Cece Bechelli is the founder and director of Happy Feet Dance School in Mill Valley California and has enjoyed working for over 30 years as a dance educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. Happy Feet serves over 400 students annually and while Cece teaches several dance disciplines, her forte is rhythm tap. Cece is excited to launch a tap history lecture/film series at her school this spring. Many of Cece’s students are accepted and go on to study in college dance and musical theater programs throughout the country.
Cece has enjoyed two professional performing careers, first with the Lorna Fordyce Dancers in San Francisco and later as a member of The Step Sisters rhythm tap trio with partners Sheri Bechelli and Patti Meagher. The trio performed with the San Francisco Smuin Ballet and had the honor and distinction of
opening for Gregory Hines to a sold out 2000 seat audience in March of 2000 and again in March of 2003 for Mr. Hines’ final public performance.
Cece is a sought after choreographer for SF Bay Area musicals. In 2003 Cece was the recipient of the Milley Award for artistic contribution to the Mill Valley arts community. She has been a faculty member and guest teacher at studios, dance camps and colleges throughout California, most recently for Stanford University’s Tap That performing group.
Cece and her husband Greg are very proud of their three children Matt, Caitlin and Kelsey who are all dance teachers, choreographers and performers in their own right. The three Bechellis have performed professionally as The Bechelli Tap Trio. Together Cece and her kids have enjoyed teaching at Ala Costa Center in Berkeley Ca. for children with developmental disabilities.
Cece is grateful for the training she received from her early dance teachers as well as for the inspiration she has received from the many world-renowned dancers that she has studied with. Some of these include Gregory Hines, Honi Coles, La Vaughn Robinson, Steve Condos, Fayard Nicholas, Savion Glover, Arthur Duncan, Harold Cromer, Fred Strickler, Dianne Walker, Linda Sohl-Ellison, Barbara Duffy, Lynn Schwab, Mark Mendonca, Steve Zee, Jason Samuels Smith, Chole Arnold, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Derrick Grant, Sam Weber, Max Pollack, Brenda Buffalino, Roxanne Butterfly, Ayodele Casel, Randy Skinner and many others!
More about Cece Bechelli and Happy Feet Dance School at www.happyfeetmillvalley.com