Beth Megill
Guest Instructor – Summer Intensive
Modern Dance, Choreography

Beth taught Modern Dance for the Severance Conservatory last year when she was on the dance faculty at Fresno City College.  Currently, Beth  teaches at Moorpark College in southern California.  With a background in Massage Therapy she integrates anatomy and kinesiology thoroughly into her technique classes.  She has taught full-time at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and enjoys her summers in Puebla, Mexico where she teaches and choreo-graphs for a small contemporary dance company Quinto Elemento. Beth is co-founder and co-artistic director of Megill & Company, under which she and her sister Heather create new musicals and collaborative performances between musicians and dancers.  Beth's current choreographic work reflects her passion for the nature of dance composition and relies heavily on music theory for its form and inspiration. In March of 2007, Beth produced her first one-woman show "La Unica" as part of the Fresno Rogue Festival.  She received her Master of Fine Arts degree from UC Irvine, and her BFA from UC Santa Barbara.  We are excited to have Beth Megill back in Fresno this summer to teach in the two-week Summer Ballet Intensive hosted by California Arts Academy.

Bruce King
Guest Instructor – Summer Intensive
Ballet, Fencing, Mime, Stage Movement

Professor King holds an M.F.A., M.A., and B.A. degrees in Theatre Arts and a community college teaching credential. In 1993 Mr. King passed the Federation Francaise d'Danse Ballet Teachers examination and earned a Fencing Masters Certificate in Paris, France thus granting him the title of Maitre de Ballet or Ballet Master Teacher. Having been active both on and off the ballet stage for over 40 years, he is a veteran ballet and fencing master.  Mr. King has trained dozens of students who have gone on to careers in classical ballet and related stage arts. King specializes in the training of young dancers. Mr. King retired from the stage in 1991, however when not teaching he still performs principle character roles for Sacramento ballet and continues as a character dancer for Sacramento Ballet, Nevada Opera Ballet and Northern California Ballet. We are very excited to have Mr. King join us for our Summer Ballet Intensive, and we look forward to experiencing his enthusiasm, dedication, expertise, and sense of humor.

Carla Stallings-Lippert
Director of the Severance Conservatory of Ballet

Miss Carla is the Director of the Severance Ballet Conservatory at California Arts Academy.  Carla began her training with Marquerite Phares in Sacramento, California, and attended New York's School of American Ballet before receiving a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre School. She then joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice and later entered the corps de ballet.   She was promoted to soloist in 1984 by Mikhail Baryshnikov.  In 1987, Ms. Stallings-Lippert joined Boston Ballet as a principal dancer where her repertoire included Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and the Sylph in La Sylphide to name a few. She has had the privilege of touring with Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1985 and Rudolph Nureyev in 1988. Ms. Stallings-Lippert has taught for many years at various ballet schools and summer programs. She retired from Boston Ballet in 1994 and began teaching at Severance Fresno Ballet School.

Carol Dice
Voice

Carol works with students in voice development. She has a master's of Arts in Vocal Production from California State University, Fresno, and she has performed in cities throughout the United States and all over Europe. Carol has many local performances to her credit. She was a soloist at the dedication of St. James Episcopal Cathedral's Chapel of the Innocents and at the Roman Catholic Basilica in Carmel, CA. She has also performed with the Sierra Chamber Opera, the Music Festival at Bear Valley, the Fresno Lyric Opera and Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been teaching at Cynthia Merrill's and California Arts Academy since 1990.

Christopher Campbell
Owner and Technical Director

Chris began dancing at an early age with his parents' folk dancing group and began formal lessons in Scottish Highland dancing at age 7 (1962).  He has performed with the Cygany Dancers, the San Diego Scottish Country Dancers, Kopachka Dancers, the Westwind International Folk Ensemble and Khadra Folk Theater Ensemble. He served on the board of directors of Westwind, was assistant director of Khadra and assisted with lighting, sets and costumes for both groups which specialized in "slice of life" theatrical presentations of folk material.   Chris was the chief set designer and armorer for Shakespeare's Henry IV part two at Deep Springs College. He was the primary designer of the Theater at California Arts Academy - Blackstone, and most recently designed and renovated the studio and performance space at the Severance Building in Fresno's Tower District.  Chris is also Technical Director for the Woodward Shakespeare Festival and a founding member of Artists' Repertory Theater.  Chris is a partner in the law firm of Baker, Manock, and Jensen in Fresno, where he specializes in water and environmental law.

