Artistic Director & Co-Owner/Team & Mini Team Coach
Joan Elias
Joan is the Artistic Director of Forever Dance and co-owner with Ellen and Andy Dauscher. Joan holds a BFA in Dance from East Carolina University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. After graduation, Joan started her professional career dancing at the Lone Star Dramas in Galveston, Texas. She worked her way up the ranks of the theatre as dancer, dance captain, assistant choreographer and choreographer of the musicals “The Lone Star”, “Annie Get Your Gun”, “Hello Dolly” and “South Pacific”. Joan danced for Houston Grand Opera in “Hansel and Gretel” and choreographed for the Galveston Island Opera House. Joan danced in San Francisco with the modern company, Gretchen Harding and Friends, which performed at the Palace of Fine Arts. She also danced professionally in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe with “Melinda, the First Lady of Magic”, “The Girls of Rock and Roll”, Desert Rose Productions and Caesar Palace Conventions. After settling down in Lake Tahoe to start her family, Joan found her passion for teaching, choreographing and coaching dancers of all ages.
Dance Instructor, Team and Mini Team Coach
Dino Elias
Dino has been hooked on dance since he won his first National competition at age 10! Dino specializes in Tap, Contemporary, Jazz Funk, and Musical Theater. In 2012, he attended Jacob's Pillow in the pre-professional tap program, studying with Diane Walker, Lane Alexander, Derek Grand, Brenda Buffalino, and Lisa LaTouche. In December 2013, Dino performed in the first all tap show ``Juba!``, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Dino choreographed and danced in ``Red Hot Superstars`` at the Grand Sierra Resort and in 2014 performed in the Muny's production of ``Billy Elliot`` in St. Louis, MO. Dino currently judges for Thunderstruck and KAR competitions, as well as teaches tap on the KAR Convention circuit. He enjoys choreographing and teaching master classes for studios throughout the West and East coasts. Dino has been recognized on the national level for his choreography and teaching abilities, including two nominations for the Industry Dance Awards. FD4REAL
Dance Instructor, Team, Mini Team and Tot Team Coach
Suzie Elias
Suzie Elias was born and raised in Lake Tahoe, where she began dancing at just two years old. After spending the past 11 years living and working as a professional dancer in Los Angeles, she is thrilled to be back home dancing with the FD Family.
Throughout her career, Suzie has performed on three national and international tours, dancing across the United States, India, South Africa, Thailand, Mauritius, England, Canada, and Mexico. Her commercial credits include campaigns for Pepsi, Panda Express, and Wienerschnitzel. She has also appeared in music videos, television, film, and live productions with Karmagraphy, LA Follies, and Scarlett Entertainment.
A versatile performer, Suzie is trained in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, contemporary, acro, and Bollywood. She has also been a professional sports entertainer for the AFL LA KISS, NBA Los Angeles Clippers, and WNBA Los Angeles Sparks.
Additional career highlights include performances and projects with Disney, Gilmore Girls, Joji, Snoop Dogg, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, T. Mills, and PopSugar.
Suzie is passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers and is excited to share her experience, creativity, and love of dance with every student she teaches. We are all so excited to have her back teaching and coaching full time!
Dance Instructor
Robin Price
Robin Price grew up in Cincinnati and became a professional dancer at 15. Her career as a professional dancer lasted for over 25 years. Her credits include St Louis Muny Opera, Disney on Parade, The Carol Burnett Show, L.A. Civic light Opera, Paradise Island, Casino De Paris Dunes as principal dancer, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Jubilee Las Vegas, Hello Hollywood Hello as principal dancer. Over the years Robin has worked with some of the best choreographers including Onna White, Tom Hansen, Ron Lewis,Stanley Holden & Margaret Hills - Royal Ballet, Marc Breaux & Dee Dee Wood, Tommy Tune, & Zoya LeProvska - Bob Fosse’s assistant. Robin has a great love for dance, especially ballet. She has taught for
many years and really loves passing on her passion for dance.
Dance Instructor
Corinne Novotny
Beginning to dance at the age of 3, dancing has been a huge part of Corinne’s life. She was a member of the Forever Dance competition team for 13 years, and a part of the original Mini-Team. A well-rounded dancer, she has been trained in ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz funk, modern, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, tumbling, partnering, and ballroom. During her many years competing with Forever Dance, she has taken home many top awards in regional and national competitions with her solos, duos, trios, groups, productions, including titles. Corinne has trained at the Edge, Millennium and Movement Lifestyle. She has danced professionally in the Reno Fashion Show and Red-Hot Production’s, “The Michael Jackson Tribute Show”. This year, Corinne will be teaching Jr Contemporary 1 and Jr HH 1 & 2 at Forever Dance Carson City. Corinne is also a full-time kindergarten teacher in Sparks, NV.
