glendale Community College. The housing boom and a few promising new contracts drew Dave away from school and featured Tile Contracting as his sole source of income.
The construction crash illustrated the error in that line of thinking and Dave set his sights on a degree and admittance to medical school. It’s at this point that dance entered into his life through an east coast swing class being offered at the public library of all places. The addiction took hold over the ensuing months and Dave found himself splitting time between the ballrooms at ASU and Fatcat to the tune of 10-20 hours a week. Now Dave splits nearly every waking hour between studying, dancing and teaching dance, finally finding a replacement for baseball in his heart.
Dave approaches dance with the analytical mind of a scientist, treating every figure as a physics problem and breaking the problem down piece by piece. Discipline and hard work are necessary to learn how to do anything athletic and Dave demands this of himself and his students. The quality of the time spent preparing makes the performance appear fluid and natural. Dance will give you back everything you put into it and more. Check your ego at the door and do the work and you will find just how fun this sport can be with the correct technique and timing. You too can have a smile on your face every time the music starts.
- Instructor
- DVIDA Certified
- Specialties: Hustle, Night Club 2-step
Jerry started dancing in 1980 when ‘Disco’ became popular, learning Hustle and other club dances, at a franchise dance studio, while living in Michigan. His training continued into the late ’90s, with Double Gold Instructor Berry Douglas and Terri Worrel. In 2003 he began teaching at local dance clubs and at an independent dance studio, teaching both group classes and private lessons.
He moved to Arizona in early 2009, and quickly joined the
staff at Fatcat. He teaches the complete Bronze Level of the
DVIDA American Style Syllabus, in all dances, and continues to
study and expand his knowledge of Silver and Gold patterns, styling, and
technique.
Along with being a seasoned ballroom dance instructor, he is also a musician
and owns a unique DJ Service.
- Instructor
- Specialties: classic, conterporary and modern Jazz
- Ballet, lyrical, tap
Geri specializes in classic, contemporary and modern jazz dance, as well as ballet, lyrical and tap. She also loves teaching pre-dance, essential, creative movement and tumbling for young children. Geri has been working as both a teacher and choreographer for the last 15 years, and began her life long journey as a dancer at the age of 3. She has preformed and choreographed for numerous productions and studios over the years. Geri is thrilled to share her love for dance with all of her students and her enthusiam is contagious. She is a very passionate and dynamic teacher and energizes everyone she meets. Geri loves to teach and she is constantly playing with new ideas to challenge her students and herself as an artist and dancer. more
Ceci was born and raised in San Francisco and moved to valley in 1995. She has always had a desire to dance and and finally found Fatcat Studios. She currenlty is a student at the Arizona Ballroom Teacher Academy and is just a short 11 months has competed in 4 competitions and has received 75 first places and 17 between second and 6th. . She loves dancing and enjoys working and dancing with everyone. She has found a home away from home at Fatcat Ballroom Studio.
Phyllis has been involved in ballroom dancing for 3 years and loves it:
"Dance and music has always been an interest in my life; it has a way of bringing joy and happiness to my life. As I work in a very hectic and stressful position, I find dance is a great way to release the tension of the day. It also gives me a wonderful opportunity to meet and befriend some great individuals.
FatCat Ballroom Dance Company is a friendly, comfortable environment. The floating dance floor cannot be beat. The group classes are informative and fun and let's face it, where else can you be entertained for 4+ hours for only
$5.00 and you don't need a partner. The calendar lets you know what dances are being taught on which days.
Please come join us; we would love to meet you! See you on the dance floor."
- "Go To Guy"
- Arizona Ballroom Teachers Academy graduate
Gene started ballroom dancing a few years ago, and has been part of the Fatcat studio from it's very beginning - in fact he helped build it! While he enjoys his motorcycle riding, he enjoys dancing more. In fact he has completed the Arizona Ballroom Teachers Academy, and is currently working on the Silver level curriculuum. He continues to be a great "Go To Guy" and works behind the scene to help Fatcat be the best Ballroom Dancing studio in Phoenix .