Rosemary Cavazos Tatum began studying dance at age seven with her uncle, Doria Avila.  She was chosen Most Outstanding Dancer at the SMU Drill Team Camp and was a Gold Medal winner at The University of Texas State Dance Solo Competition. 

A charter member and principal dancer with the Rio Grande Valley Ballet, Ms. Tatum attended the University of Texas at Austin and was a soloist with the Austin Ballet Theatre. She moved to New York City at the age of nineteen and performed with several dance companies including Ballet Hispanico of New York, American Dancemachine (West Side Story, Cabaret, Hair and Brigadoon) and was the featured dancer in Don Giovanni with the Bronx Opera Company.

Rosemary appeared in five productions of the Broadway smash hit Evita, touring the United States, Canada and Europe, where she served as Dance Captain and was featured as the Tango Dancer.  Ms. Tatum made her television debut as a Flamenco soloist on the Ti-IN Educational Network Series, has been featured as the Flamenco soloist at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas and headlined Mr. Avila’s “Ballet Espanol”. 

Rosemary has studied with some of the most important teachers in dance including Igor Youskevitch, Finis Jhung, David Howard, Richard Thomas, Lee Theodore, Wayne Cilent,  Paul Draper, Pilar Rioja, Jose Molina, Mariquita Flores and Jose Greco, Jr.  Ms. Tatum returns to New York City every year to continue her studies and offer the latest in dance technique to her students.  Ms. Tatum is the Owner/Director of San Antonio Dance Academy, a member of Actors Equity and Screen Actors Guild.  She has served on the city appointed Performing Arts Panel for the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs.  Rosemary is the mother of seventeen year old Garrett and thirteen year old Anelise.

Jackie Rodriguez-Navar, “La Morena”, has been dancing since the age of three.  She began her professional dancing career at age thirteen with Compania de Arte Espanol under the direction of La Chique and Jose Linares. 

She was a dancer in the City of San Antonio’s  Fandango, and was a principal dancer for Danza Hispana de San Antonio.  She traveled across the country and performed internationally  at the Bellas Artes Theatre in Puerto Rico, Germany, and Mexico.  Jackie has had the opportunity to perform for the Democratic Hispanic Gala for President Clinton, The President of Mexico and Barbara Bush. 

In 2001, she furthered her flamenco studies by attending Flamenco master classes in Spain with Lola Greco, Juan Amaya, Rafael Campallo and Jose Granero.  Most recently Jackie choreographed a flamenco segment  for the production “Rumba Dreams”, a Latin musical at the Josephine Theatre.  She has studied under La Chique, Javier Villegas, Huamantzin Lopez, Ricardo Munoz, and Raul Valdez. 

You can  see Jackie entertain at several  local cafés namely, Carmens de la Calle and Espana.  Jackie has completed master courses at the Maria Benitez Workshop in Santa Fe with Antonio Granjero and Angel Munoz.  Jackie is happily married to Jesus Navar and has been the Flamenco instructor at San Antonio Dance Academy for 6 years.

Angel & Jessica Santiago are two of the hottest Salsa/Mambo dancers, performers, choreographers and instructors in Texas at the moment. Their unique choreography and teaching technique, along with their funky but precise body movements and clean styling have brought them significant attention.  They are two passionate, hard working and focused individuals who always strive to be the best at everything they do. Their passion and commitment are what make them one of the most sought after Salsa/Mambo duos around. 

Jessica Santiago started her salsa-dancing career as a member of the international dance company Semeneya in the year 2000, under the direction of Lee Rios.  Jessica has participated and won many salsa competitions throughout Texas, including first place in the Sabado Gigante Salsa Competition on Univision.  Jessica has performed for various concerts and events in Texas such as, opening act for Elvis Crespo, the Latin Jazz Festival and the San Antonio Fiesta Celebration to name a few.

Angel Santiago is a trained Ballet, Jazz and Hip-Hop dancer and has performed as a featured dancer for the Monster Mash Bash show and as the main character, Johnny, for the well known musical theater show Rocking at Rockville High at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.   He’s been part of several Ballet/Jazz performing companies, such as The San Antonio Dance Troupe, San Antonio Dance Academy, and The Ballet Conservatory of South TX.  Angel started his salsa career as a member of the international dance company Semeneya in the year 2002, under the direction of Lee Rios.  In May of 2004, he won first place at the TX Salsa Open and advanced to the World competition in Puerto Rico.  Angel has performed for various concerts and events in Texas such as: Opening act for Grupo Control at the Houston Rodeo, Elvis Crespo in Corpus Christi and numerous half-time shows at the San Antonio Alamodome.

