ATD STAFF

Erin Carey ~ Studio Co-Director

Miss Erin has 22 years combined experience as both dancer and teacher. She holds a B.S. in Child Development, Child and Adolescent Studies from California State University of Fullerton. She continues her education at National University as she pursues a Masters of Education. Her professional ambitions include teaching physical education at the High School level and coaching a High School dance team to compete at a national level. Ms. Carey is trained in jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, contemporary, and tap. She has trained at various studios in Southern California – The Garage in Pasadena, The Edge in Hollywood, 1na Dance in Diamond Bar, and Talent Factory in Chino Hills. She won her first National Solo Title at age six and was the principle dance in the Nutcracker and Velveteen Rabbit for Orange County Ballet at age nine and eleven. She was also an Ayala song leader four year member and Varsity captain and Varsity Unity captain. During her time with Ayala song she won Most Dedicated and Most Spirited. Erin joined All That Dance in 2003 and is co-director of the All-Star and Elite Dance Competition Programs. She is the Chino Hills High School Dance Team Head Coach and Choreographer. She has also held the positions of Dance Team Coach/Choreographer for Townsend Junior High School, Competition Jazz Choreographer for Norco High, and Coach/Choreographer for the Chino Hills Junior All American Football cheerleaders. Her competition accomplishments include “Big Dollhouse” Large Team – Most Entertaining Act and Most Creative Costume at the Kids Artistic Review (KAR) National Competition held in Las Vegas in 2007. She has also choreographed many national and regional top overall solo, duo, trio, and group dances in the All-Star and Dance circuit. Her incredible choreography will be showcased as she teaches a wide variety of styles. Erin is very excited to be on the staff of a nationally recognized studio. 

 

Melissa Escale ~ Studio Co-Director

Melissa brings 21 years of dance training to All That Dance. Melissa joined All That Dance in 2004 and is co-director of the All-Star and Elite Dance Competition Programs. Her experience includes extensive studies in all forms of dance. She trained as a dancer at Ayala High School, where she was Captain of the Song team, both her Sophomore and Senior year. She was also a top performer on Cal State Fullerton’s Dance Team for two years. As a performer, Melissa received numerous regional and national honors, such as Miss Dance Explosion in 2000 & MVP for Ayala Song. She also received several scholarships, allowing her to broaden her training. In addition, she has created several award winning choreography routines for both ATD, Ayala Song and Chino Hills High School Song. She is currently in the process of choreographing for Ayala High School Song. She most recently choreographed a solo routine that took First Overall at KAR Nationals and has been recognized on the National circuit for her duo/trio and All-Star choreography. She continues to widen her knowledge for the art by attending conventions, competitions, and master classes, and keeps up-to-date on the latest dance movements. Melissa holds a Bachelor's degree in Child Development and contibues to pursue her teachinhing credential. Melissa is excited for the opportunity to spread her knowledge and love for dance with the students at ATD.

 

Jessica Villareal ~ Tap, Jazz and Lyrical Instructor

 Ms. Jessica V. has been dancing since she was 3 years old. At the age of 5, she was on Star Search with Ed McMahon. When she was 11, she made an appearance on the Miami-based show, “Quiero Ser Estrella”. Among various television appearances, she was a member of the cast on a PBS children’s series produced in Florida which aired nationwide for several years. She has appeared in various television commercials including ads for Dole Pineapple Juice, Target and McDonalds. She was a 4-year Varsity member and captain of the Diamond Bar High School Dance Team. Throughout her high school dance career, she was awarded Dancer of the Year both her Junior and Senior years. In 2006, she was a winner of the Miss Diamond Bar Pageant and hosted many charity events, including the Special Olympics. While attending college in Fullerton in 2007, she was a member of the Fullerton College Dance Team. She appeared in an episode of So You Think You Can Dance – Season 2. She was also a 2-year member (2008/2009) of the Chivagirls Professional Dance Team that performs for the Chivas USA MLS soccer team. She has performed at many venues, including theaters throughout the Los Angeles area, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and most recently at the Hollywood Bowl. Currently, she is attending UCLA where she is majoring in Psychology.

