Brandee Lara

Brandee Lara began her professional stage career in regional theatre, Las Vegas, and national tours, then made her way to directing and choreographing for major civic light operas, regional theatres and Los Angeles area theatres, garnering great reviews, nominations of recognition and many awards for choreography and direction. Performing credits include stage, network television and film, most recently the Hollywood Fringe Fest, Apple/Sony’s “Spirited,” starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Farrell and Octavia Spencer, and appearances on the Late, Late Show with James Corden.

Brandee holds a Masters Degree in Dance (with an emphasis in Dance Education) and a Bachelor's Degree in Acting and Directing, both from Cal State University, Long Beach.

Brandee has taught tap at Chapman University for 28 years, where she started the on-campus tap dance club, Chapman University Tap Ensemble (CUTE), and served as advisor for two decades. In Spring 2022, Brandee was the artistic director of Chapman’s first-ever tap festival, featuring Chloe Arnold's Syncopated Ladies.

Besides teaching at Chapman, Brandee is on the Musical Theatre and Dance faculties at Cal State University, Fullerton, where she is faculty advisor for dance clubs, OC Sole and Full Out. In Spring 2027, she’ll be choreographing Anything Goes with guest director, Alvin Ailey's Neisha Folkes. Brandee has taught at several major tap festivals, including the LA Tap Fest, Riff Dallas and most recently in Sao Paolo, Brazil. She has been a faculty member for two Jacob’s Pillow 360 Intensives, held at Chapman University, working with dedicated students from around the country. In her 32 years in Orange County, CA public arts education, she was a founder of the Huntington Beach Union High School District’s original performing arts magnet school (APA/SPA); began a high school theatre and dance program in Santa Ana USD and wrote and implemented a dance curriculum for Tustin USD. Golden West College awarded her a Pillar of Achievement for her work in arts education in the city of Huntington Beach, and she was recognized as a Teacher of the Year for this work. 

Brandee’s own training began in L.A. with Melvin Kaiser, Al Gilbert and Mary Lou Privette. She later studied jazz with Jaime Rogers, and had the privilege of taking private tap lessons with Maceo Anderson of the Four Step Brothers. 

A highlight of Brandee’s academic career was being named Dance/Dance Teacher Magazine’s 2015 Dance Teacher of the Year for Higher Education for her work at Chapman University. Brandee has been a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA since 1980.

@brandee5678
@tapfestcali