Faculty at the Academy

Associate Directors

Tiffany Case Singler

Tiffany Case was born and raised in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Trained at the prestigious Pacific Northwest Ballet School she had the opportunity to perform in many of their productions including Cinderella, the Nutcracker, and Snow White. Ms. Case also trained at Oregon Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet School, Boston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Ballet Austin. At age 18, Tiffany was asked to join the corps de ballet at California Ballet in San Diego. There she performed a variety of roles in both classical and contemporary ballets including Red Riding Hood in Sleeping Beauty as well as Betzie Roe's Dry Roses. Most recently, Tiffany has held the position of Assistant Director for San Francisco Youth Ballet Academy, aiding in the creation and instillation of a new syllabus and setting and rehearsing ballets. While at SFYBA, she also performed as a Guest Artist with San Francisco Youth Ballet Theatre performing soloist roles including Mazurka in Les Sylphides and Dewdrop in the Nutcracker. Tiffany is a fantastic addition to the Academy faculty where she is excited to share her extensive training with her students as well as to instill her love and passion for dance.

France-Marie Stiewel

France-Marie Stiewel began her early ballet training in San Diego, and by age 12 was being accepted to many summer intensive programs. Often on merit scholarship she spent summers training with the Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and Richmond Ballet. In 2003 Mrs.Stiewel was asked to join the Richmond Ballet training program where she performed various roles with the company. In 2007 Mrs.Stiewel moved to Princeton, New Jersey to dance with American Repertory Ballet and teach for Princeton Ballet School. Under the guise of School Director Mary Pat Robertson and the seasoned staff of PBS she gained the training and experience for teaching ballet at all levels. In 2009 Mrs.Stiewel joined the faculty at SEDMA and can still be seen performing in the annual Nutcracker as the flying Sugar Plum Fairy.

Associate Director - The Moving Company

Raul Gomez

Raul has years of dance experience in a variety of styles including Hip Hop, Jazz, Salsa, and Modern to name a few. His versatility as dancer and teacher has provided opportunities to teach all over the West Coast, Texas, Alaska, Mexico, and Switzerland. Raul was also a featured dancer and contributing choreographer for Sea World Summer Nights. Other performance and choreography credits include McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival, IDEA Fitness convention, Superbowl, CitrusBowl, Mardi Gras Festival, Color of We Benefit Show, Commercial work in Mexico, and was also a part of a ballet/hip hop collaboration with the San Diego Ballet. He is a former member of one of the first Hip Hop companies to be assembled, Culture Shock San Diego, and Los Angeles where he trained under and danced with leaders in the L.A. Industry. Raul is currently working as an instructor for the United Spirit Association, teaching dance intensives, and camps throughout the Western United states as well as judging for USA dance competitions. His award winning choreography can be seen on many junior high and high school dance teams throughout California, and Washington. Raul also spends most of his time teaching free dance classes to underprivileged youth throughout San Diego.

Dance

Alexandra Blacker

Alexandra Blacker began her training in St. Petersburg, Florida at Judith Lee Johnson's Studio of Dance. At 16 she attended the School of American Ballet. After graduation she joined Los Angeles Ballet where she danced in works by George Balanchine and numerous contemporary choreographers. She was also the ballet coach of actress Mila Kunis in the movie Black Swan. In 2010 she relocated to New York City to finish a degree in International Studies and non-profit work. She then joined New Chamber Ballet, her roles included parts in Five Songs for Piano, 104 Fahrenheit, Sculpture Garden, Sketches of a Woman Remembering, and Virtuosa. She left New Chamber Ballet in 2011 to return to California where she joyfully coaches ballet to all students at the Academy.

