Faculty & Staff

Nicole Berger

Nicole Berger

Director, Commercial Dance Conservatory

nicole.berger@ocsarts.net

Ms. Nicole Berger, an award-winning director for film and stage, started her career as a dancer in major motion pictures, independent films, primetime television shows, and renowned stage productions. In 2006, while on set as a principal dancer in Julie Taymor’s Across the Universe, she was mentored by acclaimed Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. Since then, she has served as choreographer for many television networks, creating scenes for shows The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, Deadwood: The Movie, and Veep, among others. She produced and directed the award-winning short film HOLES, featuring music by The Police, Foxy Brown, and Adam Green.

As a graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Ms. Berger quickly started her career as a soloist and assistant choreographer with Mark Dendy Dance and Theatre, where she had the opportunity to choreograph for the Radio City Rockettes. She was also a company member of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York City and currently serves as the artistic director of COMPANY RHOME, a Los Angeles-based contemporary ballet theatre company. As an educator, Ms. Berger has taught at the collegiate level since 2010 and has toured the nation giving master classes to high school and college students. She received an Inspiring Brilliance Award from Disney Performing Arts for her innovative, creative, and transformative work with her students.

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Aaron Chavarria

Aaron Chavarria

Instructor & Arts Assistant

Teaches: Tap

aaron.chavarria@ocsarts.net

Mr. Aaron Chavarria is a member of the touring tap company, Rhapsody in Taps. His performing credits include Dodger in Oliver, Roger in Grease, Asher in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Rooster in Annie, John Darling in Peter Pan, Curt Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and a featured dancer in Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, among others with the On Stage Theatre Company.

Mr. Chavarria also danced professionally in The Music Man and Oklahoma with the West Coast Opera Theatre at the McCallum Performing Arts Center, as well as touring with Headliners as a dancer and singer. He was also a dancer and singer in Cabaret at the Maverick Theatre in Fullerton and a guest performer in Final Cut Dance Concert with L.A. Dance Magic in 2007 and 2009. Additionally, Mr. Chavarria was a co-choreographer and performer in the U.C. Irvine Medical Center’s Baby I’m a Star breast cancer awareness video.

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Jonah Boswell

Jonah Boswell

Arts Assistant

jonah.boswell@ocsarts.net

Mr. Jonah Boswell (CMD, ‘22) is an accomplished dancer, currently furthering his education as a full-time student at Chapman University pursuing a double major in Dance and Business Administration with an emphasis in Management. He has received recognition for his talent and hard work with opportunities such as a full ride scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive Program and Trainee Program, and prestigious awards including being named Dancer of the Year at The Arts Talent Showcase in Los Angeles. Mr. Boswell has performed at renowned venues across the country, like Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, the Honda Center, the Statue of Liberty in New York City, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

At the age of 13, Mr. Boswell began his first internship with Wearable Imaging, a promotional products and services company, as an office assistant. His work ethic and determination led to his promotion to part-time social media manager and personal assistant roles. In his position, Mr. Boswell has had the unique opportunity to work closely with executives and directors from Grey’s Anatomy, Let’s Make A Deal, the Los Angeles Film School, Lexus, Toyota, Kawasaki Motorcycles, San Diego Gas & Electric, Alzheimer's Orange County, and Alaska Airlines. 

As a young dancer, Mr. Boswell has worked as a touring assistant for the Art of Movement dance convention and competition, dancing in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas. In 2015, he starred in a Lifetime Television program,The Squad, created by MysticArt Pictures from producers Sara Rea and Katy Wallin. Mr. Boswell simultaneously served as the artistic director of the Saddleback Church dance performance company, Cluster of Students (COS). He was responsible for overseeing the program and choreographing pieces performed by COS. 

Mr. Boswell graduated from Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) in 2022 as a valedictorian of the Commercial Dance Conservatory. Throughout his time at OCSA, he studied with many influential choreographers such as Ray Leeper, Michael Montgomery, Nicole Berger, Debbie Allen, Yusha Sorzano, and Josie Walsh. Mr. Boswell now serves as facilitator and administrative assistant for OCSA’s Commercial Dance Conservatory.  He is also on faculty at Dance Works OC as the assistant director of competitive teams.

