Our Story:
In 2004, Livermore School of Dance was created by Liz Roberts and Shelly Schoendienst in Livermore, California. Their dream was to create a place where dancers of all ages could come and dance and feel great about themselves. It has always been our studio’s primary goal to build self-confidence in all our dancers while teaching them proper technique in a safe and comforting environment. We offer classes for dancers ages 1 ½ through adult from the beginning through advanced levels in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, modern and improv, musical theater, tap, floor barre, tumbling, and creative movement. Our studio is noncompetitive and offers multiple performance opportunities a year. Almost 20 years later, Liz and Shelly have finally taken their much-deserved retirement and Brittany Lee, one of their first students, is the owner and director. Livermore School of Dance is proud to continue providing a supportive and nurturing environment for our dancers to grow and learn. We hope that every time a dancer walks out of our studio door, they have a smile on their face!
Interested in joining our team? Email us at livermoredance@gmail.com!
Our Team:
Brittany (Bond-Braatz) Lee
Brittany Lee began dancing at the age of four after watching the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker.” Determined to be part of her own performances, Brittany started taking dance classes beginning in ballet but expanding to include modern, jazz, lyrical, improv, musical theater, contemporary, and tap. Brittany was one of Livermore School of Dance’s first students, and she soon fell in love with the supportive environment and dance family that Liz Roberts and Shelly Schoendienst created. Unable to give up on her passion after graduating high school, Brittany majored in English and Dance at San José State University. She was a part of SJSU’s contemporary dance company, UDT (University Dance Theater) and went on to earn her BFA in Dance, as well as the award of “Outstanding Graduating Senior.” Brittany also began teaching at LSOD and discovered her true love and passion for it. Brittany is honored to be able to continue Liz and Shelly’s legacy by providing a nurturing environment for the next generation of dancers at Livermore School of Dance!
Director and Owner
Lauren Antony
Lauren Antony began dancing at the age of 3 and has danced at LSOD since the age of 4. She has trained with Livermore School of dance for over 10 years in the ballet division and danced with Le Tableau Magnifique Ballet company for 3 seasons. During her time at LSOD, her favorite memory is when she earned her first solo as “young Maleficent” in the production of Maleficent. In her free time, she trains at San Francisco Ballet where she takes class alongside other students and professionals. After graduating high school in 2024, Lauren plans to transfer from Las Positas College to a UC where she will graduate with a degree in business. Ballet is one of Lauren’s biggest passions in life, and she is so excited to share her knowledge and experience with all her students!
Megan Blatt
Megan (Bahr) Blatt started dancing at the age of 11. Inspired by watching The Nutcracker, she fell in love with ballet and immediately started training at Livermore School of Dance. As a student at LSOD, Megan earned two solo roles. She also danced in six seasons with Le Tableau Magnifique ballet company in which she had the honor of being the Snow Queen in 2017. In addition to LSOD, she participated in summer intensives with City Ballet San Francisco and Diablo Ballet School and spent a full year training with Diablo Ballet School. After graduating high school in 2016, Megan continued dancing at LSOD while obtaining three AA degrees at Las Positas College. She has enjoyed helping kids since she was 12, such as assisting with ballet classes, babysitting, volunteering in the community, and working as a teacher’s aide at a private school. Recently, her husband introduced her to country line and swing dancing, which has become a hobby of theirs. Megan is a firm believer that it is never too late to start a new skill.
She is so excited to continue to share her knowledge and passion for ballet with her students.
Chalayna Bergh
Chalayna Bergh began dancing at the age of 4 and performed in tap and ballet. Then at 11 years old, she went back to studio dance. Chalayna has trained in jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop, and has competed in several dance competitions. Her team even appeared on the show Dance Moms with Abby Lee Miller’s team. Chalayna received second place overall for her solo at KAR Nationals. When she began high school, Chalayna decided she wanted to join the LHS dance team, and made varsity her freshman year. During her 4 years on the dance team she mainly performed in jazz, pom and hip hop. For her junior year Chalayna was team choreographer. In her senior year of high school she was named team captain where Chalyana led, choreographed, and taught several routines. After graduating in 2020 she started her education at Las Positas college majoring in Child and Adolescent Development, and also worked at a preschool as an assistant teacher. Chalayna had a baby in 2022 and decided to stay home with her son for his first 10 months before receiving her Associates Degree in 2023. Dance has always been Chalayna’s passion and she knew she wanted to start teaching again. She is excited to be teaching at Livermore School of Dance.
