HYPE Dance Studio Faculty:
Sarah Blakley
HYPE Dance Studio - Owner / Director
With over 25 years of dance experience in jazz, hip hop, ballet, tap, and lyrical, Sarah has performed and choreographed professionally across the nation. Director of HYPE’S FUSION Dance Company, she has led her dancers to win superior awards at nationwide competitions and conventions. Her extensive training started at the age of 3, which includes a dance major at University of Calif. Santa Barbara and intensive classes at renowned studios such as The EDGE Performing Arts Center and Millennium Dance Complex in Hollywood, CA. Some of her professional credits include current choreographer for NBA Sacramento KINGS Dancers, former Head Instructor and current Choreographer for Universal Dance Association, and former dancer for the NBA Golden State Warrior Dancers. Sarah has also led the NBA Sacramento KINGS Dance Auditions for the 5th year in a row and continues to choreograph for them. Additionally, she has choreographed and performed for nationally televised pieces and various championship dance teams across the country. Leading HYPE Dance Studio into its 5th year of success, Sarah is thrilled to give back to her students the amazing experiences she had as a dancer.
Choreography Credits:
- NBA Sacramento KINGS Dancers
- Nationally ranked dance routines for various college and high school dance teams across the country, including Fusion Dance Company’s Nationals titles (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), 2nd place Collegiate National Dance Champions 2002, 2003, 2004 University of Wisconsin-Madison (as seen on ESPN), Butte College, Chico All Stars (1998), Chico Valley Scorchers Jr. Pee-Wee's (2002), Carlsbad High School (2002), Chaparral High School (2002, 2003, 2004), Greeley West High School (2002), and many more.
- UDA's High School and College Summer Dance Camp routines.
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (as seen on TV), The Hollywood Christmas Parade (as seen on FOX Television), and UDA's Paris & London New Year's Day Annual Parades.
- Various dance pieces showcased in shows/competitions locally and across the country.
Professional Credits:
- Universal Dance Association: Head Instructor, Lead Choreographer, Territory Manager, Core Staff Trainer
- "Shaqtacular!" (annual celebrity charity even hosted by Shaquille O'Neal) danced in opening/closing performances, nationally televised for FOX Television
- NBA Golden State Warriors: dancer 1996/1997 season
- Veteran dance judge for UDA’S National Dance Team Championships and College Dance Nationals in Orlando, FL (as seen on ESPN)
- Veteran judge for NBA Sacramento KINGS Dancers
- Various dance productions nationwide
Tara Cluck - Event Coordinator, Instructor:
Tara Cluck is a native of Lafayette, Colorado, where she started dancing at the age of 3. She began to dance competitively at the age of 10, and began teaching and choreographing at the age of 15. Her strong dance background includes training in hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, ballet, tap, and African. Hired by Universal Dance Association in 2000, Tara quickly became a UDA Head Instructor, NDTC Judge, part of their Core Training Staff, and an honored choreographer. Tara has choreographed for numerous high school and college dance teams across the nation, many of which placed in finals at NDTC in Florida. She is the former Head Coach and Choreographer for the University of Colorado’s Express Dance Team in the 2005-2006 season. In 2006, Tara relocated to Sacramento to begin working with the Sacramento Kings Dance Team. Soon after she began working as an event coordinator for the NBA Sacramento Kings and WNBA Sacramento Monarchs. Tara is very excited to join the HYPE Staff and bring her energy, creativity and enthusiasm to Hype Dance Studio!
Tana Barndollar - Project Coordinator, Instructor:
With over 25 years of dance experience, 10 of those instructing, this will be Tana's 5th season as a part of HYPE’S Staff. At the age of 5 Tana began dancing in her hometown of Topeka, KS at The Dance Factory. At the age of 9 she began competing with Tremaine Dance Conventions, winning many high-honor trophies and scholarships including Best of Show and High Score. At the age of 18 Tana decided she wanted to pass along her knowledge to her students and began choreographing her own competition dances. Tana has danced for the Indoor Football League’s (IFL) The Topeka Knights in 1999 and the Topeka Kings in 2000. In 2001 she was chosen for the dance team The Wizards Girls who performed at professional soccer games for the MLS Kansas City Wizards. Tana then moved to Chico, CA after making the Dance Team for the NBA Sacramento KINGS in 2001. She danced another year for the KINGS in 2003/2004, all while continuing to teach in Chico for HYPE. In October 2006 Tana got married in Mammoth, Ca. Tana is the current coach for HYPE Dance Studio’s Lil Rascals Dance Team who perform at all home games for the Chico Outlaws Baseball Club. She is very excited to begin another record breaking year here at HYPE Dance Studio!
