Rae Studios' 2026 Spring Performance Workshop

Our Spring Performance Workshop is here and registration is NOW OPEN!

Rae Studios is back with our biannual performance workshop. Join us this season as we host 16 workshops and take your dance training to the next level. Gain skills in choreography retention, execution, performance quality and more while gaining a deeper understanding in the styles of your interest. Rae Studios' Performance Workshop is your moment to break barriers and shine on the big stage.

This workshop series includes 8-weeks and 5-week set of rehearsals. Single ticket drop-ins are allowed for the first rehearsal for students to test out the class. Classes are limited, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance. Join one of our artists in this training series for the chance to perform for our 8th showcase on May 31st and first time performing at The Palace of Fine Arts! Please note, performing at the showcase is highly encouraged, but not required. For those that are unable to attend the showcase, or do not want to perform live, you are still able to sign up for the series

REHEARSAL LOCATION: Rae Studios | 414 Mason St.

PW DATE RANGE:

8-Week Workshops | April 5th - May 30th, 2026

5-Week Workshops | April 26th - May 30th, 2026

PRICING:

8-Week Series

• $325 | Full Workshop Series (includes showcase date and rehearsals. Costume organized internally or separate rates may apply)
• $300 | Member’s Discount (includes showcase date and rehearsals. Costume organized internally or separate rates may apply)
• $45 | Single Session (Only available for the first session- Price reduction for full series ticket available if students wish to move forward. Must email diamond@raeagency.com)

5–Week Series

• $215 | Full 5-Wk Series (includes showcase date and rehearsals. Costume organized internally or separate rates may apply)
• $190 | Member’s Discount (includes showcase date and rehearsals. Costume organized internally or separate rates may apply)
• $45 | Single Session (Only available for the first session - Price reduction for full series ticket available if students wish to move forward. Must email diamond@raeagency.com)

SHOW DATE: Sunday, May 31st, 2026

LOCATION: Palace of Fine Arts | 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco, CA 94123

By purchasing the full workshop series, you are expected to attend each rehearsal date listed.

Read our blog for full guidelines and policies.

https://www.raestudios-sf.com/post/2026-spring-performance-workshop

Check out featured instructors and workshops below:

ShuffleBreak (Intermediate)

w/ Jasper Sanchez (@jasperdances)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Mondays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25

Course Description:

ShuffleBreak Performance Workshop is an 8-week intensive where you’ll learn & practice elements of Shuffling & Breakdancing as well as the concept of mixing styles together. The Shuffling will consist of Melbourne, MAS, & Cutting Shapes while the Breakdancing portion will involve Top rock, some Floor work, and some Freezes. After developing my skills in these styles for 16 years in total, and performing & competing internationally, I’ve grown to love the concept of blending styles with fluidity. Furthermore it’s part of my mission as a dance instructor to encourage you to not only partake in as many styles as you like, but to mix as many as you’d like & experiment to find new mixtures of movements that fit & express you best as an individual. For the first 2-3 classes of the intensive, we’ll dive into the combo with both Shuffling & Breakdancing. For the remainder of the intensive, we’ll be honing our skills in both styles & sharpening our transitions between combos/styles as well as some fun formation changes. What I hope you take away most from this intensive is the joy of movement to music alongside others & an encouraged perspective on mixing styles. Outside of this intensive, I am still an open book when it comes to dance, so make sure to pick my brain in/outside of class during this intensive!

Heels (Int/Adv)

w/ Annie Lester (@anniegmovement)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Mondays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25

Course Description:

In this 8-week heels workshop series, dancers will explore sensuality, confidence, and technical foundations of movement. Through learning choreography and performance-focused training, students will also develop their performance quality and musicality. Be prepared to push yourself and ready to learn and have fun. Annie loves focusing on assisting students in developing their movement through professional-level rehearsal processes, and can't wait to see you in the studio!

