Our Mission CVDA is committed to providing superior, positive instruction in a safe, properly equipped dance facility. We are dedicated to providing a recreational program for the less serious dancer as well as an intense training ground for the pre-professional dancer. We are determined to provide a haven of positive support for all our dancers. While our hourly rates remain competitive, we are determined to continue to offer a dramatically lower family rate than the average studio so that serious dancers and large families can afford more classes. We are focused on providing the supportive and respectful classroom environment necessary for the artistic growth of every dancer and the further development of every child’s self-confidence. We are committed to bringing the best and most qualified instructors to our studio and then keeping them here by maintaining a supportive and appreciative atmosphere. We are resolved that every dancer will feel special. Dance is a gift for everyone to share and we are committed to making everyone feel welcome and encouraged. We welcome diversity in our studio, believing that different genders, ages, nationalities, races, religious beliefs, and special needs enrich and enhance our program. We are deeply invested in providing a place for adults to enjoy and pursue dance. The benefits of dance are endless and extraordinary and we are honored to offer a program so special.     Kristen Coats has created original works for performing companies, dance teams, musicals, theater productions, talent shows, pageants, and competitions. Her choreography has earned her 10th overall at Rainbow Nationals as well as four other choreography awards. Miss Kristen’s students dance professionally, attend college on scholarship, perform on professional dance teams, captain worship dance teams, attend professional dance schools, compete in pageants, and become dance instructors. Her extensive training began locally and includes the Edge PAC in L.A. Miss Kristen is a First Degree Black Belt and a certified SHARP instructor. As a young performer she earned regional and national honors including scholarships and titles, trained with top choreographers, was President of her Thespian Troupe, and raised over $25,000 for Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital. She is the Owner/Artistic Director of Chehalem Valley Dance Academy Newberg and McMinnville locations. Miss Kristen teaches Hip-Hop, Technique, Lyrical/Contemporary, and is the Performing Company Director.     Erin Bowman, RYT, CYI. As a yoga student for more than 15 years, Erin has had the privilege of exploring many styles that she incorporates into her classes: Hatha, Vinyasa, Anusara, Core Power, Yoga Therapy, and elements of Iyengar. Erin received international certification in January of 2009 through the Yoga Alliance, following a one-year program at Yogis Hatha Yoga Studio in McMinnville, OR. Yoga sessions with Erin will offer practitioners a joyful opportunity to use their bodies in poses proven to relieve pain, enhance flexibility, and gain a dynamic understanding of how the body works. Erin's natural gift of teaching cultivates a safe, nurturing, and non-competitive environment. "It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity." -B.K.S. Iyengar Namaste Erin teaches Yoga for CVDA.   Casey Davenport A lifelong teacher and dancer, Casey has taken pride in growing his students as artists, technicians and people: independent, focused, disciplined and constantly striving to give back to not only the dance community and art, but, their friends, family and community at-large. His teaching centers around independent thinking, constant refocusing, analyzing, questioning and interactive learning. Active learning and advancement are his goals for not only his pre-professional, career minded dancers entering the workplace, but his recreational and college bound students. All his students are held to the same level- Dance Skills are life skills and this remains the cornerstone of Mister Casey's ballet class and training systems. Mister Casey has been a senior faculty member at Chehalem Valley Dance Academy- Newberg for 7 years and teaches technique, pointe and Performing Company.   Holly Derville-Teer was the Artistic Director of CVDA for 11 years. Her background includes dancing professionally with companies including Marcello Productions, Allan Albert Productions, and Yagi Productions. In 1991, she was awarded a Lifetime Scholarship at Steps on Broadway, a prestigious studio for professional dancers in New York City. She also studied with “Byokai,” a professional Ballet company located in Sapporo, Japan. Committed to continuing her dance education, she has attended six national dance teacher conferences including “Dance Life" in Orlando last summer. Her dances have received notable awards including The Choreography Award at Thunderstruck Dance and she was awarded “Most Outstanding Concept" twice at New York City Dance Alliance. Miss Holly holds a B.A. in Education and a B.A. in English and was awarded the Education Department’s Award of Excellence upon graduation. She is also certified to coach by the State of Oregon and was previously the Assistant Coach for the NHS dance team and a dance teacher at CS Lewis Middle School. This will be her 14th year teaching Jazz at CVDA.   Kimberly Harris is currently auditioning for her second season as a Blazer Dancer. She was the first CVDA instructor to win the acclaimed “Choreographer’s Award” at Spotlight Cup. Before teaching, she grew up studying at CVDA and was an original member of CVDA’s first Senior Performing Company. In addition, she is certified through the National Gymnastics Certification Program. This will be her seventh year as an instructor at CVDA. Miss Kimberly is the director of the Tap and Tumbling programs and is a Performing Company Instructor.   