Who We Are
The Dance Eclectic is a Las Cruces-based, non-profit, community dance collective dedicated to creating performance and choreography opportunities for community members who might not otherwise get to perform and choreograph. Members’ dance backgrounds vary from dancers with 6 months of dance experience, or members with experience in cheer, to life-long dancers with college degrees in the art form.
The Dance Eclectic’s members create and perform original choreography, and work collaboratively to showcase their work in two professional quality shows each year—Fringe Dance Festival, which is our repertoire, and an original show centered on telling a narrative through dance—as well as a number of community events (view our upcoming events).
Established in 2016, The Dance Eclectic has expanded both in size and programming, but has stayed true to the original vision set forth at its founding, seeking to recruit dancers who might not otherwise have many opportunities to perform: teens and adults just starting out (through The Dance Eclectic Studio), full-time workers, and other dancers facing circumstances that might make it difficult for them to participate in more traditional dance companies. Also, those who are simply creative and want an outlet to dance and work collaboratively with others with similar passions.
Our Members
Andrea Severson Lopez
Member since 2016
Andrea Severson Lopez has been dancing since the age of 9, first at Southwest Fitness Center, then Michelle’s Dance Academy, and finally at Mesilla Valley Dance until it closed in 2015. She has played major roles for the company as The Red Queen in Mesilla Valley Dance’s interpretation of “Alice in Wonderland” in 2015, the Princess in The Dance Eclectic’s production of “The Scarab Thief” in February of 2018, and the good witch, Gladys White in The Dance Eclectic’s “Dottie!.” A retelling of “The Wizard of OZ” in 1920’s style. She is also a member of Enchantment Historical Productions, a performance history group founded to entertain and educate the public with historical dramatizations. Off stage, she has a MA in history from NMSU, and is currently working on a PhD in history at UTEP where she also works as a lecturer.
Lisa Moya
Member since 2018
Lisa decided to be a dancer at 2 and started dancing at age 5 in Socorro, NM. She continued dancing in El Paso, TX with Barbara Driscoll’s School of Ballet, and so far, hasn’t been able to stop. Until high school, she focused on ballet, but dancing at Franklin High School and with the FHS Fusion Dance Group, she expanded to modern, jazz, and lyrical. In college, she danced with Washington University Dance Theatre for four years and left with a BA in Elementary Education and Dance. When she’s not dancing (and sometimes while she is), she teaches second grade at Hillrise Elementary. Lisa most played the role of Stella de Noire (the bad witch) in “Dottie!” in 2020. Lisa could not be happier to have found a dance home with The Dance Eclectic.
Morgan Rivera
Member since 2016=
Morgan Rivera grew up in Roswell, NM where she started dancing at the age of 5. She danced at a local studio for 11 years and performed in yearly recitals. She was also on the Goddard High School Rockettes Dance Team for 2 years. She went to college at the University of New Mexico where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She also has a Masters’ in Education. Morgan was an elementary teacher for 8 years but now has moved on to teaching dance at Picacho Middle School in Las Cruces. She has been dancing with The Dance Eclectic since 2016 and has been the Creative Director since 2016. She has played the role of the thief in “The Scarab Thief” in 2018.
Rachel Goodman
Member since 2016
Rachel began her training in Houston, TX at Banbury School of Dance under Suzanne Banbury and Lori Borzilla. While in high school, she performed and competed in her high school dance company. Rachel received her minor in dance at Texas A&M University. While in college, she performed with Em Su Dance Company. She was also a member of the Nu Delta Alpha dance honor society. She trained under Christine Bergeron, and took master classes at many an American College Dance Festival. After graduation and moving to El Paso, Rachel performed with Cor Ignis Dance Company. Rachel is very excited to be dancing with The Dance Eclectic and enjoys the creative process with her fellow dancers.
Stephanie Beauregard
Member in 2018 and from 2020-Present
Stephanie grew up in Las Cruces, NM. She started gymnastics as a fifth grader and went on to cheer at Sierra Middle school for two years, Onate High School for two years, and for NMSU for four years. Stephanie suffers from Rheumatoid disease and was wheelchair bound a few years ago, but keeping active keeps off flairs. This is her third year with The Dance Eclectic but she has always loved performing and dancing. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Master’s of Science in Education. Stephanie is a chemistry teacher at Las Cruces High School.
Tiana Potter
Member since 2016
Tiana Potter began dancing at age 13. She loves dancing among other things like makeup, music, and art, and is always looking to explore new kinds of dance and improve on what she already knows. During her time dancing with The Dance Eclectic she feels she has grown so much as not only a dancer, but a person. Art, overall, is what she loves the most, and dance is definitely a type of art. She hopes to pursue some sort of career in art whether it be painting, makeup, drawing, or anything of that sort. She loves all of these things and they have helped her grow throughout life and will probably continue to do so.
Photo credit: Kinetic Lens Photography
