Instructor Bios

The Vibe Dance Academy is a family oriented studio that is diverse in learning. We provide high quality dance training along with an inviting and friendly staff in a clean and safe environment. We strive to support our local community as well as our dance community by being an active contributor of providing entertainment and community service.

The mission of the Vibe Dance Academy is to instill the love of dance by providing quality dance instruction and building confidence in a safe and nurturing environment. Our vision is to create confident, respectful, and self-disciplined dancers that continually strive for excellence. The Vibe Dance Academy’s goal is to provide quality dance instruction while developing our dancers to their fullest potential and appreciate the art of dance.

OUR INSTRUCTORS…

Taylor is currently a student at Mid Pacific School. She started dancing at the age of five and trains in hip hop, jazz, and contemporary. Taylor has had the privilege of training locally with Honolulu Dance Studio, Hypersquad Dance Company, Vibe Dance Academy, and currently at 24-7 Danceforce. She also trained in Los Angeles with Immabeast Dance Company. At 10 years old, Taylor’s talent of dance opened doors to the professional arena. She’s had the opportunity to dance professionally for Nickelodeon and other entertainment companies. Her professional career led her to be a performer on shows such as Nickelodeon’s Lip Sync Battle Shorties, Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards, The Greatest Showman Live Musical Commercial, Jane the Virgin, and Nickelodeon Live Broadway Spectacular in New York City. She’s had the honor of meeting and working with renowned celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya, John Cena, Nick Cannon, and Jojo Siwa to name a few. Taylor embarked on her teaching journey at the young age of 13 at The Vibe Dance Academy. She is currently the Hip Hop Director for the Vibe’s “Shorties Dance Crew” and had the opportunity of leading them to multiple 1st place wins in 2022 and 2024 at Jump Dance Competition and obtained multiple “Best of Jump” Awards for her hip hop routines. Taylor finds joy in teaching dance and aspires to inspire young dancers for as long as she can.

Madison Eagar is born and raised on Oahu. She started dancing at the age of 5 at the Honolulu Dance Studio in the genres of ballet, jazz, and hip hop. Madison attended Mid Pacific School of the Arts where she continued her dancing, studying contemporary, modern, and ballet. She started to teach contemporary and hip hop at the age of 16 at Applause Dance Academy. She has experience many styles of dance and explored both the commercial and conservatory dance worlds. During her studies at the University of Hawai’i and the pandemic, she started to teach at the Vibe Dance Academy. Madison has taught all ages and levels in styles of: hip hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical. Due to many knee surgeries and other career passions, she continues to teach/mentor part time and does not dance professionally.

Madison was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Her dance journey began at the age of 4 at Queen Emma Ballet. Her love of dance began with ballet, but she also grew to love many styles like pointe, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical. Her passion for dance followed her when she moved to San Fransisco to pursue a degree in Psychology at the University of San Fransisco. There, she was on the contemporary and hip hop dance teams. With a majority ballet background, it was here that she learned the fundamentals for both contemporary and hip hop. During her junior and senior years, she was the president of the hip hop dance team, VarCity SF, where her love for hip hop flourished as she became one of the main choreographers and leader of the team. After graduating, she returned home where she started teaching at the Vibe Dance Academy and is currently on The Bounty, an adult hip hop dance team. At the Vibe Dance Academy, she teaches hip hop for ages 5-7, ballet, and K-Pop. She loves teaching her students and it has given her a new and exciting way to share her love and passion for dance. She hopes to inspire young dancers to find their own love for the art and support them through their dance journey.

Saige began dancing at the age of 3 in jazz and ballet. At the age of 8 she was introduced to hip hop and contemporary. She danced at Honolulu Dance Studio until the age of 13 then joined Vibe Dance Academy when it opened in 2020. In 2021, she was given the privilege to teach and choreograph under the jazz genre for “The Shorties Dance Crew”. She is currently their jazz director. In 2022 her jazz number was awarded second overall at Jump Dance Competition.

