Meet our Teaching Artists
Karen Gladis, Director
Hello, my name is Karen Gladis, and I have been a professional dance educator for 30 years. I am so excited to bring more dance education out here to the hi desert!
Additionally, I am the mother of a very creative teenager and college student! Being a parent has given me a fresh perspective on my teaching that I never dreamed of. I would like to share this insight with fellow parents of dancers and prospective new students.
I have learned a great deal from teaching dance to children. My students have been the inspiration for all of my creative ideas in some way or another. When choosing a dance class for your child, ensure that the teachers and staff are friendly, inclusive and warm, and also teach the building blocks of dance structure and technique. Yes, you can have both! :) A great arts educator both inspires creativity and joy of movement, and also empowers your child to be confident and expressive.
Our highly trained teaching artists provide solid curriculum and creative choreography in a positive, professional environment. Our dancers have the opportunity to perform on stage in our annual performances and at community events like the Dance Mojave Nutcracker. Here at TTDC, we strive to be a place where you can grow your technique, artistry, and performance skills, all while encouraging our dancers to be goal-oriented, hardworking, and gracious. Above all, the staff at TTDC works hard to create a place where ALL dancers from ALL backgrounds and ALL skill levels are welcome!
Our Early Childhood program serves as the building blocks for TTDC.
Through our intentionally designed early childhood curriculum, our goal as educators is to encourage multiple intelligences, a growth mindset, social-emotional learning, and cultural relevance, in addition to technique and vocabulary, setting our young movers up for early dance experiences that are inclusive, accessible, creative, and, most importantly, FUN!
Crissy VanAllsburg, Instructor
I'm excited to bring my 40+ years of experience of teaching and movement to Twinkle Toes Dance Company. As a professional commercial dancer I've worked throughout the US and internationally. Including Pepsi , Universal Studios, MadTV, El Capitan Theatre, Disneyland and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines just to name a few! I cannot wait to share my experiences and passion for dance with you all!
Lucia Joyce, Instructor
Lucia Joyce is a multi-disciplinary dance artist originally from Alberta, Canada. Favorite professional dance credits include the 42nd Street and Sweet Charity National Tours, iLuminate at New World Stages off Broadway and on tour in Malaysia & Kuwait. She was one of the first women to perform on a stage in modern Saudi Arabia. She has taught jazz, hip hop, musical theater, and contemporary in Canada, New York, Los Angeles, Nevada, Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, and on international waters. You can currently catch her teaching adult dance for self-care and performing with Red Light Lit in the California High Desert.
Elena Ricci, Instructor
Elena Ricci is an artist, anthropologist, and educator residing in California’s high desert. Originally from Massachusetts, she has fifteen years of dance training with a focus on ballet and jazz. For the past twenty years, Elena has gained invaluable experience working with children and teens in various educational settings. She has worked as a Montessori classroom assistant, a homeschool teacher, a private nanny, an arts workshop educator, and a camp counselor, mentoring students from ages two to sixteen. Elena is excited to incorporate her love of dance into her role as an educator, and looks forward to teaching and learning in the studio.
Lara Bennett, Instructor
Lara Bennett is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor with over 20 years of training in ballet, lyrical, and character dance, as well as meditation and gymnastics. She grew up on the northeast side of the Mojave Desert, where her teachers were Las Vegas entertainers and professional dancers. She comes from a long line of teachers, and believes that it's never too early or too late to start dancing!