Luna Kids Dance Faculty

Each LKD owner/faculty is a professional dance artist, performer and educator. Collectively, we have taught more than 10,000 children over the past 20 years. Our programs, as well as our business, continue to grow as needs emerge and partners/owners align new knowledge with current practices and values that emphasize equity, equality and human rights.

Tina Banchero performs with Dance Brigade, a SF-based dance and drumming company. She also directs and choreographs for its junior companies, GRRRL Brigade and Jr. Grrrl Brigade.

Sean McMahon received BFA in Dance from the Ohio University Honors Tutoral College.  He has been teaching dance in various capacaties to many different ages and populations since he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000.    Sean co-directs peck peck dance ensemble with Sarah Sass.  Sean has taught, performed and choreographed in the Bay Area since 2000.  For more information about peck peck dance ensemble go to the website at www.peckpeckdanceensemble.com.

Nancy Ng received her MFA in dance from Mills College and her teaching credential from SFSU. She has been awarded three California Arts Council Artist residencies and a Marin Arts Council choreography award.

Patricia Ong received her BA in Theater Arts from UC Santa Cruz where she concentrated in dance performance and choreography.  She has worked in various educational settings teaching inquiry based curriculum in dance, science, and history. In the past three years she has worked with Galing Bata, a San Francisco after school program dedicated to creating learning environment that supports the formation of a healthy bicultural identity amongst Filipino immigrant youth. She currently performs with Alleluia Panis Dance Theater, a San Francisco based company that strives to cultivate works that define the artistic identity of Filipino-Americans.  She recently was involved in learning, creating, and performing with The Ifugao Music & Dance Ensemble of Banaue, tribal artists from Northern Luzon, Philippines committed to the stewardship of the Ifugao people's dance, music, tribal arts, and indigenous cultural practices as a dynamic relevant part of contemporary life.

Patricia Reedy is the founder of Luna and director of Teaching & Learning for the organization.  A choreographer and teacher all of her life, she developed and continues to evolve the LKD approach.  Ms. Reedy holds a MA degree in Education from Mills College, has choreographed and performed many dance works and written numerous articles, as well as the book, Body, Mind & Spirit IN ACTION: a teacher’s guide to creative dance.  She currently manages the California Institute for Dance Learning, a project of Luna Kids Dance.

Alisa Rasera began dancing at age 3, exploring various dance forms. In 1994 her Modern Dance training deepened while attending the California Institute of the Arts where she earned a BFA in Dance. Alisa also studied and earned an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at New York University. From 1999-2007 Alisa danced with Oakland’s Physically Integrated, XIS Dance Company. During these 8 years she held the roles of Dancer/Performer, Education Director, Teaching Artist, and created several pieces for the company. Alisa toured nationally with AXIS and performed the works of dance notables including Bill T. Jones, Ann Carlson & Stephen Petronio. Her work as a dance teacher has included many different settings including classrooms, studios, camps & festivals.She has also created a small repertoire of her own work that has often gravitated her to working in the musical theater genre.

Chantal Sampogna has an extensive background in youth outreach and advocacy. She is currently a practicing attorney in the juvenile justice system and is the founder of our MPACT program.

Sarah Sass received her BFA from Ohio University. In 2002 she formed peck peck dance ensemble with Sean McMahon; they choreograph and produce their own concerts. In addition to creating her own choreographic work, she performs regularly with Funsch Dance Experience. She has also performed with Deborah Slater Dance Theater, CaliCo Dance, and Kate Corby & Dancers. She is currently the Early Childhood Program Manager. This is her fifth year working for Luna Kids Dance.

Veleda Roehl received her BA in Humanities from the Experimental Performance Institute at New College of California. She has volunteered and worked with community based groups and non-profits including Clean Water Action, an environmental citizens lobby group, and Youth Alive, an Oakland, CA based violence prevention organization.   She creates and directs her own interdisciplinary performance work with original music, text and choreography. She is currently a principal dancer with Oakland based Malia Movement Company.