Rachel Connerton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and was fortunate to have trained at The School of Ballet Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, LINES Contemporary Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre and Richmond Ballet. Rachel’s professional career began in 2014, working with the Charlottesville Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, RVA Dance Collective, Oakland Ballet, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Stavna Ballet, Collide Dance Theatre, James Sewell Ballet and Pegasus Contemporary Ballet with whom she retired with in June of 2024. Rachel has had the privilege of working with acclaimed choreographers and teachers such as Daniel Duell, Patricia Blair, Sheila Rozann, Alonzo King, Patricia McBride, Suzanne Farrell, Kim Jones, Colby Damon, Maggie Small, James Sewell, Michelle Thompson, and Thang Dao. Rachel’s choreography has been seen on the trainees and apprentices at the Charlotte Ballet, the students at Degas Dance Studio in Encino, California, the trainee dancers at the Charlottesville Ballet, and the company dancers at James Sewell Ballet. Rachel has been teaching for over a decade in California, Virginia, Minnesota and Texas, working with students (ages 3-adult) at more than a dozen dance studios, schools, and academies. Rachel is a 2022/2023 National Visiting Fellow of the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center and is currently a faculty member of The Joffrey Workshop.

Theresa Broussard Comstock (B.F.A. Ballet, TCU), a Texas native, began her dance training with RDA company Beaumont Civic Ballet and continued her training at TCU where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Ballet. At TCU, Theresa worked with many renowned artists including the late Fernando Bujones who described Theresa’s dancing as having “remarkable energy and attack” paired with “her radiant personality on stage.” Her performing career has extended throughout the States and Europe with NYC based companies The Von Howard Project and BodyArt and with the Music Theatre of Wichita in West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Annie Get Your Gun, Me and My Girl and Joseph and the Amazing… As a dance educator, Theresa has taught and choreographed throughout the country for various schools, studios, universities, and companies. She considers her relationships with her students one of her greatest gifts and treasures the ability to pour the knowledge and beauty of dance into each soul. Theresa is grateful to her husband, Casey, and daughters, Lily Kate and Maddy Beth, for their endless support and love!

Originally from Ventura County, Myra Betancourt began dancing at age 2 and competing by age 7, training heavily at top Los Angeles-area studios like Gotta Dance Academy. Her extensive background spans ballet, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary, earning her multiple national group and solo titles in Las Vegas. As an instructor, Myra has taught dancers ages 3–18 across various styles, choreographing and coaching for studios, high school programs, and collegiate dance showcases. Her deep passion for the competition world, paired with her years of firsthand experience on stage, uniquely shapes how she directs and mentors our competition team. Her goal as a teacher is to instill solid technical fundamentals that foster creative expression, all while promoting kindness, confidence, and positivity in the dance industry.

Vanessa Salas Orr has dedicated herself to the nurturing development of kids and families through yoga, dance, and mindfulness practices. As a public elementary school teacher for seven years, she has combined her skills and expertise from the classroom with over 500 hours of Kid & Adult Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Training Certifications. Movement has been a part of Vanessa's life from the age of four when she first began her journey as a ballet dancer. She completed her BA at Arizona State University in Elementary Education with a focus on multicultural and multilingual populations with a minor in dance. Within, training of the CPYB syllabus, she has refined her skills in teaching ballet to the some of our youngest dancers as well as offering programs in jazz, tap, and lyrical. She continues her love of movement through dance with a local Paso Robles adult Mexican Ballet Folklorico group. Vanessa's goal is to bring happiness, confidence, mindfulness, and strength to all of her students. Vanessa is a published children’s author. Visit www.VanessaSalasBooks.com to learn more.

Kristin grew up dancing ballet at Civic Dance Center in Bakersfield, CA and continued in college at Cal Poly, SLO. As a CAD dance mom, she's been assisting in her daughter's dance classes with Miss Vanessa throughout the years, as well as subbing Mini Stars and Little Movers classes most recently. She has enjoyed getting back into dance as well as taking some adult classes. She will be teaching her own Mini Stars class and helping out the CAD Kids program where ever possible!

