Deborah Jorritsma
· Artistic Director of Chico Creek Dance Centre and Chico Community
Ballet for the past 25 years
· Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Chico "Annie's" award for
her contribution to dance
· Former professional ballet dancer with Pittsburg Ballet Theatre
(Pittsburg, Pennsylvania), working with noted choreographers
Ruth Page and Leonard Massine
· Trained in classical ballet in performance and pedagogy at the
University of Oklahoma under Miguel Terechov and Yvonne Chateau
(one of the first American Indian ballerinas)
· Dancer with Fort Wayne Ballet (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
· Trained in France with Rosella Hightower, and with the National Ballet
of Washington, D.C. with Frederick Franklin and Oleg Tupine
· Has directed and choreographed full length ballets: The Nutcracker,
The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppélia, La Fille mal Gardée,
and A Midsummer Night's Dream
· Currently teaches classical ballet at Chico Creek Dance Centre and
former faculty at the Theatre Arts department at CSU, Chico.
Catherine Sullivan
· Founder and Associate Director of Chico Community Ballet
for the past 25 years
· Recipient of the Chico "Annie's" award for choreography
· Recipient of the Mayor's Award for Excellence in Dance and Visual Arts
· Ballet training with Eileen Smith (Wmß Christensen, San Francisco
Ballet); Barbara Crockett (San Francisco Ballet, Sacramento Ballet);
Nolan T'Sani (American Ballet Theatre, Capitol City Ballet, Sacramento);
Harold Lang (Ballet Russe, American Ballet Theatre); Rebecca Wright
(Joffrey Ballet); Jillana (New York City Ballet) and Arthur Mitchell (New
York City Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem)
· Modern Dance training with Murray Louis and Laura Dean (New York)
as well as professionals trained by Lester Horton, Joe Limon,
Alwin Nicolais, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham
· Also trained with Bill Evan (Seattle, Arizona) and Gregg Lizenbery
(University of Haw'ai) who introduced the use of Laban Fundamentals
as a body therapy and dance technique tool
· Academic degrees in art history, sculpture, and printmaking
· Currently the curator of the Janet Turner Print Museum at
California State University, Chico
Genevieve M. Peña
· BA in Theater Arts from CSU, Chico, and Masters in Cross-Cultural
Education and English Credential from National University
· Founder of Full Force (Hip-Hop) Dance Company in 2001,
Head Director from 2001-present
· Trained at the Edge and Millenium Dance Complex in Hip-Hop
in Los Angeles, CA
· Head Coach at La Quinta High School (2006-2008), Head Coach
at College of the Desert (2005-2008)
· Choreography / teaching credits include Court Theater 1998, Keeping
Dance Alive (1998-2010), Chico Dance Theatre (1998-present) Palm
Desert High School, Cathedral City High School, PV High School,
Full Force, Newbury Park High School, DIVA Dance Crew, Starlight
Dance Studio, Studio 4, Dimension Dance Studio, and several
recreational cheer, dance and step teams
· Scholarship winner of Dave Scott, one of the most respected hip-hop
dance choreographers in the industry
· Currently a staff member at Chico Creek Dance Centre, Full Force
Head Director and choreographer for Chico Allstarz Pom Squad
Sheree Henning
· Graduated from CSU, Chico and currently teaches dance classes
for them, as well as for Chico Creek Dance Centre
· Choreographed for numerous productions, including CSU, Chico's
Gypsy, The Birds, 42nd Street, Crazy for You, and Rent, as well as Chico
Cabaret's Swingtime Canteen, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and Godspell
· Choreographed Chico Theatre Company's opening musical,
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, as well as Gypsy, Radio Gals,
The Goodbye Girl, and Beyond Karaoke
· Directs the annual repertory dance concert, Keeping Dance Alive!
