Rae Studios is proud to be the programming partner of the San Francisco Recreation & Parks and Civic Center Community Benefit District for the new SF Fitness Court. A huge thank you to those of you that joined our classes in the winter season. We thrilled to be continuing classes in the Spring with a fresh schedule and new instructors on our roster.
April 15th-April 21st, Rae Studios will be hosting a filming week at the UN Plaza Fitness Court. Come in your best dance attire and film with some of your favorite instructors in their weekly class. Reminder that all classes at UN Plaza are FREE. Come out and enjoy a fun time in our featured classes for the week. Sign up for classes here.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.Featured Instructors:
ANUSHYA MANI | @nooshi87
JOANNA SATO | @joannesatofitness
KAIT SKYE | @k8skye
KI TO | @kithetiger
LILY PRICE | @lilylfprice
MARIA ZOTOV | @traveling_yogini_maria
NORA AGUAYO | @nora.bailezumba
SARA TEMPLETON | @coqui.sf
SIMRAN SURI | @dance_with_sim
TASHI COWAN | @tashitheeterminator_
Date: Monday, April 15th - Sunday, April 21st, 2024
Film Week Schedule:
Power Yoga with Maria | Monday 4/15 at 5:00pm
K-Pop with Lily | Monday 4/15 at 6:00pm
Hip Hop with Tashi | Tuesday 4/16 at 5:00pm
Salsa with Sara | Tuesday 4/16 at 6:00pm
Hip Hop with Kait | Wednesday 4/17 at 5:00pm
BollyX with Simran | Wednesday 4/17 at 6:00pm
K-Pop with Ki To | Saturday 4/20 at 10:00am
BollyX with Anushya | Saturday 4/20 at 11:00am
Zumba with Nora | Sunday 4/21 at 10:00am
HIIT with Joanna | Sunday 4/21 at 11:00am
Tickets:
All classes FREE. Sign up here or the MindBody app.
Registration is required for this event.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.About Fitness Court
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.Meet Our Featured Instructors:
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Maria Zotov
Power Yoga (All Levels)
Mondays | 5:00pm-5:45pm
Maria (Masha) is an experienced yoga teacher recently relocated to CA.
Completing 3 yoga teacher trainings, two of them traditional style yoga in Rishikesh and Gokarn, India, she left her Civil Engineering career to become a full time Hatha and Vinyasa yoga teacher.
Her movement journey began at age 6 in Ukraine with rhythmic gymnastics. At 9 she moved to Israel and joined Maccabi Tel Aviv rhythmic gymnastics team and represented Israel in international contests.
At 12 she switched to Jazz dance. She started running competitively during her Police Service and later on represented her college as a sprinter ( freshman) and long-distance cross country competitive runner (sophomore) since 2008 winning first places at 5km and 10km races. In 2016 she represented The Ministry of Agriculture of Israel in running competitions as a Director of Drainage Engineering and Soil Conservation Department.
Her current hobbies besides yoga are partner acrobatics, contact improvisation dance and chess.
With 6 years of experience teaching and 17 years of practice she’s currently leading group and corporate classes at Tribe Fitness, Yoga and Coaching, SF and other locations as well as privates and teaching in wellness retreats in the Bay area and abroad.
Maria is mindful about efficient and safe alignment for injury prevention, helping to lose joint stiffness using traditional Hatha yoga techniques.
She’s enthusiastic about Power Yoga for a balanced, strong and flexible body and uses breathing techniques to boost energy levels, improve focus and concentration, and anxiety reduction.
In the past 17 years attended yearly retreats and weeks-long advanced workshops around the world, with leading teachers such as Kino Macgregor, Talia Sutra and others.
IG: @traveling_yogini_maria
Power Yoga (All Levels):
In this 45-minute music-bumping-heart-pounding-beginner-welcoming power yoga class, participants will utilize fundamental yoga postures using 'breath to movement', body-weight drills and exercises to build cardio and tone their bodies. Be prepared to have a sweaty good time.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Lily Price
K-Pop (Beginner)
Mondays | 6:00pm-7:00pm
Raised in the Peninsula and now based in San Francisco, Lily (she/her) first developed an interest in K-Pop in high school and began teaching herself choreographies from videos for fun. She continued to expand on her new interest while briefly taking classes and performing with a group at Purdance Studio in San Jose. A couple years later, she founded and led her university's K-Pop dance team Colorado College K-Dance (CCKD), which performed at school events, held workshops, and filmed video covers to popular songs. She also regularly danced in Colorado College's bi-annual Dance Workshop production. Since graduating, Lily has been taking more dance classes and making covers for her account @lilylfprice. She is eager to continue trying out new dance styles and continuing to grow as a dancer with her crew IN2THESAGE (@in2_thesage).
