Our Faculty

Meredith Cabaniss Ventura

Instructor

Meredith Cabaniss Ventura is a multi-creative artist based out of southern California. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a B.F.A. in Dance and an M.F.A. in Dance from Hollins University in collaboration with the Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main, and The Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company (formerly the Forsythe Company). Additionally, she continued her professional studies in dance and movement and has pursued certifications in Vinyasa and Yin yoga, the Acrobatic Arts syllabus, and Dance Education Laboratory, through which she holds Level 1 and 2 certifications for Language of Dance. Ms. Ventura is currently a graduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara as an M.A./Ph.D. student in the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies department. As the founder and artistic director of Selah Dance Collective, Ms. Ventura has produced full evening-length performances and presented works throughout the United States and abroad, most recently in Estonia, Norway, Finland, and Italy. She also co-directs Ventura-based company Sespe Dance Co and is the dance and choreography director of Lights Up!, a teen theatre conservatory. Known to her students as Miss M, Meredith’s passion is making dance accessible and relatable to her students while challenging them to be their best.

Anna Carnes

Instructor

Anna trained primarily with the Santa Clarita Ballet, where she completed the Royal Academy of Dance examinations with Distinction, received the RAD Solo Seal Award, and began her teaching experience under the RAD syllabus. Anna earned a BFA in Dance Performance and Minor in Educational Studies from UC Irvine, where she was a member of Donald McKayle's Etude Ensemble as well as an ArtsBridge scholar. After continuing her training at LINES Ballet and ODC in San Francisco, she danced professionally with Oakland Ballet Company and Menlowe Ballet, while teaching and choreographing for several bay area schools. In 2012, Anna joined State Street Ballet in Santa Barbara and danced principal roles in classical and contemporary works, touring throughout the U.S., China, and Chile. She has also performed at the Hollywood Bowl, on the Ellen Degeneres Show, MTV Video Music Awards, and has been featured in Pointe Magazine as well as on the cover of Rose Eichenbaum's Inside the Dancer's Art. Anna has been a teacher, choreographer, and private coach for several pre-professional programs and is excited to share her love and passion for dance with CSD School of Performing Arts.

Nicole Comella

Instructor

Nicole Comella started dancing at the young age of four and never really stopped! She received her serious ballet training in San Diego, California at California Ballet and New West Ballet Theatre. In 1990, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and graduated with honors from United States International University. Ms. Comella danced professionally with San Diego Civic Light Opera and several small regional companies until becoming a founding member of State Street Ballet in 1994. She danced principal roles with the company for six years and then became Assistant Director of Gustafson Dance, the Official School of State Street Ballet, as well as the Co-Director of State Street Ballet Young Dancers. Some of her favorite dancing roles include Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, Peasant Pas in Giselle, Cupid in Cupid Denied, Afternoon in Solus, and Dream Pas in Carousel, and the dramatic pas de duex Embraceable You. Ms. Comella has also completed the ABT's National Training Curriculum in Primary -Level 5. Ms. Comella became interested in Pilates during her dance career. She trained and became a part time Pilates instructor at DeWild Pilates Studio in 1996. In September 2021, she opened her own studio, Grass Roots Pilates in downtown Santa Barbara. Although she is excited about her new business venture, Ms. Comella is still passionate about teaching dance and passing on her love for the technique and expression of her favorite art form that has been her life's work.

Caitlyn Damron

Instructor

After taking her first jazz class at 6 years old, Caitlyn became forever passionate about dance. Training at 14K Jules Dance Academy in Carpinteria under the direction of Julie Rubio-Shamblin, Caitlyn trained in all styles including jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, and more. At age 17 she began teaching tap and hip hop classes for students at 14K Jules, as well as participating in cheerleading at Carpinteria High School. After graduating, Caitlyn continued to teach dance classes and study modern and ballet at Santa Barbara City College. She also coached and choreographed for Carpinteria High School Cheer for 10 years. While working at Montecito Union School, she also put her skills to work choreographing for performances and musicals. Recently, her focus has been on teaching adult level hip hop classes in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara to provide an active and fun environment for everyone from the beginner adult dancer to seasoned veterans looking to dance again.

Arianna Hartanov

Instructor

Born in Denver, CO, Arianna trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, tap, and musical theater before moving to Santa Barbara in 2016 to dance professionally with State Street Ballet.

She has performed various soloist and principle roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, The Jungle Book, and The Sleeping Beauty among others. She has also had the pleasure of working with choreographers like Edgar Zendejas, Meredith Ventura, and Kassandra Taylor Knewberry in their creative processes during her career, and recently produced her first show in 2022 in collaboration with SELAH Dance Collective.

Arianna became a certified Countertechnique instructor in 2023, and is excited to continue growing as a dancer, teacher and performer in the coming season, and is so happy to work with the dancers at CSD.