 

Katie Nelson ~ Jazz, Lyrical and Intro to Dance Instructor

 

Miss Katie was born and raised here in Chino Hills, CA and is so proud to be teaching at All That Dance. She has 17 years of trained dance experience and 12 of those years she has been competing on a nationally ranked level. Katie has experience in the areas of jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, musical theatre, and pom jazz. The Showstopper Dance Team at The Talent Factory was where Katie received her most intensive training and skills in the competition world. She was on that team for 6 years and competed all over California at the most prestigious competitions, and walked away with many 1st place titles and platinum medals. It was at the Nationals in Las Vegas where Katie had competed for the first time with her tap solo and took 1st overall in her category. In the dance season of 2008-2009, Katie auditioned and made the Fullerton College dance team, which later in the season, the team made it to Collegiate Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team received a 1st place in Championship Cup and a 6th place overall. Katie is still a full time student at Fullerton College and has a major in Communicatons. Performing and the art of dance is Katie's passion and she is so excited to be teaching for her second year at All That Dance Performing Arts Academy.

 

Anthony Lewis ~ Hip Hop, Jazz/Funk Instructor

 

Anthony Lewis, a native of Baltimore, MD; started dancing a little later than the typical dancer. He joined the Upland High School dance team his senior year 3 years ago, and now at 21 he is living in North Hollywood where he dances professionally and goes to school part time with dance as his major.

He has been a member of Storm All-Star Dance Team 06-07, and was the US Extreme Games Dance Competition Individual Senior hip hop champion for 2007. Anthony's professional work includes working with choreographers, Shane Sparks, Fatima Robinson, and Debbie Allen. He has danced for recording artists Ashanti, and Raven Simone from Disney's Thats So Raven.

 

   

 

 

Diane Vasquez ~ Cheer, Intro to Dance Instructor

 

Ms. Diane Vasquez began dancing at the age of seven at Westside Ballet in Santa Monica. She also cheered for the Huntington Park Cougars for eight years and was the captain of the cheer squad at Belmont High School in Los Angeles. She went on to be part of the cheer squad at Santa Monica College. Ms. Diane attended “Colors United,” an acting school where she studied theater arts.  Soon after, Diane was hired by More Entertainment as a dancer and performed for numerous artists at events and venues across Los Angeles.

In 1996 Ms. Diane was part of an organization called Peace and Justice Center. This organization created a place for Los Angeles children to hang out and stay away from the streets and gangs.  At the center, Diane, along with other instructors, held dance lessons in Break-dance, Pop lock, Hip Hop, Funk, Cheer, Tap, and Jazz. And in 2000 Diane returned to Belmont High School and assisted the cheer team.  Ms. Diane has been teaching at All That Dance since 2007 and is currently attending Mount. San Antonio College perusing a degree in Kinesiology and continues to actively take dance classes to improve her skills.

 

Dayse Tarakdian ~ Ballet Instructor

  

 Born and raised in Brazil where she studied Ballet at Vera Bublitz Dance company and School for 10 years performing different roles like Paquita(principal) , Swan Lake(Odette) , Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy), Don Quixote(Kitri),La Bayadere(corps), Le corsaire (Pas de trois and Medora)where she won a first place in a dance competition advance level ,and partnered Peter Boal (NYCB) on the age of 17 performing Dialogue Impossible (contemporary ).She moved to USA in 1999 and has being performing with different Dance companies :La Danserie(LA),San Pedro City Ballet, Media City Ballet(LA), Les Ballets Persian, Motion Tribe (OC),Glory of Christmas(OC),Disneyland(OC),City Ballet of Los Angeles, Namah Ensemble(Persian ,modern ,Flamenco USA ,Canada and Europe tour),Brasil Brazil show(Special solo Samba Ballerina),Costa Victoria cruise ship (Mediterranean sea),Samba Dancer for many different groups and Restaurants all over USA ,ballet teacher over 10 years (Brazil and USA), TV shows: Telemundo LA,NJ and Miami; KTLA Morning news; Channel 5 Morning news LA; Univision LA;CW11 NY; She moved to NY in 2006 when she was an apprentice at NYTB where she did Spanish on Nutcracker 06 and performed different roles at Margot Fountein Academy ,Ballet for young audiences and Leggz Nutcracker 07 and 08, she is currently teaching ballet at Dance Source(Queens), Debi's Dance Studio(Suffern) and performing samba and belly dance in restaurants, parties and concerts.