Colleen O'Callaghan
Guest Instructor – Summer Intensive
Technique, Pointe, and Repertoire

Colleen O'Callaghan danced with American Ballet Theater under the direction of LuciaChase and Mikhail Baryshinikov. She trained on scholarship with the schools of theLouisville Ballet, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, and the American BalletTheater.Before joining American Ballet Theater's main company, she danced with ABT's BalletRepertory Company under the direction of Richard Englund and Gage Bush. Mrs. O'Callaghan received a Bachelor of University Studies degree from the Universityof Utah. She has been teaching ballet for over 23 years and has been a faculty memberof the University of Utah, Ballet West, California State Long Beach, California Instituteof the Arts, the Stanley Holden Dance Center, Westside School of Ballet, Louisville Ballet and many other nationally recognized schools. For over five years she was the classical dance director for the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA).Most recently, she taught for the ABT Studio Company and for the American Ballet Theater Jacqueline Onassis School in New York City. She continues to teach for South Bay Ballet and California Dance Theater. She is a certified Yoga instructor and has developed a Yoga program for children grades Pre K through 8 that has had much success throughout Southern California.Mrs. O'Callaghan is co-founder and co-director of American Ballet Intensives, a company dedicated to providing pre-professional training to dance students in a positive and nurturing environment. The uniqueness of this situation is that the highly experienced teachers travel to the students, allowing the dancers to stay close to home to and experience a professional and positive dance intensive.Mrs. O'Callaghan lives with husband and 3 children ages 7, 8 and 9 in Ventura, California.

Cristal Tiscareno
Modern Dance

Cristal has her MA in Dance Education from California State University, Long Beach and a BA in Theatre Arts with Dance emphasis from California State University, Fresno. She has acquired skills in Modern, Ballet, Jazz and African dance with a variety of professional choreographers, teachers and performers. Currently, Cristal is adjunct dance faculty at Fresno City College and Dance Director at Break the Barriers. She enjoys time with her husband Trankie and three children, Christopher, Michael and Katrina.

Dallas Aranjo
Creative Dance, Jazz, Modern

Dallas has taught Modern Dance, Jazz, and Creative Dance at California Arts Academy for three years.  She studied and assisted in classes at Fresno City College, and currently attends CSU Fresno.  She has performed and choreographed for City Dances and the Portable Dance Troupe.

Daniel Chavez Jr.
Director of the Musical Theater Program
Teacher of Jazz,Gymnastics, and Voice

Daniel Chavez Jr. or Mr. Daniel has been with California ARTS Academy for 4 years now. He started off teaching 2 jazz classes, but as most of you know, has grown like a virus at the studio now teaching not only jazz, but also toddler gym, gymnastics, acting, voice, music, musical theatre act/sing/dance classes, and directing musical productions for children and teens.  Daniel received his B.A. Degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance from California State University, Chico. After getting his degree, Daniel packed up and moved to NYC to explore, grow, refine, culture, as well as sing, dance and act. He was fortunate enough to come in contact with Music Theatre International where he helped develop a music theatre program for elementary and middle schools, that is used all over the world called The Broadway Junior Collectionª.  After this development, Daniel toured Italy in West Side Story playing Bernardo and the US in Kiss Me, Kate playing Gremio. He has had many wonderful experiences and is excited and happy to share them with his students.

Deborah McCoy
Fashion Modeling

Deborah is a professional makeup artist, model, photographer, stylist and motivator.  She studies and works extensively in the business of making people beautiful, inside and out.  She has worked with Clairol, Revlon and other industry leaders as a makeup artist for hair shows, fashion shows, television commercials, trade shows and photo shoots.  Her work has appeared in books and magazines, both nationally and abroad.  Her modeling program is for people of all ages and cultural and ethnic backgrounds to help them realize their potential in modeling, performing arts, education and everyday life.

Eva Amador-Gosselin
Flamenco

Eva is currently on staff as the Flamenco teacher for the Advanced Ballet students at Cal Arts.  Eva studied and toured with the late Amparo Iturbi, who brought the art of Spanish dance to Fresno.    She has studied from other masters throughout her dance career as well and is proficient in all facets of the Spanish Dance.  She is a teacher and choreographer who is the Artistic Director and Co-Choreographer for Cuadro Espanol, her dance company.  She is also the Artistic Director for the Fresno Flamenco and Spanish Arts Society.   She and her company have been pleasing audiences with their excellent performances of the Spanish dance throughout California.  They present a colorful, precise and creative series of dances such as the fiery flamenco, joyful regional, and balletic and aristocratic classical dances. Her credits range from educational television films, teaching videos, operas, ballets, to concerts throughout the state.