Hip Hop (Beg/Int)

w/ Dione Dacuycuy (@dcuycuy)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Tuesdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26

Course Description:

This 8-week performance workshop focuses on building strong movement fundamentals—such as weight transfer, rhythm, groove, and body awareness—while sharpening essential hip-hop foundations including bounce, rock, rolls, and party moves.

Designed for beginners and movers looking to go deeper in the style of hip-hop, each class includes a full-body warm-up, foundational drills, and choreography that builds progressively across the quarter toward a final performance.

Dancers will also be introduced to the cultural and historical roots of hip-hop, honoring its origins in Black culture and its importance as a timeless, street-rooted dance form. While the work goes deep, the environment stays light. Expect curiosity, groove, and room to explore without pressure.

This is a beginner-friendly process where repetition and depth drive confidence, clarity, and performance presence, with a touch of intermediate movement near the end to tie everything together. We’ll be moving as a group toward a shared performance, so showing up, trying earnestly, and respecting the process are key to making the work shine together.

Bollywood Fusion (Beg/Int)

w/ Malvika Raj (@malvika718)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Tuesdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26

Course Description:

This 8-week workshop is for anyone who loves Bollywood music or wants to grow as a performer. Performance workshops, like this one, have challenged me to step outside what I knew and expand my range as a dancer - I'm here to help you develop that same versatility as a performer.

Whether you're building your foundation or refining your skills, I'll meet you where you are. Let me know what you're hoping to get out of this workshop (there are no wrong answers here, it can even be to dance with your friends!) and we'll work towards those goals together. Throughout the workshop, we'll focus on building technique, understanding musicality, and developing performance quality while exploring the expressive, dynamic world of Bollywood Fusion as we prepare for our showcase at Palace of Fine Arts (!!).

Can't wait to see what we create together!

Jazz Funk (Beg/Int)

w/ Eliza Viera (@shiny.eliza) & Sassi Fran (@hello.sassi.fran)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Wednesdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27

Course Description:

Have you wondered what kind of magic could be made in a Sassi Fran x Eliza collaboration? Well, let's "Dance into the Neon Night" as we travel back to Queer nightclubs of the 80s and 90s while mixing in a fresh modern take on retro and groovy dance styles and music in this power duo's ultimate Jazz Funk collab. In this performance workshop you will build on foundations in Jazz Funk (which will include elements of Jazz and street styles with emphasis in vogue elements.) Students will also gain confidence and practice facial expressions and overall stage presence. We'll spend the first half of this 8-week workshop learning choreography in tandem with conditioning jazz, vogue fundamentals, and other basic street styles. In the second half of the workshop series we will tighten up the routine and focus on gaining confidence through tapping into our stage alter egos to prepare for the Spring Showcase. We will work together as a team to bring a dazzling performance while building lasting friendships and community.

Hip Hop (Intermediate)

w/ Mahiro O'Haru (@mahioharu)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Wednesdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27

Course Description:

This 8-week Performance Workshop focuses on hip-hop fundamentals with fusion elements from various dance styles, led by Mahiro O'Haru. Building upon fundamentals, the series progressively builds toward intermediate-level choreography at a faster-paced learning environment. Each session includes a full warm-up and stretching before moving into choreography that emphasizes both technical growth and emotional expression through movement. The workshop is designed to help dancers develop their skills while discovering their own unique style and artistic voice, then learning to weave those individual expressions together as a unified collective. Through collaboration and connection, dancers will work as one team to create a cohesive artistic piece that honors the legacy of hip-hop, personal creativity, and collective energy.

Hip Hop (Int/Adv)

w/ Luma Prudente (@luma_prudente)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Thursdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28

Course Description:

This is an 8-week dance training focused mainly on freestyle, while still working on musicality, grooves, and a lot of footwork. We’ll focus on building intentions, personality, and confidence, helping dancers move with more freedom and purpose.

The training will be consistent and supportive, creating a space to explore, take risks, and grow together. It’s for dancers who want to develop their freestyle, expand their movement, and connect more deeply with the music and themselves.

