Francis Tyrell
Artistic Director - Hip Hop
As the former SF Bay Area Director and Choreographer of dance companies Academy of Villains and Young Skull Club, Francis was integral in pioneering their shows at Universal Studios Orlando and California’s Great America. His television experience includes Showtime at the Apollo (FOX, contestant), America’s Got Talent (NBC, contestant), and Fake-Off (TruTv, Season 2 champion). He was also an Assistant Choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) and has choreographed and performed in television specials featured on NBC Bay Area and CBS Bay Area. Internationally, Francis has traveled the world to teach in countries including Russia, China, Philippines, Costa Rica and more. Locally, Francis is a director and choreographer for Hip Hop Nutcracker (Fox Theater) and is deeply involved in the SF Bay Area community, donating his time and talent to support various causes from breast cancer to food insecurity to orphan and vulnerable children in Mozambique.
Alexa DeGraca Rodriguez
Artistic Director - Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, and Musical Theater
Alexa is a passionate dancer, performer, and choreographer. Her 12 years as a competitive dancer drove her interest in joining a professional dance team. She auditioned for the 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders in 2012, and hit the ground running. That year she attended the Super Bowl, countless media events, and received the Rookie of The Year Award. While attending the 2013 Super Bowl, Alexa appeared on the Craig Ferguson Show, Enews, and Good Morning America. She was a captain on the 49ers Gold Rush, and has had the opportunity to help choreograph and set routines for the team. Alexa was selected to represent the San Francisco 49ers as the 2017 Pro Bowl Cheerleader in Orlando Florida. At the 49ers museum in Levis Stadium, Alexa is the host of a virtual reality dance video game. Throughout her five years on the team, she stayed active in the dance community by taking and teaching dance classes. She has set routines for local high school dance and cheer teams. Alexa choreographed for the 2017 Pro Action Dance Prep convention. She has performed with Train, Nico and Vinz, Snoop Dog, E40, and Jordin Sparks. Alexa can be seen in Trains “Mermaid” music video, as well as Clinton Sparks “Gold Rush Girl” video. She made an appearance on the television pilot “Friday Night Impossible” with Jerry Rice on Great American Country Network. She also made an appearance on CSN Bay Area for Sports Net Central. After her time on the 49ers Gold Rush, she signed with the Movement Talent Agency in Los Angeles. During her time in Los Angeles, she trained in many dance styles with some of the industry’s top choreographers and pursued her commercial dance dreams. She landed the lead role in a commercial for JustFab shoes, and also stared in a commercial for a local gym and spa. Alexa is the Artistic Director of our popular DC Performing Company, and also directs the 49er GoldRush Cheerleaders.
Melissa Tannus
Artistic Director - Tap
Cited as one of “Tap’s Leading Ladies” by Dance Spirit Magazine, Melissa Tannús is a world renowned professional tap dancer, teacher and choreographer. Born in Brazil, Melissa trained at Studio Uai Q Dança and toured the country as a member of Christiane Matallo’s tap company and the band O Teatro Mágico. Her talent and dedication were quickly noticed by acclaimed teachers who awarded her with scholarships to train in the United States. Eventually, she decided to move to Los Angeles to follow her dream of becoming a professional tap dancer. Throughout her career, Melissa was lucky enough to integrate world-renowned tap companies such as Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, Tapestry Dance Company, Sarah Reich’s Tap Music Project, Melinda Sullivan Dance Project, Co.MMIT and Rhythmic Tap Co. Other performance credits include Universal Studios Hollywood, US Open, Democratic National Convention, Staples Center and more. Melissa’s TV credits include The Late Late Show, America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, Good Day LA and several other local news shows. She was also featured in articles on the New York Times, LA Times, DanceSpirit Magazine, Dance Magazine and many other renowned blogs. Furthermore, Melissa was seen on Visa Commercial “What’s Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals”. One of her greatest passions is to share her love for tap dance, and she has taught in tap festivals and studios all around the world including cities like: Sydney, London, Norwich, Santiago, Portland, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and more. She has also choreographed for companies such as Footnotes Tap Ensemble, Reverb Tap Company and Sole Talk Youth. Lastly, Melissa’s credits also includes directing adult dance companies like Tapestry Too and her own company, Tap Com Mel. Melissa continues to travel the world tap dancing and aims to inspire young dancers to go after their dreams, like she did.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Peter Hershey
Artistic Director - Ballet
Peter received his early training at the Seiskaya Ballet Academy in St. James, New York. He went on to attend both the School of American Ballet and The Juilliard School, as well as studying under New York-based teachers Francis Patrelle and Johan Renvall. As a member of Ballet San Jose, Peter was best known for dancing the role of Johnny in Dennis Nahat's Blue Suede Shoes. His repertoire also included principal roles in The Nutcracker and Rodeo, as well as roles in works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Jessica Lang, Donald McKayle, Dennis Nahat, Twyla Tharp, and Stanton Welch. Peter also danced for Company C Contemporary Ballet and Menlowe Ballet, where he was featured in works by Charles Anderson, Val Caniparoli, Maurice Causey, Gregory Dawson, Susan Jaffe, Michael Lowe, Charles Moulton, and Yuri Zhukov. Peter has been teaching ballet in the Bay Area for over twenty years, and brings a passion for dance to his role as Ballet Director. He has taught for various schools and companies including Ballet San Jose School, Company C, Menlo Park Academy of Dance, Santa Clara Ballet, and Western Ballet, and is on the faculty of the Summer Dance Lab at Whitman College. As a teacher, Peter is regarded for his attention to speed and movement dynamics, as well as his unique musical sensibility.