Meet Dyan Lopez-Fiamengo of Elite Dance Studio in Rolling Hills Estates

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dyan Lopez-Fiamengo.

Dyan started dancing at the age of 4. Shirley Temple was her inspiration. At the age of 5, Dyan knew she wanted to be a tap dancing movie star. Through the years, Dyan trained in ballet, tap, hula, baton, hip hop, musical theater, Jazz, lyrical, and gymnastics. Dyan was also an athlete playing softball, basketball, football, racket sports, running track for high school and college, competing in triathlons, etc. At the age of 12, Dyan toured with the Carson Young Life singers a husband and wife dynamic duo team the Canavans who sang back up to a live band and 50 boys and girls singing and dancing back up to them. At 18, Dyan attended college and has a degree in Physical Education from CSULB with an emphasis in coaching men’s sports.

After college, Dyan was asked to teach the dance part of a gymnastics routine for her cousin and that was the beginning of Dyan’s teaching career. She has taught at over 20 dance studios in her career such as Stephen Peck, Dupre, and The Edge. She was the drill team and dance team coach for Bishop Montgomery High School where she had the first all-male dance team. Her Co-ed and all male dance teams were state champions wining top awards. Some of her dancers went on to dance professionally, own dance studios and even dance back up to Beyoncé, Britany Spears, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc. Dyan is a former cheerleader for the WNBA LA Sparks Ole Skool Crew where she danced for 8 years. She has opened for many artists such as The Nicholas Brothers, Mandrel Sisters, The 4 Tops, The Ink Spots, Pat Boon, etc. She can be seen dancing on an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, cheerleading. She did 4 segments on Home and Family. She made several guest appearances on radio, TV, and in movies, etc. She was in a video with Earth Wind and Fire, and did a How to Plan the Perfect Wedding video with Marion Ross from Happy Days. She was in 5 infomercials, Just Dance Moms 16, and recently the lead in a Depend commercial. At the age of 52, Dyan fulfilled one of her bucket lists. She opened up Elite Dance Studio in Rolling Hills Estates at the promenade on the Peninsula where she was awarded the best new business of 2014.

Dyan has been training dancers for over 30 years. Many of her dancers have gone on to dance on and off Broadway, stage shows, become local high school dance teachers, own their own studios, and do concert dance. She offers a mentor program where she trains local high school kids to teach. She feels that they spend so much time and money dancing that when they go off to college they should teach making a good wage and getting their lessons for free. Elite dance studio has 3 award winning competition dance teams, 3 recreational teams, a cheer team, a tap company, and an adult hip hop company where they were featured in Dyan’s commercial and at charity and celebrity events. Elite also has two song and dance companies where they sing at sporting events the National Anthem, and perform through ought the southland. Elite offers classes in all styles of dance starting at the age of 2 with their mommy and me dance program up to the young at heart. They also offer boys classes and tumble as well. Their spring showcase is June 17th at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing in life is ever smooth. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger is a motto I live by. God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. And never live the same day twice. I am on a roller coaster one calls life and there are ups and downs, happy days and sad days, rewards and grief, stress and joy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. The joy my students bring me is priceless.

Owning a business is a 24 hour a day job. I am the maid, the book keeper, the dance teacher, the choreographer, I keep babies from crying, parents happy, dancers engaged, I am the booking agent, the costume designer, the music editor, the marketing agent, and the list goes on. The overhead is very high and can be trying at times, but I seem to manage.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Elite Dance Studio – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Elite Dance studio is one of the most beautiful studios in the south bay with a custom build out in July of 2016. and is nestled on the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula located at the promenade on the peninsula. We have 5 dance studios, one being an acting room, a homework room, a play area for siblings, lockers for the team members to store their stuff, two beautiful bathrooms, a dressing room, and a kitchen area.

We hire only the top teachers at Elite. Most drive an hour and a half to teach our students who are stellar. They are cutting edge and offer our students the best training. We specialize in Contemporary, tap, ballet, children’s programs, as well as offer hip hop, lyrical, jazz, musical theater, tumble, and more.

I am very proud of my team leaders who run our competition teams. The teams at Elite have come home with best technique, MVP, best concept, most innovative, best costume, best music, high point, overalls, sweepstakes, and judge’s awards.

What sets us apart from others is the unique and cutting edge choreography. Our pieces are not the usually routines one would see at a local competition. As a judge for over ten years I am blown away by the teachers at Elite and their innovative piece.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am currently writing a play that incorporates my experiences with children and teens, the trials and tribulations, the overcoming of adversity, and the beauty of life when one pushes through. It will be a musical and all ages will be represented. I hope to get my play on Broadway. I will be acting and dancing in my play as well.

I am also an actress and do commercials. I will continue to bring in my dancers when I get the opportunity. I have celebrity events coming up and will be performing at a major venue in November as the spokesperson for a commercial I recently was in.

I will also be designing costumes and be writing a children’s book that can be used for the classroom.

Elite will be holding their annual end of the year showcase June 17 where their award-winning pieces will be performed.

Elite will be having auditions for their annual Twisted Nutcracker a must see as a pre-holiday event.

Pricing:

• Classes are $80.00 a month for 4 one hour classes. We offer 5% discount for quarterly payments, prices vary.
• Adult Classes are only $12.00
• We offer Private Instruction $60.00 an hour

Contact Info:

• Address: 550 Deep Valley Drive suite 241 Rolling Hills Estates, CA. 90274
• Website: www.elitedancerhe.com
• Phone: (310)541-0099
• Email: eliteregrhe@gmail.com
• Instagram: elitedancerhe
• Facebook: Elite dance studio RHE
• Twitter: elitedancerhe
• Yelp: Elite dance studio

Image Credit:
California Adventure
Ballet Tap Acro Class – Twisted Nutcracker Baby snow
Junior Elite team
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Clippers Performance