Fred Books
Ballroom Dance

Fred has been teaching ballroom and Latin dance at California Arts Academy (and formerly Cynthia Merrill School of Performing Arts) since 1980. He received his dance training at Fresno City College and the Arthur Murray Dance Studio.  He has performed and been on stage and set crew for a countless number of productions.  He has been assistant director with the Cotillion of Fresno and RetroActive Ballroom Dance Team.  Fred works as a surveyor for the City of Fresno by day, and in the evening he specializes in preparing and teaching couples who want to dance for their weddings!

J. Orta
Hip Hop, Jazz/Funk, Gymnastics

J. spends his time thrilling audiences and students alike with his unique dance style and creative energy.  J. trained for over ten years here in the Central Valley.  He graduated from the EDGE Performing Art Center scholarship program in Hollywood.  Professionally, he has toured with Circus Fantastico, directed and choreographed by Dorey Sanchez.  He was guest choreographer for the University of San Luis Obispo, winning an award for original choreography.  He has appeared on television at the Miss California pageant and was recently in a commercial for Gottshalks.  J. has taught jazz and hip hop for the Cynthia Merrill School and California Arts Academy off and on since 1998, and he loves the positive energy and enthusiasm in his students.  He also coaches the Elite Gymnasts, who compete nationwide, at Central California Gymnastics Institute (CCGI) in Visalia.

Jasmin Kloos
Ballet

Jasmin grew up studying with Severance Fresno Ballet School and dancing with Fresno Dance Repertory.  She has been teaching for seven years.

Jimmy Hao
Ballet, Pas de Deux, Chinese Dance

Jian-min Hao (Jimmy) is a Master Teacher of Classical Ballet and traditional Chinese dance.  He is currently a faculty member at Fresno City College's Dance Department.  Jimmy was a child of China's Cultural Revolution.  During this decade-long period of upheaval, straight 'A' students like Jimmy were being sent to country villages to work on farms, learn to live as peasants and be re-educated.  Looking for alternatives, fifteen year old Jimmy decided to audition for the only boy's role in the famous Red Chinese ballet, The Red Detachment of Women.  Jimmy, even though he had no idea what dance looked like, won the role.  After the first season he was hired as a member of the corps de ballet.  Then, after three years of hard training, Jimmy began dancing principal roles for the company and toured and performed extensively within China.  After passing the extremely stringent entrance examination, he attended the Central Beijing Dance Academy, and after graduation became a member of the Academy's faculty.  At the Academy, Jimmy's students won many awards under his instruction in various dance competitions. In 1989, Jimmy was invited to work with the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts as a guest artist and lecturer. His choreographic works were presented in South Korea, India, Thailand, and France, and twice Jimmy won awards for excellence in teaching and choreography at the Dance Competition of China Performing Arts College. Jimmy moved to the United States in 1991 having been given a scholarship from UCLA and received his MFA in Modern Dance Choreography in 1995. After completing his degree, he danced, taught, and choreographed for the UCLA Dance Department, Los Angeles Modern Dance & Ballet, the Malibu Civic Ballet, and the Jazzantiqua Company in L.A.  In the summer of 2000, he was invited by the Seney Ho International Ballet School in Tokyo to be a guest instructor where his teaching was highly acclaimed.  Since 1996 Jimmy has served as ballet master, instructor and choreographer for many organizations, including Alaska Dance Theatre, Northwest Pacific Festival Ballet and Portland Community Ballet, and as an assistant professor for Stephens College of Missouri and University of Missouri-Columbia.

John Hord, M.A.
Piano

John is active as a performer and an educator. Mr. Hord has been a member of the music faculty at Fresno City College since 1992.  His repertoire includes works from late Renaissance to the present day. He has studied with Dr. Bob L. Bennett of California State University Fresno and Dr. Robert Pace of Columbia University, New York.   As an adjudicator of piano performance, Mr. Hord is in constant demand. His judgment is considered sensitive and musically demanding. He has received many honors including "Most Sought After Adjudicator" from the Music Teachers' Association of California for his work in northern California.

Julie Ann Keller
Owner and Director
Teacher of Ballet, Ballroom, Civil War Era and other historic period dances, Creative Dance, Irish Step Dance, Swing, World Rhythms
Director of Celtic Motion Dance Company, RetroActive Ballroom Dance Team, Summer Shakespeare, and the Garden Ballet

Julie Ann studied ballet and modern dance at the University of California at Berkeley with Sue Li Ju and former Martha Graham dancers David Wood and Marni Thomas.  After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Julie Ann joined the San Francisco Westwind International Folk Ensemble where she was a dancer, singer and Production Manager for 8 years.  Julie Ann participated in three dance tours in East/Central Europe, performing in prestigious venues and international festivals in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.  She danced with Moving Basis Modern Dance Collective and Neva Russian Dance Ensemble, the resident dance company of the Russian Center of San Francisco.  She trained as a teacher of Irish Step Dance with Brian Cleary.

