Coastal Dance Centre

Sandra Burnham
Adjunct Ballet Faculty

Ms. Sandra Burnham received her RAD training in Yorkshire England. At the age of 16, she danced with “Ballet For All”, an education unit of the Royal Ballet. Following this, a
contract was offered to dance in Paris, France, with the famous “Bluebell Girls” at the Paris Lido, where she stayed for 7 years. After working in New York as a television
production assistant, she returned to England to open her ballet school, to which she dedicated 23 years. Many pupils went on to gain scholarships
and places at England’s most prestigious vocational schools including the Royal Ballet School. Due to the success of her school, Ms. Burnham was invited to become a Graded
Examiner and Tutor for the Royal Academy of Dance, a position which she has held for the past twenty years. She currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina where she teaches
on a private basis. Her passion in life is to visit California.

Trisha Kennedy
Ballet Faculty and CYBT Ballet Mistress

Ms. Trisha was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Her dance training was primarily with the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance School (CCPDS), the professional training
school of Ballet Philippines. She was a CCPDS scholar for five years which consequently led to an apprenticeship with Ballet Philippines. Ms. Trisha trained in classical ballet with
Noordin Jumalon, Perry Sevidal, Gina Katigbak, Victor Ursabia, Cecile Sicangco, Nonoy Froilan and William Morgan. She also trained in Modern ballet with Agnes Locsin. Ms. Trisha
has performed with Ballet Philippines in various productions both classical ballet and modern. While with Ballet Philippines, she worked professionally with acclaimed ballet and
modern dance artists and choreographers. She began teaching in 1997 with the CCPDS prior to teaching in the United States.

Aside from dance teaching, Ms. Trisha works as an account executive with Qantum Radio. In June 2008, Trisha and her husband Matt, started an insurance business, Kennedy
Insurance Associates, LLC, in Myrtle Beach.

Karen Mata
Ballet Faculty and CYBT Ballet Mistress

Ms. Karen was born in the Philippines and migrated to the United States with her family when she was 16 years old. Her mother, Liza, who owned and was director of two dance
schools in the Philippines, was her primary ballet teacher. Prior to her move to the United States, she has had the opportunity to perform with the Philippine Ballet Theatre
productions of “Swan Lake,” “Don Quixote”, and “Serenade” and “Who Cares” with guest artist Robert Barnett.

She has done all the Royal Academy of Dance Grades and the Intermediate and Advanced 1 Vocational examinations garnering "Distinction" and "Honours" marks as well as a
Distinction mark for her Australian Ballet Syllabus Examination. She has competed in the New York City Finals of the Youth America Grand Prix International Student Ballet and
Contemporary Competitions from 2003 to 2005. She has attended summer intensives at the Washington Ballet School in Washington D.C., at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the Carolina Ballet Theatre in Greenville, SC, and at The Art of Classical Ballet in Pompano Beach, Florida.

In 2005, Ms. Karen began her year-round training with Magaly Suarez and Ibis Montoto at The Art of Classical Ballet and has since performed with the Cuban Classical Ballet of
Miami productions of “Paquita,” “Majissimo,” “Giselle,” “Swan Lake,” ”La Vivandiere”, “La Bayadere”, ” The Nutcracker,” “Le Corsaire,” “Carmen” from 2006 to the present. She
has also performed with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami at the International Ballet Festival of Miami in 2007 and 2008.

FACULTY

Christie Karavan
Tap Faculty

Christie Karavan is a dancer, teacher, director and choreographer. Ms. Karavan is certified by the Dance Masters of America and the Cecchetti Council of America. Her most recent
productions include choreographer for “Sweet Charity” and “Forever Plaid” for Coastal Carolina University. Ms. Karavan continues her tap training through The Chicago Human
Rhythm Project, The N. C. Rhythm Tap Festival and classes in NYC.

Lori Lee Mendieta
Hip-Hop Faculty

Ms. Lori-Lee is the Founder –Director of United Spirit Sports of America which she founded in Lexington, Kentucky eight years ago. USSA is a cheer leading choreography
company whose headquarters is now based in Murrells Inlet. She and her staff choreograph for some of the top cheerleading and college dance programs in the country. She has
choreographed for the Gator Bowl Half-Time show held in Jacksonville, Florida in 2008 and continues to travel and do cheerleading training sessions in the East Coast and Midwest.

Liza Mata
Artistic Director and Ballet Faculty

Liza received her formal dance training in the Philippines and was director of two dance schools for 27 years prior to moving to the United States with her family in 2002. She is a
Certified Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance, and has participated in teacher training seminars, RAD Teachers’ refresher courses, dance festivals and competitions in the
United States, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines. She prepares and enters her students to the annual RAD ballet examinations and ballet competitions such as
the Youth America Grand Prix, American Ballet Competition and local competitions, where a good number of her students have won and garnered awards and scholarships.