Bladimir Arredondo is originally from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico where he began his studies. He began his career as a dancer with the Folk Dance Company of the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas of the General Directorate of Extension University from 1988 to 1992 in the city of Tampico, Tamaulipas.  In August 2000, Bladimir was appointed Promoter Dance Group director of Folkloric Dance "Cuicoyán"  at the Technological Institute of Nuevo Laredo.  Looking for innovations and changes, he decided to move from the concept of Grupo Folklorico to Ballet Folklorico to seek a renewal in the image, essence and presence of the group. He took the new group to many performance opportunities over the next five years, including, numerous appearances at festivals throughout Texas, Mexico and the world.  In 2000, Mr. Arredondo was presented a diploma for Industrial Engineering from the Technological Institute of Nuevo Laredo.  Bladimir, his wife, and 4-year old daughter are new residents to the San Antonio area.

Jessie Smartnick is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico where she started dancing at the age of two. She has national titles and many other awards for dancing, and her choreography in the areas of contemporary, jazz, pom, hip hop, and lyrical. By the age of eighteen she was teaching at studios and workshops all over the southwest, and was artistic director and choreographer of her own company. When she was nineteen she was awarded a dance scholarship by "Feel the Music Entertainment" and moved to Los Angeles to further her dance education.  She has had the opportunity to dance at some of the most prestigious Hollywood dance academies, dance under the best teachers, and share the stage with some of the most talented dancers in the world.  In December she moved to San Antonio to go back to school and be with her family, but continues to dance and teach.  Despite the fact that she loves being on stage, she feels her true passion is teaching. 

Tara Smartnick is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and graduated from the Public Academy for Performing Arts where she majored in dance and video editing.  She has been studying dance since the age of three and holds national titles in team dance, solo work, ballroom and for her own choreography.  Tara has awards in the area of contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, pom, mambo, cha cha, rumba, swing, salsa, tango and bolero.  She earned 2nd place and a college scholarship for her ballet solo at the Contest of Champions Nationals in Orlando, Florida in 2003.  After winning 1st place in Junior American Rhythm at People’s Choice 2005 in Arizona, Tara and her partner were invited to join the Junior Olympic Ballroom Team.  Later the year, Tara was one of fifteen dancers chosen from around the United States to participate in JJ Villar’s, “The Road to Hollywood” held in Los Angeles, California where she was able to study and perform many forms of dance all around Los Angeles.  She moved to San Antonio, Texas in 2006 and is currently studying media arts at Northwest Vista College.  Tara dances professionally with Xibuke Dance Company and teaches jazz, lyrical, Latin rhythms and contemporary all around San Antonio.

Michelle Becken holds a BFA in Ballet from Texas Christian University (TCU). While attending TCU, Michelle studied with TCU faculty members Elizabeth Gillespy, Li-Chou Cheng, Carrie Cheng and Ceyhun Ozsoy and has taken class with notable Guest Artists such as Fernando Bujones, Alonzo King, Ben Stevenson, Sharon Story, Clara Cravey and Christian von Howard.  She performed in three pieces choreographed by Li-Chou Cheng, Allegro, Mol Dau, and Youth, as well as the restaging of Paquita and Giselle. Prior to her TCU education, Michelle trained for fourteen consecutive years with Rosemary Tatum of San Antonio Dance Academy (SADA). She has performed in all fourteen annual recitals with SADA as well as their performances at the Arneson River Theatre showcasing Spanish Flamenco and Mexican Folkloric dance. She spent two summers in New York City studying with Finis Jhung and Nancy Beilski, and attended two TCU Summer Workshops while in high school.  For the past four summers, Michelle has been working for Rosemary Tatum as Production Assistant for SADA’s annual recital.  In May of 2007, she was awarded a scholarship from the San Antonio Dance Umbrella through the Julia L. Cauthorn Fund for Young San Antonio Dancers and Choreographers. Michelle will be teaching Ballet, Tap and many of the children’s classes at SADA.

Mary Rae Huddleston began her love of dance at the age of three.  She studied jazz and tap for 19 years under Teri Wilkerson at Dance Discovery Studios.  She soon expanded her performance experience to Musical Theater at McMurry University, Paramount Theater and Abilene Opera Association.  She was a member of Chameleon Jazz Company for 3 years until she moved to Austin to pursue a degree at Texas State University.  While there, Mary Rae had the privilege of being a Strutter under the direction of Barbara Tidwell.  After receiving a degree in Interior Design, she moved to San Antonio where she continues to share her excitement and love of tap with her students.  She continues to further her education by attending workshops and training all over the country.

Julie Morton-Simpson began her training at the age of eight with Ruth Matlock. She pursued her studies with Vladimir Marek, then continued her studies with Robert Joffrey and the American Ballet Theatre in New York. Ms. Morton-Simpson joined the San Antonio Ballet at age fourteen, where she performed such roles as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty and the Grande Pas de Deux from Don Quixote.  She has performed with the Festival Ballet of San Antonio, the Kansas City Ballet, the Southwest Jazz Ballet of Houston, and with Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars.  Ms. Morton-Simpson joined Ballet San Antonio in 1988.  After joining the company, she danced principal roles in The Nutcracker, Coppelia, and Les Sylphides.  While at Ballet San Antonio she assumed the Ballet Mistress position.  After eighteen years with Ballet San Antonio, she is now artistic director of Alamo Arts Ballet Theatre and a ballet instructor at San Antonio Dance Academy.