EvokeMotion Society was born from a deeply personal relationship with dance — the kind that takes you through highs, lows, and eventually back to the thing you love most. We're not a dance school, we're not a performance company, and we're definitely not intimidating. We're a community of adults in Santa Barbara who show up every week because movement makes life better. Our weekly classes are open to adults in Santa Barbara, with beginner and intermediate levels available so everyone finds their fit.
We're so glad you're here.
What we're about.
EvokeMotion Society exists to prove that dance doesn't have an expiration date. We created a space where adults can move freely, without judgment, without pressure, and without having to justify why they're there. Whether you're chasing a feeling you had as a kid, trying something completely new, or just looking for a reason to get out of the house on a Thursday — this is your place.
The humans behind the movement.
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Emily Stokes (she/her) began dancing at the age of three, training extensively in contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip hop, tap, and commercial dance. Her passion led her to competitive training as a Tremaine Dance Convention company member and The Pulse Protégé, where she trained with renowned industry professionals and began developing her choreographic voice. Though she seriously considered pursuing dance professionally, Emily chose to study Recreation Therapy at CSULB before completing a Master's in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University — all while staying deeply connected to dance as captain of the collegiate hip hop team PAC Modern and founder of The Barefoot Project, a contemporary adult dance team. After college, Emily's relationship with dance shifted and she took a three year break when she returned to Santa Barbara during the pandemic. Feeling called back to teaching, she founded EvokeMotion Society — a space designed to take the stress and anxiety out of dance and replace it with expression, community, and pure joy. Creating EvokeMotion Society has been healing for Emily, and it's why she continues to dance, choreograph, and teach today.
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Sabrina Hong (she/her) started dancing as an excuse to get out of running the mile in high school and fell in love with every part of it. She has trained in jazz, contemporary, and hip hop and more recently started a journey into ballroom dancing. After a several year hiatus, she found dance and her love of movement again through EvokeMotion Society. By day, Sabrina is an engineer doing research towards developing a quantum computer and loves spending time with her dogs (and yours too if you'll let her).
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Samantha Ronngard (she/her) began ballet at the age of 4, training in the Cecchetti method and developing a deep love for the art form. As a dance major at Santa Clara University, she refined her skills in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. After college, Samantha spent ten years dancing in San Francisco, immersing herself in the vibrant dance scene before taking a break to move home to Santa Barbara and welcome her daughter, Linnea. She joyfully reconnected with her passion through EvokeMotion Society, embracing the creativity and community it offers. In her professional life, she works as a software development manager — but when she's not dancing or working, she's busy trying to keep up with her four-year-old and her ten-month-old Cecilia, and remains firmly convinced that potty training should be an Olympic sport.