
MEET THE VELVET INSTRUCTORS
At the heart of our studio is a team of passionate, experienced, and dedicated instructors who are committed to nurturing the next generation of dancers and performers. With backgrounds spanning from competitive cheer and dance to ballet, contemporary, jazz, and beyond, our instructors bring a wealth of knowledge and a genuine love for teaching. Together, they create an environment where students can develop their technique, express their creativity, and build lasting memories. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced dancer, our instructors are here to guide and inspire you every step of the way.
Learn more about each of our instructors below:

STUDIO OWNER
Kira Gonzalez
Kira is a passionate dancer and dedicated educator with over two decades of experience in the world of dance. Her journey began at Lompoc High School, where she discovered her love for dance during her sophomore year. Throughout her high school years, Kira excelled as a member of the Varsity Cheer and Advanced Dance Company, setting the stage for her future in the dance world. She continued her dance career at California Lutheran University, where she was a vital member of the Competitive Dance Team for all four years, serving as Captain during her junior and senior years. It was during this time that she honed her leadership skills, organizing and managing the student-led dance program. Kira’s dedication to dance led her to also participate in the university’s cheerleading team during her freshman and sophomore years before fully committing to the dance team. Over the past two decades, Kira has immersed herself in various dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, modern, and classical jazz, both as a student and as a teacher at various studios and colleges. In addition to her dance endeavors, Kira has made significant contributions to the cheerleading community as the Head Coach of Lompoc High School Cheer and the Founder of the Lompoc High School Pom team from 2014 to 2023. She also served as the Founder and Head Coach of the Lompoc Valley Middle School Cheer team from 2016 to 2019. Alongside her dance career, Kira has pursued her passion for education, earning a Master’s Degree in educational counseling, and has been serving her community as a school counselor in the Lompoc Valley for eight years. With her wealth of experience and unwavering dedication, Kira is now the proud owner of her dance studio, with her dance BFF no less, where they continue to inspire and nurture young dancers on their journeys.

STUDIO OWNER
Kendall Lopez
Kendall has been dancing since the age of four, donning the stage with a classical ballet and tap background learning from Sue Dalton School of Ballet and Lompoc School of Dance. Eventually leaping into Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Contemporary as it became more popular, she found her passion for performing at Lompoc High School with the competitive cheer and dance team. She continued to pursue dance and cheer as a form of art, healing, and as a sport. When she was young, her Aunt Joni always dreamed with her, and encouraged her to one day she would open a dance studio. Alas, here she is living her dream with her best friend, and some of her most dedicated students turned colleagues and friends. Kendall, along side Kira, coached cheer and pom for eleven years at LHS, coached and choreographed wining routines for three years of Lompoc Youth Allstars and Sideline Cheer. Kendall is now working at CHS and is assisting with CHS cheer. Together with Kira, the duo have multiple Grand Champion and first-place accolades from competitive arenas in both cheer and dance. Kendall’s main goals for your students in dance class are focusing on musicality, technique, and storytelling. With a bachelor's degree in Child Development and Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Teaching, Kendall wants to teach the child's brain to develop skills appropriately, making it a fun and safe environment for self-expression and creativity. Building foundational skills that can transfer to all areas of art, cheer, and dance, Kendall will help instill these in all students at the studio.

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
BROOKLYNN MCGINNIS
Brooklynn started her dance career at the age of six moving through classical ballet, tap and jazz until she was fourteen. During high school, she gained interest in the Lompoc High School Cheer and Pom program coached by none other than Kendall Lopez and Kira Gonzalez themselves. She learned to expand her passion for dance by introducing lyrical, hip hop, and competitive cheer and pom routines. She advanced quickly and captained the varsity cheer and pom team through her senior year. Dance is her passion and although she thought teaching dance wasn’t in her future, the opportunity arose and she jumped to the occasion. Brooklynn worked with Kendall Lopez and Delanie Valencia during her two years coaching Lompoc YFL All stars cheer program. Brooklynn has coached children between the ages of 5-18 and she enjoys connecting with her students by creating a bond that continues further than just dance. She got several first place awards as well as two grand champion wins during her three years in Lompoc High Cheer. She is currently working to get her Bachelor’s in Psychology, and child development from either UCSB or Cal Poly. This schooling would further help her teach your children in all learning styles. Brooklynn is also currently coaching LVMS cheer!

