Noe Valley Dance Space

Ms. Laura Padierne began her dance career in Miami, Florida. In 2001, she graduated from the University of Florida with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in business. In addition, she received her certification in Dance Healing from Shands Hospital where she worked as an artist in residence. While attending UF, Ms. Padierne had the opportunity to study, and perform, with ODC/San Francisco, Les Ballet Africains, Dance Brazil, Dance Alive!, and Garth Fagan Dance. To complement her University studies, Ms. Padierne has been awarded several scholarships, which have allowed her to further her dance education at prestigious programs and schools throughout the United States. These include: American Dance Festival, the American College Dance Festival, the Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, ODC/San Francisco (UF), and New World School of the Arts.

Since relocating to San Francisco, she has performed across the U.S with touring company Dance Thru Time, and at the ODC, Cowell and Marin theaters with several bay area choreographers. Currently, she is a company member of Carmen Carnes Dance Ensemble and a guest artist/choreographer with Vispo Dance. Recently, she was chosen by director Christopher Columbus as a dancer in the movie, “Rent” (based on the Broadway show). Ms. Padierne is also a nationally recognized choreographer. In 2000, her piece “Something for Everybody” was chosen to be performed at the Gala of the American Dance Festival held in Georgia, and honored again with its presentation at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Her other works, which fuse Afro-Cuban rhythms and traditional modern dance, have been presented throughout theaters in Florida and Bay Area.

Ms. Padierne has been teaching ballet, jazz and modern for ten years, to both children and adults. In the fall of 2006, she founded Noe Valley Dance Space, which dedicates itself to building the young dancer's relationship with dance in a nurturing and encouraging environment. At NVDS, students learn classical technique and vocabulary while tapping into their imaginations and focusing on healthy body aligment. In 2007, the NVDS program expanded to bay area schools St. Philip Elementary and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School where Ms. Padierne heads their afterschool dance programs and directs the SHCP Dance Company.

Laura Padierne NVDS welcomes Ms. April Conyers to our dance program!

April Conyers grew up in Sacramento, CA and was introduced to dance at the age of three by her mother, a professional dancer. She continued her dance training over the next twenty years studying at Conservatory of Dance, Broadway Dance Center (NY) and ODC(SF). She has been teaching Tap, Ballet and Jazz to children and adults for over ten years. While pursuing her Communications degree at Weber State University in North Ogden, UT, Ms. April was on faculty at the Julie Moffit Ballet School where she developed their advanced Tap program. During her tenure, she choreographed for the JMBS Dance Company’s competition dancer team and received recognition as an award winning choreographer.

Ms. April’s class focuses on a classical tap style, and builds on that foundation by incorporating rhythmic patterns and beats. Students will learn single tap beats and incorporate them into a series of combinations. Whether teaching tap, ballet or jazz, she works with her students in a fun and encouraging manner while giving them the skills to succeed regardless of age or experience.

Ms. April’s dedication to, and love for dance is evident in her teaching and she is thrilled to be joining the faculty at Noe Valley Dance Space.

NVDS welcomes Ms. Nicole Bridgens to our dance program! Laura Padierne

Hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, Nicole Bridgens began her dance training with Jazz and Tap, before training in the Royal Academy of Dance’s Ballet curriculum. She relocated to San Jose, CA with her family and continued studying Ballet with San Jose Dance Theater and Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley School. Ms. Nicole received her B.A. from the California State University, Long Beach. While there, her choreography was chosen to represent CSULB at the American College Dance Festival, and later commissioned to be re-staged for Utah Valley University.

Ms. Nicole has been teaching, performing and creating new works throughout California and South Africa. She has danced at the Disneyland Resort in parades and television specials. Recently, she returned from Tel Aviv, Israel where she studied with Batsheva Dance Company during their summer intensive program.