Melissa “Missy” Mcdonnell - Haines – Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical

Melissa Mcdonnell – Haines who is also known as “Missy”, started teaching hip hop, jazz and lyrical at WESPAC over 10 years ago.  She currently has a performing group at WESPAC for which she coined the name WESPAC Elite and now all of the performing groups at WESPAC dance under that same name.  Prior to teaching at WESPAC, she was a member and captain of the Los Angeles Clipper Girls for 5 years.  Missy was also on the nationally ranked dance team at Orange Coast College, OCC for two years.  She choreographed for the United Spirit Association, USA, National Football League, NFL and the National Basketball Association, NBA as well as numerous other dance groups.  Melissa has worked with Sugar Ray, Jessica Simpson, Wu – Tang Clan, Dennis Rodman and Jaimie Presley’s husband DJ Eric Cubichi; she was also featured in a Capezio Dance Commercial.  Missy has also taught extensively throughout Orange County including for the OC All Stars, Marina High School in the Huntington Beach School District and Stacey Junior High and Westminster High School in the Westminster School District.  You can currently find her teaching at the studio on Wednesdays @ 6:30pm Jazz I and Thursdays from 6:30pm – 8:30pm Jazz II and hip hop, jazz and lyrical for her performing group which is by invitation.
 

Amanda Mikkelson – Tap, Ballet, Contemporary/Modern and Pointe

Amanda Mikkelson started as a student at WESPAC over 10 years ago and is currently the only teacher on staff who was also a student first. She was awarded “Student of the Year” for 3 years at WESPAC. She was also awarded a scholarship from WESPAC by Lonnie L. Haines for her outstanding potential in dance. Amanda then went on to graduate as student of the year with a scholarship from the Academy of the Performing Arts, APA, at Huntington Beach High School. She also choreographed for the dance ensembles at APA as well as becoming captain for the HBHS song team. Amanda has danced with such renowned choreographers as Keith Clifton and Marie Hoffman.  She has won many first place awards for her competitive dancing at west coast competitions including Czar, Kids Artistic Revue, KAR, Victor Dru, I Love Dance, On Stage America, Starbound and nationals in Las Vegas for KAR. She is currently teaching on Thursdays form 3:30pm – 9:30pm for Tap I, Tap II, Ballet I – II and Contemporary/Modern.
 

Marlena - Belly Dancing

Marlena has been involved in belly dancing for over a decade and has a great passion for the classical Egyptian style. She has also studied and has been trained in the folkloric styles such as Raqs Assaya (cane dancing) and dancing with the Shamadan (candelabra). Marlena has danced professionally at several local Persian and Arabic restaurants. Marlena founded Troupe Raihana at WESPAC several years ago and has been with WESPAC for more than 10 years, since her daughter first became a student there. She has co-directed and choreographed for students and professionals and is hired to perform at parties, weddings, and special events. Marlena is currently choreographing for Troupe Raihana and her advanced dancers at WESPAC on Wednesdays at 7:30pm, but hopes to come back and do Saturday morning classes again for her beginning students.
 

Brenda Colombel - Hula

Brenda was born into a musical family—including her Hawaiian grandfather who was a sought-after steel guitar player in the 30s and 40s and whose photo and name were published in the book Hawaii’s Music and Musicians— and has sung and played music from various genres since childhood.  She began to learn the hula from her Native Hawaiian mother at the tender age of four and has continued learning through mentors, personal experience, and travel.  Deemed a po’opua’a—one word for lead student—Brenda began teaching dance at a young age in the traditional Hawaiian format.  She has traveled throughout French Polynesia and Hawaii.  Though she is not fluent in any other language, she speaks, understands, reads, and writes quite a bit of French, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, and Maori.  Brenda dances professionally for Duke’s of Malibu, CA and Kela Catering, and recreationally with her children for Le Polynesia Cultural Performing Arts Center.  She has also performed in award-winning performances with the premiere Tahitian group, Hitia O Te Ra.  Most importantly, Brenda is a loving family person and enjoys children.  She is passionate and knowledgeable about Polynesian cultures and dances, and enthusiastically shares this with all who show interest.
 

Susan Prough – Tumbling

Susan Prough has been at the studio since her daughter started taking dance classes there over 10 years ago. She started her career when she was given a scholarship at California State University, Long Beach. In 1984, she was given the opportunity to escort Mary Lou Retton in the Olympics. Susan has taught classes at Scats Gymnastics and WESPAC. She is now teaching our tumbling class on Fridays at 4:30pm.
 

Terra Phillips – Jazz Turns & Leaps, Ballet, Pointe and Lyrical

Terra Phillips currently dances in the production of High School Musical at Disneyland and teaches for WESPAC on Saturday mornings in her spare time. She has recently choreographed for the WESPAC Recital and the Orange County Fair. Terra is an expert in competitive dancing and dance conditioning for the prevention of injuries and preservation of the dancer’s body. She is now teaching on Saturday from 10am – 12noon for her Turns and Leaps class as well as Lyrical.
 

J. Reyes – Lyrical Hip Hop

Jay's style is influenced by Justin Timberlake's music and therefore he does a new style of dancing which we like to call a fusion of lyrical and hip hop. He has danced with Santana and Michelle Branch. J. Reyes is no stranger to competitive dancing and has won many first place studio awards for his choreography in Temecula. He is currently teaching hip hop at WESPAC on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm.
 

Jerome Moore – Hip Hop “Break Dancing”

Jerome’s style is street dancing and he loves to teach hip hop and break dancing to old school music. He appeared on the dance show “Dance 360” on Fox and won first place in cash and prizes. Prior to choreographing he appeared on MTV with Ben Stiller’s wife Christine Taylor of The Brady Bunch Movie and Zoolander.  He also appeared as regular dancer on Soul Train.  Jerome Moore is currently doing privates for hip hop and break dancing.

Juliette Hing - Lee – Acting for Dancers

Juliette Hing –Lee first started at WESPAC when she came to rehearse for the professional hip hop group “No Filter”. She has appeared in iCarly on Nickelodeon and will appear this fall in a show on CBS. Juliette hopes to do master classes at WESPAC for dancers that would like to fully express themselves by learning acting techniques for performances as well as auditions. Congratulations to Juliette as she just recently married Johnny Lee of the band Frequency 5.  She is affiliated with the Screen Actors Guild, SAG.