She was recognized as the Outstanding Choreographer at the Youth America Grand Prix Greenville Regional Competition in 2006. Under her stewardship, Coastal Youth Ballet
Theatre, CDC's official performing company, won the Impeccable Customer Experience (ICE) Award as the Best Non-Profit organization presented by the Myrtle Beach Area
Chamber of Commerce in 2008. That same year, also under her stwardship, CYBT's second year of staging the full length production of “The Nutcracker” was presented in
partnership with the Palace Theatre management.

Liza Mata believes in the value of good quality education in all the arts. In her more than thirty years of dance teaching experience she is producing students who are making
careers as dance professionals and enthusiastic dance supporters. Teaching dance and fostering the love of dance to others continues to be the highlight of her teaching
career.vibrant and accomplished dance schools and youth ballet companies, respectively, thereby enriching our community through the promotion of dance as art form.

Elsie Pollock
Pianist for the RAD Ballet Classes

Ms. Elsie is a native of Georgetown, SC. She began her piano studies at an early age, and pursued both piano and organ in college. She graduated from Furman University with a
degree in music theory, and continued her piano and organ studies after graduation, first at Meredith College and then at UNC-Wilmington. She has been featured as a soloist with
the Charleston, Wilmington and Greenville symphonies, and has performed a chamber music series in Charleston. After serving more than 30 years as music director at Prince
George Winyah Episcopal Church in Georgetown, Ms. Pollock took a position in 2008 as assistant organist and choir director at Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church in
Litchfield. She also maintains a busy private piano studio.

Jessica Coggins Harrell
Ballet-Tap Combo, Modern / Contempprary and Musical Theatre Faculty

Mrs. Jessica was raised in Greenville, South Carolina. There shewas trained in theatre and dance at The Fine Arts Center. She received honors such as All-American Cheerleader
from the Universal Cheerleaders Association and a Junior Oscar for her role as Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird. She then ventured to Winthrop University and graduated on the
National Dean's List with a Bachelor's Degree in Dance Performance. At Winthrop, she studied all areas of dance and participated in Rhythm Quest and Winthrop Dance Theatre.

She has also trained under Emmy-Award winning choreographers such as Wade Robson and Mia Michaels. She was a dancer in the Miss South Carolina Pageant and a contender for
So You Think You Can Dance. She has choreographed for the Greenville Growl hockey team and the Myrtle Beach Stingrays indoor football team. She has also enjoyed time on
stage in the Wowie Zowie Thingamajig Ballet, musicals such as Fame and Miracle on 34th Street. She continues to travel around South Carolina and conduct cheerleading and
dance team camps with her company Ovation.

JoAnn Szaley
Ballet-Tap Combo, Jazz, Lyrical and Tap Faculty

Originally from Connecticut, Ms. JoAnn is a sophomore Biology major at Coastal Carolina University. She has been dancing for 16 years and started teaching for 4 years. She has attended
numerous intensive classes in all areas of dance in New York City with teachers such as Savion Glover. She was chosen to perform and dance in festivals on tours in Germany and France.
She was also grateful to dance for the ambassador of the United States and foreign countries.

Amy Hinds
Balle-Tap Combo, Jazz, Lyrical and Tap Faculty

Ms. Amy is a native of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and has been dancing for 12 years. Before dancing, she was a gymnast for 8 years. She has competed locally and nationally in
dance competitions and gymnastics meets around the eastern United States. Ms. Amy graduated from Winthrop University with a BA in Dance with a K-12 Teacher Certification.
While at Winthrop, she took master classes with the Alvin Ailey II Company, Caroline Calouche, and The Power Company. She has studied and taught various genres of dance
throughout the years to all ages. Ms. Amy is the Regional Coordinator for the Lower Pee Dee for the South Carolina Dance Association and will be teaching and attending seminars
and master classes at their upcoming conventions.

Rebecca Henegar
Musical Theater Faculty

Rebecca C. Henegar is a recent graduate from Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Musical Theatre. Born and raised in Elmira New York, she began pursuing her passion for music
and theatre at a young age. Rebecca is an accomplished cellist, singer, and actress. She has played her cello in the Pit Orchestra at CCU for productions of Jason Robert Brown's
Parade and The Last Five Years, The Southern Finger Lakes Youth Orchestra, The Twin Tiers Community Orchestra, as well as several special appearances. In 2008, Rebecca received
the UpCup Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Jeannie in Fat Pig. Rebecca can also be seen in local commercials. Dr. Patti Edwards has trained Rebecca's singing voice
to sing anything from arias to show-tunes. She has studied Ballet, Tap, and Jazz from Robin Stephens, Alice-Anne Oaks, Jennifer Lent, and Barbara Hartwig.

Aside from performing, she is also a seasoned costumer and writer. Rebecca's next goal is to attend a Graduate School for Journalism with the hope to one day become a Theatre
Critic.

Led by Artistic Director Liza Mata, a line-up of regular faculty members and distinguished guest teachers, each one of whom has a different dance background, bring a wide
range of skills and challenges for CDC students.

The Official Performing
Company of
Coastal Dance Centre

Click on the image to visit CYBT

A dance experience unlike any other you will find in the Grand Strand area.

Studying at the Coastal Dance Centre is more than just an activity.

Regardless of where you are in training, we will take you to new levels of excellence!