K-Pop (Beginner):
K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gospel, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, disco, and classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. Originally known as 'Gayo' in Korea, modern K-pop "idol" culture began in the 1990s. Our KPOP instructors will either highlight other KPOP choreographers reteaching combos from various music videos or create their own choreographed influences from various styles of dance. Students should expect to learn fun combos and increase their performance quality.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Tashi Cowan
Hip Hop (Beginner)
Tuesdays | 5:00pm-6:00pm
Tashi Cowan is a dancer and teacher who has diverse experience in multiple forms of performance arts.
A Marin County native, she received her first formal lesson in hip-hop at ten years old and has been hooked on dance ever since. She continued her dance education while studying for an Associate Degree in Dance Performance at College of Marin and performed in the 2010 dance productions ‘Signatures of Motion’ and ‘Dance Upon a Song’.
Tashi was recognized by the College of Marin Foundation with the Saragay Stetson Dance Scholarship, a competitive award recognizing outstanding talent within the department.
She also has had musical theatre training performing with the Stapleton Theatre Company’s Rendition of “Fame” where she received the Rookie Award.
A graduate of San Francisco State University, she studied abroad in London, England and was a member of the Kingston Cougars Latin Dance Team from 2017-2018, which ranked 2nd and 3rd place for Best Latin Style Dance.
In 2015 she became certified a Zumba instructor and has taught classes at Energy Dance and Fitness in San Rafael, Bay Club, San Francisco and Marin County and Mt. Tam Racquet Club. She continues to train at Mood Studio, Rae Studios, and SF ODC Dance Commons in Heels Technique, Hip Hop and Jazz Funk.
She is constantly learning and growing as a dancer and a person and believes that to dance and being able bodied is a blessing.
Hip Hop (Beginner)
Hip-Hop dance consists of Breaking (commercially known as Breakdancing) and Hip-Hop Party Moves (e.g., Bart Simpson, Biz Markie, Roger Rabbit, Running Man) and Hip-Hop is an artistic and cultural movement that started in the 1970s in The Bronx of New York City by Black and Latiné youth who expressed joy through Hip-Hop during a time of oppression. In this class students will focus on A beginner-friendly Hip-Hop dance combo that will help with choreography and movement quality. This course is a prerequisite requirement for many of our intermediate/advanced classes. Prepare to take this class for at least 6-8 weeks before advancing to the next class.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Sara Templeton
Salsa (Beginner)
Tuesday | 6:00pm-7:00pm
Sara is a choreographer, teacher, and dancer born and raised in San Francisco. She started her professional hip-hop career at sixteen, dancing with Culture Shock S.F. and L.A. and guest performing with independent artists throughout the Bay Area. While earning her dance degree at Loyola Marymount University, Sara expanded her training to include ballet, modern / contemporary, and dunham technique, and also began a focused re-engagement with salsa and other Latin dances connected to her Puerto Rican heritage. It was during this time that Sara truly honed in on her passion for choreography and teaching, and the ways in which the intelligence of different dance techniques could cross pollinate for the benefit of the artist. Sara has performed alongside notable hip-hop artists Allan Frias and Jesse Lee Santos, and has done commercial work with musical groups Blue Boy and Spanish Fly. Locally Sara has performed and presented work at Dance Mission Theater and ODC, and is blest to have trained with exceptional artists across disciplines including Janice Garrett (modern), Robin Dekkers (ballet), Brandi Chun (jazz funk), Pat Cruz (hip-hop) and others. Most recently, Sara choreographed the Center Repertory Company’s sold out Spring 2023 musical production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights and continues to teach a variety of dance forms around the Bay Area.
Sara strongly believes in the joy of dance, and is dedicated to fostering a safe and playful space where students can work on sound dance technique while feeling motivated to grow. When Sara is not in the studio teaching or choreographing, she is experimenting with dance for film, and running her online dance merchandise store ObjectsForArts. Besides dance, Sara is an ardent, 20-year practitioner of Iyengar yoga, and a strong believer in massages and chocolate.