Rjay Sugden Carey Has been performing and taking classes in dance, voice, and acting for most of his life. He was in several performance groups in his youth, which were hired through out the country to do shows for every thing from national conventions to audiences with royalty and presidents. He also attended a high school of performing arts where he had numerous opportunities to hone his art. He has worked as a dancer/singer on cruise ships and at theme parks and choreographed for several nation-wide pageants including holding seven different titles of his own. He has taken master classes and been invited to workshops for all genres of dance and work and been taught by the cast of Broadway shows (Chicago, Smokey Joe’s Café, Will Rogers Follies, and Chorus Line to name a few). He is trained in and able to teach tap, jazz, ballet, modern, hip-hop, clogg, Latin, ballroom, Folklorico, Flamenco, and much more. Though he has experienced many styles and genres of dance his first and true love is and will always be musical theater. He is thrilled to be one of the newest staff members of the Chehalem Valley Dance Academy and looks forward to working with the other instructors and teaching the next generation of dancers.     Kyle Massey has been studying the art of "hoofing" for 16 years now, taking classes from master tap dancers whenever he gets the chance. He performs professionally with his siblings all over the northwest. Their group is the Hot Shot Tap Dancers and they started performing on the concrete sidewalks of the Portland Saturday Market, that later evolved to a wooden stage built upon a boat trailer. They performed there for 10 years before moving to Salem. He was raised as a street performer which reflects in his natural style of tap, incorporating the whole body into the art. His teacher/mentor is Cindy Brenn. She has taught him and his siblings the traditional hoofing style and the history behind it, as that is a very important part of understanding the art. He put an updated twist on the style while staying true to the foundation of hoofing. His biggest accomplishment is not where the art has taken him, but where he has gone with the art. Kyle is the new Tap Program Director.   Eliza Lee was born and raised in Northern California where she danced for over 20 years and taught in the areas of Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Modern and Hip-Hop. Miss Eliza has had the opportunity to coach and choreograph award winning dance teams, choreograph for school plays, cheer teams and pageants. Miss Eliza has been to several dance conventions and has gotten to train under today's top choreographers. Miss Eliza is currently teaching dance at Open Bible Christian School. She teaches our NEW daytime 4 - 6 year old classes and we are happy to have her at CVDA!   Kelli Pinkerton has danced professionally with Cornish Dance theatre in Seattle and with Eugene Ballet company under the direction of Toni Pimble. She has preformed original works by Pat Hon and has also danced roles in the “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Cinderella” and many others. Kelli has taught and coached many of her students on to professional careers, as well as having students on scholarships in many colleges. Kelli is excited to be joining the CVDA teaching staff. Miss Kelli teaches ballet.   Seth Renne was born and raised in Newberg; he graduated from NHS in 2001. Since then Seth has been actively involved with many theater companies in the Portland and Salem area including, The Broadway Rose Theater Co. and The Gallery Theater in McMinnville, working as an actor, director, music director and stage manager. Seth studied Theater Arts and Music at Western Oregon University. He is thrilled to become a part of the CVDA family. Samantha Skillman has been training in dance since she was 10 years old. She spent years on Performing Company and dance teams, including the Oregon All State Team in 2007. Currently she is earning her degree from George Fox University in Early Childhood Education. She is dedicated to creating a fun and loving environment for her students to learn in, and is passionate about showing her students the joy that can be found in dancing.     Brynn Sylvester attended Western Oregon University where she received her B.A. in Dance. She performed in Washington, D.C. with Rainbow Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center for Nationals at the American College Dance Festival. Miss Brynn originally began her training at CVDA and is a former Senior Performing Company dancer. She is a certified Callanetics Instructor. This is Miss Brynn’s third year and she also teaches at CVDA McMinnville. Miss Brynn teaches Preballet, Creative Movement, Modern, and Callanetics.   Emily Watson graduated Linfield College with a B.A. in Psychology. Next year she will be attending University of Denver to earn her M.A. in Forensic Psychology. Emily has been the CVDA Office Manager for two years.   Dara English is the new Director of Marketing and Office Assistant. She has been in the hospitality industry for the past 15 years. Moving from Central California four years ago, she has been involved in many local events in Dundee and McMinnville. Dara is looking forward to becoming involved in the community of Newberg and is extremely excited to join the CVDA family!