Meet Our Team!

Daniel trained at School of American Ballet, performing principal roles in the Graduation Workshop at Lincoln Center. He went on to perform professionally with Suzanne Farrell Ballet (Kennedy Center), Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Donald Byrd- The Group (NYC), Spectrum Dance Theatre, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet (NYC). Wilkins is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of DASSdance, a multi-media contemporary dance company based in NYC since 2000 and Seattle since 2007.

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DASSdance has been presented in New York by Diane von Furstenberg- The Theater, DanceNow, the d.u.m.b.o. Dance Festival, the JoyceSoho, and the Baryshnikov Arts Center. In Seattle, DASS has been presented by On the Boards, the Bagley Wright Theater, Velocity, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, Washington Hall, and Broadway Performance Hall.

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Daniel has taught contemporary dance master classes at Peridance NYC, Regional Dance America, and the Joffrey Ballet Contemporary Summer Intensive in NYC. DASSdance has been featured in Fashion Wire Daily, Flaunt Magazine, Paper Magazine, Art News, W Magazine, New York Magazine, The Seattle Times, The Daily and the New York Times radio WQXR.

DASSdance School opened formally at the MLK FAME CC in 2014 offering professional-level dance training.​

Born and raised in Washington, Cathleen began her dance training at age 5. She studied at multiple studios including Evergreen City Ballet, Ensemble Ballet Theatre, and Washington Contemporary ballet, training in ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, and flamenco. Cathleen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western Washington University in 2019 with a BFA in Dance, a BA in Spanish, and a minor in Mathematics, and was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate in Dance. Throughout her time in the BFA program, she performed works by a plethora of faculty, peers, and guest artists, and choreographed multiple pieces of her own. She attended the American College Dance Association's Northwest Conference for three years, and travelled to New York to work with accomplished choreographer, teacher, and filmmaker David Fernandez, who choreographed a new solo work for her.

After college, Cathleen spent a year in Cazorla, Spain, working as an English Language and Culture Assistant in a primary school. She currently works as a Paraeducator in the Tahoma Transition Program. She is also the Director of the Tahoma Color Guard and a staff member with Rhapsody Winterguard. She has performed in Bellingham Repertory Dance's 7-Day Dance Festival, DASSdance's Seattle City Nutcracker, the Seattle Pride Parade, and the Torchlight Parade. She has taught a variety of classes at Issaquah Dance Theater and DASSdance. Cathleen loves to teach and work with children and is a firm believer that anyone and everyone can and should dance.

Danielle trained with the Louisville Ballet School for 12 years and also attended a Youth Performing Arts High School in Kentucky. She received her BFA degree from the University of Hartford, during which she performed at the Kennedy Center as a soloist in Jean Grand Maître’s Uroboros. In addition, she trained with dance masters like Peggy Lyman, Kirk Peterson, Franco Devita, and Maria Youskevitch. Danielle trained in NYC at The Alvin Ailey School and The Limon Institute and worked professionally in New York with Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Mary Seidman and Dancers, Mimi Garrard Dance Company, and danced in a project at Grand Central Station. After moving to Seattle, she worked with Spectrum Dance Theater, performing in PNB’s Celebrate Seattle Festival and the Spoleto Festival in Italy. Danielle appeared as a “Shark girl” in the 5th Avenue Theater’s production of West Side Story and danced with Seattle Opera’s production of The Pearl Fisher’s. Danielle joined DASSdance in 1999 and danced in festivals including the D.U.M.B.O Dance Festival, the Dance Now Festival, and at DvF--The Theatre. Danielle has taught at numerous schools including Hartford Ballet School, Island Dance, Evergreen City Ballet and currently at Issaquah Dance Theatre. Not only is she Daniel’s wife, but she served as an original DASSdance board member and is thrilled to manage DASS company and school productions 

Emma started her dance journey at the age of three with her twin sister. From there, she trained and taught with Island Dance, where she also dance pre-professionally with their company. Emma continued her dance journey at The University of Missouri - Kansas City, where she got her BFA in Dance and Performance/Choreography with the Conservatory. Emma is trained in many dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre. While in college, she was given the opportunity to work with many notable artists including DeeAnna Hiett, Gary Abbott, Michael Blake, Karen Brown, Ronald Tice, and Tempe Ostergren. With them, Emma has performed many principal roles, in both classical and contemporary works, finishing her senior year with performing the lead role in the ballet "Paquita". While in Kansas City, Emma performed professionally with many artists and organizations, as well as choreographed small works for both the UMKC Conservatory, and other gatherings. Emma continues her professional career guesting/choreographing in Washington, and is excited to join DASSdance as a performing memeber of DASSdance Co. and the school faculty this Fall. 

