Nicholas Cendese is a Utah native who grew a beard in 2012 and his life has never been the same.  Before the birth of bearded Nick, he started dancing in 6th Grade with Children’s Dance Theatre.  Years and years of dance training culminated with his graduation from the University of Utah with a BFA in modern dance in 2001 and a job with Repertory Dance Theatre – where he performed professionally for 11 years. In 2012, he transitioned from the stage to RDT’s office where he now works full time as an Artistic Associate and Development Director. Over the years, Nick ran his own independent dance company, RawMoves, with Natosha Washington; owned his own dance studio, South Valley Creative Dance, which he sold in 2020, bought back with three amazing women in 2023 and still teaches at each week; and has taught at Miss Margene’s Creative Classroom for more years that he can remember (this is his 18^th). As a teacher, choreographer, and mentor, Nick is still deeply rooted in the Utah dance community and works hard to not only train dancers to understand the power and artistry of their bodies but encourage each student as a creative thinker, problem solver, and artist.  He is continually amazed and in awe of the dancers and students he gets to work with and is often just exhausted enough to get misty eyed and very emotional when watching them dance their hearts out – which reminds him how lucky and fortunate he really is.