Foothills Dance Studio is owned by Vanessa and Jeff Lathrop. Vanessa is the studio director and oversees the day to day operation of the studio. Vanessa and Jeff have a four year old son, Simon.
 
Vanessa has been dancing for over twenty years. Her initial training was in jazz and modern dance. She then began training in tap and ballet dance. Vanessa taught dance for many years in Ojai and Eureka. She ran The Dancers' Studio in Ojai from 1992-1994 before moving to Eureka to earn her teaching credential. Vanessa taught junior high at Gold Trail School for many years. Vanessa is the choreographer for our children's performance dance troupe, as well as our competition tap and jazz teams, which have earned first and second place awards at I Love Dance, Spotlight Dance Cup, and Starbound Dance Competition. They have also won several special Judges' Awards and Category winner awards. Vanessa has also choreographed and acted in many shows for Imagination Theater and Theater El Dorado. Some of her theatre credits include Grease, Nunsense II, L'il Abner, and The Sound of Music.