About Sweatshop Dance
Owned and directed by Brian Young, Sweatshop Dance is Denver's premier preprofessional dance studio — a place where aspiring young dancers are trained with world-class technique, genuine care, and an unwavering belief in what they can achieve. Offering training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and tap for ages 5 through adult, there isn't a more comprehensive dance program anywhere in Colorado.
Our Vision
To assemble a world-class faculty capable of inspiring and training aspiring young dancers — designing a comprehensive preprofessional program, providing state-of-the-art facilities, and creating a financially accessible, nurturing atmosphere that fosters well-balanced professional dancers and successful individuals.
It is our mission that every Sweatshop student develops a broader understanding of dance, uses their training to enhance their own life and the lives of others, and furthers the visibility of dance as an art form in their community.
Why Sweatshop
Colorado's most comprehensive preprofessional dance training program
Every core faculty member has had a professional dance career
Bi-seasonal ballet exams with written evaluations offered to all dancers
92% of alumni attend Top 10 college dance programs — 100% of those who apply
Home to one of the nation's top preprofessional competitive companies
Professional sprung-floor studio facility throughout — designed for serious training
“Whether aspiring to become professional dancers or not, I’m simply passionate our students receive the most comprehensive and immersive instruction possible. It’s important that students of dance experience the most pure education in, and about the art form. In every art form there’s much to be discovered beneath the surface — it’s where the soul of the art lives. Learning the history, details, techniques, and nuances from people who’ve dedicated their lives to the art, who really understand it, and are passionate about sharing the traditions and discipline involved, offers a lifetime of personal enrichment, and an understanding of so much more than the art form itself. Find THOSE people and learn the art.”
Brian Young — Owner & Director
A Colorado native, Brian Young knew from the age of seven that he would open his own studio. What followed was a career that took him from Las Vegas — where he performed in EFX starring Tommy Tune at MGM Grand and as a backup vocalist for Barbra Streisand's Timeless: The Millennium Concerts under the direction of Marvin Hamlisch — to Chicago, where he trained and performed with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago under the mentorship of jazz dance legend Pattie Obey.
Brian later performed with LA Jazdanz Company, served as a dance captain with Royal Caribbean International, and taught on the Manhattan Dance Project national tour before returning to Colorado. Locally, he has set choreography on David Taylor Dance Theatre, Colorado Ballet, Denver School of the Arts, and served as Competitive Program Director at Colorado Ballet Academy. Sweatshop Dance is the realization of a lifetime of passion, dedication, and hard work.
Our Faculty
The Sweatshop faculty brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and diversity unmatched anywhere in the region. Hailing from around the globe — Las Vegas, Broadway, Los Angeles, professional ballet companies, and sports dance teams — our teachers give students access to virtually every professional dance niche there is.
Tami Bing — Lyrical / Hip Hop
A founding Sweatshop faculty member and Colorado State University graduate with a degree in Dance and Psychology, Tami danced as a Denver Nuggets Dancer for four seasons serving as team captain for three, performed with Damsels Dance Company, and has taught dance for over 30 years across the Denver metro area. She served as company director and co-founder of Colorado Ballet Academy's competitive company Aspirations, and has been the technique coach for the award-winning Cherokee Trail JV, Varsity, and Junior Cougars dance teams for over a decade.
Jacob James Mora — Modern Fusion / Contemporary
Artistic Director of Moraporvida Contemporary Dance, Jacob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. He has performed with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Hannah Kahn Dance, and Alaska Dance Theatre, and has worked with legendary choreographers including Donald McKayle, Betty Jones, and David Dorfman. Jacob teaches and choreographs internationally, fusing contemporary technique with hip hop, poetry, and urban culture.
Lizanne McAdams-Graham — Ballet With over 40 years as a professional dancer and educator, Lizanne trained at Joffrey Ballet NYC, Harkness House for Ballet Arts, and Pennsylvania Ballet. She joined the Croatian National Ballet at 17, dancing principal roles across the full classical repertoire, and later performed with the renowned ODC/Dance on world tours through Russia, Southeast Asia, and Australia, with residencies at the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. She has set major ballets on Charleston Ballet and Ithaca Ballet, and conducted professional classes at Colorado Ballet and Denver Dance Center for 22 years.
Danielle Sunseri — Ballet
An Ohio native, Danielle trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and joined Colorado Ballet in 1995 under Martin Fredmann, performing in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Balanchine's Serenade, and the historic 1998 staging of Martha Graham's Appalachian Spring. She has performed with Kim Robards Dance, Russian Ballet, and David Taylor Dance Theatre, and has over 20 years of experience instructing students on the faculties of Colorado Ballet Academy, Ballet Arizona, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, and others.
Slava Mesropov — Ballet
A graduate of the Baku Academy of Ballet, Slava is trained in the Vaganova method and performed as a soloist with the Azerbaijan Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, Moscow Festival Ballet, and Colorado Ballet. He has served on faculty at Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was Artistic Director of Ballet Royal Institute of Maryland. He was named Outstanding Teacher at the 2003 Youth America Grand Prix international competition finals in New York.
Radoslaw Kokoszka — Ballet
Born in Poland, Radoslaw trained at the Harid Conservatory, Boston Ballet, Kirov Academy, and completed his training at the School of American Ballet. He danced professionally with Carolina Ballet, Cedar Lake Dance Company, and Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and has had the privilege of performing alongside Mikhail Baryshnikov. He has taught ballet to aspiring dancers for over 15 years.
Leanna Earlywine — Tap
Leanna studied with Gus Giordano throughout high school and majored in Theatre at the University of Denver, where she co-founded the internationally recognized DU Show Choir. She has taught ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theater for 30 years in the Denver metro area, directed Picus Dance for five years, and was owner and director of Off Broadway Academy of Dance.
Sydney Baker — Tap
Sydney discovered her passion for tap early and has pursued it with dedication ever since — traveling annually to New York City to study at Tap City, the NYC Tap Festival, and the Big Apple Tap Festival with master teachers including Brenda Bufalino and Ted Louis Levy. She performs with Tap 24.7 and is committed to passing down this rich American art form with depth and joy.