Amanda Cobb

Amanda Cobb was born in Tucson Arizona, where she began a career in gymnastics, where she won numerous state competitions and was invited to the Junior Olympics. Beginning intensive ballet training at 12, she studied and performed with Ballet Arts under Mary-Beth Cabana in Tucson, Arizona. Summers were spent at the School of American Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Gus Giordano and Frank Hatchett. At 15, she moved to New York on special full scholarship to study with Alvin Ailey where she performed with the second company at City Center. Returning to Arizona, Ms. Cobb performed as a principal ballerina with Ballet Tucson and continued her education at the University of Arizona, focusing on Dance and Exercise Science. In 2002, Ms. Cobb appeared with American Ballet Theatre in The Nutcracker. She danced with Ohio Ballet, under director Jeffrey Graham Hughes for three seasons. Some of her principal roles included, among others, Juliet in Bengt Jörgen's Romeo and Juliet. She has also performed works by Lynne Taylor Corbett, Cynthia Gregory, Wayne Eagling, and many others. Ms. Cobb joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in January 2004. Her principal roles with the Company included Partisan Woman in The Green Table, and Leto in Apollo. Amanda is thrilled to bring her talent and experience to the Academy.

Alexandria Corosanite

A native of Philadelphia, Alexandria graduated from the University of the Arts, with a bachelor of fine arts in dance, majoring in Ballet. Her summers were spent at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School, where she was on scholarship. Upon graduating from UArts, she was honored with the Susan G. award for excellence in ballet. Thereafter she was chosen amongst several hundred, to be one of twenty-five to attend the Miami City Ballet School, where she performed several Balanchine works, while working closely with the company. Having a strong ballet foundation is what allowed her to enter into the professional world, where she went on to perform for cruise ships, casinos, and regional theatre companies alike having roles such as dance captain and featured dancer while working closely with notable choreographers such as, Andy Blankenbuehler and Rob Sapienza. Her career also includes some TV and Film credits as well as Industrials. Her most rewarding accomplishment came when she was chosen to perform as Graziella in the European Tour of West Side Story, under the direction of the Broadway choreographer Joey McNealy. Her latest project has taken her into the teaching world, working with over 350 students a week, as the resident ballet instructor at a performing arts charter school. Upon moving to San Diego she became a teacher here at the Academy as well as the manager at Carlsbad Dancewear to date.

Lauren Duchene

Whether dancing as a child or performing professionally, Lauren has always fostered a love of movement. Lauren Duchene began dancing at the age of 3 and later went on to train at Marin Dance training at a pre-professional level. She received her BA in dance with an emphasis on ballet performance at the University of Irvine. Lauren danced with the Ballet Pacifica Company both as a student, and upon graduation, as a guest artist and instructor. Lauren is very passionate about working with children and loves to share ballet technique and to foster a child's creativity in the dance setting. Lauren is also a certified Pilates instructor and enjoys helping others improve their posture, strength, and flexibility.

Lauren is thrilled to be a wife and mommy and brings her understanding as a parent to her teaching. Mrs. Duchene is very excited to be teaching at the Academy and can't wait to share her love of movement with the dancers she teaches. She has a goal to bring out the best in all her students!

Ashley Fischer

Ashley Fischer has been dancing for over 20 years. She began her Classical Ballet training at age 8 by the Inland Pacific Ballet Company. There, she performed in the company's annual performances such as Les Sylphides, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Midsummer Nights Dream, and Graduation Ball, as well as IPB's annual summer intensive programs. In 2001, Ashley began teaching dance classes to share her passion with dance enthusiasts and pre-professionals of all ages, and continues to do so today. In 2007, she earned her Bachelors degree in Liberal studies from California State University of San Bernardino, with a minor in dance. Ashley is happy to be a part of the Academy's team, and believes there is no greater joy than teaching her passion for ballet to others!

Ashley Lee

Ashley Lee is a native of San Diego, California. She has taught at various studios and high schools throughout the San Diego and Orange County areas since a young age. Ashley has won Regional and Nationals titles for high school, All-Star and collegiate competitions. She is a four-time world champion in International Jazz and Pom. Ashley has also participated in several parades, Holiday Bowl half-time shows and the Super Bowl. Most recently, Ashley has studied dance with Unity Dance Ensemble under the direction of Tessandra Chavez. From this opportunity, Ashley has learned and danced on stage with Kupono, Ade, Shauna Noland and other contestants on SYTYCD. She just graduated from SDSU with a bachelors in Kinesiology: emphasis on fitness, nutrition and health and plans on pursuing her teaching credential in the next year to teach health education. In her spare time, Ashley sings in a 10-piece reggae band called "Shoreline Rootz".