Salsa (Beginner):
Salsa is a Latin dance, associated with the music genre of the same name, which was first popularized in the United States in the 1960s in New York City. Salsa is a partnered dance where the lead takes the follower through a series of spins and turn patterns to music. Salsa's tempo ranges from about 60 bpm (beats per minute) to around 130 bpm, although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 80 and 120 bpm.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Kait Skye
Hip Hop (Beginner)
Wednesdays | 5:00pm-6:00pm
Kait Skye is a Chicago-area native performer, educator, and choreographer currently living in San Francisco. Dance has always been a part of her life; she began dancing before kindergarten and her passion for dance only grew larger over the years. She continued broadening her training across all genres through college including hip hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, pointe, partnering, and more. She has a long list of training and teaching experiences including Hip Hop ConnXion HQ of which she was a company member for 11 years as well as teaching and directing at Synergy Dance Academy/M3 Dance (formerly Chicago Ballet Conservatory) for the past 6 years prior to moving to San Francisco. Kait’s biggest passion within dance is teaching - she loves passing on her knowledge to other artists and helping them become the best versions of themselves, both personally and professionally.
Hip Hop (Beginner):
Hip-Hop is an artistic and cultural movement that started in the 1970s in The Bronx of New York City by Black and Latiné youth who expressed joy through Hip-Hop during a time of oppression. Hip-Hop dance consists of Breaking (commercially known as Breakdancing) and Hip-Hop Party Moves (e.g., Bart Simpson, Biz Markie, Roger Rabbit, Running Man). In this class students will focus on a beginner-friendly Hip-Hop dance combo that will help with choreography and movement quality. This course is a prerequisite requirement for many of our beginner/intermediate or intermediate/advanced classes. Prepare to take this class for at least 6-8 weeks before advancing to the next class.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Simran Suri
BollyX (All Levels)
Wednesdays | 6:00pm-6:45pm
A passionate Bollywood enthusiast and dance aficionado, Simran brings the vibrant spirit of India to the dance floor. Growing up amidst the colorful beats of Bollywood tunes in India, dance became the rhythm of her life from an early age. Fueled by her love for movement and expression, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the art of dance.
With a desire to share her passion with the world, Simran became a certified BollyX instructor. Having recently made her way to the dynamic cultural hub of San Francisco, Simran found herself drawn to its diverse tapestry. Here, amidst the bustling cityscape, she discovered a new home where she could seamlessly integrate her academic pursuits with her love for dance.
As a talented instructor, Simran orchestrates vibrant and inclusive classes, where students not only groove to the pulse of Bollywood but also forge connections and a sense of belonging. Her classes are a celebration of cultural fusion, movement, and above all, joy!
BollyX (All Levels):
A Bollywood cardio dance fitness class inspired and driven by the heart-pumping, energetic rhythms of Bollywood. The class embodies dynamic choreography and easy-to-follow dance aerobics. Learn the origins and vocabulary of traditional Bollywood dance steps in this all-level class.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Ki To
K-Pop (Beginner)
Saturdays | 10:00am-11:00am
Ki To is a full time dancer, choreographer, and model working all over the Bay Area and SoCal. Ki To has danced for corporations such as GAP, WAYMO, and Genentech — and has modeled for major commercials featuring BENEFIT Cosmetics, EM Cosmetics, and was the face for K-Swiss x McLaren’s collaboration.
As a dancer his emphasis is Choreo, Jazz Funk, K-Pop and Waacking. He currently has a strong grip on the K-Pop scene, and teaches at RAE Studios, City Dance, and CY Danceworks. When he isn’t teaching, he is working in beauty, commercials, or backup dancing for artists/corporations.
Ki To is currently apart of IN2THESAGE which is an upcoming trendy K-Pop crew that does both covers and original choreography to K-pop tracks and is represented by RAE Agency as both a model / dance talent.
Past Clients:
Dance - GAP, Google / WAYMO, Son Tung M-TP, Genentech
Model - BENEFIT Cosmetics, EM Cosmetics, K-Swiss x McLaren, GMARO magazine, SHUBA magazine, and more.
