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Nicole Guzman, owner and instructor at High Desert Dance Academy (HDDA) in Winslow is ready to face 2019 head on.
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Last year, her studio, which is home to nearly 60 dancers, took on many projects, competitions and performances. The performance company alone showcases 38 dancers. That group performed for the Arizona Diamondbacks, at Disneyland, in multiple parades around the state, and a recital performance. They ended the year with a performance at the Fiesta Bowl Parade in Tempe. For that, they teamed up with Donate Life Arizona, an organ donation outreach and registry. “We were able to tell the kids what an organ donor is. There were living donors and recipients there as well, so the kids were able to meet them and ask about their experiences. It was a really cool opportunity for our dancers to learn something so important.”
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Along with performances, Guzman explained, instruction is constantly ongoing. “We have had several master classes and will continue to bring those in. Those are classes where we bring in top choreographers from all over to teach our dancers. Last year we had professional ballet dancers Paul and Katie Gillam from the Dayton, Ohio, Ballet Company. We had Tessa and Tamry Ramsey hold a hip-hop class. There were a lot of teachers this year. When we hold those, our dancers get to workshop with very talented people and we also offer a recreational class for the general public with that teacher.”
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Beyond the master classes, the dancers of HDDA are under the direction of Guzman who is a dancer herself and very passionate about the art. She was a cheerleader and dance team member at Winslow High School and the former STARS Studio in Winslow. She then went on to dance professionally. “I was an extra in several shows, I danced on the red carpet for the People’s Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, and so much more.”
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Guzman then decided the Los Angeles dance circuit wasn’t for her and she moved to Virginia to attend Old Dominion University on a scholarship for dance. “I decided to go back to school to study dance. I did have to audition to get in, and I performed with the University dance company professionally. I danced for a 70’s show band and with the magician Krindl. With Krindl, we actually were on America’s Got Talent, that was a lot of fun.”
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Guzman learned in college that movement can help people psychologically as well as physically and took that experience with her. “I left the four-year program with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Theater. I was able to participate in many studies that explored the benefits of dance and movement in babies and toddlers. Now, I recognize that continued education in this field is so important and I am able to use what I know in helping these dancers, of all ages, get to know themselves.”
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Graduates of Guzman’s program as well as her predecessors include Anna Ricks, Janie Soehner and Amber Renfro who have all had successful careers with the Disney company in various capacities around the world. Also a product of Guzman’s studio is Skylar Soehner, a 2016 Winslow High School graduate. Soehner recently completed a certificate program at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan thanks to a scholarship she earned while attending HDDA. “We have quite a few dancers from our studio who have gone on to careers in sports medicine for performers, one has a highly successful career with the National Dance Alliance. They put on cheer and dance camps and workshops all over the country.”
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According to Guzman, it is important to remember that dance careers don’t have to mean performance. She said, “There are dance sciences, exercise science, business, choreography, literally so many avenues that these kids can explore beyond high school.”
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One of the ways she exposes the dancers to opportunities is through competitions. “Dance competitions are really just you evaluated, it’s really just you trying to do the best that you can and then being evaluated by the judges. Personally, the way I feel about competition is mixed. If I had it my way, we wouldn’t do competitions because I love the performance aspect so much. It does show them that there are many things to do with dance outside of our little town. And the kids love it. They compete in solos where they do place, they compete as a team, they really enjoy it. It drives them to have goals and keeps them motivated. And our little studio competes with the best of them, we hang in there. Its important that the kids see that it’s possible to come from a small studio and hold their own, it’s validating.”
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She explained that HDDA competes with the best teams in the state and some from southern Utah and Nevada and even some smaller southern California studios. “We hold our own with these big city studios. In fact, last year we got the best choreography award at a competition and were invited to nationals. We didn’t go, as our parents didn’t think it was a good idea, but it was really cool to be invited. Once you get to that level, and do well, your studio can be featured in dance magazines and things like that. So, we will keep doing competitions, but our kids know that that’s not all this is about.”
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Guzman’s goals for 2019 are to encourage more kids to dance. Ages five to 18 are invited to attend HDDA in dance or tumbling. “We want the community to know that we are a great outlet for their kids, we have an amazing staff and we are teaching skills they can take with them throughout their lives.”
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The next session begins on January 14 and there is still time to sign up. “In fact, we would love to have more dancers for this session. The more the merrier,” said Guzman. She is also planning to have a fitness gym in the studio space this year. “Crystal Murdock is already offering her personal training services here and she is going to start a public spin class at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays starting January 14. It’s just another service we want to venture in to. Fitness for the entire family is important to us and we want to encourage it. We are going to start with our dance parents and get some feedback from them and go from there. Hopefully, that part will be up and running soon.”
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For details on registration for dance classes, or more information on Murdock’s personal training, visit High Desert Dance Academy at 417 W. Third Street or call 928-289-2434.
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