Classes

Chloe Nicosia-Shapiro is a passionate and dedicated dance instructor with a diverse background in ballet, pointe, jazz, musical theater, lyrical, hip hop, and tap. She has performed lead roles in ballets such as Coppélia, Swan Lake, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Since 2011, Chloe has shared her expertise and love for dance with students of all ages—from 18 months to adults, and from beginners to advanced dancers. She excels at providing a supportive, structured, and welcoming environment. Her instruction focuses not only on technique, but also on building a deep understanding of dance—from vocabulary to correct body alignment. Chloe believes dance should be fun and joyful while maintaining a strong technical foundation, and she strives to foster this balance in every class.

Committed to ongoing growth, Chloe remains an active student, regularly taking classes and attending events like the Dance Teacher Summit in 2016 and 2018.

Her love of teaching and the art of dance have been a constant in her life, and one of her greatest joys is watching her students discover and nurture their own passion for the craft. She is excited to bring her approach to the students at RTA!

Emily Couch has been dancing her whole life. She was a competitive dancer for five years and got the opportunity to help choreograph Mamma Mia at Livermore High School, as well as Hadestown: Teen Edition at Livermore High School. Emily was also a member of the Livermore High School Varsity dance team. She loves dance and is so excited to be working with Royal Theater Academy!

Kristi (she/her) , an experienced teaching artist and Bay Area native, brings 35 years of performing arts experience to her role as the Director of Programming at RTA. Her career began at age 16 as a choreographer for a theater company operating in both Northern and Southern California. Since then, she has directed, choreographed, and designed costumes and sets for numerous theatrical productions spanning the West and East Coasts of the United States. Prior to the major theater shutdowns during COVID, she was the founder and Artistic Director of Grand Performing Arts, RTA’s parent company. Kristi is thrilled to join the RTA team, bringing her deep heart and passion for storytelling, connection and community.

My name is Lela Gutierrez. I’m thrilled to be joining the RTA family as the new Improv teacher. 

I grew up in the San Francisco East Bay, participating in music and theater programs throughout my childhood and into college. In 2022, I joined an RTA production of Matilda, and I’ve been here ever since! I also serve as the volunteer coordinator for mainstage shows, as well as the youth summer camp music director. 

I believe improv is a powerful tool not just for performing, but for life. Building improvisation skills strengthens self-confidence, and grows our social skills and our ability to adapt to new situations. Creating a space where students feel safe to explore, create, make bold choices, and be silly is important to me.

When I’m not at the RTA studio, I’m working as a librarian at a local Elementary school, where I spend a lot of time reading books in funny voices.

Makena Mueller has worked as a Teaching Artist in both the Bay Area and New York City for over six years. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and performs regularly in productions throughout Northern California. After recovering from a multi-year vocal injury sustained during her college years, no one knows better than her how much vocal and physical health, stamina, and training can change how a performer both creates their art, and maintains their strength. She has experience vocal directing, choreographing, and directing youth productions, as well as teaching private voice. She is thrilled to be joining the RTA team this spring!

Mathew Glynn (he/him) is an actor, costumer, director, and teaching artist with over 13 years of experience! He is a graduate of Cal State University East Bay with a Theater Arts BA, and is excited to be a part of the community RTA has created! In addition to private voice, he is also the director of the PYTC High School Cabaret program with the City of Pleasanton, directing and coaching musical theater for high school students. Directing credits include Into the Woods Jr. (Assistant Director, TMC Arts), Xanadu Jr., Aladdin KIDS, Frozen KIDS, and Winnie the Pooh KIDS (Pleasanton Youth Theater Company). Favorite onstage credits include Baker in Into the Woods (GPA), Chuck Biggs in She Kills Monsters (Plethos Productions), Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone (Landmark Musical Theater), Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (TMC Arts) and Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (TMC Arts). Mathew is passionate about letting artists grow and express themselves how they see fit, and letting storytelling guide all aspects of Musical Theater performance! He looks forward to working with you!

Ria Patel (she/her) is a vibrant musician, educator, and proponent of the arts. She graduated from the University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music with a B.M. in Vocal Performance and a minor in Spanish. 

At Pacific, she performed leading roles in musical theater, opera, vocal jazz, choir, and chamber ensembles. Now an avid performer in the Bay Area, she sings with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Choral Audacity, Livermore Valley Opera, and more.

Ria is a music director at Pleasanton Youth Theater Company and a private voice instructor at San Ramon Academy of Music. She is thrilled to be joining the RTA community and expanding the group of incredible people she gets to work with!

She always strives to create a space for students to be their most authentic selves and express their unique identity through music!