Nikki Tavares
Performing Company Director
Nikki began her dance training at the age of 2 with top studios such as San Diego Dance Center and Rising Star Dance Company. She has been a part of the dance world for over 20 years as a Dancer, Choreographer, Instructor, and Director. As a competition dancer of 14 years, Nikki distinguished herself by receiving various overall and highpoint awards with competitions such as KAR, Showstopper, Bravo, Hall Of Fame, Starbound, Star Systems, Revolution, Rainbow, Showbiz and so many more nationally ranked competitions. Nikki is technically trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, hip hop, tumbling, and acrobatics. Being a competition dancer for so long it was only natural for her to have a deep passion to teach/choreograph her competitive team/numbers. She has been teaching and directing competitive dance for over 10 years and has been the competition program director for various studios helping to build a strong technical and passionate group of competitive dancers. Her jazz, tap, and contemporary solos, duos, and groups have gone on to win high honors such as Industry Dance Awards, Top Choreographer Awards, countless Overall high scores, Best In The West as well as many judges’ awards. After directing for various studios worldwide Nikki then made her ultimate dream come true by opening Notion Dance Concepts in 2017. As the Owner and Director of Notion Dance Concepts in Carlsbad CA, she was able to train and inspire her own company of dancers in various styles. Sharing her passion and creative drive with her studio members is her biggest and most profound accomplishment. In late 2022 Nikki chose to take a different path and relocate to the Bay Area accepting a position with a dance brand, CAPEZIO. It has allowed her to spread her love and knowledge to a whole wider audience of dancers nationwide. She also judges for various competitions and now gets to direct and lead training programs in both Southern and Northern California.
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.
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
Honorary PADCYE Director and Guest Choreographer
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, and 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 49er’s 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 starred in a commercial for a local gym and spa. Alexa directed the 49er GoldRush Cheerleaders and was a longtime DCPC director.