Contemporary (Beg/Int)

w/ Erica Knox

Rehearsal Day/Time: Thursdays, 9:00pm-10:45pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28

Course Description:

In this 8-week performance series I will create a contemporary piece with my dancers full of exciting, flowing phrases, punctuated with gesture and personality. We will have standing movements and basic floorwork. Beginners and intermediate dancers are encouraged to attend! I am able to modify movement, and students will be featured in a way that works for their dance experience/abilities. 

My main goals for you  as a dancer in this workshop: 1) to know the phrases so well that you can find joy & freedom in the flow of movement. 2) to discover a storytelling quality and meaningful connection to the movement as a human being. 

I will begin rehearsals with a thorough warmup emphasizing spinal motion, breath, and weight shift. Then we will study phrases and work on aspects of dance such as musicality, storytelling, spacing, movement quality, etc. My style of contemporary has flow and power coming from the core and back; we work to find specific architectural shapes, to find a liquid quality between those shapes, and to embrace surprises and expressivity/ playfulness throughout. Hope to see you in the studio!

Hip Hop (Int/Adv)

w/ Kait Skye (@k8skye)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Saturdays, 1:45pm-3:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

Course Description:

This showcase is a high-energy collision of roots and reinvention. Choreographed by Kait Skye, it weaves her Chicago foundations—crisp isolations, intricate visuals, and technical precision—with the Bay Area’s signature flavor: lots of character, deep grooves, and effortless swag. Throughout the process, dancers will sharpen musicality, control, and clarity while learning how to layer texture, intention, and individuality into movement. The focus is not just on execution, but on presence—how to command space, tell a story, move with confidence, and operate with your peers as a single unit. Expect a process that challenges your technique, expands your versatility, and pushes you to accomplish as a team.

Contemporary Ballet (Intermediate)

w/ Emmanuel Hernandez (@emmanuelhernandezofficial)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Saturdays, 3:45pm-5:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

Course Description:

In this 8-week Performance Workshop with Emmanuel, you will dive into a quick history lesson of ballet and contemporary dance specifically relating to San Francisco and the Bay Area. We will begin with an in-depth, full body warm up that will later be integrated into a piece of choreography, set to an original sound score, for a better understanding of musicality and the full creative process. Dancers are to have a basic understanding of dance technique and are encouraged to take foundational classes such as Ballet, Jumps and Turns, and Contemporary alongside the Performance Workshop course to maximize performance quality. We will also be exploring structured improvisation that will later take form in the shape of choreography, meant to highlight the strengths of each dancer and to challenge areas of improvement. During the 8-week course, dancers will collaborate with each other alongside the choreographer and will receive feedback on stage presence, performance and movement quality, dance culture etiquette and choreography retention. 

Contemporary Ballet (Intermediate)

w/ Alek Hernandez (@livinglikealek)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Saturdays, 1:45pm-3:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

Course Description:

In this 5-week performance workshop, led by Alek Hernandez, we will focus on contemporary movement through an intermediate to advanced lens. Students are expected to have a foundational understanding of ballet and modern technique, and are strongly encouraged to take ballet, contemporary, and jumps and turns classes to best prepare for the performance. Each rehearsal will begin with technique-based warm-ups that seamlessly flow into choreography. The work will include floor work, partnering, and lifts, and all bodies are welcomed and encouraged to participate.

This piece, titled Habits, explores repetition, pattern, and narrative, blending traditional storytelling with a commercial-style contemporary approach. Dancers will dive into movement quality, musicality, and dynamic use of levels while developing a strong performance presence. Consistent attendance is expected for all rehearsals, though transparent communication is valued above all. This workshop is designed for dancers ready to commit, explore, and perform with intention.

