Contact Us (775)622-5730
Come dance with us and meet the talented team of instructors at Xscape Performing Arts Center. Focusing on teaching exceptional techniques and creating unforgettable experiences, we are committed to our dancers’ satisfaction and success. Continue browsing our staff profiles below to learn more.
Nelly Reynolds
Owner
Miss Nelly is the Founder and Director of Xscape Performing Arts Center! Miss Nelly Reynolds started dancing at just three-years-old, training in ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, hip-hop, contemporary and lyrical. She danced competitively until she was 18; Winning many scholarships and awards. Miss Nelly is a grade 7 certified Cecchetti ballet dancer. After high school, she took her dancing professionally in Los Angeles, California. Here she worked in many music videos, productions, and TV shows, as well as in a dance company called "Xamino." After working in the dance business in LA, she found her true passion in dance was choreographing and teaching. Nelly has been teaching for over the last fifteen years. She taught at numerous studios in Reno/ Sparks and Los Angeles. She is the director & owner Xscape Performing Arts Center! She hopes to create a fun, loving, inspiring place for students of any age to Xscape from reality.
Marie Sperber
Studio Director
Meet Ms. Marie Sperber
Marie has been dancing since she was three, with twenty years of experience training dancers. She is truly versatile having studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, modern, hip hop and musical theater. In 2003, she moved to Los Angeles performing with choreographers such as Malaya and Ryan Heffington. She has performed for industrial productions Il' Circo and Extreme Show. She trained at Edge Performing Arts Center, Millenium Dance Complex, and Debbie Reynolds. Marie honed her skills dancing with Chris Dupre, Christina Woodward, Malaya, Ryan Heffington, Havic, Scott Hislop, Terri Best, Denise Leitner, Dante7, Kitty McNamee, Eddie Garcia, Mandy Moore and Jayson Wright. For the past 17 years, Marie has taught at numerous studios in the Los Angeles area for both recreational and competitive programs. Marie is the co-founder of Peninsula School of Performing Arts Dance Company in Palos Verdes California. Under her direction, the team quickly grew from seven to 53 competitive dancers. Receiving many top awards and scholarships, many members have gone on to professional careers. She can also be seen in Sugar a music video by Connie Lim. Marie is a Module 1 certified Acrobatic Arts Instructor. She is known as an excellent technician and has the ability to bring the best out in all dancers from beginning to advanced pre-professionals. Marie teaches tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, hip-hip, ballet, pre-ballet and combo classes.
Andie Murray
Instructor
Andie grew up in a small town just south of Reno and first began taking gymnastics classes at a young age. After many years of gymnastics, Andie decided to transition into dance at the age of eight. She started her training at All About Dance studio and became passionate for all genres, quickly joining their competition team and competing for many years. At the age of twelve she won the title of Spotlight Dance Cup’s teen national soloist in 2017. In 2020, she began instruction, training, and joined the competition team at Western Nevada Performing Art Center under the guidance of Gina Davis. During this time, she received the Honored Dancer Nominee scholarship from Revive dance competition and auditioned in San Diego, California for a chance to win the Honored Dancer title. In her last season with WNPAC she also began teaching classes at Xscape Performing Arts Center. This fall she will be performing in the show “The Game” premiering at We The Theater in Reno.
Mariah Wildman
Instructor
Mrs. Mariah Wilderman
Mariah has loved to dance since she began at age three! She trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary and musical theatre. She competed with her studio, Dance Unlimited in Boise, Idaho for 11 years. She was also a member of her high school dance team; where she won multiple state and national awards as a soloist including: Miss Idaho State Invitational, Queen of Western States Competition and 1st Runner up to Miss Dance Drill USA. In college, Mariah was an Aggiette dancer on the Utah State University Spirit Squad. She had the opportunity to perform and cheer at all the University athletic events and many events throughout the community. She will be a forever Aggie fan! She graduated in 2020 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics. Mariah began teaching dance at the age of 16 at her home studio in Idaho. She continued teaching in Logan, Utah at Dance Illusion. She taught competition teams, ballet classes, jazz technique classes, progressive ballet technique classes and preschool classes during her four years there. Mariah has had the opportunity to choreograph for high school teams, studio competition teams, college teams and soloists and has won various awards for her choreography. Mariah loves teaching and is so excited to continue in Nevada! She loves her students and hopes to instill the excitement and passion she has for dance in these amazing young students!
Mr.Eric Ventura
Instructor
With decades of training, complemented by professional experience performing pieces in high-level productions, Eric’s skills and background have prepared him to excel in all things dance and fitness.
Having been trained at Dance Attack Ca, Millennium LA, The Edge PAC, and numerous dance conventions since the age of 12, Eric has acquired the technical aptitude and the rigorous training required to thrive as a professional dancer/instructor while also learning the intricacies of telling stories and showing emotion through choreographed body movements.