Rachel Rodd - Instructor:
Originally from Fremont California, Rachel began her dancing career at age 3. She has trained in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, and modern but enjoys every style just as much as the other! As a veteran competitor with national competitors Cast and Company the Dance Center in Dublin, CA, Rachel was able to attend a tour of China as a cultural performance exchange. Since then, she has recently graduated from California State University Chico with a Degree in Communication Design: Media Arts and also a minor in Musical Theatre Dance. She has directed the university’s local production Chico Dance Theatre twice, and has also choreographed for the production for 4 years. After dancing with Expressions Dance team and both Fusion College Jazz and Hip Hop companies, Rachel has decided to focus her abilities to choreographing and instructing HYPE’S students. This will be her 4th year teaching at HYPE Dance Studio.
Christina Haber - Instructor:
Originally from Chico CA, Christina has been dancing for over 18 years. Her studies include hip hop, jazz, and ballet. On board with the HYPE staff for her second year, Christina has been a member of HYPE Dance Studio’s award-winning College FUSION Dance Company for 4 years, and continues to work with all of FUSION’S dancers. She is a veteran competitive dancer, competing with the award winning Chico All Stars who captured the National Title at USA’S National Dance Championships in Anaheim, CA. Christina continues her studies and looks forward to another amazing year at HYPE.
Jordan Wise - Instructor:
With over 15 years of dance experience, Jordan has trained in hip hop, jazz, and ballet. She has danced in and continues to assist with Fusion Dance Company over the last 4 years. While studying at CSU Chico, Jordan has been a member and choreographer for Chico Dance Theatre. She has also participated in various local performances including Keeping Dance Alive. Growing up in Chico, Jordan danced and later choreographed/coached for Pleasant Valley High School. She is looking forward to her 3rd year teaching at HYPE Dance Studio.
Laurel Tennant - Instructor:
Laurel Tennant began her classical ballet training at the age of six with Northern California Ballet in Paradise CA. Growing up through the company she had the opportunity to perform many lead roles in large ballet productions. At the age of 12 she was accepted into numerous summer intensive programs around the nation, having the opportunity to train on scholarship with the Houston Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Boston Ballet. Laurel was invited to train with world renowned teachers such as Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall in 2004, and she moved to Seattle WA to continue her dance training in classical ballet as well as modern and jazz. She began teaching ballet at the Seattle school where she instructed levels of all ages. Now that she has returned home, she hopes that her teaching will inspire future dance students to live out their dreams through the art of dance.
Kristin Carmack - Instructor:
With over 17 years of dance experience, Kristin began her dance training at Colleen's Dance Factory in Yuba City, California studying tap, lyrical and jazz. She continued her training at Jacque's Dance Expressions in Yuba City studying ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical. She was one of the captains of her high school dance team, receiving the honor of becoming a two-time Top All American at NDA dance camp. Since moving to Chico, Kristin has been involved in Chico Dance Theater as a dancer, choreographer and director. Kristin has been one of the captains of the Chico State Dance Team, Expressions, for the past two years. Kristin has been on competitive dance teams since she was ten and has traveled all over California and Nevada to compete. Last year she was a member of Hype's College Fusion Dance Team. Kristin has also choreographed for the Chico State Dance Team's Annual Dance Camp, Keeping Dance Alive, Chico State's Choreography Showcase and various other events.
Lindsay Mills - Instructor:
With over 16 years of dance experience, Lindsay has trained in jazz, lyrical, ballet and hip hop. She has been awarded numerous dance scholarships through renowned dance companies, and is a veteran competitive dancer. One of Lindsay’s teachers was Nick Lazzerini and she had the privilege of performing in a trio choreographed by Mia Michaels. Lindsay is a former member of HYPE’S College Fusion Dance Company, both jazz and hip hop. On board now with HYPE’S instructional staff, Lindsay is excited to begin an amazing year of dance at HYPE.