Nathan Burdine-Ortega

Instructor

Nathan is a Santa Barbara native; he was born here and finally found his way back. He moved around California and went onto a stint at Ventura and Moorpark Colleges where he truly fell in love with Dance. He has graduated from UCSB with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis in choreography. Picking up dance at a late age of 18, his training started with a rigorous gymnastics and diving regime for ten plus years. He then went on to dance in college and found a love for hip-hop and has acquired the grace of ballet, modern and jazz. In 2004 he was on MTV’s show The Wade Robson Projects as one of the top 25 finalists in Los Angels, as well as dancing in music videos and has graced his presence across international stages. In 2014 he toured with UCSB’s Senior Dance Company across Europe through Prague and Italy. He has choreographed for many colleges throughout California, Washington and Arizona, creating works to bring joy, comedy and thoughtful art to the minds of audience members.  He has been teaching since he was 16, so for the past several years has taught at many studios, gymnastics and Cheer Gyms in the Ventura and Orange Counties.

Abby LoSole

Instructor

Abby is a recent graduate from UCSB and received her bachelor’s degree in Dance and Sociology in 2021. Dancing has been her passion for as long as she can remember. Abby has been pursuing this art form since the age of 4 at her local dance studio in Modesto, California. At the age of 13, she was accepted into the junior professional dance company at my studio, Juline Regional Youth Ballet. In high school, she was a part of the Performing Arts Academy for 4 years as well as Dance Production for 3 years. Abby has had the opportunity to choreograph dances throughout her years in JRYB as well as Dance Production. Throughout the following years she attended and performed in 4 seasons of Regional Dance America while also volunteering and dancing with the local non-profit dance organization, The Juline Foundation for Children. Abby was offered full-ride scholarships to summer intensive programs of Joffrey Ballet in New York City and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Washington. She also had the opportunity to attend the summer intensive programs of Pacific Northwest Ballet and American Ballet Theatre in North Carolina and New York City. More recently, Abby performed in 2 seasons of the Nutcracker for the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet as well as performances through UCSB’s Dance Department. Abby is excited for her first season with CSD and to grow with the school!

Pablo Gatica

Instructor

Pablo Gatica started dancing at the age of 3; However, his technical training didn't begin until the age of 12. His styles range from traditional Aztec to Folklorico, Hip-Hop to Ballet, and Contemporary to Jazz.

He has trained with some of the most respected educators in the industry, including Jess Warfield, Dana Foglia, and Ade Obayomi just to name a few. Pablos' teaching career began at the age of 15 as the summer dance instructor for Performing and Visual Arts Camp, where he started his theater training at the age of six.

As a freshman in high school, not only was Pablo one of the principal choreographers for the Santa Barbara High Schools Dance Production program but he also taught contemporary, jazz, and hip hop at a local studio, Zermeño Dance Academy.

He also spent 8 years teaching at Momentum Dance Company, Santa Barbara’s premier competitive dance studio under the direction of Betsy Woyach. In the span of 8 years is choreography won many accolades in the competitive dance circuit.

In March 2018, he signed with Go 2 Talent Agency. He continues to get to share his passion for dance with young artists.

Guest Faculty and Choreographers

Jamal Kamau White

Guest Teacher and Choreographer

 Jamal Kamau White (Birmingham, AL) was raised in Atlanta, GA and began his training at Dance Makers of Atlanta under the direction of Denise and Lynise Heard. He studied as a scholarship student at Ballethnic Dance Academy, Virginia School of the Arts and trained in intensive programs at Kirov Academy of Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and London Contemporary Dance School. Mr. White received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University and M.F.A at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. He has toured internationally in Rasta Thomas' Rock the Ballet, Missouri Ballet Theater, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Alvin Ailey II, Collage Dance Collective, and BODYTRAFFIC. In these companies he’s had the pleasure of performing works by choreographers such as Nicolo Fonte, George Balanchine, Dwight Rhoden, Alvin Ailey, Stijn Celis, Richard Siegal, Victor Quijada, Hofesh Shechter, Arthur Pita, Swan Pouffer Benoit, Robert Battle, Martha Graham, and John Alleyne.

Jamal has served as a guest artist and faculty at several national and international dance festivals including The Ravello Festival in Ravello, Italy, Context Festival in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia, Lila Lopez International Contemporary Dance Festival in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Holland Dance Festival in Den Haag, Holland, The International Modern Dance Festival in Algiers, Algeria, and Reframing the Narrative at The Kennedy Center 2022. He has also served on faculty at the Alabama Dance Festival 21’ and 22’, New York City Center Teach, Lincoln Center Young People Dance Series, Towson University, University of Akron , National (Little) Theater, Dean College, Ohio State University, New York City Dance Alliance, and Embody Dance Conference to name a few.