INSTRUCTOR
Alexandria Corn
Alexandria Corn began her dance training at the age of three at the Lompoc School of Dance under Denise Donlon, where she studied tap and later transitioned into jazz. At seven years old, she expanded her training to include hula and Tahitian dance with Michelle Lujan in Lompoc, joining the Pacific Legends. Throughout high school, Alexandria was a dedicated member of her school’s dance team, serving as captain for two years. She continued her dance journey at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, where she minored in dance and became both a choreographer and performer for the college’s dance company. Alexandria also had the opportunity to experience the dance scene in Atlanta. Her work was featured in multiple campus productions and selected for presentation at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) Conference. During her time at Agnes Scott, she also played a key role in organizing and running the annual fall showcase. Alexandria is now a freelance guest choreographer, creating original routines for high school dance and cheer programs. She recently returned to her roots by reviving the Pacific Legends as its new director, leading the group in preserving and celebrating the cultural traditions of hula and Tahitian dance. Her teaching is grounded in creativity, cultural respect, and a passion for community building through movement.

INSTRUCTOR
Scarlett Rains
Scarlett has been dancing since around three years old. Dance has been a huge part of her life, with using her passion for it to go be apart of the LVMS cheer team, and eventually the LHS cheer team as a Pom Captain. Not only has dance been a significant part of her life, but also theatre. Being in 20 shows since 5th grade involving singing, dancing, and acting. Scarlett knows her way around theatre and can talk your ear off about her favorite shows if you ask. Scarlett loves jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and whatever else you give her. She is currently enrolled at Allan Hancock College. She loves everybody that meets, and will make sure to have a personal connection with every student. She’s looking forward to teaching and using her passion to help others find their passions.

INSTRUCTOR
Ana Hernandez
Ana began her dance journey a little later in life when she was 12 years old. What ignited her passion for dance was being in LHS cheer under the instruction of Kira and Kendall and being taught to express through dance. There, Ana quickly took charge and became a choreographer for every dance show- she was known to choreograph chaos routines with the whole cast as well as pretty lyrical and grungy contemporary pieces. During her senior year she began teaching Jazz at a local studio for ages 3-5 for a few years. After high school she came back as a guest choreographer for LHS Cheer and had the opportunity to choreograph for the LVMS cheer team as well. At the moment, she is a para-educator for children with special needs and currently in school studying Child Development. She is excited to be a part of the Velvet family and looking forward to share her passion with young, hungry minds.

INSTRUCTOR
Rebekah Lowthorp
Rebekah started dance at the age of 3 with tap and ballet at the Lompoc Dance Studio. During her 17 years there, she also fell in love with jazz and hip hop. She also has experience in cheer thanks to her years cheering for the Cabrillo Conquistadores. After moving to San Diego State and graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities, she came back to her hometown where she started her family with her fiancé, son and daughter. She has experience teaching 4-5 year olds and loves bringing fun and energy into the studio. She is excited to join our team as an instructor, and looks forward to sharing her love for dance with the Tiny Movers class every Saturday!

INSTRUCTOR
CRISTI BROOKS-MONTGOMERY
Bio Coming Soon!

INSTRUCTOR ASSISTANT
Mackenzie "Kenzie" Francis
Mackenzie Francis is an inspiring instructor with a passion for building confidence through dance and cheerleading. A 2023 graduate of Lompoc High School, Mackenzie’s cheerleading journey began at LVMS under Coach Kira Gonzalez, where she quickly became team captain. Throughout her career, Mackenzie has been mentored by Kira and Coach Kendall, whose support shaped her growth as both an athlete and individual. "Kira and Kendall have been by my side through thick and thin, teaching me everything I know," Mackenzie reflects. At Lompoc High, Mackenzie started on the JV squad, was named captain, and advanced to Varsity, where she also served as captain. Her journey taught her the importance of teamwork, resilience, and leadership. Now, Mackenzie is excited to bring her expertise to Velvet Movement, co-teaching with Kira and Kendall. With skills as both a stunt master and flyer, she works with students of all levels, fostering a positive environment where they can thrive. Eager to continue learning and sharing her knowledge, Mackenzie looks forward to contributing to Velvet Movement’s growth.
