FACULTY AND STAFF BIOS
Geary Dance Center was founded in 2011 by Brooke Byrne and Sonoo H. Petty who wanted recreational dancers to receive excellent dance education, professional quality performance experience and to benefit from the long-term educational, emotional and physical fitness advantages of dance. Geary Dance Center creates a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment in which dance becomes a part of a person’s life, whether as a recreational dancer, aspiring performer or enthusiastic audience member. We want dancers to find the styles that speak to them and all the only requirement is a passion for dance.
Dance is happiness, dance is love, dance is life.
Everyone Can Dance!
CO-OWNERS
Brooke Byrne: Ballet, Pointe, FUNdamentals of Dance I/II, II/III, III/Pre-Ballet, III/Jazz-Tap
Brooke Byrne’s teaching career started at Bard College in New York when her professors placed her in Senior level dance classes as a Freshman and in her Sophomore year, asked her to teach the makeup ballet classes to her Freshman through Senior peers. After moving to San Francisco Brooke began her Bay Area teaching career while performing with several different Bay Area modern and ethnic choreographers and dance companies such as Ballet Afsaneh, Tango A Media Luz/Tango and More, Lisa Tateosian, Regina Bustillos, Tottentanz Dans Group, Westwind International Folk Ensemble, Spinning Yarns Dance Collective and Festival Ballet USA in England. She was a founding member of Pampa Y Estrellas, a founding member and Co-Director of Moving Basis modern dance collective, and a dancer with Khadra International Dance Theatre where she worked her way up the ranks from corps dancer to principal dancer to Artistic Director. She has taught continuously since moving to San Francisco in 1986 and has reached over ten thousand California children and adults. Brooke is honored to have been entrusted with the students of such notable dance and gymnastic institutions as Sonoma Ballet Conservatory (now Sonoma Conservatory of Dance), Berkeley Ballet Theatre, Conservatory of Classical Ballet, Danspace, Shan Yee Poon Ballet School, Peninsula Gymnastics, and Gymtowne Gymnastics. Brooke specializes in early preschool movement education to children as young as 14 months, bringing to her classes an obvious academic component derived from her experiences as a former Kindergarten teacher and nursery school aide at Young World Learning Center. She has enjoyed teaching at several preschools; Ganon Early Childhood Development Center, Angelina’s Schools and Gummy Bears Day Care. With Khadra, Brooke taught arts education residencies to K-5th graders at academic schools such as Jean Parker, Notre Dame Des Victoires, Spring Valley Science Magnet School, Sherman and Lakeshore Schools in San Francisco, Hoover and Joaquin Miller Schools in Oakland, Las Lomitas Summer Program in Atherton and many schools throughout California while on tour with Khadra.
Brooke started dancing at age 3 after viewing a ballet performance at age 2 and has trained extensively in several ballet and modern styles, jazz, tap, Musical Theatre, Moiseyev-styled Character Dance, dance styles from the Silk Route and Argentine Tango and Folkloric styles including the Boleadoras, of which she is one of the few North American female practitioners. After creating and implementing popular and innovative programs for Khadra and other Bay Area dance institutions, Brooke co-founded Geary Dance Center with Sonoo Petty in 2011. Brooke feels that excellent technical instruction and creative enjoyment are not mutually exclusive. Her classes combine a real understanding of childhood development, technical training, creativity, humor and patience to create an environment in which dance becomes a part of the person’s life whether as a professional performer, audience member or informed parent of a dance student.
photo by Marty Sohl
Sonoo H. Petty: Jazz, Tap
Sonoo Hiraoka-Petty was born in Kochi, Japan. She began her Jazz training under Ann Barrett at Dancer’s Synectics Group, San Francisco, and continued her Jazz and Tap training with Ann Barrett, Ann Marie Garvin, Lynn Brilhante, Sally Vanloon, Taisen Saito, John Kloss, and Sam Weber. She has studied Ballet with Damara Bennett, Henry Berg, Charles Torres, Andre Reyes, and Sherri LeBlanc. Sonoo began her teaching career in 1988. She has taught at Dancers Synectics Group, Setsuko Kawaguchi Ballet School in Nagoya, Japan and Mercy High School of San Francisco. She taught at Shan-Yee Poon Ballet School for 13 years. Her guest teaching included City Ballet School and the Ballet Studio of San Francisco.
Says Sonoo: My name is Sonoo Petty and I have taught Jazz and Tap dance to children and teens since 1988. I believe that students can best learn to dance in a joyful and supportive environment. Whether my students are serious about becoming professional dancers or are just taking dance classes as part of their after school activities, it is my goal to introduce them to the transformative power and joy of dance. Participation in this art form will not only increase the child’s power of concentration and ability to work cooperatively with others, it will also teach discipline and instill self-confidence which will positively impact every aspect of their current and future lives.
