WELCOME TO THE SAN BENITO DANCE CONNECTION!
MEET OUR dance family
Amy Redmond Waran
Owner/Artistic Director
Amy is a Hollister native whose passion for dance began at age 5. Over the past 30 plus years she has trained in several dance styles including: Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, Afro Haitian and Samba. Her early dance training focused mainly on ballet. She studied ballet at The Mainstreet Ballet Studio in Hollister, California under the instruction of Ariel Hall and at The Academy of Classical Ballet in Sonora, California under the instruction of Suzanne Stalley-Katsarsky (former soloist for the San Francisco Ballet). In 2000 she received a scholarship from the San Benito County Arts Commission; Ms. Redmond was the first recipient of this performing arts scholarship in San Benito County. Amy holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a M.F.A. in Dance Choreography and Performance from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
After graduation from UHM she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. While living in the Bay Area she was an active member of two dance companies; Malia Movement Company and On Three Dance Company. In June of 2010 she completed a comprehensive Pilates teacher training course at Turning Point Studios in Walnut Creek, CA. Amy has taught Pilates both out of her home and at various studios/gyms around the East Bay Area.
For the past several years Amy has had the pleasure of teaching dance to children of all ages. Her classes for children focus on teaching proper technique in a disciplined environment that is encouraging and supportive. Amy's compassion and enthusiasm, combined with her education in anatomy and kinesiology, create a class environment that is not only fun, but also safe and effective.
From 2014 - 2018, Amy served on the board of directors for the San Benito Stage Company. She has choreographed 3 musicals for SBSC and is the Broadway Dance Pathway director for the SBSC Summer Theatre Camp. In 2022 she choreographed the San Benito High Schools production of The Addam's Family. Amy is a certified Zumba and Zumba Kids instructor. In 2017 Amy became a certified Intellidance instructor and completed a teaching practicum in order to make Flying Colors a licensed Intellidance facility. She is excited to bring this wonderful early childhood movement program to the Hollister community.
Owner/Managing Director
Artistic Director
Amy Redmond Waran
Elizabeth Mendoza
Amy is a Hollister native whose passion for dance began at age 5. Over the past 30 plus years she has trained in several dance styles including: Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, Afro Haitian and Samba. Her early dance training focused mainly on ballet. She studied ballet at The Mainstreet Ballet Studio in Hollister, California under the instruction of Ariel Hall and at The Academy of Classical Ballet in Sonora, California under the instruction of Suzanne Stalley-Katsarsky (former soloist for the San Francisco Ballet). In 2000 she received a scholarship from the San Benito County Arts Commission; Ms. Redmond was the first recipient of this performing arts scholarship in San Benito County. Amy holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a M.F.A. in Dance Choreography and Performance from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
After graduation from UHM she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. While living in the Bay Area she was an active member of two dance companies; Malia Movement Company and On Three Dance Company. In June of 2010 she completed a comprehensive Pilates teacher training course at Turning Point Studios in Walnut Creek, CA. Amy has taught Pilates both out of her home and at various studios/gyms around the East Bay Area.
For the past several years Amy has had the pleasure of teaching dance to children of all ages. Her classes for children focus on teaching proper technique in a disciplined environment that is encouraging and supportive. Amy's compassion and enthusiasm, combined with her education in anatomy and kinesiology, create a class environment that is not only fun, but also safe and effective.
From 2014 - 2018, Amy served on the board of directors for the San Benito Stage Company. She has choreographed 3 musicals for SBSC and has been the Dance Director for SBSC's Summer Theatre Camp since 2018. She also choreographed 2 musicals for Hollister High School, The Addam's Family and Rock of Ages. Amy is a certified Zumba and Zumba Kids instructor. In 2017 Amy became a certified Intellidance instructor.
In the fall of 2013 she opened Flying Colors Dance & Fitness in a small 1 room studio off Fallon Road in Hollister. Since then FCD has grown to include 2 locations, a performance team, and a competitive program. In the summer of 2023 she became the new owner of San Benito Dance Academy.
