Cherie Batinga - Voice: B.S. in music from the University of Illinois. Cherie composes and arranges music creating tracks for students and clients alike. For many years, Cherie performed in various rock bands, including the Platters, and the Cadillacs. She now arranges for and accompanies various high school choral concerts. Cherie also runs a music business creating tracks, arranging, composing and recording.
Natalie Bou - Dance: Graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts in Commercial Dance and Orange Coast College where she was named “choreographer of the year”. Natalie works professionally in industrial shows and videos and can be seen performing at Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.
Stacie Craig - Dance/Company Choreographer AEA, AGVA, AFTRA, SAG:
Performance credits include musical theatre, industrials, commercials, television, film and voice-overs. Stacie is Manager of the Choreography and Staging Department for the Disneyland Resort and is a part of the development and maintenance of shows, parades and special events.
Myrona DeLaney - Voice/Musical Theatre: BFA in vocal Performance from Ohio University, MFA from UC Irvine. Myrona currently is an associate Professor in the Musical Theatre Department at UC Irvine and in charge of their New York Satellite Program.
Heather Hoppus - Musical Theatre/choreographer EQUITY, SAG, AGVA: Cum Laude graduate of UCI, performance credits include: lead singer for Norwegian Cruise Lines, principal in the made for TV movie “Stop the World, I Want To Get Off, first National Tour of Beauty and the Beast “silly girl”, Babe in the West Coast premier of Good News, numerous other national tours and regional theatre productions. Currently Heather choreographs for Los Alamitos High School choral music program.
Charla Irish - Dance/choreographer: graduate of Chapman University and University of LaVerne where she received her Master’s Degree. Charla is an elementary teacher for ABC Unified in addition to her continued work as a dance instructor at the studio.
Cynthia Kastner - Ballet - BA in Dance with an Education Minor from UCI. Her most recent credits include numerous performances with the UCI Dance Dept. as well as Precision Ball Passing with Charles Moulton at OCPAC. Film credits include “Gotta Kick It Up” and “Hip Hop with Heidi Ho V”. Disney Parades, Knott’s Tree Lighting, and various industrial shows add to her credits.
Joslyn Kim - Dance: Performed with Young Americans and in Disney Parades. Joslyn has taught choreography at Valley Christian High School and Santiago High School. She has been a part of the Hip Hop with Heidi Ho Video and Action Girls in Florida.
Nicole Manly - Dance/Voice: a graduate of UC Irvine with a B.A. in Drama and Literary Journalism. Nicole has spent a good portion of last year in New York as an assistant director for an Off-Broadway production, and touring with Camp Broadway as a teaching artist and performer as “Sandy” in Grease. In addition to teaching at the studio, Nicole is can be seen in CLO productions around Southern California.
Suzanne McElderry - Voice: B.S. from San Diego Christian College, M.A. from CSULB in Music Education. Suzanne plays several instruments, directed children’s choirs and toured throughout high school and college with performing groups. After directing the choirs of Kennedy High School for seven years, she now teaches music at McGaugh Elementary School in Seal Beach, Los Alamitos School District.
Lisa Meisner - Dance/Choreographer: Received her training in Missouri and Chicago. As a performer, Lisa toured with the Young Americans and has many CLO credits to her name. She choreographs for award-winning show choirs throughout Orange County. Lisa currently choreographs the Broadway Showcase at Valley Christian High School and is a frequent guest clinician and choreographer for groups across the nation working with Mcquitty Productions.
Shelly Nichols - AGVA, Equity, AFTRA - Dance/Musical Theater: Shelly has been seen professionally in numerous Disneyland productions including “Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “Show Biz Is”, “Fantasy Follies”,” Pecos Bill Wild West Revue” (Calamity Jane) and as a “Golden Horseshoe” can-can dancer and lead singer. Local Theater Credits include “42nd Street”, ”Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Grease”, Ntl . Tour, and Miss Annie at Wild Bills Dinner Theater. Shelly is choreographer/show director for “The All American College Band” at Disneyland and part of the “Magic Music Days” staff. Shelly and her husband own “Overture Productions” which provides entertainment for corporate and holiday events.
Laura Rae - Ballet: Laura holds a BS in Psychology – College of Osarks, Missouri and a MFW in Clinical Social Work, Hunter Graduate School, NY. Her performance credits include “Johanna Boyce and the Calf Woman” at the Lincoln Center, NY and dancer/ co-choreographer at the Manhattan Vineyard. Laura attended the National Academy of the Arts High School, Champaign, Ill. , as well as the “Center de Danse International”, Cannes, France and The Goodman School of Drama, Chicago.
Stacy Schmitz - Dance: B.A. from CSUF, holds her Masters in School Counseling and is a full time kindergarten teacher in Los Alamitos Unified. At OCSD, she is one of our preschool dance specialists. As a performer, Stacy has appeared in many productions at Disneyland.
Karie Seasock - Dance/Voice: AGVA, AFTRA, a graduate of UC Irvine with a B.A. in Drama, is a frequent performer at FCLO and MTW in addition to numerous shows at the Disneyland Resort. For the past several years, Karie has performed with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Chicago, Toronto, Costa Mesa, and soon to be Nashville. TV credits include: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
Susan Neill Spicer - Ballet Technique ARAD, B.A. Whittier College, MA CSULB, California teaching credentials: elementary, secondary and community college. Susan is an associate member of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, England. Although ballet is her passion, she has taught jazz and tap as well on the faculties of Cypress College, Rio Hondo and Mt. San Antonio College. In the 1980’s, she was the junior high school chairman for California Dance Educators. She has performed in many civic light opera musical theater productions and was employed as a dancer and associate choreographer for Disneyland.
Kelly Vander Lans - Dance B.S. degree CSULB, has taught tap, ballet, jazz and musical theatre for over 25 years. Her performance credits include performances in everything from Anything Goes (Virtue) to West Side Story (Graziella) and Knott’s Berry Farm’s “Can Can” to NBA Clippers Spirit Ensemble. Her film and television credits include the movie “Tap” starring Gregory Hines and the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Vicki Wachman - Voice: Studied with Maurice Allard, and frequent performer in CLO productions around Southern California. Vicki has many musical theatre director credits for various Children’s Productions in Orange County.
Kristin Whittaker - Dance: B.A. CSUF and full time elementary school teacher in Los Alamitos Unified School District. Kristin has worked for many years at the Disneyland Resort in parades and shows.