Kimberly fell in love with dance when, as a pre schooler, she sat through 4 acts of the Swan Lake then announced to her parents that she wanted to be a Ballerina. She has been involved in the dance community throughout Santa Barbara and SLO counties ever since. As an adult, she has performed with Santa Barbara Ballet Theatre, Valerie Huston Dance Theatre, Allan Hancock College Dance Department, Variable Velocity Performance Group, Gilbert Reed Ballet, and several individual studios. Kim has taught ballet, pointe and modern for decades at Adkins Dance Center, VAFB youth center, Allan Hancock youth dance department, Central Coast School of Dance and Flex Performing Arts. Kim has over 45 years of experience as a choreographer for many productions, including dancers of all ages and technical levels. Kea Dance is Kim’s home business where she designs and makes costumes, dance wear, clothing, accessories and aquatic therapy equipment. She resides in Santa Margarita, where she is surrounded by her dogs, cat, tortoises, turtles, fish and several sewing machines.

Sara is a CAD Alumni, she began dancing with the studio when she was 3 years old! A member of both the ballet and the jazz companies, she was in many of our annual productions. The Nutcracker being one of her favorites! Sara loves working with children and sharing her passion for all styles of dance. Sara believes that if you dance with your heart, your feet will follow!

Cheryle began her dance training on the east coast in Washington D.C. with Oleg Tupine from the Kirov Ballet and continued her training at Florida State University where she was a member of the South Florida Ballet Company. Her performing experience ranges from classical ballet with several east coast companies to contemporary ballet with the Valerie Huston Dance Theater in California. After her performing career, she continued her education at the Florida State University Dance Department and two years later graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Instructing, choreographing, and directing a full range of dance styles, from contemporary to classical ballet for all ages, led Cheryle to own several dance studios and direct two companies. In 1989, Cheryle became a co-founder of Class Act Dance and Performing Arts Studio. She has directed the Ballet Company for the past 30 years. Cheryle continues to be inspired by her students and would like to thank her family and friends for all their support and hard work.

Faith had been training at Class Act Dance since she was three years old and has been a part of company since she was six. She has trained in styles such as ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, and more. Throughout the years she has participated in many competitions and performances also attending The Ballet Alliance for the past three years. Faith is currently a sophomore at Paso Robles High School and is a part of their Advanced Dance program. She is so excited to begin this new chapter of teaching and where it takes her!

Blythe Berg grew up in Paso Robles immersed in the performing arts and began her dance training at Class Act Dance at the age of seven. She pursued further dance training at Marin Dance Theatre, LINES Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, b12 in Berlin, Impulstanz in Vienna, and the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance in Tel Aviv. Her movement practice is further enriched by extensive study of Contact Improvisation, Gaga, and Gyrokinesis, as well as her certification as a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). As a movement artist, Blythe has had the pleasure of performing professionally with No Strings Attached, Danse Lumiere, Catherine Liu, and Rosalia Lerner. As an educator, she brings more than a decade of experience working with students of all ages in preschool, home, virtual, and studio settings. She has taught ballet, contemporary, musical theater, jazz, and early childhood dance at Presidio Dance Theatre, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Dance on Center, Main Street Dance, and Class Act Dance. Music is another integral part of Blythe’s artistic life. A vocalist, pianist, and songwriter, she has led a five-piece band and performed extensively at venues and events throughout San Luis Obispo County. Her songwriting has been recognized with two New Times Music Awards. She shares her passion for music through her private voice and piano teaching studio in her home in Paso Robles.