He’s performed in productions for NFL halftime shows, Pitbull performance at the Zumba International Convention, assisted in choreography music videos with Vanilla Ice, and many more.
With confidence, physical capacities, and exhaustive classical training, Eric is prepared to significantly contribute to Xscape Performing Arts Center.
Highlights of my experience include...
25 years in the Fitness field
25 years as a dance instructor
15 years as a fitness instructor
5 years as a personal trainer
Former signed dance talent with MSA Talent West Coast
Fitness presenter at National and International Fitness Conferences (IDEA,
IHRSA, Empower, SCW, CanFit Pro)
3 years as a dance & fitness instructor at University of Nevada Reno
Former artistic director and co-owner:
Light Vibe Performing Arts Center and Cottonwood Dance & Fitness
Sierra Taylor-Cline
Instructor
Meet Miss Sierra Taylor-Cline
Sierra Taylor-Cline is a 30-year-old dancer and choreographer from Las Vegas. She has been teaching in Reno & Sparks for twelve years and is currently pursuing her dreams as a versatile and well-known choreographer. She is trained in contemporary, lyrical, jazz/jazz funk, hip-hop, and heels. Not only does she love teaching, but she has a strong passion for inspiring young adults to be the greatest versions of themselves. In addition to teaching, Sierra is also in the works of getting her life-coaching certification. Her aspiration in life is to become, not only a dance teacher, but someone who successfully helps others achieve their goals.
Andrea Young
Dance Instructor
Andrea Young has been dancing since she was 5 and danced competitively until she was 18 years old with Castro Valley Performing Arts in the Bay Area, CA. Andrea earned her BA in Dance from San Jose State University. She has training in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, lyrical, swing, dance improv, and musical theatre. She helped start a children's musical theatre company in the Bay Area before moving to San Diego to pursue performing. She performed in and helped choreograph many musical theatre shows with Turning Tydes, Coronado Playhouse, and Pickwick Players. Andrea then began teaching and choreographing shows with Center Stage Productions, a youth theatre program. She recently moved to the Reno/Sparks area and is very excited to be teaching in the studio again!
Katie Castaneda
Instructor
Katie grew up in the Sparks Reno area and trained with many local dancers in jazz, ballet, tap and contemporary dance. She completed her dance minor at the University of Nevada, Reno then moved to Los Angeles to train at The Edge Performing Arts and Millenium Dance Complex. Upon returning to Reno, she served under the dance program at the University as an administrator, teacher and lecturer. She is a second-grade teacher in Sparks and is grateful for the opportunity to teach dance at Xscape for future dancers and performers.
Katie Castaneda
Bud Beasley Elementary
Emma George
Office assitant
Emma is a undergraduate student at UNR majoring in criminal justice and minoring in Arabic. Emma has been involved with public speaking programs since she was 8. In her free time you can find Emma snowboarding or Reading a good book!
Teryn Burkhardt
Ballet and Modern Instructor
Teryn grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and began taking ballet before the age of 12. She attended Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, a nationally recognized award winning magnet high school, where she majored in Dance. During her time at the academy, Teryn studied contemporary, composition, jazz, ballet, Graham, Horton, Limon, and post-modern styles of dance. She advanced to Elements I- the second highest of eight levels in major block classes. Upon graduation, Teryn moved to Reno to attend the University of Nevada, Reno. She was actively involved with the Dance Department, taking both technique and lecture classes as well as performing and choreographing. During her time at UNR Teryn also had the opportunity to attend the American College Dance Festival twice. She received her Bachelor of General Studies with an emphasis in Dance, Psychology and Communication Studies, with a Minor in Dance. After completing her undergraduate degree, Teryn began dancing with Belle Contemporary Dance Company in Reno where she not only performed locally, but also at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, MA and Dumbo Dance Festival in New York. Teryn is excited to share her passion and looks forward to bringing something to the community.
Lisa Aland
Acting Coach
Lisa has been involved in dance and performing arts since age three. Work and raising kids kept her away from the stage for many years, but Miss Lisa is overjoyed to return to her love of music, dance and acting, and to be a part of the Xscape family! When she’s not teaching, you can find her tap dancing, on the hiking trail, working at her custom apparel store Big Frog, or spending time with her family.
Holli Charm
Instructor
Miss Holli started dancing at seven years old, training in ballet, jazz, tap, acro, hip-hop, musical theater, and lyrical. She danced competitively until she was 15. During that time, she performed with her dance studio at Disney Magic Music Days and on Carnival Cruise Lines, was a guest performer for the Miss Washington pageant, and performed at the pre-game show for a Seattle Sonics vs LA Lakers game. At 15, Miss Holli moved from Washington state to southern Arizona and continued dancing with other dance studios in Arizona before graduating high school. Miss Holli received dance training at SLCC, CSN, and UNLV while she pursued her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and eventually got her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine School of Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA. Miss Holli is currently working full-time as a pediatric physical therapist while teaching at Xscape Performing Arts.