Melissa Matthews

Melissa began dancing at a young age in her hometown of Los Angeles. At 13, she was accepted into the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and was trained by masters from the Kirov, Bolshoi, Alvin Ailey, as well as Los Angeles choreographer Terry Beeman, and Debbie Allen herself. She spent summers at Alonzo King's Lines Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco and State Street Ballet in Santa Barbara. Growing up, Melissa also acted and danced in various commercials and appeared in television shows such as Disney's "Lizzie McGuire" and "That's So Raven." In 2009, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from The University of Arizona. Through her higher education, she fell in love with teaching and has now taught all disciplines and all ages in hopes of spreading inspiration, creativity, technique and artistry to everyone!

Angela Yurtin Meadows

Angela grew up dancing at her family's dance studio, Christine's School of Dance. There she studied and taught Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Acro as well as participated in numerous competitions. She earned a BFA at Wright State University in Dayton, OH in Dance and Musical Theatre and was asked to teach the underclassmen Modern and Jazz classes. She performed in numerous dance concerts and musicals including Nine and Cabaret. Post-graduation, Anglea returned to Christine's School of Dance to manage the studio while also auditioning. She absolutely loves teaching and dancing and is excited to be sharing her passion with others!

Samath Orm

Samath Orm is a native to San Diego, California. He started his dance career with Future Shock San Diego at the age of 16, where he flourished and excelled ultimately becoming a part of Culture Shock San Diego at the age of 18. Samath is known for his unique style, which is a fusion of house dancing, hip hop, freestyle and jazz inspired movement; he possesses qualities that leave him on a spectrum of his own. His versatility as a dancer has given him the opportunity to teach master classes all over the West Coast, IDEA fitness convention, London, and Switzerland. He also choreographed for many corporate events, and benefit shows, including Sea World's Shamu Rocks Tour, and Summer Nights. As well as being a contributing choreographer for the CSSD team that won the prestigious McCallum Theatre Choreography contest. Currently, he is a proud member of World Famous and Unity, two dance companies located in San Diego California. Throughout his never-ending journey he finds that you must never stop learning, live your life with love, passion, truth, and soul.

Nancy Robinson

Nancy Robinson studied ballet in Los Angeles with Robert Rossellat, a student of Preobrajenska and Espinosa in Paris. At the age of fifteen she received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to San Francisco Ballet School and was accepted into San Francisco Ballet Company the following year. Ms. Robinson danced as a soloist there for seven years, then as Principal dancer with the City Center Joffrey Ballet Company, which made her an internationally acclaimed ballerina. She has toured Vienna, London, and several major United States cities. During her career, she danced in principal roles such as Astarte Pas de Desses (Joffrey), Moves and Interplay (Robbins), Time Cycle (Bolender) several works by Arpino, Nutcracker-Sugar Plum Fairy (Christensen), and other works by Fokine and Ailey. Later she was Ballet Mistress at Pacific Northwest Ballet Company and The Los Angeles Ballet. Ms. Robinson has taught at The Joffrey School (NYC), Cornish School (Seattle), Marcia Dale Weary School (Pennsylvania), Los Angeles Ballet School (Los Angeles), City Ballet (San Francisco), The Ballet Studio (San Francisco), and the California Ballet School (San Diego), San Elijo Dance and Music Academy (San Diego). Nancy now brings her accomplished talent and expertise to the Academy.

Linnette Roe

Linnette Roe was raised in San Diego and trained at California Ballet School. She studied for two years at North Carolina School of the Arts and became an apprentice at Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1988. She was promoted to Soloist in 1991 and to Principal Dancer in 1993. Her repertory includes principal roles in Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Cinderella, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Serenade, Theme & Variations, and Concerto Barocco. She toured with the company to New York, Washington D.C., London, Scotland and Melbourne and has had the opportunity to work with many renowned choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Donald Byrd, Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Kent Stowell. She enjoys teaching and training the next generation of dancers at the Academy.

