Warrena Padilla

Warrena has been a dance instructor at Fishback Studio of the Dance in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for 36 years. She actually started her dance training there when she was eight years old. Dr. Fishback was one of her mentors and she especially enjoyed taking his tap and soft shoe classes! Warrena has also taken tap classes and participated in workshops taught by Henry LeTang, Brenda Bufalino, Bill Evans, Debbie Dee, Greg Russell, Thommie Retter, and Fishbacks’ one and only Diane Gutierrez. Warrena is now co-director with Diane of Fishback Studio’s tap team, Rhythm on Tap! While working on her BA in General Management from the Robert O. Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico, Warrena also studied Modern, Flamenco, and Tap.

 Warrena has a passion for dance, especially tap, and enjoys sharing that passion with her students. In addition to teaching classes, she choreographs tap dances for soloist and groups for dance competitions. These soloists and groups have gone on to win many platinum, gold, and high scoring awards. In 2005, Warrena’s tap choreography to “New York, New York”, was presented in the large group tap category at the International Entertainment Challenge Competition in Las Vegas, NV, and won the prestigious Senior Entertainment Challenge Award.

Warrena is very proud of her son Bryan and daughter Tyerza, who also trained at Fishback Studio. Bryan continued his dance education at Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA, where he received his BA in dance. He has performed for thousands of people all over the world. Tyerza is 15 years old and is becoming quite the performer and competitor already winning many platinum and high gold awards both as a soloist and as a group member. She would like to attend Point Park College and has dreams of being a Radio City Rockette in New York City!!