Belly Dance (Intermediate)

w/ Andrea Sendek (@andreasendekbellydance)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Sundays, 1:45pm-3:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24

Course Description:

In this intermediate performance workshop, dancers will develop a full choreography rooted in Raqs Sharqi, the classical Egyptian solo dance form, set to a composed orchestral piece of music. Each rehearsal will begin with a focused warm-up before moving directly into choreography, emphasizing musicality, precision, and cohesive group staging. Alongside learning the movement vocabulary, students will explore the cultural context, stylistic nuances, and performance qualities that distinguish Raqs Sharqi from folkloric and homestyle dance.  Dancers will work on stage presence, line, and ensemble clarity, and are encouraged to support their performance experience by taking technique and foundation classes alongside the workshop.

Pop Jam (Intermediate)

w/ Jessica Rae (@jraesf)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Sundays, 1:45pm-3:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24

Course Description:

Pop Jam Performance Workshop is an 8-week series influenced by various dance styles including, Jazz Funk, Hip-Hop, and Latin Pop led by Jessica Rae. Students are expected to have basic fundamentals of these dance genres. This workshop moves at a true intermediate pace starting with a full body warm-up, stretching into choreography. Jessica's workshop will review signature Pop culture icons, taking a deeper understanding of stage presence, extensions, control, floor work, and blocking formations. Students are expected to attend every rehearsal and learn material on their own if they miss rehearsal. Missed rehearsals require approval. The final 3 rehearsals are mandatory for all students to attend to ensure the final block. Floor work and standing options are available.

K-Pop (Intermediate)

w/ Caroline Zeng (@zeng_zeng_jr) & Jackson Tran (@jxtrxn)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Sundays, 3:45pm-5:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24

Course Description:

Join us for an exciting 8-week K-Pop performance intensive where you’ll train with experienced instructors Jackson and Caroline to learn choreography, stage presence, and performance delivery. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer, you’ll receive detailed guidance on teamwork, stage confidence, movement quality, and performance quality to embody the style and charisma of K-Pop performances. We look forward to building a dynamic performance together with our students to give you the chance to connect with fellow K-Pop fans and celebrate everything you’ve learned in a fun, supportive environment!

Reggaeton (Beg/Int)

w/ Sara Templeton (@coqui.sf)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Sundays, 5:45pm-7:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24

Course Description:

The goal of this workshop is to refine students’ skill in reggaetón and performance while building community through dance. The choreography will be built with sections for both beginner and intermediate dancers, as well as fun unison sections that celebrate how movers of all abilities can dance beautifully together. Dancers will be invited to move beyond simply executing vocabulary to deepening their understanding of reggaetón musicality, movement quality, and style. In addition, the workshop will aim to increase the participants' ownership and comfort with onstage performance, and provide tools and guidance for how each dancer can start to build their own artistry within the choreography. Last but not least, all students will receive one-on-one mentorship aimed at helping them progress in their unique dance journey. This workshop is geared towards students who already train in class(es) on a regular basis, and are excited about the prospect of elevating their dance to the next level – let’s go!

K-Pop (Beg/Int)

w/ Andy Nguyen (@andyluvskpop) & Sarah Medley (@saraht.onin)

Rehearsal Day/Time: Sundays, 5:45pm-7:30pm

Rehearsal Dates: 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24

Course Description:

This workshop focuses on developing strong performance quality through K-pop choreography, emphasizing musicality, confidence, and storytelling. Designed for beginner to intermediate dancers, we’ll explore how to move beyond steps and truly perform.

Dancers will work on embodying both masculine and feminine energies in a true non-binary approach, learning how to shift dynamics naturally while staying grounded and authentic. Through guided drills during rehearsals before choreography, Andy and Sarah will break down how musical accents, texture, and intention elevate stage presence.

The class will also highlight teamwork and group dynamics, helping dancers perform cohesively while still maintaining individuality. The ending performance piece will be a combination of K-Pop cover choreography as well as original choreography from both Andy and Sarah. The finished piece will be a mix of several songs (to be announced) and run for at least 4 minutes, with the flexibility to extend if the group progresses at a faster pace.