Staphany Olalde is currently an upcoming Seattle based artist, where she attended Cornish College Of The Arts. Staphany  is originally from Phoenix, AZ where she attended The School of Ballet Arizona and graduated from Metropolitan Arts Institute, where she was trained in various modern, contemporary, and ballet techniques. She has had rigorous training since she was at the School of Ballet Arizona, where she performed full length ballets. As well as the metropolitan arts institute, where she had the opportunity to work with outside choreographers and perform site specific works. She had the opportunity to train one summer at The Joffrey Ballet School where she worked with some great instructors and choreographers. She focuses on contemporary and contemporary ballet as of right now but is interested in many forms. She has a passion for movement and movement in technology, like screen dance. Staphany has devoted herself to being a movement artist. She has a strong passion for giving other people joy and herself with the movement she creates.

Faith O’Brochta is in her first season as both a DASSdance company member and teacher at DASSdance school. Faith trained pre-professionally in numerous dance styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz, and acro at Island Dance Studio and has performed featured roles in both contemporary and ballet repertoire for Whidbey Island Dance Theatre. She has performed in several full-length works including Swan Lake and The Snow Queen among others, and has also danced in contemporary work by artists including Aaron Cash, Deeanna Hiett, Jamee Pitts, and Daniel Wilkins. Faith looks forward to sharing her diverse knowledge of dance with the young artists of DASSdance.

AK currently attends Garfield High School and is active in many of their Advanced Placement classes. AK joined DASSdance 3 years ago, and has danced featured roles in productions including Alice in Wonderland, Swan Lake Remix, and the Seattle City Nutcracker, as well as performing numerous original contemporary works. AK has developed her skills in ballet, contemporary, jazz, acro, and tap and is thrilled to offer her experience to her students. AK started teaching the younger levels at DASSdance last season and has been a gifted and nurturing contributor to the young DASSdancers!

Queen is a current student at Garfield High School. She is enrolled in AP and Honors classes, and holds a 4.0 GPA. Queen started her dance career at age 6, and has been passionate about dance ever since. Queen has been featured in numerous productions by iconic Seattle choreographers such as Koach Giggz. She started working with Koach in 2018, joining his well known Seattle team Kutt 'N' Up. She was also the captain of the Seattle Storm Dance Troupe for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. She now works with Avery Gardener, another well known name in the Seattle dance scene. Queen uses dance as an outlet to explore and create connections, and loves making memories through the joy of dancing. Queen is thrilled to be sharing her passion for hip hop with DASS dancers.

Tyrone Crosby known as Koach T was born in Compton, California, raised in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and moved to Seattle, Washington in 1999. In 2006, Tyrone extended the dance program at his former high school, from an after school club to a year-round community program, in hope that this could be an anti-drug and anti-gang opportunity for the youth in the community. Holding seasonal auditions for hundreds of youth in the northwest, today Kutt 'N' Up has traveled and performed all over the United States from coast to coast, and internationally. Tyrone (Koach T) Crosby is the CEO and Founder of what is today an extraordinary entertainment company also know as Kutt ‘N’ Up Entertainment. Mr. Crosby has been a featured Master Teacher at DASSdance's All-4-1 Dancepalooza since its inception in 2010, and has taught after-school programs at Garfield High School, Washington Middle School, and community centers all over Seattle. Mr. Crosby is the Choreographer for Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute Summer Musical. The Kutt ‘N’ Up dance studio is located in Des Moines, WA offering classes for all ages.

Sensei David Zeger began training at the Aikido Kokikai Southwest Dojo in Tempe, Arizona in 1994. He began facilitating Aikido practices at the Arizona State University Kokikai Aikido Club in 1998 under the guidance and instruction of Veronica Burrows Sensei and David Nachman Sensei.

Since moving to Seattle in 2000, he led practices regularly at the University of Washington Kokikai Aikido Club and (former) Aikido Kokikai Seattle Dojo. Since 2004, he has continued his study and instruction through sharing practices with Kokikai Aikido practitioners in Seattle’s Central Area. Some practices are also led by other senior dojo members, typically having more than a decade of practice experience.