Powerhouse Staff
Dance Instructors
All of our instructors are experts in the genres they teach. They all have a passion for dance and continue their education in their field. They understand that no two dancers are exactly alike and will work with your dancer to help them reach their personal best.
Andréane Shearer
Studio Owner + Head Instructor
Andréane Shearer discovered dance was her passion at a very young age , being just three years old when she first took to the stage. She demonstrated her dedication to the movement of dance by spending her childhood in Quebec, not only on the stage, but also on the ice, with six years of rigorous training and commitment to figure skating. When Andréane and her family moved to California at the age of eleven, she pursued her passion for dance at a local dance studio, starting with tap and hip hop, quickly exploring all the genres offered. Andréane continued dancing and competing through out her high school years.
Andréane went on to earn her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts at Delta College. While broadening her academic horizons, she also pursued an education in Ballet and Jazz, sparking her desire to teach dance.
In 2005, Andréane continued to pursue her passion by earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre and Dance from Sacramento State University, where she studied along side global professionals in Modern, Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, African Caribbean, and advanced choreography. Andréane is also educated in Pilates, Yoga and is a certified Zumba instructor.
Andréane began her dance career at Powerhouse Dance Studio in 2008, soon there after becoming the owner. Her journey to positively impact the dance community has lead her from student to teacher, guiding the next generation of dancers, cultivating her love for the art.
In her years of owning Powerhouse Dance, she has created a successful competition dance team that travels the state bringing home awards and trophies. Andréane has successfully created, choreographed and produced a large scale recital that performs annually, giving her dancers an opportunity to showcase their skills for their families and friends on the big stage. Along with her annual recital, Andréane also orchestrates performances for the town stage on Main Street during the Christmas Parade and the Summer Park Fete festival. Andréane created a student physical education program catering to home school families. She is also the president of the Legion Hall where she continues to dedicate herself to her community, igniting the passion for dance.
Andréane has enjoyed teaching dance for over 16 years. She has dedicated countless hours to her community, instructing our toddlers, teenagers and matriarchs alike, with a constant pursuant of her own continued dance education.
Liz Quist
Dance Instructor
Liz began her dance journey at the age of three at her local dance studio in Turlock, CA. Her love of contemporary and lyrical dance began when dancing in the dance production team at Modesto High School. She graduated with an International Baccalaureate diploma in 2008.
For many years after, Liz continued to pursue her education to the professional level. Liz has her Masters of Art in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Physical Education from Fresno Pacific University, a B.A. in Anthropology and Dance from UC Santa Cruz, and a Physical Education Credential from CSU Stanislaus. Liz taught Dance & P.E. at Cesar Chavez Junior High in Ceres, CA and is now the Dance Production and Program director at Beyer High School in Modesto.
Liz has been with Powerhouse since 2012 and will always be a part of the Powerhouse family. She has won seven Best Choreography awards under Powerhouse with the most notable dances being "Fix You" in 2014, "Wonderland" in 2016 and “Hit the Road” in 2022. Liz is now a mother and loves watching her daughter Elena Rose grow up as a Powerhouse dancer and tumbler!
Dana Olson
Dance Instructor
Dana started dancing at the age of four. She began her dance journey with ballet and then later started taking tap and jazz classes at her local studio. In high school she started dancing on the dance production team where she learned contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and musical theatre. Ballet, jazz, and tap are her favorite. Dana has also performed in numerous studio performances, high school shows, and had the opportunity to dance with Modesto Performing Arts in Babes in Toyland and West Side Story. Dana is a college student studying elementary education at Modesto Junior College. When asked why she chose this path in life, she said, “Dance is such an amazing part of my life that inspires me so much. It has been the absolute favorite part of my week since I started dancing and brings me so much joy.”
Raj Singh
Tumbling Instructor
Raj graduated in 2019 with her Kinesiology degree from California State University, Stanislaus. Raj started doing gymnastics when she was about 4 years old and competed until 7th grade. She began coaching gymnastics in 2016 and continued for about 5 years. Her coaching career has covered boys and girls gymnastics classes, XCel Team, Level 3 and 4 Junior Olympics Team, Ninja, Pre-Team, Kindergym, tumbling and Parent-and-Me classes.
