Home Class Offerings Staff Profiles Tuition Recital 2009 Workshops Photo Gallery Contact Us		About Ev-leen's Dance Studio Ev-leen's Dance Studio is owned and directed by Eve-lyne Thomas. Eve-lyne has been dancing her entire life. Her father worked for the Belgian government in Rwanda, Africa, and Eve-lyne was born and lived there until about age 9. Consequently, French is Eve-lyne's first language. She began Ballet lessons while in Africa. Her family then moved to the Bay Area where she began her ballet education in the Vaganova style of Russian Ballet, as well as trying to pick up the English language. At age 12, she moved to Fresno and remained there until she left for college. She is a former member and soloist for the Fresno Civic Ballet Company. Dance continued to be the center of her life. Eventually she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts, founded by Walt Disney. It was there that she discovered Contemporary Dance and honed her personal dance style further. She went on to earn a Masters degree in Dance Education from San Jose University. Eve-lyne began formally teaching in Caracas, Venezuela. She opened her own studio when she came to Bakersfield in 1981. Since moving to Bakersfield she has been a dance consultant for the Performing Arts Magnet Program, a participant in the Community Connection for Child Care Services, "Children's Day of Exploring the Arts". She has been awarded "International Woman of the Year in Arts in Kern County" as well as "Best Innovative Dance Choreographer, by the Arts Council of Kern County. Eve-lyne has also been the dance instructor at Bakersfield College since 1981. Eve-lyne has been passing on her love and knowledge of dance to local dancers young and old for the last 25 years. For Eve-lyne, the students come first. She teaches dance with enthusiasm and a passion for the art. Eve-lyne chooses the staff for her studio very carefully, requiring them to finish a training process before they have their own class to instruct. Her instructors have a wide variety of backgrounds and dance experiences. Young adults and teens have the opportunity to take Jazz, Hip-Hop, Cheer, Tap and Ballet while learning flexibility, tumbling, splits and other exciting movements. For younger children, Eve-lyne emphasizes learning the basic fundamentals with correct technique and forming good dance habits. Eve-lyne's philosophies for teaching young children include learning through play. Children learn by performing fun exercises which teach understanding rhythm, learning how to take turns, following directions, respecting fellow students, and listening skills. Eve-lyne seeks to develop the whole child: emotionally, physically and mentally. Children leave classes at Ev-leen's with better self esteem and a variety of motor skills and improved coordination. Eve-lyne genuinely loves and enjoys watching the children develop and grow during their instruction at her studio. Eve-lyne takes pride in her well trained professional staff. She is pleased to introduce the following instructors for her studio: Kelly Barker Kelly began dancing with Georgia Lynn as a pre-teen, and after many years of not dancing, found dance again with Eve-lyne at B.C. in 1995. In 1996 she began assisting with the Tiny Tots classes at Ev-leen’s Dance Studio. Soon after, she expressed an interest in teaching a teen jazz class. 12 years and 2 babies later, Kelly is still dancing at Ev-leen’s. Her current role at the studio is assistant/consultant to Eve-lyne, and choreographer for special projects for experienced teen/adult dancers and performers. She specializes in Contemporary choreography as well as Lyrical and Jazz. Kelly is absolutely passionate about dance as an art form. She strives to inspire, open minds, promote self esteem, and break down boundaries. Noxochitzin Cordero "Noxo" (pronounced "Nocho") brings over ten years of teaching experience to Ev-Leen's Dance Studio. She teaches a variety of dance and exercise styles tin Bakersfield at a number of studios and gyms. Her styles include: ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, belly dancing, yoga and pilates. Miss Cordero has also worked for Thorner Elementary's Performing Arts Magnet Program since 2006, initially teaching tap and now ballet and yoga, K-6. Noxo holds an Associate of Arts degree in Philosophy from Bakersfield College, as well as certifications in group exercise and Zumba. She is a choreographer for hire and looks forward to many more years of teaching and dancing. Mallory Gary Mallory is 21 and has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She takes pride in being able to pass along the beautiful art of dance to the next generation with her unique style and creative choreography. Mallory has been teaching at Ev-leen's for 3 years. She danced at Dancer's Workshop for 10 years (tap, ballet & jazz), as well as Studio Del Sol. She was a cheerleader for 3 years at BHS and she also cheered for the Bakersfield Blitz Arena Football Team for 2 years. Mallory has taught Hip Hop, Jazz, and Cheer for Ev-leen’s. Candance Lynch Candace is 26 and started teaching for Ms. Ev-leen in 2005. She stopped teaching in 2006 after having her first child. Candace has danced on and off since the age of 3, starting at Dance Steps Studio and then at Dancers Workshop, then at Ev-leen's Dance Studio. She took ballet, modern and Jazz classes with Ev-leen at BC. Candace enjoys working with children. She has 24 units in child development and has 4 years of preschool teaching experience. Candace is now a stay at home Mom with two young children. She is very excited and happy to be back "home" at Ev-leen's Dance Studio. Sarah Sakina Kurani Sarah Sakina Kurani (goes by Sakina) began dancing at the age of four, in the state of Alaska. She has been teaching all over the west coast for 16 years. She has extensive training in jazz, ballet, modern, acrobatics and expressive movement for actors. Her forte, and real love in the dance world, is tap. She is new to Bakersfield and has been teaching at Ev-leen's since January 2008. She currently teaches the Tiny Tots. Before coming to Bakersfield she spent a few years as a professional performer and dancer for various companies and ad campaigns. She is very excited to be here in Bakersfield and looks forward to sharing in all the fun and dancing there is to be done in the city! Olimpia Olimpia Cabri Frederick (some people call her Olee), was born in Fresno, California May 25th 1986 and raised in Bakersfield, California. She attended West High School and graduated in 2004. At West, she was the choreographer and leader of the rally hip-hop dance team, which performed at various events. She also worked as an after school program activity leader at Washington Jr. High School, where she eventually became the after school cheerleading coach. She has always loved performing, despite her shyness. Dance is how she expresses herself and she describes it as "a burst of different kinds of emotions released in a physical way"