Our Incredible Guest Artists
CCA's Dance Program began with Tracy Yates and guest artists. She hired me to come in and teach a master class in 2005, and if Tracy hadn't asked me to come in and teach I would not have pursued my teaching credential. I knew the second I set foot in that dance trailer that I had entered a very special place, and I wanted to be a part of it. Guest artists are vital to the strength of our program; not only do they keep our students on the cutting edge of their art form, they also challenge them, and me, as humans, to continue to grow.
It is only through Foundation donations that we are able to keep our amazing guest artists integrated into your dancer's amazing training at CCA. CCA's Envision Program would not be what it is without the professionals we bring in. It is because of these individuals that our students go on to college and feel ready for auditions if they choose to pursue dance. Dancers will graduate CCA with an in-depth understanding of modern dance and ballet technique, which is the foundation of many college dance programs.
To donate to the Foundation, please follow this link, and make sure to specify you are contributing to the dance department:
http://www.canyoncrestfoundation.org/envision
Nikki Dunnan grew up in Colorado Springs, CO, and moved to San Diego at the age of 18 to attend college and, of course, to dance. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Psychology in 1999. In 1994, Nikki co-founded Eveoke Dance Theatre as one of the original 8 Concert Company dancers under the direction of Artistic Director, Gina Angelique. She then went on to become the Administrative Director in 2000 and Executive Director in 2007. She was featured in 32+ original dance theatre works (month-long runs) in her 18-year career with the Company.
In August 2012, Nikki left her role at Eveoke to explore other opportunities, which now include teaching at Malashock Dance and performing as a freelance artist. Nikki is honored to serve as a guest artist at Canyon Crest Academy.
In August 2012, Nikki left her role at Eveoke to explore other opportunities, which now include teaching at Malashock Dance and performing as a freelance artist. Nikki is honored to serve as a guest artist at Canyon Crest Academy.
Khamla Somphanh has performed and taught professionally throughout the country. She began her training at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and continued at the University of the Arts before moving to NYC to pursue her career. In addition to her Artist–In–Residence at CCA, Ms. Somphanh currently teaches at The Malashock Dance School. Her choreography has been commissioned by The PGK Project, Visionary Dance Theater, SDDT Trolley Dances and performed at The SD International Fringe Festival among others. She has danced as a guest artist with Malashock Dance and as a company member of ODC/ San Francisco Dance Company, Wylliams/Henry Danse Ensemble, Na-Ni Chen Dance Company, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, East/West Repertory Ensemble, New World Dance Company, Soundance Dance Company and in the Broadway Revival and !st National Tour of the “King and I” choreographed by Lar Lubovitz to name a few.
Image: Doug McMinimy
Image: Doug McMinimy
Sadie Weinberg has been teaching dance in higher education in San Diego for 15 years while continuing to create original dance works and perform in the work of other dancemakers. She is the Artistic Director of LITVAKdance a non-profit repertory dance company based in NW San Diego County. Sadie believes deeply that being a dancer and artist means remaining curious, staying in the practice and playing well with others. She tries her very best to live into those beliefs.
For more about Sadie or LITVAKdance go to: www.litvakdance.org
For more about Sadie or LITVAKdance go to: www.litvakdance.org
CCA Dance Teachers
Rayna Milner started her movement journey as a gymnast when she was three. She was fortunate enough to be introduced to modern dance at the young age of 7. She danced with one of four professional children’s companies in the United States: StarDanceSwan, located in Oklahoma City. She studied under both Lorrie Keller and William Conrow of SDS for 8 years, and she continues to learn from and be inspired by her fairy godmother, Lorrie Keller. After high school, Rayna was one of 25 dancers selected to attend Southern Methodist University on a dance scholarship. She moved to San Diego to pursue her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego. She is a Licensed MFT and worked for 8 years in group homes and teen recovery centers throughout SD County. She was brought in to teach a modern dance master class at Canyon Crest Academy High School in the spring of 2005, and she knew she had stumbled upon serious magic within this new public high school. She continued on as a guest artist at CCA while working as a therapist and getting her teaching credential. She received her credential in 2008 and has been running the dance program at CCA since 2010. Canyon Crest Academy High School is currently ranked number one in the state of California, and the school was founded with the intention of including visual and performing arts in the daily curriculum. The dance program Rayna has established aims to create dancers who are strong technicians, artists, and kind human beings. Rayna has also worked with and performed for Khamla Somphanh, Jean Isaacs, Sadie Weinberg, Traves Butterworth, Liliana Cattaneo, Mel Wong, Jacqueline Buglisi, and Bradley Lundberg.
Tracy Yates began dancing at the age of 3. Dancing with the Atlanta Jazz Theater, a professional company in Atlanta, Georgia at twelve, she also danced with the Raleigh City Ballet throughout high school. Tracy attended East Carolina University for one year before transferring to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Tracy graduated from UCSD with a degree in Communications, CSUSM with her teacher credential, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing. She feels blessed to be combining the two things she loves most: dance and working with young people.