Raj loves working with children and seeing the growth in their confidence and strength. “In gymnastics and tumbling, children learn discipline, patience, control and discover their strength. Being a gymnast, I understand the frustration and obstacles a child can face while learning a skill, which helps me connect and help children overcom the challenge. The best feeling as a coach is when I hear, ‘I did it Coach Raj, I did it! Watch me!’ as they are jumping up and down in excitement!”
Bethany Edwards
Dance Instructor
Bethany began dancing at the age of 3 at a local dance studio.
Bethany was promoted to Assistant-Teacher at 13 years old and started teaching her own dance classes at 17 years old. Throughout the many years of working alongside dancers and their parents, she has gained great insight and knowledge about the dance setting and classroom. In 2012, she assisted in the opening of a dance studio in Hilmar, California as Assistant Director from 2012-2016. She instructed and performed for 5 years with her main focus in tap and jazz. In 2015, she traveled with her dance peers and students to Broadway in New York City where they performed at the New Amsterdam Theatre. She traveled to Broadway again in 2017, performing and showcasing pieces of her choreography in New York City.
Bethany is currently pursuing her Associates Degree in Dance at Modesto Junior College, with a second Associates Degree in Psychology. She is an active performer in MJC’s accredited dance program. She plans to transfer to Sacramento State to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and also receive a minor in Psychology. Dancing has been a prominent part of Bethany’s life for 23 years. Her dance career started as a young hobby, grew into her first love and is now her chosen journey for her passion and profession.
Laurie Levers
Dance Instructor
Laurie has grown up dancing at Powerhouse starting at the age of 7, and joined the competition team when she was 10. Here at Powerhouse she has trained in tap, hip-hop, tumbling, jazz, lyrical, ballet, and contemporary since she was a little girl. She has grown up attending dance conventions and competitions where she has won many judges awards for her performance quality. Now she is beginning to dance at Modesto Junior College where she is also taking classes to someday go into the medical field. Dancing has given her a way to express her emotions and escape from reality and she is so excited to share her love of dancing through teaching and coaching, by creating a safe space where dancers can learn how to express themselves as well.
Tyanna Padilla
Dance Instructor
Tyanna has been training and performing since the age of nine, building a foundation rooted in both technical discipline and performance artistry. At eleven, she signed with MTA Agency gaining early industry experience that shaped her professionalism and stage presence from a young age.
Her performance credits include the 49ers Halftime Show with Sean Kingston, Bay Area World of Dance, Americas Best Dance Crew Season 5 Finalist in auditions, and a featured role in a Coca Cola RED Campaign. She has trained under respected industry professionals including Brian Friedman, Matt Steffanina, Brian Puspos, Nicole Kirkland, Ian Eastwood, Dave Scott, Greg Chapkis, and Nappytabs, among others.
As an instructor and choreographer, Tyanna specializes in hip hop while also bringing general knowledge of contemporary, lyrical, and jazz into her training approach. Her classes emphasize musicality, textured movement, performance quality, and intentional execution, while fostering confidence and individuality in each dancer.
In addition to her dance career, Tyanna has extensive experience in behavioral and educational settings, including supporting children on the autism spectrum through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She is currently pursuing her education toward becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), deepening her commitment to inclusive, developmentally informed instruction. Her combined background in dance and behavioral science allows her to create a structured, empowering environment where dancers are challenged, supported, and equipped to grow both artistically and personally.
London Perey
Dance Instructor
London has been dancing at Powerhouse Dance Studio since she was 8 years old. Over the years, she has taken jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, pointe, and contemporary. For many years, London took only recreational classes until she was selected to join the Powerhouse Competition Team. On the Competition Team, she won several awards and a scholarship. Being surrounded by so many genres of dance at competitions and conventions sparked her passion for becoming a dance instructor. London was offered a position to assist in classes at Powerhouse. Assisting in classes was the start of a dream come true. The summer she turned 17, she became a dance teacher! Dancing and teaching are her passion because dance is good for the mind, body, and soul. London plans to continue to dance with Powerhouse on the Elite Team until she graduates. It is her goal to pass on to her students the same love for dance that she has.
