Stephanie Jenkins - Creative Director/Instructor
Stephanie was born in Palm Springs, CA. She received her first training in Balanchine technique at three years of age. Stephanie has studied with American Ballet Theater, Ballet Austin for five summers, at City Ballet with Steven and Elizabeth Wistrich, David Howard and Gelsey Kirkland. Stephanie also studied at Ballet Pacifica with instructors such as Charles Maples. Stephanie became a principal dancer for her hometown company at the age of 16, and starred in roles such as the Nutcracker’s Sugar Plum Fairy and Odile (or the Black Swan) of Swan Lake. She has performed for the guests of Disneyland in parades and the passengers of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Stephanie took first place title at Open Call, and she has also competed in Showbiz, Professional Dance Network, Youth America Grand Prix, and numerous other dance competitions. While Stephanie specializes in Ballet, she is also versed in the genres of Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Modern, and Contemporary Dance. Stephanie is an award winning choreographer at many national competitions, and her students regularly take tops awards.
With close to 30 years of experience Stephanie is honored to provide a place for the youth of the Coachella Valley and the surrounding areas to express themselves through the art of dance.
Miss Stephanie brings a big city vision to the desert with a small town pride and passion for her students.

Achaia "AC Royal" Cain-Hip Hop Instructor
Hello, Parents/Student and influencer my name is Achaia Royal Cain ( Ac Royal ). I am a hip-hop choreographer for Sunnymead Middle School (12yrs) , Moreno Valley HS (3 yrs) and at dancing images dance center (4 months still present). Professionally trained under choreographers such as Scotty Nguyen , Thalia Ramos, Tony Zuppardo, Hamilton Evans; and also apart of movement talent agency. My goal in the dance community is to shape the youth and upcoming generation to be the best version of themselves, by teaching them how to express themselves and using there gift to inspire others while also being a role model.
Shery Giller-Ballet Instructor
Ms. Giller began her ballet training in the private residence of Marie Hite in La Habra, Ca. where she trained intensively in the Vaganova method. In 1991 she joined Ballet Pacifica, in Laguna Beach and Irvine, Ca., as a company dancer under the directorship of Molly Lynch. She continued to dance and teach for the company until 2003. Throughout her dancing career she had the privilege of working with many well known ballet masters and choreographers. Her performance credits include many of the classical ballets such as The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, and Paquita as well as works by George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor, and many more contemporary works by both well established and up-and-coming choreographers. 

 

With a teaching career that has spanned over 30 years she has held the positions of Co-Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress of both Tucson Regional Ballet in Arizona and Piedmont Ballet Theatre in North Carolina respectively. Many of her students have been accepted to and attended such summer intensive programs and year-round schools as Juilliard, Harid Conservatory, Ballet West, The Bolshoi Academy, School of American Ballet, Ballet Austin, Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Conservatory, The Ailey School, Ballet Met, The Joffrey Ballet School, and American Ballet Theatre as well as gone on to achieve professional dance careers with their adjacent companies.

Most recently gained her certification in Progressing Ballet Technique. As a dance educator she is committed to providing high caliber ballet training for all students regardless of future career goals and a motivating environment that promotes dance’s unique ability to increase each person’s self-esteem, self-assurance, physical awareness, and the joy of movement.

Dylan Smith-Guest Choreographer
Dylan Smith is a Southern California based dancer, choreographer, instructor and visual artist. He has had the immense pleasure of performing and choreographing with Transcendence Theatre Company in Sonoma, California, winning Best Choreography 2015 by Broadway World San Francisco. Professional credits include: The Japan and National Tours of 42nd Street, JUBILEE! at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Principal Dancer aboard Holland America Cruise Line as well as various regional theater work, industrials, film and television. Other highlights include JUMP JIVE & WAIL! with the USO starring Paris Hilton as well as performing alongside the band PHISH to a sold out crowd of 35,000 on New Years Eve at Madison Square Garden. Dylan is a choreographer and audition coordinator for the Emmy award winning production company RWS & Associates in NYC. Mr. Smith is a much sought after instructor and national adjudicator. His upbeat, energetic and multifaceted styles keep him in high demand; traveling across the country to countless studios, workshops and intensives. In addition, Dylan has worked as a choreographer and teaching artist at Sonoma State University and the Santa Rosa Junior College. Dylan holds a BA in Dance from the prestigious Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. 
Heaven Rodriguez - Teaching Assistant
Heaven Rodriguez has been dancing since the age of 2 ½. She received her first years of training in Ballet in Balanchine technique by Catherine Demonchaux-Botwin She has also been trained by Louis Vargo Bondurich in Lyrical and Jazz. During the summers of 2013 through 2017 she trained with Mr. Bellamy and Ms. Quinn at The Rock Center For Dance in Las Vegas Nevada. Miss Rodriguez studied under David Conzaterite in Musical theater at Green Room Theater during the summers of 2014 through 2020. Miss Rodriguez is trained in Ballroom, Romanian Tango, Swing, East Coast Swing. Miss Rodriguez joined SAJ Dance Productions in 2015. As a company member she has studied with guest choreographer Dylan Smith and Hip Hop instructor AC Royal in Hip-Hop as well as Creative Director and Choreographer Stephanie Ann Jenkins
Jessica Ramirez - Teaching Assistant
Jessica 18 years old and has been studying dance sine the age of 8. Her areas of focus are ballet, hip-hop and jazz with her strongest genre being hip hop. Jessica has experiance work with people of all ages and currently volunteers at Palm Springs Animal Shelter. Jessica is excited to be working the students at SAJ Dance this summer.
Richard B. Jenkins - Business Manager
Richard is our Business and Public Relations Manager. He also manages our technology programs. Richard oversee prop construction, and the travel logistics and security for our dance team.

Richard has worked with children since 1996. Over 20 of those years are in the sports industry. Richard is also a 10 year veteran of the Palm Springs Police Department and retired from the City of Palm Springs after a 23 year career. He currently teaches self-defense and situational awareness for women and teens. (feel free to schedule a class on our portal.)

ALL OF OUR RESIDENT INSTRUCTORS ARE SCREENED AND THEIR BACKGROUNDS CHECKED.