Our Staff
The staff at Dance Charisma is second to none. Our teachers come from all over the world and bring with them decades of dance experience that ranges from Masters Degrees in Dance Choreography to classical training in ballet to top-level competitors in ballroom competitions all over the world. Continuing education of the staff is of the utmost importance to this staff and they are constantly training and reaching for higher levels of dance.
Whatever your desires in learning to dance, our staff can help you achieve those dreams.
Youth Program
(click on picture to learn more)
Teacher School
(click on picture to learn more)
Children learn the basics of dance, working with the same group of similar-age children each week...
what makes us different
click on the dancers to learn more
Do you love to dance? Do you like to meet new people? Do you like to teach? If so...
Nancy Nies, Director of Dance Charisma, has dedicated her life to ballroom and latin dance. She hails from the Washington, D.C. area and purused a myriad career as a JAG officer in the Air Force to arrive in Las Vegas, where she studied ballroom dance with such champions as 3-time U.S. Smooth Champion David Hamilton, U.S. 9-Dance champion Jim Desmond, U.S. Latin Finalist Marco Mechelke, among others; and received training from numerous other champions such as 12-time U.S. Rhythm Champions Bob Powers and Julia Gorchakova, Latin finalists James and Janna Kunitz, U.S. Standard Champions Brian and Sue Puttock, Champions Victor Veyrasset and Heather Smith, David Wiese, Katia Kozak, Donald Johnson, Nadia Eftedal, and many others. She has competed extensively, and has achieved her status as a Third Place medalists at the U.S. Dancesport Championships as an amateur dancer with her instructor, David Hamilton.
Leon Fernandez has been dancing since he was four years old. He started with latin and hispanic folk dancing, and performing for hundreds of people at a time. He stumbled into ballroom dancing and from the moment he took his first step, he knew this is what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He moved from competing in teen and amateur competitions to teaching, competing, and performing as a professional. He's performed in the hotels on the Las Vegas strip as well as corporate events, parties, schools, and fundraisers. Nothing makes him happier than sharing his joy of dance with other people. Through his lessons he focuses on technicque, physicality, and fun, whether the student is a beginner or advanced. He loves taking anyone's dance ability to the next level.
Jennifer Roberts a Las Vegas native, started to dance at age 6. Her studies were in ballet, jazz, tap, modern dance, voice and musical theatre. She continues to study in these areas. She is obtaining her Dance Degree from UNLV in Dance. She began performing professionally at the young age of 11. Dance is her passion and she loves to share it with others. She has spent her life dancing, teaching, and performing throughout Las Vegas and Flordia. She took up ballroom and latin dance at age 19 and began teaching as a teenager. She has taught for more than 12 years at such places as the College of Southern Nevada, American Dance Studios, and Pensacola Ballroom Studio in Florida. She prides herself at being great with students, children and couples of all ages. Her students rave that they learn extremely quickly in a short amount of time.
Erin Durand comes to Dance Charisma from Los Angelos, California. She began her love for dance at age 6 with ballet and tap. In High School she preformed Tall Flags. Dancing remained a passion growing up. Erin studied belly dancing for 5 years and Expressive Yoga. She then found her place at Dance Charisma where she began studying ballroom dance for the last three years.
* Free Dance Lesson For New Students Only
Copyright © 2009 Dance Charisma
ONLINE SPECIAL 10% OFF YOUR FIRST PRIVATE LESSON. BOOK ONLINE TODAY!
Tour Our Studio
Our Main Dance Floor
One of the faster ways to become proficient on the dance floor is to
take private lessons. At Dance Charisma, we have teachers that can
take care of just about any style of dance that you are interested in
learning. From Waltz to Salsa to Swing, we can handle it. Dance
Charisma's philosophy is that private lessons coupled with group classes
and practice parties give you the variety and personal attention to learn
how to dance your best with anyone, anywhere.
Our Second Dance Floor
When there's just too much activity in one room, we have a large junior ballroom available. Both floors are open for dance during our Friday parties.
Rhonnie Rhea was dancing before she was born. Both her parents were successful ballroom and latin teachers with several schools around the U.S, and she has been dancing and teaching all of her life. No one knows how to teach better than Ronni!
Erich Caron is the most senior staff member at Dance Charisma. He joined the studio in 1996, coming from a successful dance studio in Atlanta, Georgia. He has taught dance for more than 20 years. His methodical, organized style of teaching allows students to absorb practical information that can be put to immediate use on a club dance floor.
Christopher Cannon brings a strong ballet and musical theatre performance background to the ballroom/latin genre. His varied dance experience includes ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics and gymnastics. He danced accompanying Julliard with the Nevada Ballet Theatre. A Las Vegas native, he was selected for the prestigious Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. He performed at the House of Blues and many other venues in Las Vegas, and performed as a youth in an opening number for Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. He competed extensively via his ballet/jazz background at Victor Dru and Tremaine competitions. He has now brought this rich background to Dance Charisma. His positive, upbeat style and ability to break dance moves into simple concepts for his students make him an invaluable teacher.
Nichole Jhayem comes from a belly dance background to bring her performance-quality teaching style to Dance Charisma. She is loved for her strong emphasis on technical accuracy and has students from all over the country seeking her expertise.
Mariano Álvarez is a national and international dancer, teacher and choreographer. Born in Puerto Rico, Mariano pursued his Associate Degree in Dance at the New World School of the Arts in Miami. He also attended Milwaukee Ballet as Apprentice member, Alvin Ailey dance School and the Jose Limón Dance Institute Summer Programs.
His experience as a dancer include Las Vegas shows: Siegfried & Roy, Mirage Hotel, Divine Divas, Main Street Station, Legends In Concert, Imperial Palace, Enter the Night, Stardust Hotel, Pasión Mexicana, Showboat Casino, The Fab Four, MGM Casino, The Darren Romeo Show, Mirage Hotel and The Bellagio Grand Opening. The World Navigation and Illusion shows in Japan. He also danced for The Dance Express, Miami, Milwaukee Ballet and Ballet Randolph, Miami companies, as well as the musicals “Aida,”and “West Side Story
Mariano is currently an instructor of Quinceneras and weddings. Mariano is the Official Choreographer for Quinceneras Magazine in Las Vegas and the Quinceneras EXPO Las Vegas.
Kahalé Zimmermann is a competing professional ballroom dancer that has recently joined our staff. She has been teaching and dancing for most of her life and has been a finalist in many nationally recognized competitions. Having taken many students to various competitions around the country in all levels of dance, she is equipped to teach beginners and advanced dancers alike. She is fully trained in the American Rhythm, American Smooth, International Standard, and International Latin styles as well as the most popular social dances.
Joe Murphy has been dancing for eight years, and has been teaching for 5 years. At 6' 3", he is great for taller women. He has learned to adapt to any height dance partner. He loves to work on the quality of dance with his students, and his personable, friendly smile make him an instant hit with students.
