Our Staff

Sean and Brandi Nichols have lived in Bend since 2009, and during that time, got married, had three children, and finished up a few degrees: Brandi–a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree in teaching from George Fox University; Sean–a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oregon State University.

Sean has years of experience in several industries, including hospitality management, construction, golf course maintenance, general landscape maintenance and irrigation. In addition to assisting his wife own and operate GDSC, Sean is also the proud owner of Nichols Landscape Maintenance!

Brandi began her journey at Dance & All That Jazz (DAATJ) in Newport, Oregon at age 7. She focused on tap, but then progressed to jazz and ballet shortly thereafter. While at DAATJ, she became a “T.J. Hoofer”–a coveted position for dancers in the area–and studied under master dancers J.T. Horenstein, New York Broadway Dance Center instructor, and Bill Prudich, Edge Performing Arts Center Executive Director. She attended several L.A. Dance Force (LADF) conventions in Washington, which lead to a showcase piece, and a silver medal for Tap 4’s advanced tap number. She then received the privilege to teach at DAATJ as a student instructor. Along with dancing and teaching 10+ hours a week, she delved into a bit of local theater and landed the leading role of “Sandy” in Grease her senior year of high school.

Dee Dee Burzynski is a well-rounded and prestigious instructor. Her instruction focuses on dancer technique, skill- and performance-quality development. With her background, she is very conscientious and proactive about teaching her students proper technique and body mechanics for injury prevention.

She began her dance training at the age of 8 with Chitwood Studio of Dance in Roseburg, Oregon, where she studied classical ballet, pointe, jazz and tap. She continued her professional training with Pacific Northwest Ballet; Keith Martin Ballet; San Francisco Ballet; and Marin Ballet.

Ashley Elizabeth Gaona (a.k.a. A.G.) was born and raised in Bend, Oregon. In elementary school, she discovered a love for music when she took part in daily music lessons and yearly plays. Ashley was involved in the Youth Choir of Central Oregon, jazz choir in middle and high school, and started taking hip hop classes at Gotta Dance Studio and Company in 2001. In college, she studied music education and conducting at Central Oregon Community College, joined chorale and jazz choir, and sang in 3 productions of the Obsidian Opera.

Her focus soon switched to dance when an assisting opportunity presented itself, and she never looked back.

Ashley attends dance conventions and competitions each year, and has studied with Poppin’ Pete, Mr. Wiggles, Nappytabs, Brian Friedman, Luther Brown, Phi, Rhapsody and Dave Scott just to name a few.

Hailey Holliday is a dance choreographer, performer, educator, and writer. She holds a degree in both Dance and English from Muhlenberg College, graduating with honors in 2021. She has choreographed and danced in modern, tap, jazz, musical theatre, and hip-hop pieces for a variety of studios, as well as the college, since 2014, and danced in Chloe and Maud Arnold’s tap group SoleTalk in 2017. Hailey is interested in cross-cultural interactions, the way art exists in those spaces and questioning how art can advance these interactions. Her interest in asking questions extends to the educational field; she is passionate about innovating educationally and encouraging collaboration with young minds to cultivate curiosity and kindness. She has taught dance, theatre, environmental science, language, and literature to youth, ranging from elementary school to college students, since 2015.

Hailey has trained in and teaches lyrical, jazz, jazz funk, hip hop, tap, contemporary, and musical theatre, and has trained in breakin’, African, Bollywood, and ballet.

You can usually find her upside down! It’s hard for Lindsi to keep her feet on the ground. She’s unapologetically passionate…an outspoken, energetic, multi-tasking movement artist, who currently specializes in a mixture of acrobatics, yoga and dance. Her students span all ages and skill levels. Some practice movement arts with her as a lifestyle, and others train to perform and compete. As both an instructor and a performer, Lindsi can’t help but intertwine fitness and dance in her teachings, as she believes they are both crucial for creativity, technique and safety.

Lindsi specializes in dynamic partner acrobatics, a cirque-style approach to acrobatic dance. She is at home in the air, a natural flyer who has taken balance arts to a whole new level by training acrobatic technique on another person—as opposed to the earth.

Ashley’s (a.k.a. A.P.) dance journey didn’t begin until her junior year of high school when she began dancing for the Varsity Dance Team and continued on to Varsity Cheerleading. She then started her instructing career teaching for Bend High’s Dance Team in 2004, followed by Gotta Dance Studio & Company in 2005.

During her 11 years teaching for Gotta Dance, she trained in a variety of different styles and with a variety of  choreographers, including Tony Testa, Kevin Maher and Nappytabs (her all-time favorite) just to name a few!

In 2008, A.P. became the lead instructor for Gotta Dance Studio & Company’s Senior Hip Hop Crew, taking home awards, including first place and highest overall score.

Nancy grew up in Brooklyn, NY. Her wise parents placed her in tap and ballet classes at age 6, “because she wouldn’t stop moving.” In the 1970’s, she attended The Julliard School where she studied ballet with Anthony Tudor and Alfredo Corvino, and Modern dance with members of the Martha Graham Company and The Jose Limon Company, as well as the formidable Anna Sokolow, who Nancy credits as her first “acting” teacher.

Nancy was trained as a contemporary dancer, although in those days it was called Modern. She worked in the burgeoning avant-garde Dance Theater world of NYC in the late ’60’s to end of the 70’s with such diverse notables as Barbara Roan and Meredith Monk.

Fode Sylla is a dynamic drummer, dancer and performance artist from Conakry, Guinea, who specializes in traditional West African drum and dance. Fode received circus arts training at the esteemed Centre d’art acrobatique KEITA Fodéba (TINAFAN) from 2005-2007. He is a master of West African Rhythms, having performed with the nationally renowned Ballet Mervielle de Guinea as well as Amoussou, an Ivory Coast dance troupe.

Fode was recognized for his talents in 2007 and recruited to perform in the United States with UniverSoul Circus, America’s premiere multicultural circus. Fode thrilled thousands in the U.S. and abroad with his dynamic and explosive acrobatic, breakdancing and aerialist routines.

Bio coming soon.

Kayla has been dancing since age three and has been trained in lyrical, jazz, ballet, tap, and Acro. From 2015-2017 she taught ballet, lyrical and jazz to various age groups. She has traveled to perform in many different places such as Disneyland, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver.

For five years, Kayla has been competitively dancing and has attended conventions at Velocity, Hollywood Vibe, Radix, Jump, and Spotlight. She has had the privilege of taking class from Tyce Diorio, Kent Boyd, Dee Caspary, Tessandra Chavez, Mandy Moore and Ade.

Kayla trained in gymnastics at Oregon Gymnastics Academy, Central Oregon Gymnastics Academy and at Gotta Dance under Charlene for Acro.

Jessica Zacharias was raised in the tall mountains of Western Montana where she studied ballet from the age of three to eighteen and went on to earn both dance and psychology degrees from the University of Montana.

Miss Jessica spent the last six years in Kansas City, cultivating a well-rounded repertoire in teaching adults and children many different styles of dance. Her passion for movement, teaching, and health and wellness have found a solid expression in both practicing and teaching yoga.

She adores being barefoot outside, bright colors, and is quite excited to continue her passion in Bend.