Be My Valentine
My Valentine’s Day treat was an opportunity to tap into my roots and cultural heritage by request of my beautiful couple, Dave and Lindsay who took their first date up a whole new level by taking a dance lesson with me! Lindsay wanted to learn a Tradicíonal Baile de Veracruz and Dave wanted to learn latin ballroom so I blended the two into one solid piece and they did such a wonderful job picking up the footwork ! This skirt you see here has been used in various ways: for my


Felíz Quinceañera, Matisse!
Congratulations Matisse on your very special birthday! This weekend, the Ouderk Pool Gamache family celebrated the start of young womanhood for their little girl, Matisse, who turned 15 years old. Her birthday celebration took place at The San Francisco Boathouse in Lake Merced on Saturday January 20, 2018. These last five months have truly been a blessing working with Matisse, her mothers Joyce and Edwige, her big brother Max, and all of her Damas and Chambelanes for choreog


Congratulations, Juanita and Don!
Congratulations to this beautiful couple who got married under a weeping willow on a bright and sunny day at Wedgewood in San Ramon, CA on Saturday September 30, 2017. I met the Bride and her Maid of Honor at The Luxe Bridal Show in San Francisco. Since then, Juanita and Don have been dancing with me for a year and a half to prepare for their Dream Come True Wedding Day. Their First Dance was choreographed to Once Upon A Dream, a song featured in Walt Disney's Classical film,


Happy First Week of Fall!
As we wrap up the summer heat, we Fall our way into Autumn! Stay tuned for the new class schedule we have coming soon! After all, life is a dance! #FirstDance #groupclass #halfmoonbay #coastside #sanmateo #onlinedanceclass #weddingmonth #bayareaweddings #flashmob


Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Barnett!
After a few months of sprucing up their dancing skills, Allison and Jesse tie the knot on September 16, 2017 at the Elks Lodge in San Mateo, CA! These two lovebirds did their First Dance to Dan and Shay's- From the Ground Up. Their style of dance was Contemporary with a touch of Latin. Allison's Father-Daughter Dance was a traditional style of Waltz to My Girl by the Temptations, and Jesse's Mother-Son Dance was to My Wish by Rascal Flatts with Grandmother jumping in, catchin


Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Xiao!
Congratulations to Samantha and Harry who got married this past weekend at The Convent in Hunter Valley, Australia! This beautiful couple danced their First Dance to Sixpence None the Richer's Kiss Me. When I first met them in person, they already had latin dance under their belts. Adding to their dance technique, we incorporated a splash of modern, lyrical ballet, and lifts! The beautiful bride changed out of her gorgeous wedding gown into this beautiful glittery and fun dre


Japan and China: Here We Come!
I hope everyone had a safe and memorable Labor Day weekend with all your family and friends! My husband and I went home to San Diego to visit our family, and our youngest niece, Charlotte, turned 1! It was so fun being able to witness her birthday and celebrate with the whole family. As we were coming back to the Bay Area, we came to realize that this season will be bringing in a lot of fun activities. As Kateetak Studios utilizes and shares the space with United Studios of S


Getting Fit for the Dress!
It's wedding season! Here we have my dear friend, student and colleague...most of all beautiful bride, Tully, soon to be Mrs. Wachtelborn excited to share her weight-loss success story to fit in her wedding gown! What's her secret? Eating healthy portions and working out twice a day! She has fun with creating new meal inventions including veggies and protein for her kids and fiancee to enjoy. She's got them all eating healthy with her! Her favorite healthy breakfast is a vegg


Using your Breath In Transition
This week must be a pretty hectic one if you're juggling multiple tasks all at once after a comfortable summer break. While we're all in transition to getting back in the groove--- stop and take a deep breath for a second, count to three, and slowly release your breath. Repeat this three times. Here below, we have Juanita and Don in the middle of their First Dance. This week, we have officially completed the choreography for their surprise dances! Yes, that's right-dances! St


It's Back-to-School Time!
After a wonderful summer, making memories with family and friends...it's that time of year to gear up and get ready for school to start! Whether you're a returning student or a parent or sibling or legal guardian...what are you doing to mentally prepare yourself to get back in the groove? After a long vacation of relaxation and not a care in the world of having to be somewhere by a certain time, this transition can be quite the challenge. Here are some recommended tips to hel