Socials:
YOUTUBE CHANNEL — https://youtube.com/@kito_0709
INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/kito_0709/
K-Pop (Beginner):
K-Pop, short for Korean popular music, is a form of music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Experimental, Rock, Jazz, Gospel, Reggae, Electronic dance, Folk, Country, Disco, and Classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. Originally known as 'Gayo' in Korea, modern K-pop "idol" culture began in the 1990s. Our KPOP instructors will either highlight other KPOP choreographers reteaching combos from various music videos or create their own choreographed influences from various styles of dance. Students should expect to learn fun combos and increase their performance quality.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Anushya Mani
BollyX (All Levels)
Saturdays | 11:00am-11:45am
Anushya has been dancing since the age of 5. She started with Indian classical dance then joined the competitive Bhangra, Raas, and Fusion teams in college. While Anushya is an Engineer/Consultant by day, she started choreographing bollywood dances at the age of 13 and has been doing so ever since!
She is always excited to share her love for dance with others and being able to do it in the form of a workout is (in her words) JUST SO AWESOME.
BollyX (All Levels):
A Bollywood cardio dance fitness class inspired and driven by the heart-pumping, energetic rhythms of Bollywood. The class embodies dynamic choreography and easy-to-follow dance aerobics. Learn the origins and vocabulary of traditional Bollywood dance steps in this all-level class.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.
Nora Aguayo
Zumba (All Levels)
Sundays | 10:00am-10:45am
Nora Aguayo has been teaching for about five years now, specializing in Zumba and Dance Cardio formats. She blends various dance styles with a Latin kick to create a diverse and fun workout. There is no limit to what you can do—Motiving and creating your flow while dancing is her goal.
Zumba (All Levels):
Zumba is a fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Beto Pérez in 2001. Zumba incorporates four basic rhythms including salsa, reggaeton, merengue and cumbia and each basic rhythm has four core steps. In this class you should expect a high energy environment with easy to follow choreography to form the ultimate calorie-burning experience. Music genres may include Latin beats, Reggaeton, Hip Hop, and Pop music.
Joanne Sato
HIIT (All Levels)
Sundays | 11:00am-11:45am
Born and raised in California’s Central Valley, Joanne has called the San Francisco Bay Area home for over 20 years. Joanne has been teaching Group Exercise and Dance Classes for over 10 years. After receiving her B.S. Degrees in Kinesiology (Human Movement Studies) & Business Management from San Francisco State University, she has continued her career as a Fitness Professional while also pursuing Personal Training, Group Exercise Instruction and Staff Management. It is the perfect blend of her degrees while also keeping her love of dance and fitness alive.
A lover of all movement, Joanne started dancing at a young age and even started choreographing her own routines at the age of nine. Joanne had a very active childhood and also participated in activities such as: swimming, karate, track and field, musicals, and her favorite, dance, where she learned a little bit of everything: jazz, hip hop, ballet, latin dance, hula, Tahitian, and modern dance to name a few.
She has danced in the San Francisco Carnaval Parade with Latin Dance Grooves and danced in the San Francisco Pride Parade with the World Carnavalescos. She has taught dance choreography classes for DanceVibes Styles and taught fitness classes for YouTube, PrimeTime Fitness, Glen Park Neighborhood, the City of Colma and Burlingame Recreation and more. She currently teaches for Club Genentech Fitness Center and Banyan Tree Women’s Collective (501c3 non-profit). Her current certifications include: ACE Group Fitness Instructor, ACE Personal Trainer, Zumba, U-Jam Fitness, Bolly-X, POP Pilates, PIIT28, and YogaFit Level 1,2,3, Mommy & Baby, Prenatal, while also teaching other classes such as dance choreography, barbell, kickboxing, cycling, yoga, barre, HIIT, Boot Camp, agility and more.
A mom of two girls, she wants her girls and everyone to know that they should feel confident in their bodies and to let go of any inhibitions when it comes to dancing or fitness.
“I fall. I get up. Meanwhile…I keep dancing.”
HIIT (All Levels):
HIIT is a full-body workout. The class is a rigorous interval training sequence with high-intensity exercises. It builds cardiovascular fitness while improving muscular strength and endurance. People are challenged to push to their limits and walk out feeling strong.
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.UN Plaza Weekly Schedule:
Ticket Reservations: Register via the MindBody here.Our mission is to merge the ideologies of popular dance culture by bridging fitness gym and traditional dance studio mentality into a place that welcome all levels of dance & fitness in a healthy progressive environment. Our goal is to provide San Francisco dance seekers with community, growth and participation through artistic outlets of music + movement. Our culture is simple; create a space for dance and community to thrive, water the roots of our passion, fuel our dreams by action, and inspire others to do the same.
Follow us!