Veronica Mendonca
Owner/Director
Veronica is the founder and director of VAM Studios. Her career as a performer, choreographer and teacher spans over 30 years. She has performed and choreographed everything from classical ballet to cabaret as well as directing her own dance company to creating choreography for feature film.
As a dance instructor, Veronica was on the faculty at the prestigious Westside School of Ballet in Los Angeles for over ten years. She has taught master classes at Cornish College of the Arts and has also taught at the Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, Oakley Ballet Center and at Arc School of Ballet here in Seattle. Veronica trained with Yvonne Mounsey (New York City Ballet) and Rosemary Valaire, (England’s Royal Ballet). She studied jazz in Los Angeles with Wayne Bascomb.
Veronica has also worked with legendary choreographers Toni Basil and Mark Morris among others. Read More
Mark Mendonca
Co-Director
Mark Mendonca is the co-director of VAM Studios. He has been a sought after performer and dance educator worldwide for the past three decades.
Mark has taught master classes across the world in France, Spain, Germany, U.K., Indonesia, and Sweden as well as at dance festivals across the US including the Colorado Dance Festival, Florida Dance Festival and festivals in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, Portland, Anchorage, and Atlanta among others. He has been on the faculty at Loyola Marymount University and Santa Monica College, and has also taught classes at UCLA, Cal State LA, Cal State Long Beach, Los Angeles County High School of the Arts and Orange County High School of the Arts.
Mark is excited to share his experience and knowledge with dancers from all over the Pacific Northwest and to establish VAM Studios as a new, permanent home for tap dance in Seattle. Read More
Abigail Ipjian
Instructor – Dance
Adrianna Hall
Instructor – Dance
Alyssa Brillinger
Instructor – Dance
Annalisa Brinchmann
Instructor – Dance
Avery Gardner
Instructor – Dance
Avery Gardner (He/Him), 24 years old, born and raised in Seattle, Washington has been a dancer for 12 years. Training in mainly Hip Hop based choreography and other commercial styles, Avery’s dance experience has brought him and his choreography to a number of accredited stages and platforms. Including performing for Ciara at WeDay in 2016, Opening at Macklemore’s Gemini Tour Seattle show in 2017 for Seattle based rapper, Sol; Performances at Bumbershoot and Capitol Hill Block Party in 2018 and 2019; and a Seahawks dancer for two straight seasons.
Avery’s style includes a unique twist of contemporary movement -bringing a smoothness to textures and patience in musicality.
Jasmine Morgan
Instructor – Dance
Jasmine Morgan was born and raised in Seattle, WA. She started her dance training at Pacific Northwest Ballet from age 7-11 years. At the age of 12 years, Jasmine discovered Dance Fremont and that became like her second home.
She danced in Fremont Danceworks Company from age 12-18 years performing in many lead and ensemble roles choreographed by Carla Maxwell (Artistic Director of the Limón Dance Company), Kabby Mitchell III (former soloist of Pacific NW Ballet), Hannah Wiley (founding Artistic Director of University of Washington’s Chamber Dance Company), Mary Kay Bisignano-Vadino (Dance Fremont Faculty), Mary Reardon and Vivian Little (Co-directors of Dance Fremont).
Jasmine’s love for dance has transformed into a passion to teach dance. She taught ballet to adults and children at American Dance Institute in 2006, volunteered at the YMCA teaching ballet to beginning adults and is currently teaching a dance class for people with developmental disabilities. Jasmine loves being with people, so being able to teach them her passion is a true joy.
Kathryn Hightower
Instructor – Dance
Lauren Gaille-Mangibin
Instructor – Dance
Maceo Mendonca
Instructor – Dance
Maceo has been dancing since the age of 2, doing tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. He has studied dance at Arc School of Ballet and VAM Studios. Maceo has performed with Twelfth Night Productions in the musicals The Music Man and Amahl and the Night Visitors. He has had the pleasure of appearing in a Dreamworks commercial and a music video by Emmy nominated director Matthew Brown. Maceo loves dancing with his friends and is always excited for the next VAM Studios show.
Megan Martinko
Instructor – Dance
Nicolas Van Deren
Instructor – Dance
Soleil Schultz
Instructor – Dance
Amanda White
Instructor – Dance
Amanda White has been dancing, and loving it, for as long as she can remember. She has been trained in a multitude of styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and modern. As a performer, Amanda has danced with the Eastside Moving Company at Bellevue College, Steppin’ Up Performance Group, Drybones Artist Collective and for choreographers Anna O’Conner and Amy O’Neal as part of the Strictly Seattle Dance Festivals in 2015 and 2016. She has also recently performed with VAM Performance at the 1st Annual REVEAL: Northwest Innovation in Fashion event at EMP.
Amanda has taught jazz, tap and ballet to children of all ages at numerous dance studios throughout the greater Seattle area. In 2015 Amanda was awarded a scholarship to participate in the Chop Shop Dance Festival. Amanda truly enjoys sharing her love and passion for dance and life through teaching others!
Interested In Joining The VAM Team?
We are always looking for talented instructors who have a passion for sharing their dance teaching skills in a supportive and fun way. Contact us and share your interest.