Faculty
Miss Zsa-Zsa
Owner of Duo Dance and Teacher
Pop Tweens, Latin Dance and Show Team Coach
A full-time nurse, mom, and member of a Latin dance team who's always had a passion for dance and love for kids. She's danced and performed since the age of 4 with a background in ballet, tap, hip hop, Tahitian and cheer.
Ms Madelin
Studio Manager and Teacher
Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Jazz, Pop Tots & Tweens and Show Team Coach
Madelin Braun has been dancing since early childhood, training in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, and a variety of other techniques. She began teaching dance at her home studio in the Central Valley of California at the age of 15. In addition to her teaching, she participated rigorously in the studio’s Competition Teams by traveling, performing, and competing all over California. In 2012, she relocated to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University, earning a minor in Dance. While attending SF State, she dove deeper into her dance training, participated in several Student Choreography Showcases, served as a member of the University Dance Theater Company 2014-2015 and as Student Dance Alliance VP 2014-2015. She has been teaching Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Jazz Funk at a variety of studios and summer camps around the Bay Area since 2013 and received a Choreography award at a local competition Dupree Dance in 2015. Madelin has been an integral part of choreographing and directing performances and studio management. When she’s not dancing, Madelin enjoys spending time outside on walks, gardening in her yard and traveling.
JanJan
Marketing Assistant and Teacher
Combo Jazz/Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Lyrical/Contemporary
JanJan (they/them) is an Asian American gender-fluid movement artist and storyteller, born and raised in the Bay Area. They’ve been training in various styles, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, and more for over 10 years now. Against all odds, JanJan graduated high school early to pursue teaching and dance. JanJan is known for their hard hitting musicality, raw & authentic movement, fusion of styles, and emotional story based dance pieces; using movement as therapy and a form of communication.
JanJan’s dance training formally started at the age of 6 with Westlake School of Performing Arts, West Coast Dance Conservatory, Krazy 8, and Poise’n Brigade. They grew up as a competition dancer, training over 20 hours a week during their studio years, taking advantage of every excuse to train and dance. Dance was and still is something that JanJan is truly passionate about and finds so much joy in. Their traumatic experiences as a student is what drives them into becoming “the teacher I wish I had,” making it their number one priority to create a safe environment before anything else.
Although venturing into the teaching world, JanJan believes that they will always be a student as they are always eager to learn new things. JanJan’s teaching journey started when they were on a club swim team, teaching the younger kids as a side job. They slowly progressed into assisting and shadowing other dance mentors for many years before finally trusting themself to independently teach. Now teaching at studios all over the Bay Area, JanJan finds so much joy in teaching and says, “It feels like I’m healing my inner child.”
Along with dancing, you might also know JanJan from their online content on several social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and their writing as a self-published author. JanJan is extremely excited to see what’s in store for them as a teacher and for all of you as students. They cannot wait to see all of you grow!
Want more of JanJan? Click here for all of JanJan’s links!
Miss Gabby
Student/Teacher
Combo Ballet/Tap
Gabby May has been a part of Duo Dance Academy since she was just two years old. Growing up at the studio, she has trained in ballet while also exploring tap dance in her younger years. Now a high school senior, Gabby's dedication to dance is matched by her commitment to the community she’s grown up with. Over the years, Gabby has not only honed her skills on stage but has also taken to helping younger dancers backstage during performances. Her experience at Duo Dance has provided her with a sense of comfort and belonging, and she is passionate about creating a similar positive environment for others. As she prepares for the next chapter, Gabby remains focused on supporting the younger students and contributing to the studio that has been a constant in her life. Her goal is to ensure that Duo Dance Academy continues to be a place where every dancer feels encouraged and inspired. Outside of dance, Gabby loves painting, baking, and anything associated with creativity!