Kristen Volk

Kristen Volk was born and raised in San Diego and discovered her love, appreciation and passion for dance at a young age. She has trained at numerous prestigious competitive studios in the styles of jazz, ballet, contemporary, modern, tap and hip hop. Throughout her career in the competition world she won many first place titles as well as recognition for her choreography. In high school, Kristen had the opportunity to start and establish her school's dance team which is now nationally ranked amongst the top in the west coast. She attended Chapman University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, a minor in Liberal Studies along with her multiple subjects teaching credential. She received an academic and talent scholarship, and throughout her four years in the dance program she was acknowledged for her choreography and recognized in 2008, 2009, 2010 as the departments outstanding performer. While at Chapman University, she is proud to say that she was cast in Chapman Dance Alliance, the Fall Faculty Concert, American Celebration and Main Stage Concert consistently each year, while also performing with the university's hip hop group, Team Shaka.

Kristen is a dedicated, passionate, caring and well respected teacher, choreographer and performer. She expects her students to have fun, work hard and do their best inside and outside the studio. She is excited to be a part of the Academy!

Rachel Woods

Choreographing and performing in Hawaii since second grade, Rachel took any dance class offered; Modern, Hip-Hop and Tahitian. Rachel's education and technique expanded to cover Jazz, Lyrical and Ballet but no other style gave her the same joy as Hip-Hop. She went on to dance with Future Shock San Diego under Belle & Rainen Paguio, World Famous Crew & Jabbawokeez, and Keone Madrid Choreo Cookies to name a few. Currently she is finishing her undergraduate degree at UCSD, with a visual arts media major and dance minor. Her original Hip-Hop choreography has been showcased in the La Jolla Playhouse dance and theater productions. Ms. Woods is also a proud director and choreographer of the highly regarded Hip-Hop adult crew- 220: Second to None, and has represented them at Boogiezone workshop classes in Los Angeles. Blessed teaching Hip Hop as a movement style and a craft, Rachel especially is passionate about teaching her students that Hip-Hop is a lifestyle; fostering creativity, acceptance and humility.

Christina Wurz

Christina Wurz began her professional training with The Joffrey Ballet School. She earned a B.F.A. in Dance at the University of Hartford, Hartt School in 2001. Ms. Wurz is an accomplished performer, San Diego Dance Theater, Mohegan Sun/Christopher Lee Productions, Dance Connecticut's Touring Ensemble, Full Force Dance Theatre, Bronx Dance Theater, and at the Radio City Music Hall. Ms. Wurz also performed internationally at the Rome Festival in Italy, Burklyn Ballet Theater in Scotland, and in the World Cup Opening Celebration. Ms. Wurz brings years of experience and a wealth of knowledge to her students at the Academy.

Support Staff

Shayna Benavidez

Shayna Benavidez was born in La Jolla and grew up in Encinitas. Ms Benavidez started dancing ballet and tap when she was two and danced until she was eight years old. Shayna is currently going to California State University San Marcos for a degree in Visual and Performing Arts. She loves to dance and act and have always been interested in film production. Shayna also enjoys photography and nature.

Caitlin Curry

Caitlin Curry is a student, conservationist, self-proclaimed organization fanatic, and life-long dancer. Since she has taken dance from preschool and preformed all the way through college, Caitlin understands how a studio should feel like a second home to the dancers. Caitlin's performing career started by attending a performing arts elementary school. She danced at Ballet Arte, did competitive & rhythmic gymnastics at TRC, and was a Pop Warner cheerleader for the San Dieguito Browns. While attending La Costa Canyon High School, Caitlin was a cheerleader all four years and the gymnastics team captain. She also choreographed and performed in a majority of the school's dance shows. A graduate of the University of Washington, Caitlin received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Behavior Psychology and a minor in Anthropology. Also, she is currently a part-time student taking courses in the pursuit of a Masters in Conservation Biology in an ultimate pursuit of a PhD. Caitlin is a hard-working teacher who devotes herself to the students' understanding and technique in the art of dancing.

Jennifer Villa

Jennifer enrolled in her first tap class at the age of three. Growing-up performing, Tap class was one of her favorite child memories. Jennifer brings to the Academy years of experience in helping to care for others. She understands the concerns of parents, and places great value on providing up-to-date information and answering the many questions asked by those who walk through the door of the Academy. Jennifer is currently attaining her degree in Nursing, with an ultimate goal of being a Physician's Assistant. She is married and has one son, Nathan.