Julie Ann began teaching dance at Cynthia Merrill School of Performing Arts in 1994.  She became the Studio Manager in 1998, Co-Owner in 2000, and Owner/Director in 2006 and changed the name to California Arts Academy.  Over the past fourteen years she has been involved teaching and directing Irish Step Dance; International Folk Dance; Modern Dance; Creative Dance; Ballroom; Ballet; Jazz; Tap; and ChildrenÕs Drama.  She directs the Celtic Motion Dance Company, Retroactive Ballroom Dance Team, and Summer Shakespeare Plays.  Julie Ann is also a founding member of Artists' Repertory Theater.  She is a drummer, dancer, and singer in Wadaba Annye Ben, West African Drum Ensemble.

Lesandre Ayrey
Ballet, South Indian Dance, Javanese Court Dance

Lesandre is a native of Australia. She began her ballet training in Paris at age five. Her teachers include Tatiana Riabouchinska, David Lichine, Barbara Fewster, Harold Christensen and Alla Sizova. Lesandre was a full scholarship pupil at the San Francisco Ballet School and is a graduate of the Royal Ballet School of London. She went on to dance with both the Royal Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet Company and was a soloist with the San Francisco Opera. She has studied and performed the classical dance styles of Asia, and currently teaches Bharata Natyam (South Indian) and Javanese Court Dance.  Lesandre taught at the Cynthia Merrill School from  1986 to 1992, and rejoined again in 1997. She now teaches ballet and classical variations at California Arts Academy.

Lydia Fortner
Belly Dance

Lydia has been teaching Tribal Bellydance at California Arts Academy since January of 2004. She has been involved in this San Francisco based form of fusion Bellydance since 2000, taking classes and workshops from prominent Tribal Bellydancers such as Shawna Rai of Natya Hara, Rachel Brice, Carolena Nericcio and Karen Gherman of FatChanceBellyDance, Jill Parker of Ultra Gypsy, and Kajira Djoumahna of United We Dance, as well as Traditional style Bellydancers Artemis Mourat, Shoshanna, Angell Estrada, and Suhaila Salimpour.

She began her Bellydance training in 1998 at Zamora's Middle Eastern Dance, training there for 3 years, and performing with Bellydancing by Zamora's Troupe & Agency, and the Guild of Zamora's Gypsies. Raised in Fresno, Lydia also studied Ballet and Modern Dance with local teachers Cynthia Merrill, Clare Porter, Diane Mosier, Hae Shik Kim, Madeline Gaynard, and Ruth Grifin, and performed with the Fresno Ballet, Fresno Civic Ballet, and the Portable Dance Troupe.

Lydia has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from CSUF, and played cello in the CSUF Orchestra. She currently is the director of Tanjora Tribal Bellydance, and the Guild of Banat Tanjora.

Marcia DeBenedictis
Creative Dance, Pre-Ballet

Marcia has been teaching Creative Dance and Pre-Ballet since 1979.  She is an exceptional teacher who excels when working with the youngest children, aged 18 months through 10 years.  Marcia embodies the spirit and philosophy of the young childrens' program at California Arts Academy.

Margaret Hord
Ballet, Liturgical Dance

Margaret has had a distinguished career teaching ballet in Fresno and Clovis for twenty-six years, and is thrilled to have recently joined the teaching staff at California Arts Academy.  Margaret trained at the Severance School of Dance, and went on to study at UC Irvine, the School of the San Francisco Ballet, and the School of the Joffrey Ballet in New York.  She served as Ballet Mistress for the Fresno Ballet from 1984 to 1996.  Margaret teaches all levels of ballet, beginning to advanced, pointe and repertoire.  Many of her former students have been accepted into professional training programs; e.g., School of American Ballet, New York, Joffrey Ballet, New York, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle.  She is also Director, Choreographer, and Performer for Artistic Presence, a liturgical performing arts group in the Episcopal Church.

Nancy Hale
Drama, Director of Children's Plays, Costume Director

Nancy has a degree from Fresno City College in Theater Arts and has been teaching drama and directing plays at California Arts Academy since January of 2001.  She has been involved in assisting and costuming many productions here and  has been the Costume Director for four Garden Ballets and seven Summer Shakespeare productions.  Nancy has also costumed Sunnyside High School's production of Grease and One Flew Over the  Cuckoo's Nest for Artists' Repertory Theater.  Nancy has 15 years of teaching and administrative experience with San Joaquin Valley College in Fresno.