Choreographically Jamal has made several works for companies and university programs. These commissions have been established at Southern Methodist University, Kennesaw State

University, London Contemporary Dance School, Troy University , BODYTRAFFIC, Deeply Rooted Youth Ensemble, LA Jewish Symphony Orchestra, and The Ailey School. He’s is also one of the first four choreographers to be selected to create at the Utah Ballet Choreographic Institute. Jamal’s creative work and contribution in film and theater inspired him to begin creating dance films such as Black Ass and Work 1 which was selected for the LA Dance Festival’s Short Film Festival in 2023.

Following his creation, There’s God Where We Are, a ballet for Company D, A Memphis based contemporary dance company for adults with down syndrome, Jamal established his commitment to community service through education and art diplomacy. In both Bad Boys of Ballet and BODYTRAFFIC Jamal served as ambassador to the United States in both India and Algeria. His commitment to creating safe spaces for dance education has been acknowledged by several organizations including Learn 2 Group, Youth Protection Advocates in Dance Training, and the Dance Education Equity Association. Jamal is most proud to be one of the founding members and Associate Director of The Black Artists Dance Collective, which is a community arts organization committed to providing resources and tuition-free programs for black dancers in the Atlanta metro area.

Most recently Jamal serves as Artistic Fellow at BODYTRAFFIC and part-time faculty at Kennesaw State University

Chloé Roberts

Guest Teacher and Choreographer

Chloé Grace Roberts was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Chloe is trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, musical theatre, hip-hop, tap, ballroom, and improvisation. She has worked with choreographers including Jodinik Jo of the Centre du Danse Marais in Paris and Tucker Knox of So You Think You Can Dance. Company work includes Urbanity Dance Company (Boston), Selah Dance Company (SB), Nebula Dance Company (SB), The Prague Shakespeare Company (CZ), and Reject Dance Theatre (NYC). Recent productions include Chicago (Liz and Dance Captain), American Psycho (Choreographer, West Coast Premiere), Grease (Cha-Cha and Dance Captain), How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Choreographer), and High Society (Mavis and principal dancer). Chloe travels across the US to set choreography for studios and companies for both the competition and concert stages. She is a judge and member of Impact Dance Adjudicators. She is also the Jazz and Contemporary Director at Santa Barbara Dance Arts. @chloerobertsdance #chloerobertschoreo

Gianna Burright

Guest Teacher and Choreographer

Gianna Burright (She/Her) is a Choreographer, Dancer, and Educator, who explores the juxtaposition and nuances of emotional extremes: happiness and sadness, grief and euphoria, rage and mindfulness, nightmares and dreams. A self proclaimed late bloomer, she is a 2023 Carmel Dance Festival Choreography Fellow, 2022 Jacob's Pillow Choreography Fellow, 2022 Dance Gallery Festival Choreographer in Residence, and Bates Dance Festival Scholar. Gianna has presented choreographic work in fifteen countries including venues such as Jacob’s Pillow, The Bonnie Byrd Theater, The Place, Turner Contemporary Gallery, Waterloo East Theatre, STEPS, and the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival, LA Theatre Center, and LA Dance Project. A University of California Santa Barbara Guest Artist, Gianna holds a BFA in Dance from UCSB and an MFA in Choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance.

Lauren Serrano

Guest Teacher and Choreographer

Lauren Serrano is originally from Orange County where she trained at many local studios and attended Orange County High School for the Performing Arts for classical and commercial dance. She graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a B.F.A. in dance, and in addition to her Masters in Dance Education from the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program at Hunter College in 2015. In New York City Lauren had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Jennifer Muller, Young Soon Kim, Toni Renee Johnson, Pedro Ruiz, and Mike Esperanza. Lauren moved back to Santa Barbara to teach and direct the youth competitive teams at Santa Barbara Dance Arts while dancing with Santa Barbara Dance Theater and as a soloist for Nebula Dance Lab. While dancing with SBDT she performed works by Andrea Schermolly, Yusha Sorzano, Christopher Pilafian, Jennifer Muller, Stephanie Miracle, Brandon Whited, Edgar Zendejas, and Weslie Ching. She has won numerous choreography awards for her work with the competitive team as well as recognition for her professional choreography at national dance conferences. Lauren recently graduated from Sam Houston State University with her M.F.A. She is currently based in Houston, Texas and dances with NobleMotion Dance directed by Andy and Dionne Noble and co-directs the second company NobleMotion Dance 2.

Paige Amicon

Guest Teacher

Paige Amicon is a dance artist and teacher based in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under Susan Jaffe with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. Performance experience includes work by Danielle Agami(Ate9), Merce Cunningham, Yuval Sharon, Christopher Pilafian, Brandon Whited (Santa Barbara Dance Theater), Helen Simoneau and David Maurice. Amicon teaches on faculty at Orange County School of the Arts and is the Program Manager for UNCSA Summer Dance.