 

Dyanna Uribe ~ Pom, Tumbling and Intro to Dance Instructor

Miss Dyanna has been training in dance, cheer and gymnastics since she was 2 years old. She has trained in the areas of ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, song/pom, cheer and gymnastics. She has competed on multiple cheer and dance squads throughout her dance career. For six years Dyanna competed with Chino Valley All Stars Song and Cheer, while also dancing on the Showstopper dance team for three of those six years. She has recently graduated from Chino Hills High School where she also participated on both their cheer and song teams for four years of high school, and just completed her first year on the Elite dance team here at All That Dance. Dyanna will be attending the University of Riverside come the fall quarter with a major in dance, while also participating on the Highlander Girls Dance team at UCR. She is thrilled to become a part of the ATD staff.

 

 

 

 Lori Eckenwiller ~ Ballet Instructor

Miss Lori started her dance training at age 6 in Riverside, Ca. She had her first professional job at age 10 in the Inland Empire Civic Light Opera's production of "The King and I". She went on to perform in the Civic Light productions of "Aida", "Die Fliedermaus" and "Carmen", as well as dancing with Riverside Civic Ballet and Ballet Pacifica in "The Nutcracker", "Coppelia", "Paquita", "Carmina Burama" and many other classics. Lori later danced professionally with Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet West, and received a full scholarship with American Ballet Theater. Lori also studied at Harkness Ballet with David Howard, The Joffrey Ballet, and with Lar Leubovitch. She attained her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of California Irvine where she studied with masters Anthony Tudor, Eugene Loring, and Olga Maynard while performing extensively. For the past ten years, while teaching ballet full time in Orange County, Lori has been the ballet mistress for the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago's production of "The Nutcracker", selecting and setting choreography on the children chosen by her in the various cities across the US where they performed. Along with her extensive career in classical ballet, Lori has also choreographed and performed in the television and film industry. Lori proudly trained her own daughter to become a Prima Ballerina for Joffrey Ballet Company.

 

Nichole Palumbo ~ Lyrical, Jazz and Contemporary Instructor

Nichole has been dancing for 15 years, 8 of which she competed nationally.  She received the majority of her training at The Talent Factory in Chino, but also had close relations with L.A. Dance Magic convention and staff, which enabled her to learn from some of the top choreographers and dancers in the industry.  Nichole has trained in lyrical, jazz, tap, ballet, musical theater, and hip-hop, as well as acting and singing.  She performed at the Staples Center while being a Spark Kid for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.  As a performer in both her teen and senior years, she received numerous awards and titles, including Miss Starpower, Miss Odyssey, Magic Performer of the Weekend, and Top Soloist.  She has performed at the Wilshire Theater in a piece choreographed by world-renoun choreographer and dancer, Mark Meismer, who assisted Mia Michaels on the Celine Dion show in Las Vegas.  Nichole was chosen to be a part of the L.A. Dance Magic Company and has also traveled the country assisting dancer, teacher, and choreographer Tina D’Amato (now Sidoni).  She has assisted Ashley Barnett (Talent Factory) at various studios, conventions, and schools, and has also choreographed a top-scoring lyrical routine for The Talent Factory.  Nichole has taught master classes at Don Lugo High School and has much experience with private training.  She has completed two years at Cal Poly Pomona and is now pursuing nursing for a career.  Nichole is a technician at heart, but also loves to choreograph.  She is excited to see what she can bring to the table to grow the students at ATD, not only as dancers, but as dedicated and passionate people who are willing to work hard to achieve their dreams.

 

 Master Class Teacher

Ricky Alvarez

Ricky Alvarez is an alumnus of the world-renowned Orange County High School of the Arts and is a current Staff member for the Elective Dance and Musical Theatre classes.

Theatre credits include: A Chorus Line (Paul), CATS at FCLO (Pouncival), Oliver! at SBCLO, Chicago, Footloose (Assistant Choreographer), West Side Story (Chino) at Musical Theatre West.

Dance / TV Credits include: B2K is HOT at Staples Center 2000, LA Sparkid '00-'01, 2003 semi-finalist at the Spotlight Awards, Paul Mitchell hair show 2005, Ipod Commercial '04 & '05, GAP '04 Spring Commercial, H&M '05 Summer Commercial (UK), Pepsi '00 Decades Commercial.

Ricky can be seen in "High School Musical" on the Disney Channel and in "That's So Raven", as well as "The Suite Life". Music Videos for Ashlee Simpson, B. Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Rihanna and many more.