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Paige Borowski

Paige Borowski

Instructor

Ms. Paige Borowski received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Juilliard School in 2018. She studied under world-renowned instructors and choreographers, including, Jiri Kylian, Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Pam Tanowitz, and Bobbi Jene Smith. Ms. Borowski later continued to dance in Switzerland for the Ballett Theater Basel where she performed and toured works by Bryan Arias, Johan Ingor, Jiri Porkorny, Alexander Ekman, and Sharon Eyal. In addition, she was on faculty for the Ballettschule Theater Basel, where she assisted in developing their Modern and youth programs. Ms. Borowski acted as the founding director of Collegiate Arts Prep, the premiere college consulting agency for young artists. She now lives and works in her hometown of Los Angeles and is looking forward to a wonderful inaugural year teaching for OCSA’s Commercial Dance Conservatory.

Kyla Chaney

Kyla Chaney

Instructor

kyla.chaney@ocsarts.net

Ms. Kyla Chaney, a Los Angeles native, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance performance and dance choreography from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). At the young age of four, she quickly found a love for dance, training in classical ballet in Torrance. At the age of 14, her love expanded to all forms of dance and she embarked on a journey of training in other styles, alongside ballet. Her summers were spent training with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company, Breaking Barriers, and Abraham in Motion. She has trained under the direction of Tiffany Billings, Anthony Burrell, Kyle Abraham, Antonio Hundell, Alonzo King, Maleek Washington, and many more. Ms. Chaney has also been a part of numerous commercial training programs in Los Angeles, including Kolanie Marks & friends, MOTUS the Company, Troupe Dance Company, and Cameron Lee’s Potion Company, all under the mentorship of Diana Matos, Kolanie Marks, Antoine Troupe, Codie Wiggins, Paris Goebel, Toby Deedaran, Shay Latukolan, Rich & Tone and many more. While at the UCI, Ms. Chaney has performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Chad Michael Hall, Loretta Livingston, Dr. Ama Wray, Lindsay Gilmour, and Ariyan Johnson. In exploring her creative outlet, she has been presented with the opportunity of choreographing pieces for UCI’s annual shows, for live theater and for film works. Ms. Chaney is in the process of making a name for herself within the Los Angeles dance industry since graduating in June 2021. She can be seen dancing in music videos with artists such as Doechii and Becky G, and has performed in live shows and many video projects for creative concepts. She currently teaches students of all ages in Torrance and Orange County. Ms. Chaney continues to train to expand her artistry as a performer, choreographer, and teacher, striving daily to reach goals beyond the norm.

Yuka Fukuda

Yuka Fukuda

Instructor

yuka.fukuda@ocsarts.net

Ms. Yuka Fukuda, originally from Tokyo, Japan, trained at George Mason University in Virginia and The Ailey School in New York City. Upon graduating in 1999, she was invited to join Ailey's second company 'Ailey II', performing with them from 1999-2002. Ms. Fukuda went on to be a company member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre for two years. She performed in six productions of The King and I, including at the Papermill Playhouse, as well as several national tours. She played the role of Victoria in Cats at West Virginia Public Theater. She served as an assistant choreographer for the production of Gospel Gospel Gospel directed and choreographed by Otis Sallid. Ms. Fukuda has worked with renowned choreographers such as Robert Battle, Jessica Lang, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Donald Byrd, and Ronald K Brown. She was last seen in the production of Aida with the Los Angeles Opera. As a teacher, Ms. Fukuda has taught at the Nang Young Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore, Dallas Black Dance Academy, Lula Washington Dance Theater, and Debbie Allen Dance Academy and headed up the Modern department at Champs Charter High School for the Performing Arts. She is a faculty member at LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts), Colburn School, Idyllwild Arts Academy, and City Ballet of Los Angeles.

Megan Guise

Megan Guise

Instructor

megan.guise@ocsarts.net

Ms. Megan Guise (CMD, ‘09) is a multi-faceted artist currently residing in Southern California. Her creative practices range from photographer, performer, choreographer, and movement educator. Her early dance training started in Santa Ana, at OCSA where she studied in the Commercial Dance Conservatory, which eventually led to her a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from California State University, Long Beach. She has had the privilege of appearing in works created by Alex Ketley, Becca Lemme, Andy Vaca, Lorin Johnson, Christian Burns, Keith Johnson, Sophia Monat, amongst others. She has also participated in workshops with BodyTraffic, Szalt, Ate9 Dance Company, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance.

Ms. Guise’s choreography has been well-recognized at the Youth America Grand Prix and the Southern California dance community at large. Her choreography stems from sensation and intuition guiding her to explore the depths of the human condition and the unknown. Ms. Guise finds joy in sharing her love of dance through education teaching forms including modern, jazz technique, contemporary, and improvisation. She co-directed Westside Dance Project for six years as resident choreographer and photographer. In her personal movement practice, she finds inspiration in yoga and GYROTONIC®. Currently, Ms. Guise is on faculty at OCSA and N10 Dance Studios.