Shane started his dance training relatively later in life, at the ripe old age of 21. Originally starting at Hypersquad Dance Company, then eventually adding Studio 808 DanceProject, 24-7 DanceForce, and Vibe Dance Academy to the list. His choreography/teaching journey started in 2004 at Studio 808 DanceProject. He is now also teaching at Destination Dance Hawai’i, and of course Vibe Dance Academy. He’s also worked with numerous other studios, groups, and organizations including Diamond Head Theatre, UHRWD, and Dancer’s Deelite just to name a few. Within his 20 years of teaching, he’s been blessed enough to teach dancers of ALL ages. Dancers from 4 years old all the way to dancers in their 60s. Aside from the dance community, Shane is also very involved in Hawai’i’s drag/gay community. He’s danced and choreographed for many performers for numerous show, events, and pageants.

Renee currently teaches “Friday” Kids Hip Hop at Vibe Dance Academy, is a UJAM instructor at 24 Hour Fitness, and teaches musical theater for Stage Left Performing Arts Academy and Kamehameha Summer School. Here are a few of her career highlights. DANCE CREDITS: NFL Pro Bowl Halftime Show, NBC’s Today Show, NBA LA Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks Halftime Shows, University of Hawai’i Rainbow Dance Team, University of Massachusetts Jazz Hot Dance Team, Nutcracker with Hawai’i State Ballet, Slam Dance Co, and XFactor Dance Studio. TELEVISION: ABC’s “My Wife and Kids” and NBC’s “HAWAI’I”. WORKSHOPS with Mia Michaels and Brian Friedman from “So You Think You Can Dance”, Tina Landon, Gil Duldulao (Janet Jackson), Wade Robson, Chris Judd, Kaba Modern-American’s Best Dance Crew. Funkanometry-San Fransisco, Negative Motion-Seoul, and Be A Star-Tokyo. THEATRE PERFORMANCES: Numerous Diamond Head Theater shows, Hawai’i Theatre, Army Community Theatre and University of Hawai’i musicals. A few of her favorites are: 42nd Street, Anything Goes, Will Rogers Follies, How to Succeed in Business, A funny Thing Happended on the Way to the Forum, and of Lisa Matsumtoto’s shows: Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Noddah, Happily Eva Afta, Iso Peanut, and Once Upon a Kapakahi Time. DANCE TRAINING: Spans both locally and abroad in hip hop, jazz, ballet, pointe, tap, musical theatre, hula, modern, lyrical, gymnastics, belly dancing, tahitian, salsa, and bachata. AWARDS FOR CHOREOGRAPHY: “04 and ’05 Spotlight Competition-TMC Hip Hop 1st place, “96, “97 “98 Dance Expo Competition-KDT Hip Hop several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards. MUSICAL THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHY: The Wizard of Oz, Matilda, High School Musical, Shrek, Once Upon a Noddah Time. DANCE INSTRUCTOR: Renee has taught dance at Tokai University, Diamond Head Theatre, The Movement Center, X Factor Dance Studio, Pulse Dance Studio, N2 Dance, Nu’uanu & Central YMCA, Sacred Hearts, Kamehameha Schools, Hongwanji, Jefferson, Fern, Ka’ahumanu Elementary schools. OTHER: Renee founded award winning dance programs: Atherton Y’s Showtime Express Electric Energy, KDT and JDAT. Renee was the Owner/Director of X Factor Dance Studio and turned ownership over to her student, Emily, who continues it under the new name X-Static Dance Studio. Renee was honored to serve as a judge for Honozulu Hip Hop Competition at the Blaisdell for the past 2 years. She is proud of all her students, especially those who have continued on into the professional world. Some have become instructors, successful studio owners, studied at Julliard, served as dance captain for the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Dance Team, and danced professionally in the Cirque Du Soleil show. Renee hopes to continue to pass on her love of dance to all her students.