Students will be continually challenged by techniques and routines as they become more skilled and move up to more advanced levels. This growth and sense of accomplishment will not only build strength and coordination, but will also nurture a child’s appetite for life-long learning.
When I started taking dance classes with Ann Barrett in San Francisco, who is an amazing Jazz dance teacher, I fell in love with dance right away because of the way she taught. She believed in laughter. She was strict, but had a magical way of making students laugh while they learned the complicated routines and techniques of Jazz dance. She did not make us feel intimidated or scared of making mistakes. When I was in her class, I always felt as if I could die right there with no regrets, because I was so happy and filled with so much joy. I have never felt so alive. Dance has given me something that no one, regardless of power or position, can ever take away.
We as a global village have made some remarkable technological advances in recent years. Yet the seemingly magical innovations such as the internet and stem cell research have been unable to slow what many would view as an unmistakable unraveling of our social fabric. However, there remains something magical in the arts that continue to speak to us across borders, in spite of our differences.
I would like to share that same magic with all of my students. Through dance, they can become better human beings and feel the joy of life; a joy that no substance or material possession can bring. Dance is Happiness. Dance is Love. Dance is Life.
FACULTY
Madelin Braun: Contemporary
Madelin Braun has been dancing since early childhood, training in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, and a variety of other techniques. She began teaching at her home studio in the Central Valley of California at the age of 15. In addition to her teaching, she participated rigorously in the studio’s Competition Teams by traveling, performing, and competing all over California. In 2012, she relocated to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University, earning a minor in Dance. While attending SF State, she dove deeper into her dance training, participated in several Student Choreography Showcases, served as a member of the University Dance Theater Company 2014-2015 and as Student Dance Alliance VP 2014-2015. She has been teaching Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Jazz Funk at a variety of studios and summer camps around the Bay Area since 2013 and received a Choreography award at a local competition Dupree Dance in 2015. During the pandemic Madelin has been an integral part of choreographing and directing performances and studio management. When she’s not dancing, Madelin enjoys spending time outside on walks, gardening in her yard, and travelling.
Monique Brown: Ballet, Teen Ballet, FUNdamentals of Dance, Administrative Associate for Competition Teams and Geary Dance Theater performance group
Monique started dancing at age 3 and went on to complete the ballet training program in the pre-professional division of the San Francisco Ballet School. She danced with the San Francisco Ballet in The Nutcracker and other productions through her teen years. Monique danced professionally for San Francisco Theater Ballet for 8 years and performed soloist and principal roles in productions of Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Giselle, and Paquita. Afterward, she performed as a freelance dancer, including a part in the musical theater production of “A Class Act,” which had a successful run in San Francisco.
Monique founded the Adult Ballet program at the YMCA in the Richmond District of San Francisco and also founded the Richmond District Dance Collective, a student-level adult ballet group, which she instructs and leads rehearsals. Monique produces several shows that the Dance Collective performs every year at community events in San Francisco.
photo by Drew Altizer
Daliah Chuzhoy: Jazz
Daliah has attended classes with GDC since age 9, rising from Beginning level classes to the top levels of Jazz & Contemporary and a valued member of the Senior Team, one of GDC’s competition group. Daliah is excited to share her love of Jazz with her students.
Claire Crump: Tap
Claire Crump started her dance training in Ballet at Shan Yee Poon Ballet school before attending Geary Dance Center and discovering her love for Tap where she achieved the highest level of the style. She looks forward to sharing her love of Tap with the Teen program. In her off hours Claire enjoys playing video games, reading and taste-testing her father’s amazing homemade teriyaki and BBQ sauces.
Olivia Evans: Contemporary
Olivia graduated from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in May 2023, where she performed in works by acclaimed artists including Kayla Farrish, Chuck Wilt, Keelan Whitmore, Jay Carlon, and Moscelyne ParkeHarrison. She previously studied in the Integrarte Pre-Professional Ballet Program and at Boston Ballet School. Olivia began choreographing contemporary work in 2019; her work has been commissioned and/or presented by Ballet22, the San Francisco Dance Film Festival, ZK Gallery, the LINES Training Program, Mark Foehringer Dance Project SF, and the Dance Complex. She is currently a teaching artist with the LINES Community Programs and Teens Program, sharing her practice rooted in both technique and creative expression with K-12 students across the Bay Area. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside, doing puzzles, and eating sweet treats!