Amy is excited for the future of dance education in San Benito County. She looks forward to continuing to grow the quality programs that Flying Colors and San Benito Dance Academy have to offer.
Ms. Elizabeth is a San Benito Dance Academy alumnus and trained dance professional. She started her early dance training at the age of 3 at San Benito Dance Academy, and later trained at the New Ballet School focusing on ABT ballet curriculum for several years in addition to SBDA's continued training. After graduating high school in 2018 she continued her professional dance training in New York City as a Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Trainee. She is a graduate of the Alonzo King Lines Ballet training program in San Francisco. She learned from world-class faculty, including Alonzo King, and former and current LINES Ballet company members. At LINES, she focused on ballet, improvisation, LINES rep, Contemporary, and neoclassical ballet.
Elizabeth's involvement in SBDA has remained consistent for the last 20 years, even prior to it having its name! In her time studying dance elsewhere she still always found herself at every SBDA show, as a guest performer, volunteer, or choreographer. She have performed in 13 productions of SBDA’s The Nutcracker, but has also been involved with all 15 productions in some way. In 2022, she worked as Assistant Director of SBDA's annual Nutcracker. In 2023 Elizabeth became SBDA's Artistic Director. When asked about her new role, Elizabeth stated, "Stepping into this new position as the Dance Director is such a full circle moment for me and it feels so right. I couldn’t be more excited for what's to come."
Billing/Office Manager
Alisa Vass
Alisa Vass graduated from SJSU in 2000 with a degree in Psychology and minored in Business and Communications. She came to SBDA in 2007 when her eldest daughter began dancing with SBDA as a Petite Dancer.
In 2014, Alisa was blessed with the opportunity to do the bookkeeping for SBDA, which includes but not limited to handling all things related to tuition, membership fees, dancer account reconciliation, and inventory and merchandise accounting. Alisa also helps with several administrative support projects. Talking with dancer families and getting to know them and their needs is always a highlight in working at the studio. SBDA is a family centered studio that Alisa and her family are proud to be a part of.
Instructional Staff
Casandra Guerrero Teen Ballet, Ballet 4, Ballet 3A Ms. Casandra received formal ballet training since the age of seven at Lareen Fender’s The Ballet School, advancing to the Ballet Joyeaux company, and performing in its productions. She has a theatre background, including Center Rep's professional theatre training program, Young Rep, and has performed in shows such as “Grease” and “West Side Story.” Ms. Casandra continued to study dance and theatre at UC Santa Cruz and performed with International Academy of Dance in their production of The Nutcracker (while pregnant with her firstborn). Ms. Casandra has been part of the SBDA family since 2016 and has performed in SBDA’s Nutcracker every year since her daughters have started dancing. She is passionate about using her theatre and character development expertise with young and advanced dancers.
Angela Avila Ballet 5, 6 and 7 Ms. Angela was a professional ballet dancer with the Hartford Ballet, Richmond Ballet and the Israeli Ballet. She has taught at ballet schools across the country, and joined the SBDA instructor team in 2020. She currently instructs advanced ballet and pointe dancers in levels 5, 6 & 7, and has a daughter, Izzy, who is in Ballet Level 6 this year.
Jennifer Hunter Ballet 3a and 4, Zumba Kids, Creative Movement, Competitive Team
Leslie Hoffman Beginning Adult Ballet
Ryan Sims Jazz 4 & 5, Teen Jazz, Jazz/Tumbling, Competition Team
Chelcie Bielejec Ballet 2
Raeann Collison Tap 2, 3 and 4
Krisuan Rosalejos Hip Hop 1, 2 and 3
Hilary Sharp Acro 2, 3, 4 and 5, Hip hop Minis, Spectra Dance Team & Competitive Teams
Stephanie Hicks Ballet 4
Sandra Mirrione Nutcracker Spanish Choreographer/Sub Instrutor
STUDENT TEACHERS