Sunny Reichart

Guest Teacher

Sunny Reichert was born in rural Illinois where she started training in dance at the age of 5. At the age of 10, she joined her first dance company and began traveling nationwide, competing in various dance competitions. Throughout high school she received numerous dance scholarships and earned national recognition with her dance companies. Sunny moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to pursue her career in dance and quickly began working in film, TV and print. Some of her career highlights were working for Aamco, Comedy Central, FOX, Matchbox 20, NBC, Pepsi and William Morris Entertainment. While working, Sunny also received her degree from Cal State Northridge in 2009, where she minored in dance. Sunny is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, contemporary and hip-hop and has used her well-rounded training to build a successful teaching career. For 20+ years now, Sunny has been a teacher producing and choreographing many of her own dance performances and productions. She has also directed three different dance companies for children and pre-professionals. Sunny is proud to say some of her dance students have gone on to train at Julliard, NYU Tisch School of the Arts and The American Ballet Theatre. Sunny continues teaching dance full-time while also traveling to teach as a master teacher at other schools and dance intensives.

Jean Sayeg

Guest Teacher

JEAN MICHELLE SAYEG began performing on Star Search, international commercials and film from age

nine. She trained at Le Studio with Pasadena Dance Theatre & The San Francisco Ballet School. Sayeg

became a principle dancer with State Street Ballet and Smuin Ballet dancing title roles in Carmen,

B.A.N.D., Medea, Giselle, Petit Mort and originated Trey McIntyre’s Oh Inverted World!

Her multifaceted career includes performing internationally in Taiwan with State Street Ballet &

throughout the US in Broadway’s National Tours of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats (Victoria) and Lerner &

Loewe's Camelot (Lady Sybil). She has been featured in Marie de la Palme’s award-winning aerial silk

ballet Le Couer Illumine, as well as productions at Lincoln Center (My Fair Lady, Cinderella), Hollywood

Bowl (Sound Of Music, Camelot) and LA Opera (Aida, Merry Widow, Ghost Of Versailles, Macbeth)

Choreography includes: Tie Up & Cover (Smuin Ballet), And As the World Goes Round (Interplayer’s

Theatre), Picnic (Antaeus Theatre Company), Dancing Lessons, Emma, Tenderly (Ensemble Theatre

Company) as well as original works in South Africa at he Cape Academy of performing Arts and in the

poor townships in Philippi and Gugulethu.

Sayeg is a graduate of St. Mary’s College of California and Pilates Certified (BASI). She is on faculty at the

Colburn School and SoCal Arts. Since 2014 she has taught master classes in a variety of dance styles at

Arcadia High School where she choreographs all mainstage productions.

Awards include the Music Center Spotlight Award, Lester Horton Award, Palm Desert Dance Under the

Stars Choreography Festival and winner of the Jerry Herman Award Best Choreography for Thoroughly

Modern Millie. She enjoys teaching various styles to all ages and levels of dance. Sayeg is a proud

member of Actors Equity, SAG-AFTRA & AGMA.

Shauna Davis

Guest Teacher and Choreographer

Originally from South Florida, Shauna Davis is a creator, dancer, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. In creation, Shauna makes cinematic and storied dance experiences influenced by history and the fantasy of the future. She was a 2020-2021 Resident Artist with La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club and has presented work at Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Opera Omaha, LA Opera, ICA LA and The MOCA Geffen, among others. Through movement and storytelling, Shauna finds alternate and colorful ways to express the nuances of being, while encompassing themes of legacy, reclamation and popular culture. As a dancer, Shauna has worked with artists such as The Weeknd, Olivia Rodrigo, Jhené Aiko & Shawn Mendes and has performed with No)One. Art House, LA Opera, Long Beach Opera and LA Chamber Orchestra. She is a graduate of New World School of the Arts and Southern Methodist University, Meadows School of the Arts.

Ryan Maw

Guest Teacher

Ryan is a professional dancer/choreographer that has been a part of choreography teams on movies for Netflix, Paramount Plus, and Disney Plus. Since the age of 13, Ryan has performed on The Ellen Show, and was a contestant on both So You Think You Can Dance and NBC’s World of Dance. Ryan's versatility led to sponsorships and many industry dance jobs, including High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Julie and The Phantoms, Descendant’s Remix Dance Party, and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. For three months, he toured across America with the live jazz band Postmodern Jukebox as their solo tap dance artist. Some of Ryan’s recent work includes- Bring It On: Cheer or Die, assistant choreography for Honor Society on Paramount Plus, assistant choreography for Prom Pact on Disney Plus, and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies on Paramount Plus. In between Ryan’s work in the film industry, he enjoys teaching/choreographing internationally and looks forward to sharing his passion for dance, especially tap dance, with the world.