Dance Instructor
Zoë Lacasse Kirstine
Zoë started her dance journey at the young age of four, finding her passion quickly for the art. She began dancing competitively at eight years old, there finding her undying love for Jazz, Contemporary and Lyrical. Throughout her days as a competitive dancer, Zoë has received many regional and national awards, as well as scholarships for solos, duos, trios and group numbers. She has danced professionally since the age of ten, with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, the Reno Fashion Show, Sierra Nevada Ballet and Karen Burns Productions. Zoë shares a strong love for teaching others, not just in the form of dance but in the Emergency Medical field as well. Along with being a passionate dancer and instructor, Zoë is also a full time Paramedic and full-time mom. She’s also very thankful to have had the opportunities to contribute to our Competition team for the last three years! Zoë is beyond excited to work with these young dancers and get the chance to watch them grow throughout the year.
Dance Instructor
Ky McGee
Ky McGee started her dance career at a young age, moving to Carson City Forever Dance studio once it opened up. She immediately felt at home. Not long after Ky started taking dance classes at Forever Dance, she joined the FDCC Mini Competition Team with her younger sister, Seren. Ky's favorite styles of dance are ballet, contemporary and musical theater. After graduating from both dance and high school in 2022, Ky is excited to start the next chapter of her life as a dance instructor at the studio who made her into the dancer she is today.
Dance Instructor
Chelsea Rosales-Garcia
Chelsea Rosales-Garcia
Tumbling Instructors
Marissa & Brian Beck
Marissa has been coaching sports for 20 years. She and her husband owned a competitive cheer and tumbling gym, and she has 15 years experience as a tumbling instructor. Currently she owns a Jiu-Jitsu and Martial Arts gym and teaches full time as well as coaches different competitive athletes and fighters. Her accomplishments range from being a nationally certified judge and tumbling coach, to being an NPC competitive bodybuilder. She is a 3rd degree Black Belt (MMA) and holds other ranks including a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Coach Marissa is always encouraging the kids or working with the prop team at Forever Dance. She is excited to be teaching at Forever Dance this year.
Dance Instructor
Jade Paine
Jade was born in Reno and grew up in Gardnerville. Jade, also known as JP, has been dancing at Forever Dance for 8 years and competed on the Forever Dance Team for 7. Her favorite styles are hip hop and baton. Jade is a student at Western Nevada College and is excited to teach classes at Forever Dance this year.
Dance Instructor
Seren McGee
Seren McGee has been dancing her entire life, starting at 2 years old. She has been competing for years on Forever Dance's Carson City Mini Team, along with her older sister Ky. This year she moved up to Forever Dance's ``Big Team`` and will be teaching FD's tots. She is incredibly excited for the future of her dance career and teaching!
Dance Instructor
Miranda Beck
Ever since Miranda started dancing at Forever Dance eight years ago, she has felt that dance is truly her calling. Having grown up practicing martial arts her entire life, dance was a fun and exciting change, but it quickly became another passion. Now, being able to work at both her dance studio and her family’s martial arts gym has been one of the greatest adventures she has taken on so far. From Tap to Hip Hop and Jazz, Miranda loves performing and sharing her passion for dance with others. Through dance, she has learned the value of discipline, leadership, hard work, and perseverance, while also learning how important it is to have fun along the way. She loves her dance team like family and is especially excited for the opportunity to show the younger dancers at Forever Dance just how incredible it is to be part of such a special community. This season, Miranda is thrilled to teach Tech 1 and Tap 2A and help her students build their technique, confidence, and love for dance. She can’t wait to share her passion, create memories, and have an amazing season with her dancers!
Dance Instructor
Alyssa Edie
Alyssa was born in Oceanside, California, and raised in the beautiful mountain town of South Lake Tahoe. She’s been dancing at Forever Dance since the age of 4 and has spent the past six years competing with our studio’s award-winning competition teams. Alyssa is trained in a variety of dance styles, with Contemporary and Jazz holding a special place in her heart. Over the past three years, she has served as a teaching assistant in multiple classes and is now thrilled to take on a teaching role of her own—leading Pre-Tech and Junior Hip Hop this year.
Dance Instructor
Tickey Rivera
Temperance Aurora Rivera (Tickey) began her dance journey in 2014 at the age of three with Forever Dance. What started as a shy toddler’s first steps has blossomed into a true passion. With the support and guidance of the Forever Dance Crew, she has grown both as a dancer and an individual—rising through the ranks to earn her place on Forever Dance’s prestigious National-level “Big Team.”
Dance Instructor
Molly Russell
Molly has been a dedicated member of Forever Dance for the past seven years. She began her journey on the Mini Team at age 12 and proudly advanced to the Big Team this year. In addition to her dance training and schoolwork, Molly has taken on a new role as a teacher, learning to balance her responsibilities with grace and enthusiasm.