Noel Pryor
Ballet

Noel danced with the Cynthia Merrill School for 16 years, and was a teacher's assistant from the age of 16.  At 18 she became a substitute teacher.  Noel is a graduate of Bullard High School, graduated from Culinary College, and is a certified Chef.  She danced for the Russian Ballet under Master Gagik Ginosian for 2 years, attended the Long Beach Ballet Summer Intensive and Sacramento Ballet Summer Intensive.  Noel was the assistant director of the Santa Barbara School of Dance Arts (SODA) in 2005 and Owner/Director of SODA in 2006.  She is very excited to be home in Fresno and very honored to be able to teach again at California Arts Academy.

Rachel Rodriguez
Spanish Language

This is Rachel's second year teaching children's Spanish language classes at Cal Arts.  Rachel is majoring in Spanish at CSU Fresno.  Her goal is to become a teacher, and go on to earn her Masters Degree.  She has lived and attended school in San Felipe, Guanajuato, Mexico for 3 years.

St. Joseph Thao
Piano, Gymnastics, Children's Music, Sign Language

St. Joseph has been playing piano for 14 years. He has studied under Olga Quercia for five years both in traditional (classical) piano and piano teaching. St. Joseph has played in the honor's recital at Fresno City College under Olga Quercia. He has been the pianist for the Hmong Community Alliance Church for numerous years, as well as their children's music teacher. He has also accompanied the First Covenant Church Children's Choir and played keyboards for the Campus Crusade Band at CSU Fresno. Currently he is teaching piano for California Arts Academy in Fresno while pursuing a degree in Education with emphasis in Music and Special Education.

Steve Ono
Director of the Practical Music School at Cal Arts Academy
Teacher of Guitar and Drums

Steve Ono is a guitarist with extensive Jazz, Folk, Rock, Blues and World music influences and experience. He is also a talented Singer/Songwriter, arranger and producer. His self produced CD, "Voice of a Friend", and his collaboration with Harmonica Master Eddie Gordon, "Smokin'", are available at CDBaby.com.  Steve attended Fresno City College and CSU Fresno and played in the progressive rock band Folly's Pool.  Steve went solo in 1976 and met Frank Hicks, a swing era guitarist. His exposure to Frank and his vast chord knowledge sparked  a flurry of study on Steve's part. This study resulted in his 1980 graduation from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood.  After playing all over Southern California and doing some session work, Steve moved back to Fresno in 1985. He has since worked with a variety of great musicians including Kool and the Gang member Larry Gittens, the late Paul Shagoian, Mike Dana, Gene Doi, Patrick Contreras, and his partner of more than a decade, Harmonica Master Eddie Gordon.   Steve and various musical friends have been performing for private and public events all over the Central Valley.

Tracy Carlson
Music & Singing for preschoolers

Tracy Carlson teaches singing and music for our Fine Arts Preschool and summer program.  She studied music in high school in Arizona with Kenneth Wells.  She majored in music at Brigham Young University.  She has been a music specialist for Fresno Unified School District teaching elementary music and choir.  She was Music Chairman for her church and coordinated music performances and training for eight congregations.  She has been assistant director and vocal solo coach for eight Youth Musicals with choirs of over 200 voices ages 12-18.  She supervised the curriculum, including music, for all children in her church congregation age 18 months to 11 years.  Her pre-school experience comes from teaching her own seven children in a small group pre-school with 4-5 other families.  She loves teaching children and considers it a bonus to get paid to do what she loves!

Yao Damho
African Dance Therapy, Tribal African Dance

Yao was born and raised in the "Baule" tribe from the Akan ethnic group of his native Ivory Coast.  He speaks three tribal languages and performs more than seven different tribal dances of his country.  As a young adult, he was initiated by his grandparents to the rules of spiritual healing movements and the rhythms of life.  He graduated as Dance Instructor and Choreographer from the Ecole de Danse et D'Echange Culturel (EDEC) and has danced with the Guirivoires Dance Company, Ellen Steward of la Mama Theatre, and the Alvin Ailey Dance School in New York.

Yuliya Gamboni
Ballet, Russian Character

Yuliya was born and raised in the Ukraine where she studied Classical Ballet, Modern Dance, and National Dance. She is a graduate of the National Dance College in Odessa, Ukraine. In addition to teaching and choreographing in her home country for five years, she also studied and taught aerobics and physical fitness programs for children and adults. She has been teaching ballet for the Cynthia Merrill School and California Arts Academy since 2003.