Jarrah Myles
· Inspire School of Arts & Sciences, Dance & Theater Instructor
· Chico Community Ballet Pre-Co. Creator 2008,
Pre-Co./Jr. II Director 2009-2010
· Full Force Dance Co. Artistic Director 2005-2008,
Assistant 2002-2003 & 2008-2010
· B.S. Business Administration & B.A. Musical Theatre, CSU, Chico
· Masters & Teaching Credential work, New York University,
Steinhardt School of Education, Dance Education & Administration
Camille de Ganon
· Professional dancer, actor, choreographer and teacher for
more than 35 years
· Performed on Broadway (original cast member) in the
5 Tony award winning best musical Jerome Robbins' Broadway
with Jason Alexander
· Performed on Broadway in the 5 Tony award winning best musical
The Mystery of Edwin Drood produced by Joseph Papp
· Guest artist at The New York City Opera for Beverly Sills at
Lincoln Center in Brigadoon, working directly with Agnes de Mille
· Performed roles for Agnes de Mille in Oklahoma and Carousel
· Selected by Michael Smuin for Anything Goes on Broadway.
· Performed in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance
choreographed by Peter Martins (director of New York City Ballet)
· Principal dancer with Hartford Ballet Co., Dayton Ballet Co.,
Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, and The American Dance Machine
in NYC, performing at Carnegie Hall, City Center, Radio City Music
Hall, and theaters throughout the world
· Worked directly with Eugene Loring (Billy the Kid), Lar Lubovitch,
Garth Fagan (Lion King), Gwen Verdon, Glen Tetley, and
Lynn Taylor-Corbett
· Performed works by Balanchine, Limon, Dunham, Fosse, and
numerous others
· Choreographed for numerous professional dance companies
and universities throughout the country
· Danced and acted for numerous television shows, national
commercials, voice-overs, and films
· Vested member of The Actors Equity Association, voting member of
the Screen Actors Guild, and member of The American Federation
of Television and Radio Artists.
· Choreographed several pieces for the Chico Community Ballet
· Two of her pieces were selected as finalists in the McCallum
Theatre for the Performing Arts Choreography Festival in 2010
· Teaches Pilates at her private, state-of-the-art, Pilates studio at
Chico Creek Dance Centre
· She is a second generation, fully certified Pilates specialist,
originally certified by Pilates protege Romana Kryanowska in NYC
(25 years experience)
· Two years on staff at Saint Francis Hospital in San Francisco
teaching rehab-based Pilates in the Center for Sports Medicine
· Certified, affiliated, and recommended by Authentic Pilates (TM),
True Classical Pilates (TM), The United States Pilates Association
(TM), Romana Pilates (R), the Center for Sports Medicine San
Francisco and The International Association For Dance Medicine
and Science
· Her work is endorsed by Brooke Siler (The Pilates Body)
· Pilates Specialist for the Chico State Mens Golf Team for the
past 3 seasons
Melinda Buzan
· Graduated CSU, Chico in 1997 with a BA in Theatre Arts
· Dancer and performer for over 20 years
· Currently teaches pre-dance and pre-ballet at CCDC
· An instructor for Butte College teaching jazz dance and
dance production
· Choreographed many musicals for Butte College and
Chico State including Chicago, Rent, Grease and Anything Goes
Rachel Rodd
· Studied tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop and lyrical at the competitive level
· Transferred to Cast and Co. Dance Center in Dublin to continue training
in all styles and begin competing and performing at an international level
· Recipient of several dance scholarships, including Company Dance,
LA Dance Magic, and Dupree Dance Conventions
· Participated in a cultural dance exchange throughout several cities
in China as part of a competitive team
· Dancer and choreographer of Chico Dance Theatre for 7 years,
and directed the show twice
· Danced and choreographed for Keeping Dance Alive! several times
and participated in teams such as Expressions and DIVA dance crew
· Graduated from CSU, Chico in 2007 with her BA in Media Arts and
Design and a minor in Theatre Dance
· "Dance is life for so many of us, and giving what I know to as
many students as I can has always been my dream. After 6 years
of experience with dance instruction, working with Chico Creek and
Full Force is an honor!"
Cheylene Della Maggiore
Jordan Sanchez
Raven Hunter
