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Phoenix Rising Dance Studios is a dance education center that strives to change the world by taking action within the local community and abroad and by dancing into our limitless potential.
Phoenix Rising Dance Studios strives to build confidence and character through an authentic dance education, and develop the spark of creativity so that it ignites the flame of artistry in every one of our dancers.
We believe in diversity and inclusion no matter the economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation or classification. Phoenix Rising Dance Studio is a safe place for ALL with a zero tolerance bullying policy.
Located on the east side of Indianapolis near 56th Street and Binford Boulevard, Phoenix Rising Dance Studios is a beautiful and inviting facility made for dancers by dancers.
Phoenix Rising was intentionally designed by executive director Will Sears-Watson and artistic director Justin David Sears-Watson to be a loving space built on community and inclusivity.
The energetic and colorful space with high ceilings and sprung floors by O’Mara Sprung Floors and Harlequin, invites dancers of all ages and abilities to reach their fullest potential through the art of dance.
Creative Director
Instructor- Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Musical Theatre
Competitive Team Coach
Justin Sears-Watson is an accomplished dancer, teacher, and professional choreographer.
He began is professional career as a company member at Giordano and Thodos Dance Chicago, after studying at Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. In 2012, Justin moved to Indianapolis where he spent six seasons dancing with Dance Kaleidoscope while teaching at prestigious dance studios around the city.
Now as the Creative Director and co-founder of Phoenix Rising Dance Studios, Justin uses the foundations of art to engage and motivate students of all ages. He is a firm supporter of arts integration and SEL. Justin recently became a teaching artist at the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts and continues to teach at the collegiate level at Indiana University and Butler University in addition for Arts for Learning. He is also the creator of the @BlackOpsDanceProject.
Instructor- Ballet, Contemporary
Amanda Browning relocated to Indianapolis with her family in 2018 and since then has performed with Phoenix Rising Dance Company and Crossroads Dance. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Belhaven University and has performed with various companies and projects, such as Ad Deum Dance Company, Front Porch Dance, Kim Robards Dance, Ormao Dance, and Moving Collective. She has taught and choreographed at several colleges and trainee programs, and her work has been performed by companies such as the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Louisville Ballet Ensemble, Moving Collective, and was a SERBA Festival recipient. In addition to her love of dance, she runs her own virtual health and fitness coaching business (@amandabrowningfitness) and instructs at Pure Barre Noblesville.
Instructor- Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Tap
Competitive Team Assistant Coach, Communications Liaison
Jordan Campi’s journey with dance began at age 6 when she enrolled in classes at Village Dance Studio. In highschool, she joined the competitive team at Volume Dance (now Volume Performance Center), becoming team captain and receiving the MVP award in her graduating year.
While studying at Indiana University Bloomington, Jordan took any elective classes in ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, modern and choreography while pursuing a telecommunications degree. She danced as a member of InMotion Dance Company and served on the morale committee for Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM).
After graduation, Jordan spent a year traveling and was pleased to discover that dance is a global language. While interning for The Halo Foundation in Uganda, Jordan took lessons in traditional African styles. She enjoyed learning about the rich history and meaning behind these styles of dance.
Jordan’s newest dance endeavor is in the world of ballroom/latin dancesport. She competed in the Indianapolis Open Dancesport Competition and won first place in the Latin Bronze category for the cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble & jive. She was also awarded first place in the Closed Bronze Pro-Am International Latin Scholarship.
Ms. Jordan knows dance to be a powerful tool for building confidence and character; an avenue for self-expression and healing. She is grateful to the many teachers who have molded her understanding of dance and is excited to share this knowledge with others.
Instructor- Jazz
Brandon Comer grew up in Greenwood, Indiana and received dance training from The Dance Refinery in Indianapolis in addition to being actively involved in the musical theatre and show choir programs at Center Grove High School. After high school, he joined Dance Kaleidoscope and danced for David Hockey for ten years. Brandon is a very fun, energetic, and hard working teacher that has always loved spreading his passion of dance to the next generation.
Instructor- Tumbling/Gymnastics
Jasmine Gamble, known as Coach Jas, is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, but graduated from Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She attended Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) and earned a bachelor’s degree in General Studies with two minors in Child Psychology and Human Services. While attending IPFW, she was able to live out her dream of becoming a D1 cheerleader by cheering her final two years of college. Throughout her 13 years of competing as an All-Star athlete as a youth and the past 6 years of coaching at the Elite level certified through USASF, she now makes a living doing what she loves by coaching/teaching/mentoring through her business, Coach Jas Tumbling LLC. She takes pride in providing youth with the best training possible and helping them blossom into amazing all-around athletes!.
Instructor- Capoeira
Harly Materan, known in the Capoeira community as Instructor Caxixi, started Capoeira at the age of 15 years old. He is originally from Venezuela has more than 20 years in Capoeira including eight years of teaching experience after receiving his instructor title in 2013. Harley strives to creative a positive, safe, inclusive, diverse, and nonjudgmental environment in his classes where students are challenged and inspired to help each other to achieve new skills together as a family. He is focused on the contribution to the physical and mental health of Indianapolis through the art of Capoeira. Harley is the creator of “The Capoeira Experience Podcast” which achieves more than 1,000 downloads per month.
Instructor- Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz
Justin Rainey is from Fayetteville, Arkansas and trained at the University of Oklahoma with a focus in ballet under the direction of Michael Bearden, and is currently a company member of Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis. He also holds a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Arkansas. Justin has spent many years working with children from working at the Boys and Girls Club to coaching basketball to teaching dance and is excited to not only help dancers grow in their technique but to also find their artistry and voice through dance.
Instructor- Ballet, Contemporary
Competitive Team Assistant Coach
Sarah Taylor hails from Portland, Oregon, where she began ballet training under the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and passed every major examination with distinction. She is currently a company member at Dance Kaleidoscope. In addition, she has performed with Ballet Concerto, Lake Erie Ballet, SoMar Dance Works and Northwest Dance Theater. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mercyhurst University with a B.F.A. degree in dance and a minor in nutrition where she was granted both dance and academic scholarships.
She has been highlighted in the second violin in Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, a principal role in Dennis Spaight’s Gloria, the Arabian soloist, Merliton, and Waltz of the Flowers soloist in The Nutcracker, and several principal roles in newly choreographed classical and contemporary works. During the summers, Sarah attended intensives at Oregon Ballet Theatre and American Ballet Theatre, and was a semi-finalist at the Genée International Ballet in Antwerp, Belgium. Sarah Is excited to teach many different levels of ballet Phoenix Rising’s students as well as be involved with coaching team students throughout the year. She takes every individual’s students’ needs and talents into consideration while teaching to ensure their strength in technique, development of artistry, as well as freedom to explore their own creativity.