DANCE EDUCATORS
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Laurie MaliwanagLaurie is co-owner and the artistic director of Exceleration Studios. She is originally from Madison, WI and extensively trained in ballet, jazz, tap and other genres of dance. She was accepted to study at Boston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet West, and Hubbard Street summer intensives in her youth and was awarded scholarships to study at professional studios in Los Angeles and New York, such as Tremaine, The Edge, and Broadway Dance Center. After turning down a scholarship to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and an offer to attend Julliard, Laurie moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dancing dreams.
When Laurie first moved to Los Angeles, she became a backup dancer for Jessica Simpson and appeared in music videos and stage performances for artists Toni Braxton, Mandy Moore, and Shaggy. Besides pursuing commercial dance jobs, her love was in the company work where she had the privilege to dance for many great contemporary choreographers. She was asked to participate in the River North Dance Company in Chicago, assisted Jen Ballard, the original artistic director in creating Cedar Lake Ensemble, and danced for Mia Michaels in her company RAW. Multiple students of Laurie’s have been accepted and attended the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensives in both Los Angeles and New York, as well as American Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive in NYC. Other students have been handpicked as “Best in Show” from the Burbank high schools nationally acclaimed show choirs. 3 of her beginning students were featured as “young dancers” in the hit show Glee and many of her students have received scholarships and awards at regional dance conventions and competitions, including her own award for “Choreographic Excellence”. Laurie has taught dance classes in Burbank elementary schools since 2010, and also teaches ballet to competitive gymnasts, many of which are state, regional, and national champions. |
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Krystine is a Toronto native who started dancing at the age of 4 and was competing locally and internationally by age 6. She relocated to the States when she was awarded a scholarship to train at the world renowned EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, CA. She has appeared in music videos, stage performances and tours for numerous artists including Cody Simpson, Chris Brown, Ludacris, Swizz Beatz, The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, The Cheetah Girls, Toni Braxton, Christina Milian, Omarion, Lil Mama, JoJo, Sabrina Bryan and Ms. Triniti. Krystine has also performed on many television and award shows such as Ellen, Live with Kelly, MTV's Total Request Live, the Grammy's, The Fresh Beat Band, the American Music Awards and the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Krystine has appeared in print ads, industrials, and commercials for Nike, Samsung, Bold, BYOU, BODOG, and Guess. Her movie credits include Spring Breakdown, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and Disney's Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. Krystine is a teacher who excels in getting the job done right!
Kenji IgusKenji has been tap dancing since the age of six and has been teaching since the age of fifteen. He has shared the stage with such tap notables as: Gregory Hines, Steve Zee, and Jimmy Slyde. Kenji can be seen in a variety of media including doing work for ESPN, Capezio and MTV and is also featured on Jason Derulo’s “Walk to Fame” video as a special guest artist. He has opened for artists such as Little Dragon and Lupe Fiasco and has since been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine as one of the few known Sand Dancers in the world. Kenji toured Africa with the legendary Jazz Tap Ensemble as a cultural ambassador representing the US Embassy, teaching and performing for the local communities. Kenji is featured in the short film SAND, documenting a father and son relationship and the precedence of the lost art of the tap dance sub-skill, sand dance. In Hollywood, Kenji has lent his talents to consultation work on movies such as “Hail, Ceasar!" and has created numerous works for Universal Studios Hollywood. Kenji has recently been featured in videos by Tegan, Sara, and Derek Hough. On his off days, Kenji teaches at UCLA and LA Valley College dealing with tap dance history and technique and can also be found teaching at Edge Performing Arts Center in West Hollywood.
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Michelle BartyMichelle has studied ballet since the age of 3. She studied many years with the Clytie Adams School of Ballet where she received training in jazz, contemporary, and of course ballet. Michelle was part of the Davis County Dance Company and performed several solo performances with them. While attending Brigham Young University, she was on the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble which took her traveling to many places to perform. She has performed in many musical productions as well as choreographed for shows such as State Fair, Kiss Me Kate, and Guys and Dolls. She has taught all levels of ballet at studios in Orem, Utah and San Diego, CA. Michelle is excited to be with Exceleration Studios.
