Faculty

	Elaine McCarthy
	Elaine is a native born and raised Santa Cruzan. She has been dancing since age seven and danced professionally for a number of years. Elaine has toured and performed in Montreal, Las Vegas, Japan, Spain, and Paris. She also danced aboard the Princess Cruise Lines 'Love Boat." Elaine has performed with such notables as Sammy Davis, Jr., Liberace, and Donald O'Connor. She opened Elaine's Dance Studio in 1985.
	Myra Rittenhouse, Artistic Director
	Myra majored in dance in Hawaii and also at Loyola Marymount University in L.A.She began her dance career choreographing and dancing in a resort in Cabo San Lucas. Then she secured a job dancing in Vegas-style shows on Carnival Cruise ships (Carnival Liberty, Elation and Holiday). Working the cruises gave her the opportunity to visit many exciting places, but now Myra is happy to be back on land. She grew up dancing at Elaine's and is very excited to be back as an instructor.
	Sloane Mitchell
	Sloane is a graduate of San Jose State University where she obtained a B.A. in Dance. Along with being a teacher and choreographer she is involved as a stage manager and costume designer. Her training began 20 plus years ago under the tutilage of some of the finest teachers in the U.S. Sloane has worked with such performing groups as Visual Rhythm Dance Company, University Dance Theatre, and Company One. She has also worked on stage productions of "Some Like It Hot" and "West Side Story". Sloane has trained and choreographed for many up and coming performers as well as 2007 "Mr. Spotlight" National Dance Champion.
	Annie Colbeck
	Annie is a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. She is trained in ballet, tap and jazz and was awarded a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet. She spent time in England choreographing for London theater productions, teaching at Oxford University, and, upon returning to California, continues to teach and choreograph in the Bay Area.
	Madelon Curtis Harper
	Madelon is a professional dancer, actress, choreographer and teacher. She has taught all forms of dance at all levels for the past 35 years. Currently teaching advanced ballet and pointe, her ballet training is predominantly Balanchine, having studied extensively with Melissa Hayden, Allegra Kent, and other New York City Ballet luminaries. In addition, she trained extensively at the Joffrey Ballet School, American Ballet Theater School, David Howard and the Boston Ballet. She is a member of AEA, SAG, and AFTRA and has performed in TV, feature films and musical theatre. She is also a certified Pilates Instructor and competitive ballroom dancer.
	Tara Firenzi
	Tara has been dancing for over twenty years, and has been teaching dance in the Santa Cruz community for the last nine years.  During the day Tara teaches AP World History at Pacific Collegiate School and serves as the history department chair.  She earned her BA in history from UCLA and her MA in history from Stanford this past year.  In addition to teaching dance at Elaine’s for the past five years, she has created choreography for more than ten high school and children’s musical productions locally.  She also played an integral role in establishing two high school dance companies in Santa Cruz:  Escapade at Harbor High School, and the Pacific Collegiate Dance Company.  Her favorite style of dance is tap—especially improvisational—but she also enjoys teaching jazz and other styles as well.  Tara considers it a real honor to teach at Elaine’s Dance Studio, and feels fortunate to work with such wonderful students, parents, and fellow teachers.
	Kirsten Livingston
	Kirsten has been in love with dance since the age of four when she started ballet and tap in Scotts Valley. She continued her training at many prestigious schools including the School of American Ballet in New York, Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle and the San Francisco Ballet. She was also a principal dancer with Santa Cruz Ballet Theater. Kirseen has taught ballet at many schools in Santa Cruz over the past 18 years, sharing her teaching philosophy: have fun while practicing respect and discipline. Now she is the proud mother of three wonderful children and loves more than anything to share the joy of dance with anyone who will dance with her. She is excited to teach her new passion at Elaine’s Dance Studio: ballroom.