meet our staff

Studio Owner

Dance Team Director

Jazz, Contemporary, & Musical Theater Program Director
Pre-Ballet, Ballet/Tap

Jenna has been dancing for 39 years and teaching for 30. She began dancing and competing in Redlands, California and moved to Seattle in 1998. She completed her BFA in Dance at Cornish College of the Arts in 2007. She's danced with many award winning teachers and choreographers in the Los Angeles and Seattle areas, and has been teaching and choreographing in Seattle for more than 20 years. She started teaching at RDC in 2006 and took over as owner in 2012.

Assistant Studio Director

 Tap & Ballet Program Director
Adult Tap (levels 1 & 2), Ballet 1 & 4, Contemporary 1 & 5, Hip Hop/Acro, Jazz 2 & 5, Tap  1, 3 & 4

Cristen Klaja grew up dancing at her local studio in Vancouver, Washington, where as a teen she trained and began working as an instructor.  She moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington and continued teaching at studios in the area. She graduated from UW with a BA in Dance in 2002.  In the years since, her life has been filled with dance, both in the classroom and the stage, family, and adventure. Cristen has been teaching at RDC since 2013.

 Teacher

Ballet 3, Ballet/Contemporary 3/4 & 5

Robbi Moore, from Hamden, CT, began dancing at New England Ballet and continued at Dee Dee’s Dance Center and New Haven Ballet. They are an alumnus of Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, the Ailey Summer Intensive, Cunningham Trust Workshop, Jacob’s Pillow’s Commercial Dance Program, and the Complexions Intensive. They went to Mexico with JUNTOS Collective, and taught with Notes in Motion, Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre, and JD/dansfolk. Robbi graduated magna cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program and has danced with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, The Steps Repertory Ensemble, AATMA Performing Arts, Whidbey Island Dance Theatre, Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, Karin Stevens Dance, the Guild Dance Company, Kinesis Project Dance Theater, The Gray, PRICEarts, Coriolis Dance, Khambatta Dance Company, and Spectrum Dance Theater.   Robbi recently worked for The Village Theatre as Associate Choreographer for "Little Shop of Horrors".

Teacher

Acro Program Director

Acro 1-4,  Jazz 1, 3 & 4, Tap 2

Jilyan was born and raised in Massachusetts before moving to West to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education from Arizona State University. She has had the opportunity to teach in studios, middle schools, high schools, and day & overnight camps in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Arizona and Washington. Predominately trained in modern and jazz, Jilyan has also studied ballet, tap, and acrobatics. She holds two levels of certification through Acrobatic Arts, a certification through International Dance Teaching Standards, and has completed the Summer Dance Institute for Teachers at the Creative Dance Center, expanding her knowledge of Brain Compatible Dance Education.

Jilyan takes a personal approach to teaching dance. Her focus is on combining proper technique while exploring self-expression, confidence, and personal growth. She is dedicated to educating dancers about all areas of dance including its rich history, kinesiological principles and choreographic methods. More than anything, Jilyan is focused on having fun in the classroom and creating a love for dance and movement.  

Teacher

Ballet 1, 2 & 5 Contemporary 2, 3 & 4, Pre-Pointe, Pointe

Sara Caplan is a contemporary dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist originally from Dedham, MA. She received her BA in Theatre: Dance Performance and her BS in Biology from The Pennsylvania State University in 2013 and her MFA in Dance from the College at Brockport in 2017. She has performed in works choreographed by Kendra Portier, Laura Petersen (NY), Maura Keefe, and Beth Gill. Since moving to Seattle Sara has performed in Soft Concrete III, Velocity’s Bridge Project, and Full Tilt. She is currently a performer with Karin Stevens Dance. She has presented works in various theatres and urban venues in Pennsylvania and New York as well as in Seattle. Sara has 10 years of experience teaching in studio and has taught at the Pennsylvania State University, The College at Brockport, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Slippery Rock University.