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Marlene Hall

Marlene Hall

Instructor

marlene.hall@ocsarts.net

​​Ms. Marlene Hall has over 35 years of dance education experience after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance from the University of California, Irvine. She trained in classical ballet with Anthony Sellars and went on full scholarship through the Musical Theatre Satellite program at The American Ballet Theatre in New York City with Valerie Taylor (Royal London Ballet), Chet Walker, Nicole Fosse, Honi Coles, Gregory Hines, Gwen Verdon, Buzz Miller, Ann Reinking, Agnes De Mille, Mercedes Ellington and Uta Hagen.

After college Ms. Hall trained intensively in pilates for eight years where she was introduced to the theraband and encouraged to explore and be creative. That exploration led to marrying her extensive experience and love for dance with her new interest in Pilates by developing Therabarre, the first class in The Hall Method. Featured in Dance Teacher Magazine in 2018, The Hall Method is now medically patented, and backed by world class dance and sports medicine doctors. Ms. Hall presented The Hall Method at The International Association of Dance and Medicine Sciences Conference in Basel Switzerland, and remains the president, lead teacher, and teacher trainer of The Hall Method.  

Ms. Hall has been responsible for the inception of two performing arts schools and is on faculty at OCSA where she has designed and implemented UC approved A-G subject college level curriculum, incorporating The Hall Method. She was also assistant to Salwa Rizkalla (The Festival Ballet Theatre) for 10 years and has over 31 years of teaching/choreography in classical ballet, pointe, pas de deux, modern, jazz, tap and musical theater, in the Orange County Area. 

This robust experience as a program and ensemble leader led Ms. Hall to establish The Hall Method Ensemble, where students train extensively in The Hall Method, as well as ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and contemporary. Through the Ensemble she has helped aspiring dancers reach their education and career goals, and rehabilitated professional dancers from injury to be able to return to their careers. 

The Hall Method Ensemble members have received partial to full scholarships, anywhere from $40,000 to over $500,000, to the Kirov Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Princeton Ballet Society, The Rock School, Kansas City Ballet, Royal London Ballet, Ballet Magnificent, and Broadway Theatre Project. Her students have gone on to attend The Juilliard School, The Ailey School at Fordham University, University of California, Irvine, Cornish University, California Institute of the Arts, Tish NYU, Chapman University, Purchase University, AMDA L.A./NYC, Southern University of Utah, Ohio State University, University of Evansville, Emory University, Pace University, Butler University, University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, University of the Arts, and Marymount University NYC.

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Colleen Hendricks

Colleen Hendricks

Instructor

colleen.hendricks@ocsarts.net

Ms. Colleen Hendricks, a native of Sonoma County, California began dancing at four years old training in various styles. At 14, Ms. Hendricks joined the pre-professional modern company Surge Dance, under the direction of Bernadette Alverio performing all over the Bay Area. She moved to Southern California in 2014 to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at California State University, Long Beach and was a two-time recipient of the Fine Arts Affiliates Scholarship. Ms. Hendricks has performed works by guest artists such as Colleen Thomas, Sidra Bell, Doug Varone and Robert Moses. She has also shown and performed her own work at the American College Dance Association (Baja Region) and was chosen to perform at the closing Gala ceremony.

Upon graduating, Ms. Hendricks has collaborated and danced for Jacob Jonas The Company, Acts of Matter & Keith Johnson and Dancers, in addition to commercial credits such as The Marias, Kali Uchis and Payson Lewis. She is currently a faculty member and artistic director of a pre-professional dance company, Off The Floor, in Signal Hill, California, and contemporary and modern teacher at OCSA for the Commercial Dance Conservatory.

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Jia Huang

Jia Huang

Instructor

Teaches: Hip-hop

jia.huang@ocsarts.net

Ms. Jia Huang graduated from University of California, Irvine with a bachelor's degree in dance. In 2007-2008 she appeared on television shows such as Dirty Dancing and America’s Best Dance Crew with her team Kaba Modern. She spent 2009 on The Circus Tour, starring Britney Spears, as one for four female principal dancers. She was a founding member, choreographer and dancer for the professional Jazz company RhetOracle and Mischief Makers. She has been a dancer in multiple music videos and commercials, and choreographed a promo video for the 2017 Grammys. She has been on the USA Dance staff for 11 years. Ms. Huang has been awarded Rookie of the Year, Hardest working in 2015, 2017 and 2019, MVP for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, and most recently the Leadership Award. She is an experienced judge, having judged competitions such as World of Dance, USA High School Dance Nationals, UDA College Dance Nationals, Japan Dance Nationals and Dance Worlds. She is happy to be a faculty member at OCSA and its sister school, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley, but spends most of her time teaching and choreographing for high school teams and studios in California. She has taught master classes in Canada, Australia, Norway, China, Mexico, Japan and continues to teach all over the US.