Alexia Cuevas
Dance Instructor
Alexia began her performing arts journey at the age of three when she took her first ballet class. Within two years, she was training with a nationally ranked dance team, earning top awards in tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop. She was blessed to earn five consecutive national titles with her tap team under the direction of Tamie Slader. Alexia spent three years training in hip hop under the direction of Greg Chapkis as a member of Junior Prophecy and Chapkidz dance crews. She booked her first professional dance job at the age of 6 performing in a commercial for Square Panda. Alexia was a founding member and captain of the Gregori High Dance Team where she choreographed and staged half-time and sideline performances and participated in Gregori Dance Production as a performer and choreographer. Alexia continues to train and compete nationally with a USASF ranked dance team in pom, hip hop, and lyrical.
In addition to dance, Alexia is an accomplished vocal and theater performer. She began taking voice lessons at the age of five and caught the theater bug while listening to hours of Broadway material in preparation for vocal lessons. In the summer of 2019, Alexia won a scholarship to attend Young Actors Theater Camp and was selected as the Star Camper for the session. Immediately after, Alexia began auditioning regularly for local, regional, and national theater and earned professional representation with Edge Entertainment Management based in New York. Alexia’s theater credits include Matilda in Matilda the Musical at Stockton Civic Theater, Annie in Annie at Y.E.S. Company at the Gallo Center, The Artful Dodger in Oliver at Stockton Civic Theater, and Mush in Newsies at Musical Mayhem Productions. Vocal credits include “Hitting New Heights” a concert featuring Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Munoz (of Broadway’s Hamilton), “Sincerely, Sondheim” a cabaret performance featuring Nicholas Rodriguez (of Broadway’s Company), and a National Anthem soloist with Stockton Ports Baseball. In 2024, Alexia was selected in the top 15 of “Broadway’s Next on Stage”, a national theater competition hosted by Broadway World. Alexia continues to train in vocal performance at Pacific Community Music School under the direction of professors at University of the Pacific.
The love of training and performing is equal to Alexia’s passion for teaching. She is eager to build up young performers with strong technique and confidence and is focused on creating pieces that highlight the best in each performer. Alexia feels incredibly blessed to be a part of the teaching staff at Powerhouse Dance and looks forward to working with each student to perform with the highest level of skill and artistry.
Tawney Magaña
Yoga Instructor
Tawney was introduced to Yoga at 3 years old, as her mother was an avid practitioner of Kriya Yoga through the Self-realization Foundation in Los Angeles, California.
Morning routines consisted of the physical exercise and breathing techniques of Asana and Pranayama in what would later influence an immersion training in 2016, by traveling to Rishikesh, India.
Her studies in Hatha & Ashtanga Yoga as well as the History and Culture validated her life’s purpose. She found that Western society’s idea of Yoga was not just about the physical exercise but a way of facilitating a flexible mind, a new perspective on the principles of humanity, and an intricate way in which people could find balance in their lives.
She continued studying various styles of Yoga over the years. Which enriched her knowledge and decided not only share her experiences , but to help others through the transformations Yoga brings to one’s lifestyle. She currently teaches through out Modesto, and runs a teacher training program as well. She has over 40 years of experience as a practitioner and 10 teaching and welcomes people of all ages, and limitations to join in and share an energetic connection.
Tawney also volunteers her time teaching Veterans, challenged with PTSD as well as children through School programs. Her teachings are a fusion of Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Buti, Restorative, chair and consist of ways to enhance one’s life through any one or all of these styles but to also broaden their outlook on the way in which Yoga impacts their overall mental; health as well.
Interested in working at Powerhouse Dance Studio? Send us your resumé and a brief description of why you think Powerhouse is the right studio for you! Send resumé HERE
Staff
Powerhouse Dance Studio prides itself in having a friendly and helpful support staff!
Katie Jefferson
Office Admin
Katie is an Escalon native and dance mom. She joined Powerhouse in the middle of the 2022-2023 season. Though Katie has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years, she quickly became interested in learning how the studio operates and getting to know the dancers and their families. Katie's role in designing the content for the studio chalkboards adds to her tasks behind the scenes, ensuring the studio's environment is not only functional but also visually appealing and inspiring. She is continually looking for innovative ways in this creative space to contribute to the overall success of the studio's operations.
Nicole Vitale
Office Admin
Nicole is Powerhouse Dance Studio's newest office administrator. She was an administrative assistant while in college before earning her Bachelor's in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development. After graduation, Nicole dedicated her time working in social services. She then decided to become a stay at home mom and devoted her time to her family. Nicole was swept up into the dance world by her two ambitious daughters and found a new family with Powerhouse.