Staff Bio

Staff Biographies

Laci~Rose

Laci~Rose has been dancing since 1992, She started with Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Tap and Hip Hop.   In 1999, she attended ECU where she added Modern to the list of dance disciplines and graduated with a Bachelors degree in performing arts with a concentration in Jazz.  After college, she returned to Charlottesville where she studied Flamenco,  Social (Ballroom) dance and Pole dance.  During that time, she worked at The Little Gym teaching pre-school gymnastics.   She has studied with several amazing instructors and performers such as Jeynne Butterfly for pole,  and Michelle L’amoure in Burlesque.  In 2004, she began teaching Ballroom (Formal, Latin and Swing) and E-Fit classes at Shergold Studio, of which she is now co-owner with her husband, Steve.  Laci~rose has been in numerous performances and competition both as performers and choreographer throughout her dancing career.  She and the E-Fit Femmes Fatales perform locally showcasing Burlesque and Pole routines.  Laci~Rose was also one of 12 finalists in October 2009 for the United States Pole Dance Federation East Coast Regional Pole Dance Competition.

Laci~Rose brings her 17 years of dance experience to her students, providing a qualified, safe and fun environment to learn and grow.  In 2008, She was named “Best Dance Instructor” in the C-ville weekly’s “Best of C-ville”!
“I can’t tell you how much joy I get from watching the growth of a student who comes in looking for confidence, strength, a new outlook on themselves… and blooms into this strong, empowered woman ready to take on whatever comes her way.  I couldn’t ask for more then to come home from the studio and know that I helped someone like that come into her own.   It’s an amazing job!”

Nandini

Nandini teaches all levels of our Belly Dance classes at the Charlottesville studio. As a young girl in the early 80′s, Nandidi started with ballet and then studied jazz at Kaye’s Studio in NYC. In the late 90′s developing a passion for movement she then tapped into belly dance. “I was lucky enough to study under the fabulous, yet, late Serena Wilson at Serena’s Studios NYC”. For over 3 years Nandidi has also been studying and teaching ballroom here at Shergold Studio. Nandini is a mother of one.

Desha~Biller

Desha~Biller is a mother of two who has been a fitness instructor for several years.  She has progressed through the E-Fit program and is now in Advanced II Pole and Exotic III. She is one of our instructors for Exotic and Pole, as well as teaching some of our workshops.

Destiny~Ray

Destiny~Ray has been dancing since 1980. Her dancing career began at a young age with the baton. From that she progressed to study more advanced dance disciplines including jazz, modern, and ballet, while also participating in competitive cheerleading. While attending Ohio’s Baldwin-Wallace College, she was a member of the dance team and was featured all four years in the BWC Dance Concert. Destiny~Ray is currently employed at UVa. She started in the E-Fit program three years ago and has progressed to Advanced Pole and Exotic III. She is one of our instructors for Exotic and Pole.

Sasha~Snow

Sasha~Snow has been dancing since age 5 when her parents enrolled her in drama, arts and dance classes. Trained in ballet and jazz throughout high school and college, she has spent her whole life dancing in some form or another, including taking lessons in Zydaco and Country & Western swing in Northern Virginia and taking social dance lessons and E-Fit dance classes from Shergold Studio in Charlottesville. She has progressed to Advanced II Pole and Exotic III in E-Fit and now teaches exotic classes for the program.

Velvet

VELVET is a married, mother of three, living and working in Charlottesville. Through a lifestyle of fitness and nutrition, she has learned the importance of a strong body and mind. Her love of dance led her to take adult classes in ballet and jazz. In 2006, she took her first E-Fit dance-class and hasn’t stopped since. She is presently an E-Fit instructor for Beginner and Intermediate Pole.

Rachel

Rachel started the studio’s Zumba Program in 2008 and has been teaching Zumba classes since its inception. Her varied dance and fitness background includes hip hop, belly dance, exotic fitness, ballroom dance and yoga. She is a positive, enthusiastic instructor who is wholly committed to helping her students find the fun and fitness in Zumba. Rachel is also an E-Fit student of nearly four years and can be found in the advanced pole classes. (Note that Zumba is a separate program).

Devine Springs

Biography coming soon!

Mirage

Mother of two beautiful children and wife of DJ, has progressed through the e-fit program and is a current student in Advanced Pole and Exotic III.   Mirage began the program two and a half years ago after the birth of her second child.  “After having children I lost myself in the daily mom routine, and I forgot I needed time for me.  However, e-fit has quickly transformed me into a more self-confident, fit and stronger woman.  I’ve got my sexy back!”

Mirage teaches pole and exotic classes, as well as some of our workshops, at the Harrisonburg studio.

Stephanie Zilora

Our customer relations specialist.  Stephanie first started her tenure at Shergold (and her dancing career) as an E-Fit student in January 2009 and quickly became addicted!  She started taking social dance classes several months later and was thrilled to be asked to become part of the staff, as it gave her a legitimate reason to spend abnormally long amounts of time at the studio.

Alexandra

Alexandra’s belly dance style pulls from her background in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance. She is Level II Certified in Suhaila Salimpour’s Format, and currently pursuing her Level III Certification. Alexandra performs professionally in and around Charlottesville, she manages the dancers at Bashir’s Taverna, she directs her professional troupe the
Alexandra Dance Company and her student troupe Belly Souk, and she teaches weekly belly dance classes in Charlottesville..

“We are excited to have Alexandra join us as a new member of our staff starting in 2010!”
E-Fit Staff