Doriana Sanchez is an award-winning Director and Choreographer. She received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography for her work on Cher: Live in Concert - From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and was honored with a World Choreography Award for Concert Choreography for the Cher D2K Tour. Her love of Dance and Movement has allowed her to create in all areas of stage and media, and her visual masterpieces have been seen in nearly every large -scale arena in the US and abroad. A longtime collaborator with Legendary Icon Cher, Doriana has created, Directed and Choreographed the superstar’s extravaganza performances, including Cher at the Colosseum during its three year, 200-plus sold-out performances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Her Show Direction and Choreography can also be seen in the Love Hurts, Believe, Living Proof and Dressed to Kill Tours. The Living Proof Tour was honored with four Emmy Awards including Outstanding Musical Variety Special. Over three million people saw the show during its 325 performances. It ranks as one of the most successful tours for a female artist, grossing over 200 million dollars. Doriana has also acted as Creative Consultant for Classic Cher at the Park Hotel in Las Vegas. Her work can also be seen on Cher’s Here We Go Again Tour. Doriana also Directed and Choreographed Cher’s Promo Tour in support of her Christmas album, with performances on The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC, The Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting NBC, The Graham Norton Show BBC, Strictly Come Dancing BBC, Vettendas Germany, and the Royal Variety Show at Royal Albert Hall in London, for The Royal Family. For the Tropicana Hotel Las Vegas, she Directed and Choreographed Imaginarium for European Grand Illusionist David Goldrake. Stage credits include, Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons, at the Lunt – Fontanne theatre on Broadway, Radio City Music Hall and the Royal Albert Hall in London. World Premier of Senor Discretion Himself, at Arena Stage for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Choreography, Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, Olivier Award nominee for Best new Musical, The Night is a Child, at Pasadena Playhouse and Blade To The Heat at the Mark Taper Forum. Circus Creation and Direction, The Galaxy Stars Circus in China, Circo Fantastico, and Odyssey for Princess Cruises. She was Associate Director/Choreographer for Cirque Dreams Holidaze with Cirque Du Soleil, as well as Creative Consultant Additional Directing and Choreography credits include, Video Games Live at the Hollywood Bowl, Jane’s Addiction’s Jubilee Tour, Perry Farrell’s Porno for Pyros Tour, Peter Gabriel’s Secret World Tour, Dirty Dancing Concert Tour (2 weeks Sold out shows at Radio City Music Hall), and multiple shows for Holland America Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. She has worked with musical legends Shakira, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Frankie Valli, The O”JAYS and David Foster, musical prodigies, Jackie Evancho and Charice, as well as comedy genius Ellen DeGeneres. Doriana received a THEA award for outstanding achievement, for Resorts World’s Crane Dance, in Singapore Harbor, the largest animatronic water and video spectacular in the world and was Director for Festive Walk’s Lake of Dreams also at Resorts World. Corporate work includes Redken, Target, Toyota, Mattel, Canon and Crayola, with the creation of tiny dancing paper sculptures for Crayola. Television credits - The Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, Divas Live, Euro VMAs, Blockbuster Awards, Be Good Johnny Weir, 16 seasons as Resident Choreographer on Fox’s hit show So You Think You Can Dance creating the high flying energetic Disco numbers, Disney Channel, Macy’s 4 th of July Spectacular, The Oprah Winfrey Show, GMA, The Late Show and Dream School USA for the Sundance Channel. Doriana is a master dance educator and is also a Dance adjudicator and coach. She loves discovering and developing new artists. She was honored to receive a Courage Award from UCLA Neurosurgery. Doriana is proud to be a Producer and Director for idance4acure, benefiting pediatric cancer and brain tumor research.

Vanessa Puentes is a guest teacher at Class Act Dance, supporting the CAD Kids Department as a substitute instructor. Originally from Long Beach, California, Vanessa is currently studying Public Health at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she is also a member of the Cal Poly Dance Team. Vanessa brings her continued training and performance experience into the classroom, creating a positive and encouraging environment for young dancers while sharing her love of movement and dance.