Gwen Herndon: Tap
Gwen Herndon has performed professionally on San Francisco theater stages since she was a young child. Currently a student at San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA) in the musical theater program, Gwen has achieved the highest level of Tap at GDC and enjoys sharing her love of Tap and performing with her young students. During the few hours she’s not dancing, teaching, performing or rehearsing, she enjoys traveling, nature and innovating with the Girl Scouts.
Grace Kostrzewa: Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical Theater Jazz
Grace was born and raised in Michigan where she began dancing at her local dance studio at the age of eight-years-old. She trains in all forms of dance, but especially enjoys Jazz, Modern, and Choreography. During her senior year of high school she studied abroad in Japan where she continued her dance training. She is a Freshman at San Francisco State University working on a B.A. in Dance. In her free time you can find Grace listening to broadway tunes, cooking yummy food, and going to see local dance and theater productions.
Katie Lee: Hip Hop, Competition Teams Director
Katie first began dancing with Shan Yee Poon, where she studied ballet at the age of five. From there, she picked up jazz, tap and character technique from Sonoo Petty and Brooke Byrne. After graduating from high school, Katie auditioned and was accepted as a UCA/UDA (Universal Cheer/Dance Association) instructor where she taught dance camps and judged regional competitions all over California and Washington, to middle school through college dance teams participants. Katie then joined For The Cause, a competitive hip hop dance crew located in Oakland. When not dancing, Katie enjoys climbing, coloring her hair to match the seasons, and gluten free cupcakes.
Manaka Okazaki: Jazz, Hip Hop
Manaka Okazaki was born and raised in Nagasaki Japan until age 10 when she moved to the United States. She is currently studying Dance at San Francisco State University and looks forward to teaching at Geary Dance Center.
ZhiYou Pan: Hip Hop
ZhiYou was born in Guangdong, China and raised in San Francisco. She has been dancing since she was 6 years old, starting out with ballet at her local YMCA. She then went on to do traditional Chinese dancing and gymnastics. ZhiYou has been dancing at Geary Dance Center since she was 10 years old, advancing to the upper levels of contemporary. Since then, she has been branching out into newer styles of dance including hip hop, tap, jazz, and ballet. In her free time, she likes to crochet, stunt, hangout with friends, and listen to music.
Gianna Perey: Hip Hop
Gianna is a native of Chula Vista, a city in beautiful San Diego County in Southern California. Gianna has been dancing for over 11 years. She started dancing at age 9 and participated in dance competitions, conventions and master classes as a child and hasn’t stopped dancing since! She is currently a dance major at San Francisco State University and enjoys performing, choreographing and watching dance performances. Gianna has studied all forms of dance and continues to train and learn. She especially enjoys both Hip Hop and Contemporary styles.
Isabella Qureshi: Ballet, FUNdamentals of Dance III/Pre-Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical Theater Jazz
Isabella Qureshi was born and raised in Marin County in a saturation of Indian music & dance with her father, world-renowned percussionist Zakir Hussain, and her mother, Kathak dancer/choreographer Antonia Minnecola. She began her early dance training at age 4 in ballet and jazz at Dance Theatre 7 in Fairfax CA under Jody White, David Roxander, and Georgia Ortega. She then went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance with a concentration in visual media at Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) in New York City. While studying at MMC she continued her training in ballet and jazz, and began her training in Modern dance. Currently, she is the Program Manager for DanceVersity World Dance for Youth, a Bay Area non-profit multicultural dance & music education program for children and teenagers. Isabella continues to nurture her passion as a dance teacher for youth and adults at dance studios and arts programs throughout the Bay Area.
Lisa Stevens: Ballet
Lisa brings over 25 years of experience in teaching classical ballet to youth, pre-professionals and adults. She has been trained as a ballet instructor under Maria Vegh, and also by Ruth Petrinovic in her Seminars for Teachers in Classical Ballet. She began her professional training with San Francisco Ballet under the direction of Lew and Harold Christensen. Lisa has performed with San Francisco Ballet, California Imperial Ballet and Boca Ballet Theatre. Lisa’s ballet roles have included performing in La Bayadere, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Coppelia and The Nutcracker.
Michele Wong: Contemporary, Jazz
Michele Wong is a born and raised Bay Area native. She began her dance training at the age of 8 at Shan Yee Poon Ballet School with Ballet, Jazz, and Tap. She continued her dance training at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts expanding her training in Modern/Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Ballet under the artistic direction of Elvia Martes. Michele is currently certified in Personal Training and Corrective Exercise Specialist in pursuing a career working in rehab. She’s been an instructor and choreographer at GDC for over 10 years, and continues to work with young dancers in developing their artistry and challenging them to the best of their ability.