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Megan Sarbaugh |
Megan Sarbaugh has been dancing since the age of 2. She began training at Dance Dimensions in Longmont, CO, where she also began to teach at the age of 16. Through training, Megan has become well versed in such styles as tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary and jazz funk. During her time at Dance Dimensions she was awarded many convention scholarships and placed in many competitions, as well as had the opportunity to perform with the prestigious Tap Dogs at the Buell Theatre.
She recently moved to Los Angeles to continue a career in professional dance. Her journey started with the Guided Study Program at the Edge Performing Arts Center training under Bill Prudich, Terri Best, Scott Hislop, Sabrina Phillip, Ricky Lam and many more. Upon graduating from the program, Megan joined the highly respected bollywood infusion dance company, Karmagraphy, as well as Ryan Lohoff’s newly founded tap company, Rithem Dance Company. She also has began assisting the ever so talented Terri Best weekly at Edge PAC and more. Megan is determined to share all of her knowledge as she continues to pursue her passion of this art form. |
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Kelsey Guy
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Kelsey hails from Memphis, Tennessee and is without a doubt a southern belle at heart. A late bloomer, she began her dance journey when she was 17 and she effortlessly fell in love with dance, her teachers, and the satisfaction that came as a result of hard work. After a year and a half of training she was accepted into The University of Southern Mississippi’s dance program, which happens to be the only National Association of Dance accredited BFA program in the five-state region. She held leadership rolls such as Teaching assistant to Professor Shellie Nielsen, Chi Tau Epsilon Treasurer, and graduated with Honors in May of 2014.
In February of 2015 Kelsey moved to Los Angeles and is teaching and training more than ever before. She believes that being a good teacher also means being a good student, what she refers to as a life long learner. Genres include recreational cheer, hip hop, jazz, creative movement, movement and fitness, ballet, lyrical, modern, and tap. Since moving to LA, Kelsey has performed with Mattidance company, under the direction of Maritza Navarro, and for LA Unbound. Most recently, she had the wonderful opportunity to perform a piece at The Broad Museum under the direction of Ryan Heffington. With everything she has experienced, witnessed, and learned from her mentors it is evident that children learn through play. Kelsey is consistently doing research and attending workshops to educate herself on how to make learning fun and relatable for young children. “To realize the impact my teachers had on me as a child is so huge. Certain teachers of mine brought out the very best in me, gave me confidence, and made me see the value in who I was at such a young age. The students that I get the privilege of teaching aren’t just kids in my class, I aspire to know them, learn what makes them laugh, and how to get a smile on their roughest of days. That to me is so meaningful, and I am so grateful that I get to bear witness to their achievements throughout the year, along with their awesome personalities! No one is more hilarious than a 4 year old with a question, a story, or a testimony!” |
Malia Baker |
Malia Baker has always known her life would be full of dance. At age four she started taking classes and her dream to be a professional dancer began from there. Well versed in all styles including Ballet, Tap, Jazz Funk, Hip Hop, Modern, Musical Theater, and Jazz, Malia feels most at home in the studio. After graduating high school, Malia moved from Colorado to Los Angeles, and began her professional dance career with the Edge Performing Arts Scholarship program training over 30 hours a week. Most recently, Malia appeared in the upcoming remake of Valley Girl choreographed by La La Land’s Mandy Moore. She has also been a featured dancer for Disney, FX Networks, and NBC, and is on faculty at the Edge Performing Arts Center. While dancing professionally, Malia has also found a true love for dance education. Malia hopes that her students can feel even for one moment the love and joy dance has given her. In an ever expanding dance world Malia believes wholeheartedly that a dance career based on solid technique is the only way to dance! While in LA she continues rigorously training herself and has also assisted many of the industry’s best, Jackie Sleight, Adam Parson, Denise Leitner, Ambrose Respicio, and Helene Phillips. Even though Malia has danced her entire life, her passion for dance and the industry only keeps growing and she hopes to share that passion with dancers of all ages.
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