Rhonda Malkin – Dancer, Choreographer – NY, NY
Rhonda Kaufman Malkin is a 1996 honors graduate of Woodbridge High School. During her senior year, Rhonda was the first student from WHS to “crack Disney” and win the Outstanding Dancer Award for the Disneyland Creativity Challenge, a competition open to Orange County performing arts students. Her 13 years of dance training at Irvine Dance Academy lead to a 17-year professional dance career in Los Angeles and New York City. While attending UCLA as a Sociology major, Rhonda performed as a Los Angeles Laker Girl for 3 years and received a championship ring for the 2000 inaugural season at Staples Center. After graduating UCLA in 2000, she attended seminary at Neve Yerushalayim and started upon her journey into Orthodox Jewish life. She continued dancing professionally, teaching dance, and choreography on the side while being a Radio City Music Hall Rockette for 12 years performing in multiple cities across America as well as Radio City Music Hall in the “Christmas Spectacular.” Rhonda was a Rockette Swing (memorizing all 36 Rockette dance tracks) for 7 of those years.
Some of Rhonda’s other credits include: “The Producers: The Movie Musical” directed & choreographed by Susan Stroman and dancing with Matthew Broderick, The Academy Awards choreographed by Kenny Ortega and dancing with the late Robin Williams, The MTV VMA’s performing with Panic at the Disco, MTV Movie Awards choreographed by Marguerite Derricks and dancing with Mike Myers, the film “Beautiful” directed by Sally Field and dancing with Minnie Driver, national commercials for Sears, Macy’s, CBS, and Westfield Shopping Towns, multiple live stage shows for Disney’s El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and Hyperion Theatre at Disney’s California Adventure Park, The Today Show with Katie Couric, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Martha Stewart, Regis and Kelly, Suddenly Susan with Brooke Shields, Mad TV, and a special performance in the East Wing at the White House for President Obama and the First Lady.
Rhonda loves seeing her students achieve success in the world of dance and is proud to have “bragging rights” where countless students have gone on to perform on Broadway, National tours, Cirque du Soliel, as Radio City Rockettes, NBA dance teams, JUBILLEE! in Las Vegas, Beyonce music videos, and international cruise ship shows.
In between NYC performances, Rhonda developed her FUSION EXERCISE fitness method over a 6-year period and has trained celebrities including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Karlie Kloss. In May 2014, she was featured in SHAPE magazine and SHAPE.com with Ivanka.
Rhonda’s choreography talents lead her to choreographing for numerous live stage and livestream productions in NYC for Jewish artists Bracha Jaffe and Devorah Schwartz. She was Head Choreographer for Camp Maor for 8 years, recently taught at the prestigious FAME school—La Guardia High School of the Arts, and Manhattan High School.
As a Professional Dance Coach, she is honored to mention that 59 of her students have become Radio City Rockettes! This is Rhonda’s 30th year as a dance educator, and she is so grateful to all of you for your love and support!