Hope Jackson

Hope Jackson

Instructor

hope.jackson@ocsarts.net

Ms. Hope Jackson graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in communication from Utah Valley University where she danced on scholarship for the UVU Ballroom Tour Team. Ms. Jackson has been teaching and dancing professionally for 17 years. She has danced for Hallmark’s My Christmas Kiss and Marriott hotels. Ms. Jackson has performed on Dancing With the Stars twice, as well as many other television and stage appearances for companies like Nuskin and Sundance to name a few. She has performed and competed around the world. Ms. Jackson is an award-winning, certified Latin dance teacher with a background in gymnastics, modern, and ballet who loves to teach, choreograph, and dance.

Dylan Kinzler

Dylan Kinzler

Instructor

dylan.kinzler@ocsarts.net

Mr. Dylan Kinzler is an award-winning concert choreographer and dance educator based out of Southern California. He began his journey in dance at the age of six and continued his dance education for over 15 years while studying various styles, methods, and techniques. Mr. Kinzler expanded upon his knowledge and passion for the arts while attending Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, where he majored in dance and choreography. He also trained with the Innovation Dance Company, a nationally recognized performance group and training program. Mr. Kinzler is currently working as a choreographer, educator, artistic director, and master teacher throughout California.

Mr. Kinzler founded his pre-professional company, The Movement, in 2019 and constructed a curriculum specifically for artists who are preparing to enter the industry as performers, choreographers, instructors, and educators. As a master teacher of contemporary dance, he specializes in educating the next generation of artists while encouraging them to experiment, excavate, and experience their individuality. Mr. Kinzler’s instructional technique has been developed on the foundation of discovery, creating meaningful growth, and diversifying the landscape of dance. His focus is on using dance as a tool for community, connection, and communication. Mr. Kinzler has been working in the industry as an educator, convention instructor, director, competition judge, master teacher, and choreographer for nearly a decade.

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Nathan Lopez

Nathan Lopez

Instructor

nathan.lopez@ocsarts.net

Originally from the Chicagoland area, Mr. Nathan Lopez is a passionate choreographer who radiates confidence in his work. He explores the idea of dance being an idealistic, yet abstract reaction to the everyday life around us. Mr. Lopez received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from AMDA College & Conservatory of the Performing Arts in 2021. The intensive training and professional level mentorship Mr. Lopez experienced has greatly impacted his knowledge in the craft. Mr. Lopez has been very grateful to have had many live stage and film opportunities. Some of his credits include K. Flay, Asya Saavedra, SYTYCD and more. Mr. Lopez is very passionate about setting students up for success in the dance industry while maintaining a healthy relationship with their craft.

Luis Martinez

Luis Martinez

Instructor

luis.martinez@ocsarts.net

Mr. Luis “L.T.” Martinez is a performing artist, director, choreographer, stunt performer, and entertainment entrepreneur from Whittier, California. He began his career in the arts as a musician and quickly transitioned from backstage crew to performing on stage during his high school years. Mr. Martinez holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and has a deep passion for live music and film production as well as a not-so-secret affinity for pointing and/or flexing his toes. Mr. Martinez is also an alumnus of the Western States Arts Federation's Emerging Leaders of Color program. In July of 2020, Mr. Martinez and his creative cohorts founded CASA ALTA: an entertainment and educational collective that aids in the production of creative work by and for independent artists and small businesses in effort to benefit the Public. In June of 2022, Mr. Martinez and the Troubadour Theatre Company were awarded by the L.A. Drama Critics Circle for Best Ensemble in their production of Lizastrata, which was co-produced by the Getty Villa. In September of 2022, he graduated from the intensive Stunt Boot Camp and Advanced Camp at L.A. Stunts Training Center in Atlanta under the direction of Michael Long, Sarah Ekstrand, and Nathan Moore.

Sonia Melendez

Sonia Melendez

Instructor

sonia.melendez@ocsarts.net

Ms. Sonia Q. Melendez has been teaching ballet and pilates for over a decade. Growing up, Ms. Melendez received prestigious professional dance training along with opportunities to work with choreographers such as Donald McKayle and Debbie Allen. After graduating from high school, she attended The Joffrey Ballet School in New York City on a scholarship.