Boogie was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She started her dance journey as a studio competitive dance at “The Rage Dance Complex” located in Granada Hill, California from ages 5 to 10 years old. She then left the studio to pursue her dancing career in the industry realm for dance. In LA, Boogie was apart of tow major dance crews, Immabeast and ML Kids. She’s danced in Fifth Harmony’s “Anything is Possible” Barbie music video, Just Dance Kids, Zumba Kids, and Sketchers dance show. She also performed at Vidcon, World of Dance, Buildabeast, The Pulse, and more. She’s won several hip hop scholarships for conventions such as Monsters of Hip Hop, Debbie Allen’s Hip Hop Intensive and Camp Pulse Counselor for the Pulse on Tour. At 18 years old, she moved to Oahu Hawai’i to attend UH Manoa. In Hawai’i, Boogie started teaching classes at the Vibe then later joined Fam.ilyco’s dance crew.

Leilani is from San Diego, California. Leilani stated her dance career at 3 years old in tap and ballet folkoric (Mexican folk dance) and then went on to train in jazz, musical theater, contemporary, and hip hop, starting between the ages of 5-8 years old. She attended the School of Creative and Performing Arts at Chula Vista Middle / High School. She was on both the school’s hip hop dance teams. She also had a few roles in musical theater, as Anita in West Side Story and Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde. Leilani was also part of the pre -professional company representing the City of San Diego Civic Dance Company. The SDCDA is a non profit conservatory program, making professional dancers for the industry. She currently is in her last year at UH Manoa studying dance, and on the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warrior Dance Team. Leilani teaches all levels and styles from Pre Hip Hop to Adult Jazz Funk.

Aloha! My name is Lexy Freitas, and I teach tumbling here at Vibe Dance Academy. I got into tumbling/acrobatics through cheerleading when I started at seven years old. I cheered for a pop Warner team, Kalani Falcons, for a few years before attending elementary school. I am a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy (class of 2020), where I began attending elementary school. I cheered for the Lancers cheer team since the seventh grade and cheered on the Varsity Squad for four years. During my cheer career, I was fortunately able to participate in and win the ILH (Interscholastic League of Honolulu) and HHSAA (Hawai’i High School Athletic Association) cheerleading competition three times (2018-2020). I was also fortunate to win the JAMZ cheer and dance Grand National Championship two times (2019-2020). Outside of teaching here at Vibe, I also help coach my former cheer coaches at their all-star club, HIA (High-Intensity Athletics). Besides cheerleading, I also do dance, primarily in hip-hop and contemporary. I did dance in high school as well and love the performance aspect of dancing and cheering. Currently, I attend the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, where I’m getting my BA in Art and looking to get my degree in Business and Minor in Dance. I enjoy teaching children and love their reactions and support of their friends when they get new skills. Getting to see them get stronger and able to apply the things they learn to their routines is something I appreciate.

Aimee Haseyama grew up in Honolulu, Hawai’i. She began dancing at the age of 3 at Queen Emma Ballet. She has studied ballet, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance styles. Throughout high school, she deepened her love for dance through modern dance and movement choreography for various projects and school productions. She has furthered her dance training at Chapman University and in Glasgow, Scotland. Throughout college, she would continue to share her love for dance with young students at Queen Emma Ballet and now at the Vibe Dance Academy. She has also designed and teaches singing and dancing classes at My Treehouse Club Hawai’i which has won Honolulu Magazine’s Best of Honolulu Dance Lessons. Aimee loves to mentor young dancers and help them develop their love for dance. She is an aspiring pediatric occupational therapist and hopes to bring dance and movement lessons to young children with disabilities.

Zoe began dancing at the age of 8 in jazz and hip hop. She then joined the Honolulu Dance Studio where she trained in all styles including jazz, contemporary, ballet, hip hop and lyrical. Not only did she do showcases and concerts she also competed both in and out of state. At the age of 14 she joined Vibe Dance Academy when it opened in 2020. She was a part of the Mid Pacific School of the arts where she was introduced to modern and continued her ballet training. In 2023 she attended the high school school dance festival in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where she was able to take numerous workshops in styles like African, broadway, commercial jazz, musical theater, and house. She is currently on the University of Hawaii Rainbow dance team. Zoe teaches all levels and styles.