Becky Cota began her dance training at the late age of 23, after retiring from a 15 year competitive swimming career. Becky always loved dance, and her first dance class was “Pop & Lockin” with Huggy Ford at Pat Jackson’s American Dance Studio. She was hooked, and began taking whatever class she could. Within the first year she was put on scholarship and by the second year, she was invited to dance with the prestigious American Dance Company under the direction of beloved Miss Pat.
Becky moved to Palm Springs, California in 1986, where she continued her training in Los Angeles with Dennon & Sayhber Rawles, Doug Caldwell, and Keith Clifton and locally with Gary White and Shea New. She has traveled and performed in numerous industrials, musicals, stage productions, television and rock videos. Becky began teaching and quickly leaped into choreography for various community events.
While working with Shea New, Becky became her jazz director and formed “the Desert Dimension Dancers”. They were the first semi-professional dance troupe in the desert. As she continued to train and dance herself, she really found her true place which was teaching and choreography. Her choreography accomplishments continue to grow with numerous stage productions including: A Chorus Line, 42nd Street, Big River, The Desert Theater Leagues Annual Award Ceremony, The Arabian Nights Pageant, Music Kids, Miss Indio and Miss Palm Springs Pageants. She was also assistant choreographer and dancer in the award winning musical “Blues Boulevard” and “Festival”. She has also choreographed numerous award winning competition and high school team pieces in jazz, lyrical, musical theater, and contemporary. She is a sought out teacher for technique classes as well.
Becky has been teaching for 32 years and continues to teach master classes and set pieces for competition teams. She feels blessed to continue doing what she loves by watching her pieces come to life on stage, including watching the love of her life, daughter Aaliyah dance. Many of her students have gone on to work in the entertainment industry in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Japan. Becky is also a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor since 1991 and uses her knowledge of biomechanics to strengthen dancers and prevent injuries. Becky looks forward to continuing her journey in dance back in San Luis Obispo where it all began.