Alaina Braatz
Alaina Braatz began dancing ballet at the age of 3. At the age of 8, she added classes in tap & jazz to her repertoire. Alaina was one of Livermore School of Dance’s founding students in their opening year of 2004. Throughout the years, Alaina has also studied hip hop, acrobatics, modern, and contemporary dance. In 2011, Alaina transitioned from dance student to dance instructor and discovered her love for teaching. She took a brief hiatus from dancing to pursue one of her other passions, firefighting. Her favorite role at Livermore School of Dance was her solo as “The Beast” in Beauty & The Beast in 2009. Alaina is so very excited to be coming back as a teacher at LSoD!
Jordan Higby
Jordan Higby began dancing at the age of 6 in 2005 at LSOD and has loved every minute of it! During her time as a student, she had the opportunity to perform a myriad of solo roles, but her favorite role will always be Peter Pan (Return to Neverland 2016), closely followed by The Mad Hatter (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 2015). Jordan spent her teenage years as a teacher’s assistant for classes ranging from creative movement through level 3 here at LSOD, and it was then that her dream to become a dance teacher was born.
After graduating high school, Jordan earned her certification and licensure in Phlebotomy from Contra Costa Medical Career College. She then began her undergraduate degree, while continuing to focus on improving her ballet technique and skill set at every opportunity. She graduated from California Baptist University (CBU) with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies in 2022, and a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication in 2024.
LSOD has helped shape Jordan into the person that she is today and she is incredibly grateful to be on staff with so many wonderful teachers, and to be doing what she loves: sharing the beautiful art of dance with the next generation of dancers! Seeing her students each week never fails to bring a smile to her face!
Gabrielle Ivey
Gabrielle Ivey started dancing at the age of 10 in Central Florida. She received her core ballet training from former Joffrey, Kirov, Orlando, and Dance Alive National Ballet dancers. While highly focused in ballet, Mrs. Ivey rounded out her studies through modern, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and tap training at her home studio. Her proudest achievement in her thirteen years of training was acceptance to The Ailey School’s Professional Division Certificate Program in New York City. There, Mrs. Ivey studied ballet, Horton, Graham, jazz, tap, and West African techniques under the direction of world class instructors. Returning home from NYC, Mrs. Ivey danced professionally as a soloist in Dawn Branch Works, a modern ballet company in Orlando, Florida.
Mrs. Ivey has over ten years of experience teaching a variety of dance techniques, including ballet, modern, lyrical, tap, jazz, and creative movement. Some of her most recent students have accepted invitations to Point Park University, The Julliard School, and Nashville Ballet II. Mrs. Ivey strives to provide a supportive learning environment where students feel empowered to grow, learn, and pursue their dreams.
Rachel Kuczynski
Rachel Kuczynski grew up in Northern California and started her training as a competitive gymnast and track athlete, earning statewide awards in both disciplines. She extensively studied ballet, jazz, modern, and tap at the Academy of Performing Arts in her hometown. At age 18 she was one of the 10 dancers selected in California to study in the summer program and internship at Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in NYC. She then went on to California State University of Long Beach on a Track & Field scholarship, majoring in and acquiring a B.A. in Dance. After college she moved to New York to pursue her dance career. Rachel has also studied with the Long Beach Ballet Academy, Atlanta School of Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She has performed works by Martha Graham, Susan Mclain,”Gruisin Suite” by Frank Chavez and “Requiem” by Jacqulyn Buglisi. She was also one of the first dancers to perform “Table of Silence,” a meditative dance in remembrance of 911, at The Lincoln Center in NYC. Her other works include choreographing for The Nutcracker in SF and LA, commercial work, fitness teaching and modeling, dancing and touring with The Modarts Dance Company, based in New York, and traveling with the off Broadway show, “Dancing Queen,” by Spirit Productions. She is a highly acclaimed Jazz choreographer and has produced works all throughout California and currently travels teaching, judging and choreographing for the next generation of dancers. It is her personal goal to show the youth that you can pursue your dreams of being a dancer and find success!
Avery Lungu
Avery Lungu has been a dancer at Livermore School of Dance since she was 5 years old. She has been training in various styles of dance throughout her life and has grown a very strong passion for dance. Her styles include ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, modern, and more! She is a very bubbly person and loves a good laugh and making others feel comfortable in the studio. She has performed many solo roles with Livermore School of Dance’s Ballet and Jazz Companies, and you may recognize her as the villainous Hans from our 2026 production of A Frozen Tale. She is so excited to share her love for dance with her students and help them learn things they have never before!
