Suzanne Mollenhauer
Suzanne Mollenhauer is the owner and director of Jean’s Dance Studio. She is the daughter of the late Jean Eskridge, who founded the studio in 1948. Suzanne took over in 1987. Suzanne started dancing when she was 2 ? years old. She currently performs with the studio and has danced professionally through the years.
Suzanne graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College with a B.A. in Physical Education, a minor in Biology, and a California State Teaching Credential. Her graduate work was done at SDSU in Teaching and Coaching Effectiveness. She has been teaching physical education and dance at STEAM Academy, formerly La Presa Middle School since 1987.
Suzanne has been teaching dance at the studio since she was twelve. She has also taught at numerous dance conventions such as, C.A.H.P.E.R.D.’s Acro Sports and Movement Workshop (25 years+), P.E.A.C.H. ?a state physical education conference, and other dance workshops.
She has trained with numerous dance professionals including Al Gilbert, Pat Rico, Daryl Retter, Laurie Johnson, Steven Zee, Joe Tremaine, and Angie Bunch. Suzanne’s extensive training qualifies her to teach numerous styles of dance including tap, jazz, Polynesian, hip hop, tumbling, and musical theater.
Her preference is tap just like her mom. Suzanne’s classes are fun, yet challenging.
Laci Sanz
Laci began dancing at the age of 8 years old at Jean’s Dance
Studio. 21 years later it is still her greatest passion. Laci has been
teaching for 15 years, is trained in many different styles of
dance, and has worked with all ages and levels. In the past, Laci was the
Director of our Company Team and has directed events at,
Disneyland, Disney parade, Universal Studios, Knotts Berry
Farm, National Dance Day, performances on a Carnival
Cruise Ship, La Jolla Christmas parade, and numerous local
events. Her passion for teaching shines through her students on
stage and she can’t wait to watch your dancer shine too.
Jack and Carolann Eskridge
Jack began his career early at the age of seven dancing with his mother Jean. He performed with her at many local and community events. After serving in Viet Nam, he returned home to raise his family and resume his dancing.
Carolann is a native San Diegan and began her dancing career later in life. She has danced with Jean?s Dance Studio for 12 years studying Tap and Jazz. In 2006, she began Ballroom dancing.
Jack and Carolann have been dancing together for 5 years.
They have attended several workshops were they have danced with trained professionals such as Buddy Schwimmer, Michele Blake Jones and others. This dancing duo has performed with the CCT Senior Follies, the Elks Senior Follies and are members of the Memory Lane Dancers performing throughout the county at local Retirement Homes and Nursing Facilities. Other performances have been with Star San Diego, a theatrical group in North County.
Jack and Carolann love to dance and their passion is to share it with others. Together, they teach basic ballroom in Waltz, Foxtrot, Swing, Latin and Line Dancing
Chayne Bauer
Chayne began dancing at the early age of two and a half. She has been dancing for over twenty years and loves every minute of it. She has taken many classes including tap, jazz, lyrical, tumbling, hip hop and Polynesian. She has performed at CAHPERD acro-sports & movement convention in Palm Springs, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland and many fairs and festivals around San Diego.
Chayne has been teaching for over 10 years in styles like tap, ballet, jazz and tumbling for children.
Evette Gonzalez
Evette’s dance journey began at the age of 3 years old when she started taking Ballet Folklorico classes. She danced folklorico at her local community center, as well as her elementary school from the ages of 3-10. She performed at many local festivals and parades and loved every minute of it. After moving on to middle school, she returned to her school’s Ballet Folklorico program as a teachers assistant.
At the age of 11, Evette joined the Jean’s Dance Studio family, where she took many classes, including tap, jazz, lyrical, and others. She was also a part of the company team throughout middle school and high school. She has performed at Universal Studios, the Disneyland parade, a Carnival Cruise, as well as many other events and conventions in California. At the age of 18, Evette began teaching at Jean’s Dance Studio.
She currently teaches Children’s Ballet and Tap combo classes, Musical Theater, and all of our Folklorico classes. Evette has a big passion for dance and loves sharing it with others!
Taryn St Michel & Kaitlyn Carabajal
Taryn St Michel and Kaitlyn Carabajal are so excited to be teaching you here at Jean’s Dance Studio! They met in the dance studio and have been dancing together for almost 10 years now. They have gone to competitions together, conventions, danced at Disneyland and workshops. Teaching dance is one of their passions, so they are excited to be doing this together! They have both taught individually, but they’ve learned that they are truly better together. They’ve participated in the Travis Wall Experience and that was a life changing experience for them. It gave them more insight and a glimpse of how professionals work. They are currently teaching Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Children’s Tap/Ballet combo classes, solos, and are the Jean’s Dance Studio Company teams directors and choreographers.
Brian Peña
Brian has been dancing for about 7 years now and graduated college with my associates degree. He loves dancing and it’s something he is very passionate about! He has choreographed for the Grossmont Student show 3 semesters and has participated in many Grossmont dance department shows. Brian will be teaching all hip hop classes here at Jean’s.
Emma Falvey
Emma has been dancing at Jean’s Dance Studio since she was 5 years old. She was also on the Steele Canyon cheer team, dance team, hip-hop dance team, pom club, varsity track team and was the captain of a dance club. She was an assistant to Miss Chayne, Miss Chloe, Miss Laci, and Miss Kaj. After training as an assistant, she moved on to teach a few classes on her own! She is going to study education in college to be a teacher with a minor in dance. Her favorite style is jazz. She has performed at competitions, halftime shows, local parades, conventions, Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland, and National Dance Day in Los Angeles. Fun fact: Miss Emma has danced on a cruise ship with Jean’s Dance Studio!
Melanie Abalos Webb
Melanie started off as a ballet, tap, and jazz dancer at the age of 6 then fell in love with Hula at the age of 10. I am part of the Kaleo Onalani Halau (meaning heavenly voice), which is where I learned many types of polynesian dances including Hula, Tahitian, Maori, Samoan, Tongan, and Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
Miss Melanie?s love for the culture and her experiences in the world make for beautiful dances and opportunities.
Chloe Baker
Chloe began dancing at Jean’ss Dance Studio at the age of 11. She quickly found she had an immense passion for dance and started to assist in many of the children’s classes! At the age of 16, she began teaching her own classes. In high school she became President of her Dance Company Team and later decided to pursue a BA in Liberal Studies & minor in Visual & Performing Arts at California State University, San Marcos to bring dance to her students for years to come.