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.


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.