In 2001, Ms. Melendez was accepted into the dance company, Ballet Hispanico of New York City, where she toured nationally and internationally. While at Ballet Hispanico, she loved representing her culture through performance. Ms. Melendez also enjoyed observing the way choreographers merged their cultural dance forms with mainstream dance to produce a modern take on Latino dance.

Ms. Melendez is enthusiastic about passing on dance art to next generations. She loves working with her students on choreography that combines ballet and modern dance.

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Jacob Piattoni

Jacob Piattoni

Instructor

jacob.piattoni@ocsarts.net

Mr. Jacob Piattoni (CMD, ‘18) is a Southern California native and grew up as a trained competitive dancer. He is an alumnus of OCSA’s’ Commercial Dance Conservatory and has earned many awards for his innovative choreography. Mr. Piattoni has continued to work independently to provide unique choreography to top-scoring studios, high schools, colleges, and dance conventions throughout the United States. He has also worked as a contracted choreographer for Matthew Morrison’s Go The Distance official music video and live D23 Experience Show. Mr. Piattoni currently works at multiple Southern California dance studios and high schools, and acts as a resident dance coach and choreographer for OCSA’s celebrated performance group MONTAGE!. You can find Mr. Piattoni at OCSA every day working closely with Creative Director, Cindy Peca. He is beyond thrilled to come home to the Commercial Dance Conservatory and continuously prioritize instilling his passion for movement in his students, and will continue to do so with every class and project he works on.

Dasha Tertova

Dasha Tertova

Instructor

Ms. Dasha Tertova is a choreographer based in Southern California. Growing up in the heart of the Russian Ballet world over the years she has worked with companies such as Moiseyev Ballet, Ballet RATI, Ballet Moscow and Riverdance Company. Ms. Tertova also became known in Europe as a principal dancer and actress in world famous productions like Cats, Romeo & Juliet, CHICAGO, Burn the Floor, and more.

Ms. Tertova received her degree in choreography from one of the oldest and most renowned art and dance programs in the world, Russian Academy of Theatre Arts GITIS. After graduation, she continued her career throughout Europe and later in the United States.

Today Ms. Tertova is a professor at one of the most renowned dance programs in the country, American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA LA) and a faculty member at OCSA. Known as a great educator and mentor, she travels the world in search of the next up and coming dance stars, teaches at dance festivals and conventions all across the United States (LAB Dance Convention, HSDF etc.). Her professional credits include work with Madonna, Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Cirque Du Soleil (MJ), MTV Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Pharrell, Daft Punk, and more.

In June 2015, Ms. Tertova became one of the artistic directors for the latest exciting addition to the Millennium Dance Complex in LA- MDC The Company and MDC Crew. Her Company became a home for some of the best young dancers in the professional industry and a dream company for so many aspiring dancers.

For five years in a row (2016-2020), and in 2022, Ms. Tertova has received an Outstanding Choreographer Award from YAGP Youth American Grand Prix. She was a finalist of McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival in 2018, 2020, 2022 and won a second prize in 2019.

In 2022 Ms. Tertova founded and became an Artistic Director of DARTS Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports dance artists in the United States.

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Chalatorn Ujamras

Chalatorn Ujamras

Instructor

Teaches: Jazz

chalatorn.ujamras@ocsarts.net

Ms. Chalatorn Ujamras has trained in jazz, lyrical, modern, ballet, tap, hip hop, and contemporary from many top choreographers. She attended OCSA, and trained with the West Coast School of the Arts and The Dance Company of San Francisco under the direction of Chris Jacobsen. Ms. Ujamras has traveled throughout the United States as an assistant to Tina D’Amato Sidoni assisting with dance instruction and choreography. In 2004, she also traveled as an assistant for LA Dance Magic Conventions under the direction of Jackie Sleight and Dave Carter. She now choreographs and teaches master classes all around the country at various dance studios, colleges, and high schools including OCSA. Ms. Ujamras graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance. She has also been a part of Unity LA under the direction of Tessandra Chavez. She has done a Camp Rock 2 promo, and appeared on various episodes of America’s Got Talent and The Big Bang Theory as a dancer. Her students have won numerous titles at The Dance Awards for Dancer of the Year and have been on So You Think You Can Dance. In 2016, Ms. Ujamras won Best Jazz Choreography at the Industry Dance Awards.

Advisory Board

Andy Vaca

Andy Vaca

Dance Chair

California State University, Long Beach

   

Jenny Backhaus

Jenny Backhaus

Founder & Artistic Director, Backhausdance

Dance Instructor, College of Performing Arts

Chapman University