Chloe Nicosia-Shapiro
Chloe Nicosia-Shapiro is a passionate and dedicated dance instructor with a rich background in ballet, pointe, jazz, musical theater, and hip hop. She has performed lead roles in ballets such as Coppélia, Swan Lake, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Chloe began her teaching journey in 2011 at Livermore School of Dance. She cherishes the close-knit, supportive atmosphere of our community, and loves sharing her expertise and enthusiasm for dance with students of all ages—from 18 months to adults, and from beginners to advanced dancers. Chloe excels at creating a welcoming environment where students feel encouraged and empowered. Her instruction focuses not only on technique but also on building a deep understanding of dance—from vocabulary to correct body alignment. Chloe believes dance should be fun and joyful while maintaining a strong technical foundation, and she strives to foster this balance in every class. Committed to ongoing growth, Chloe remains an active student, regularly taking classes and attending events like the Dance Teacher Summit in 2016 and 2018. In addition to her work at Livermore School of Dance, Chloe also enjoys choreographing for community theater productions, further expanding her creative expression and passion for dance in diverse settings. One of Chloe’s greatest joys is watching her students discover and nurture their own passion for dance. Her love for teaching and the art of dance has been a constant throughout her life, and she finds immense fulfillment in helping students thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
Brenna Richards
Brenna Richards began dancing in 1988 at Pam Gibson’s Dance Studio in Pleasanton, CA. During her time at Pam Gibsons she had the privilege of taking tap, jazz, and ballet lessons. Brenna participated in competitive dance for thirteen years, earning 1st place at many State and National dance competitions. She took ballet lessons as Valley Dance Theatre for 15 years, dancing in many Nutcrackers as Spanish Chocolate. Her favorite style of dance was always and remains to be tap dance. She started teaching and choreographing in 2001, in which she discovered her deepest passion within dance. Since then attended teaching seminars at Tremaine, Pactific Northwest Ballet Company, and Dance Teachers Summit. She continues to grow and expand her dance teaching and tap dance skills on a regular basis. Brenna believes that dance teaches kids of all ages invaluable life skills like perseverance, dedication and discipline.
Natalie Rose
Natalie Rose is a recent graduate from San Jose State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies Teaching Preparation. Her dance journey started at age 6 at Livermore School of Dance, where she began taking jazz classes. Throughout her experience as a dancer at LSOD, she participated in jazz, musical theater, contemporary/lyrical, modern, hip hop, and tap. Many of her favorite memories include being at the studio surrounded by some of her best friends and putting endless hours into new choreography, technique, and skills. She took advantage of nearly every master class and additional performance opportunity. She assisted in several jazz classes during her high school years and found a love for teaching dance. Through her undergraduate program, she was able to learn how to provide a nourishing classroom environment where students can be introduced to new skills through compassionate and disciplined teaching strategies. She hopes that her love for dance will inspire and extend to her students! Upon completing her Master’s of Education and teaching credential program at the end of 2026, she hopes to be an elementary school teacher and continue her passion for teaching.
Derek Sakakura
Derek Sakakura is a 20-year professional dance veteran whose career stops include: the Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Met, Ballet Austin, Diablo Ballet, SF Opera Ballet, and Menlowe Ballet. During his career, he has been a part of the cast of the Broadway National Tour of “The King and I” and has played Bernardo in Woodminster Theater’s Equity production of “A West Side Story.” Teaching has been a natural extension of Mr. Sakakura’s love of dance for the past 30 years. Having trained at San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, and with numerous coaches in New York, his teaching philosophy is, “Be the teacher you always wish you had.” Recent students have been accepted to Juilliard, NYU, and North Carolina School of the Arts.
LaTonya Watts
LaTonya Watts has worked with several famous directors and choreographers to pursue her passion. She has directed and choreographed many theatrical performances for some of the Bay Area’s popular theatrical companies. Her work includes: Taming of the Shrew; Romeo & Juliet; The Wiz; Grease; Pippin; Oedipus; Cinderella; Macbeth; Dreamgirls; Blackballin; Once Upon This Island, Chicago (2011 SFBATCC and Shellie Awards nominee for Best Choreographer); West Side Story; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Hairspray; Life Could be a Dream; 9 to 5; Rent; Hedwig and the Angry Inch; The Robber Bridegroom; Night of January 16th; A Trip Down Broadway (2016 Shellie Award winner for Best Choreographer); Aladdin; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Arsenic and Old Lace; Urinetown, the Musical; Rumors; You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown; Moon Over Buffalo (2018 Shellie Award winner for Best Director); The 1940s Radio Hour; Lend Me a Tenor; Once Upon a Mattress; The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Zombie Prom; The Savannah Sipping Society, School House Rock, jr., Young Frankenstein, Freaky Friday, A Raisin in the Sun, Fences, Dreamgirls, Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits and Annie Jr.. She was a recipient of the 2018 Women of Distinction Award from the Soroptimist International Organization and in 2022, she was inducted into the Pittsburg California Entertainment and Arts Hall of Fame.