Teacher
Toddler/Caregiver Creative Dance, Pre-Ballet, Ballet/Tap

Faith Coben, originally from Sun Valley, Idaho, has danced all her life. She earned her BFA in Dance with a concentration in education from Cornish College of the Arts, as well as her Pilates mat teaching certification, in 2014. She received her comprehensive Pilates certification in 2020 from Vitality Pilates in Seattle.
As a dance teacher, Faith has been influenced by WA master teachers Christine Juarez & Anne Green Gilbert, and regularly attends continuing education programs to develop her teaching practice. She believes that students deserve creativity-focused and anatomically-grounded dance education in an egalitarian environment that promotes individual expression and facilitates interpersonal collaboration. Faith shares dance joyfully so that her students may experience dance joyfully, creating a strong foundation for a positive lifelong relationship with movement & the body. She has taught dance at a variety of locations in the Puget Sound area, including Dance Fremont, Rainier Dance Center, Momentum Dance Academy, Spectrum Dance School, West Seattle Performing Arts, and Secret Garden Preschool. 
Faith is the owner and lead teacher of Backcountry Pilates in Madrona, and has also taught Pilates with Vitality, PilateStudio11, Fremont Health Club, and Pivot Movement Studio. 
As a professional dancer, Faith has performed the work of a variety of choreographers including José Limón, Corrie Befort & Beth Graczyk of SaltHorse, Jamie Karlovich, Cyrus Khambatta, Kate Wallich, KT Niehoff, Eric Aguilar, & Mary Ann McGovern. Faith was an original member of Ktisk Contemporary Dance, directed by Rachael Forstrom. She is primarily involved with vertical (harness) dance and cabaret in her current performance life, and has trained with world-renowned vertical dance companies Bandaloop (Oakland) and Aeriosa (Vancouver, BC).
Outside of her teaching, Faith is a stage manager for dance and cabaret performances and loves to spend her time in Washington’s mountains, kayaking & skiing.

Teacher

Pre-Ballet, Ballet/Tap, Hip Hop 

Michael began his performance career at the age of six performing in musicals with Christian Arts and Theater (CAT) of Corona. His “classical” dance training began at Fullerton City College, where he was introduced to ballet and modern. Mr Michael finished his associates coursework at Riverside City College, where he performed with touring performance groups, participated in “Trolley Dances”, as well as choreographed concert dance works in their annual student showcases. He moved to Seattle in 2017 to pursue at BFA in Dance at Cornish College of the Arts where he graduated from in December of 2022. Since moving to Seattle, he has performed at Broadway Performance Hall and the Moore Theater with Men in Dance, Fisher’s Pavilion Seattle Center, and the Cornish Playhouse, to name a few. Mr Michael has gotten the opportunity to work with Wade Madsen, Deb Wolf, Lucie Baker, Keyes Wiley, Anouk Van Djik, and Charlie Slender-White in the past few years. Some of his stage credits also include Link Larkin in Hairspray at the Redlands Bowl, CA, Flat Stanley in the Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, and the Bullfrog in Honk! The Musical. When not on stage or in the studio, Mr Michael teaches fitness at retirement communities. He believes that dance as a medium, serves as a great equalizer and is for any body and everybody. 

Teacher

Pre-Ballet, Ballet/Tap

Roni fell in love with dance immediately at the age of four. Since then, she has learned countless skills and life lessons from her dance teachers and mentors. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a Modern Emphasis from San Jose State University in California in 2013. Since then, it has been her passion to pay it forward whether it be as a teacher, mentor, peer, or friend. After 8 years as an Outdoor Educator in the California redwoods, teaching children how to comfortably explore, play, and be themselves outside, Roni is excited to step back inside the dance studio and be a positive role model for students and peers. She can't wait to meet and connect with you too! 

Teacher

Hip Hop 1-4

Yoko Kogure, a Los Angeles native, has immersed herself in Southern California’s vibrant Hip Hop dance scene for 20 years. She dedicated nearly a decade to serving as the company director for Culture Shock Los Angeles, a dance organization committed to fostering community engagement, education, and delivering professional entertainment. During her tenure at CSLA, Yoko collaborated with exceptional artistic directions, choreographer’s, and accomplished dancers. She played a pivotal role in coordinating, producing, and participating in numerous events and performances. Additionally, she served as a teaching artist at the LA Unified School District, further enriching her experience in nurturing young dancers. Her teaching commitment covers a wide spectrum including mentoring professional dancers and guiding aspiring talents in various educational settings and outreach programs. She has shared her expertise across dance studios, public and private schools, and held leadership roles directing dance companies for youth and professionals. 

Focusing on nurturing the foundational aspects of dance, Yoko’s classes prioritize the development of movement, self-expression, and confidence in her students. As a respectful guest within a Black dance culture, she diligently integrates essential historical context into her lessons, recognizing the roots of Hip Hop. Her approach extends beyond teaching steps to impart the profound cultural significance and historical roots deeply embedded within this popular dance form.

Yoko’s commitment to providing a holistic dance education resonates through her vibrant energy and unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation. Her teaching style fosters a love for movement, instilling confidence, and positivity in every student’s journey!