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Mission
Rooted Dance Collective exists to bridge the human experience and that natural world through movement. We offer exceptional training for all ages and levels while cultivating a safe, supportive environment rooted in connection, awareness, and growth. Through disciplined instruction and artistry, we empower individuals to move with purpose and connect to something greater than themselves.
Vision
Rooted Dance Collective envisions a future where movement fosters connection to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. We are committed to developing confident, disciplined, creative individuals who lead with purpose, resilience, and respect. Through both technical training and holistic education, we cultivate a community where every student feels empowered to grow, overcome challenges, and carry these values into all aspects of life.
OUR ROOTS
Rooted Dance Collective was born from a simple but powerful belief: dancers deserve a space where they can grow fully- both as artists and as human beings.
After years of training, teaching, and creating within competitive and pre-professional environments, we saw a gap. Too often, dancers are asked to choose between technical excellence and personal well-being. Between discipline and authenticity. Between achievement and joy.
We believe you shouldn’t have to choose.
Rooted was created to be different.
Our foundation is built on growth- slow, intentional, and deeply connected. Like roots beneath the earth, much of a dancer’s development happens unseen: in the small corrections, the quiet breakthroughs, the moments of resilience. We honor that process. We nurture it.
Our Mission?
Artistry over perfection.
Progress over pressure.
Connection over comparison.
We are inspired by nature- by its patience, its cycles, and its ability to transform. We encourage our dancers to trust their timing, embrace their individuality, and find strength in both stillness and movement. This is a space where you can take up space. Where you can be challenged and supported. Where you can grow through what you go through. Because when a dancer is truly rooted, they don’t just move- they flourish.
Faculty
Brayden Guentzel
Co-founder & Director
Brayden Guentzel is a choreographer, educator, and arts leader with over 15 years of dance training and more than a decade of professional teaching and creative direction experience. His background spans competitive, recreational, theatrical, and collegiate dance settings, with a focus on high-caliber choreography, dancer development, and studio leadership.
A graduate of Arizona State University, Brayden earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance while building a rich performance and research record. He performed in faculty residencies with Adam McKinney and Nic Herring Harman, contributed to research under Karen Schupp, and was selected for the Breaking Ground Contemporary Dance Festival in 2022. His senior thesis work premiered in the 2023 concert Liminality reflecting his commitment to emotional narrative and embodied storytelling. While at ASU, he also served as Program President dedicated to supporting student artists through funding, mentorship, and performance opportunities.
As a performer, Brayden completed two contracts with Princess Cruises as a production cast dancer, performing in large-scale theatrical productions for global audiences. His competitive background earned him multiple title, choreography, and high-point awards.
Brayden specializes in contemporary, jazz, ballet, lyrical, musical theater, tap, ballroom, and improvisation. He has taught and choreographed across the Phoenix area, served as a dance competition judge, and most recently held the role of Artistic Director at a local Phoenix studio where he led a faculty team, shaped curriculum and culture, and contributed to measurable growth in student retention.
At the core of Brayden's teaching is a belief that the studio should be a place of rigorous challenge and genuine belonging where dancers are held to high expectations, supported fully, and inspired to grow far beyond the walls of the studio. His teaching philosophy is grounded in a single guiding principle: "Teach the class you were never taught."
As Co-Founder of Rooted Dance Collective, Brayden brings together performance, pedagogy, leadership, and innovation to build a studio rooted in excellence, intentional growth, and meaningful connection.
Maddie Lasco
Co-founder & Director
Maddie Lasco is a dance educator, choreographer, and artist with over 21 years of dance experience and six years of teaching and choreographic experience throughout the Phoenix area. Her experience spans collegiate, competitive, and recreational dance settings, with leadership roles focused on dancer development, choreography, and studio operations. Passionate about fostering both technical excellence and personal growth, Maddie strives to create meaningful dance experiences that inspire confidence, creativity, and connection.
A graduate of Arizona State University, Maddie earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance while cultivating a deep commitment to movement as both an artistic and educational practice. Her honors thesis performance, Untangled Roots, featured her original choreographic work dis-ordered, which explored the themes and impact of OCD through contemporary dance research and performance.
As an artist and choreographer, Maddie has presented and performed original works through the Breaking Ground Contemporary Dance Festival, the American College Dance Association (ACDA), and numerous ASU Dance Festivals. These experiences, combined with her extensive training and performance background, have shaped her approach to dance education—one that values artistry, intentionality, and lifelong learning.
Maddie specializes in contemporary, ballet, lyrical, jazz, strength and conditioning, flexibility training, and improvisation, with additional training in tap, hip hop, musical theatre, and acrobatics. Her teaching style blends technical rigor with emotional awareness, helping dancers develop strong fundamentals while discovering their unique artistic voice.
At the heart of Maddie’s philosophy is the belief that dance education extends far beyond technique. She is committed to cultivating resilient, self-aware, and confident individuals who feel empowered to take risks, embrace growth, and support those around them. Through high expectations, meaningful mentorship, and a supportive learning environment, she encourages dancers to grow both inside and outside of the studio.
As Co-Founder of Rooted Dance Collective, Maddie is passionate about building a community where every dancer feels seen, valued, challenged, and inspired to reach their fullest potential.