OFFICE STAFF
Madelin Braun: Administrative Director
Madelin Braun has been dancing since early childhood, training in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, and a variety of other techniques. She began teaching at her home studio in the Central Valley of California at the age of 15. In addition to her teaching, she participated rigorously in the studio’s Competition Teams by traveling, performing, and competing all over California. In 2012, she relocated to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University, earning a minor in Dance. While attending SF State, she dove deeper into her dance training, participated in several Student Choreography Showcases, served as a member of the University Dance Theater Company 2014-2015 and as Student Dance Alliance VP 2014-2015. She has been teaching Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Jazz Funk at a variety of studios and summer camps around the Bay Area since 2013 and received a Choreography award at a local competition Dupree Dance in 2015. During the pandemic Madelin has been an integral part of choreographing and directing performances and studio management. When she’s not dancing, Madelin enjoys spending time outside on walks, gardening in her yard, and travelling.
Claire Crump: Administrative Associate
Claire Crump started her dance training in Ballet at Shan Yee Poon Ballet school before attending Geary Dance Center and discovering her love for Tap where she achieved the highest level of the style. She looks forward to sharing her love of Tap with the Teen program. In her off hours Claire enjoys playing video games, reading and taste-testing her father’s amazing homemade teriyaki and BBQ sauces.
Reina Fujii: Administrative Associate
Reina Fujii, an East Bay native, ventured into San Francisco to embark on her grand adventure in family life. Alongside her spouse, two kids, and the cutest bunny in the world, she has mastered the art of grooving – no formal dance training required, just a spontaneous rhythm that surfaces when the music hits. In her extra time, she spends volunteering at her youngest child’s elementary school and after school program.
Mari Goulis-Nijessen: Administrative Associate – remote
Mari G Nijessen was born on the East coast, raised on the West coast and now lives in Europe. Mari works mostly remote for us, but every now and then she pops into the dance center to make sure we know she’s a real person. Her work credits are a mix of dancer, teacher, director, choreographer, jury member, dance competition maniac and arts administrator. Mari speaks English, Dutch and basic Greek. She desperately wishes The Netherlands had better weather and more beaches.
Boris Sergeevich Kirilin: Bookkeeper
Boris is a recent transplant from New York and is relishing the California sunshine with his former ballerina wife, Masha. Born in Crimea, Ukraine, Boris developed an interest in accounting early in life and does bookkeeping independently for several businesses. He is especially proud of his ability to advocate for kind-hearted small business owners. In his off hours, Boris enjoys weightlifting, training his three Caucasian Ovcharka dogs (Myshka, Belka and Ubiytsa) and experiencing fine whines. 😉
Manaka Okazaki: Administrative Assistant
Manaka Okazaki was born and raised in Nagasaki Japan until age 10 when she moved to the United States. She is currently studying Dance at San Francisco State University and looks forward to helping customers at Geary Dance Center!
Sadie Moon Carrot: Mascot-in-Training 2020-present
Sadie was rescued from the streets of Antioch, CA by the no-kill Antioch Shelter. She was adopted by Brooke Byrne in 2020 following the death of Lily Bean McPorkersteen. She is enjoying a much better life than she experienced previously and is working hard at learning new skills like going down stairs, having fun with toys and playing with the pretty dog in the mirror. Highly food motivated, Sadie looks forward to continued training to become an excellent breed ambassador and GDC mascot.
Lily Bean McPorkersteen, CGC: Mascot Emerita 2013-2020
Lily and her month-old siblings were sealed in a plastic container and left in a parking lot on a hot September day in Vallejo, CA. They were taken to the high-kill Vallejo shelter where they were rescued again by Pits ‘R Us All Animal Rescue and nursed back to health until they were ready for their new homes. Lily was adopted by Brooke Byrne as a 3 month old puppy in 2013. She was raised by cats, excelled at Nose Work, was a comical superstar at Agility and worked hard at making everyone love her as much as she loved them. She earned her CGC (Canine Good Citizenship Award) on the way to becoming a therapy dog. Lily was a sweet, sassy little nugget who fought, but finally succumbed to, Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Feb 2020. She is deeply missed by the GDC family.
“My daughter has recently joined Intermediate Ballet and Contemporary classes after enduring difficult experiences at another studio. Geary Dance is the perfect antidote to that and she’s reconnected with the joy of dance again. Students are friendly, not competitive. Teachers are encouraging, patient and attentive, and I can see my daughter thriving here.”
Lorraine V. 5 stars on Yelp