Kelly Devine & Tim Stevenson created Dance aTaK to advance dance education in a positive, dynamic and inspirational environment. Dancers receive outstanding knowledge and training through intensives with top professionals / educators in the industry.
Sacha Mendivil, was born and raised in Southern California. She attended Loyola Marymount University receiving her BFA in dance and her BLA in Psychology. Sacha has traveled the US with various performance companies, and was a member of the Los Angeles Clipper Spirit. Some of her Television and Film credits include Boston Public, the Cartoon Network, Monday Night Live, Arliss, The Hot Chic, WWE and Power Rangers. She has worked with artists such as Lil Kim, The Baja Men, Powder, Lionel Ritchie, The Cotton Mouth Kings, Harry Connick Jr, Sisquo, Powerman 5000 and Mark Anthony, as well as commercials for Nike, Coors Light, Sketchers, GMC, Sankyo, and TYR Sportswear. In addition to film and television, she travels as a master teacher and does does choreography extensively for Nationally ranked dance teams and solo performers. 
Jeffrey Caluag is the head Director for the hip hop dance team, Team Millennia. He has performed with dance companies such as Mischief Makers and Maker Empire. He teaches at Millennium Dance Complex OC and Snowglobe Perspective. Jeffrey teaches all around the world and is excited to join the Dance aTaK Family. 
Kelly Devine attended Chapman University where she received her BFA in Theater & Dance. Post graduation, she danced, modeled and acted, as well as Instructed at Conventions and judged Competitions across the country. Some notable credits include: Nike, New Balance, Hard Tail, Adidas, Trina Turk, KMS International, Co Dance, On Cue LA. Kelly spent 7 years as a teacher at San Clemente High School, where she was honored in receiving the Orange County Arts Educator of the year award. Kelly implemented the International Baccalaureate Dance Program at SCHS, taught P.E. Dance, R.O.P. Dance, I.B. Dance and led the San Clemente High School Dance Team to numerous USA National Titles. In 2009, She and Tim Stevenson created Dance aTaK, a dance to advance dance education in a positive, dynamic environment, inspiring dancers through intensives with the industry's top professionals. Dance aTaK is currently in its 9th season and thriving. Kelly presently enjoys freelance choreography, teaching master classes, serving as Dance aTAK's co-director, working with #teamdanceatak and being a dedicated wife and Mom to her 3 young children. She will always be committed to the art of dance and is very excited to embark on the future of Dance aTaK 
Marlena Arellano has been an educator in the dance industry for twenty-one years; she is a gifted choreographer who has diverse stylistic abilities, who also carries a deep passion for building proper technique into the dancer’s body. Further, she has experience directing a studio for almost a decade in addition to successfully running her very own professional company Project Unveiled, where she fell in love with the fusion of dance, film, lighting and photography all blended into a professional showcase where she collaborated with other Los Angeles based choreographers. Most recently, Marlena was awarded the Industry Dance Award: Best Jazz Performance for her piece ‘Limit To Your Love’, danced by the talented seniors of South County Dance.
Marlena’s started dancing at the late age of 9. She grew up a competition dancer under the direction of Keri LaGrand (Tremaine Convention Faculty) and realized at the age of 16 that she had a talent for teaching and choreography. She received a scholarship at the infamous Edge dance studio at the age of 17. While in L.A. she booked jobs for Debbie Allen, Wade Robson, MTV, Tito Puente Jr., TJ Maxx, Jose Cuervo, VH1 and more. She also performed at the famous Hollywood Bowl and Carnival. Her wide versatility of training equips her with a unique ability to continue to evolve with the ever-changing industry. From the start as a choreographer, she has received many National Champion titles and Choreography Awards. She is also very proud to share that many of her students have had gone on to have amazing dance careers in the Industry in addition to some of her dancers being offered spots at prestigious colleges such as Julliard, USC, and more. Marlena also judges for MOVE Dance Productions and enjoys giving feedback to the inspiring youth around the country. Her fun, humble, laugh at herself personality, always brings positive energy to her students. She loves teaching and hopes to inspire her dancers with the heart to understand the importance of foundation and technique. She shares a heartfelt guidance for every child to understand that they are not meant to be like others, but to be true to who they are and build upon their natural strengths and always work harder. Her twenty years of experience as an educator and choreographer is definitely her gift to share. |
Chalatorn Ujamras graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in dance. She attended Orange County School of the Arts. Chalatorn has traveled throughout the United States as an assistant to Tina D’Amato Sidoni, assisting with dance instruction and choreography. In 2004, she also traveled as an assistant on LA Dance Magic Conventions.
Chalatorn choreographs and teaches master classes throughout the United States at various dance studios and high schools. She is an instructor and choreographer at Orange County School of the Arts, West Coast School of the Arts and South County Dance Company. She has also been a part of Unity LA, under the direction of Tessandra Chavez. She has performed in a Camp Rock 2 promo, and appeared on various episodes of America’s Got Talent, and The Big Bang Theory. 
Rochelle Mapes just earned an MA in Dance from Cal State University, Long Beach, graduating with honors and receiving an award for Distinguished Achievement in Creative Activity. Additionally, she has a BFA in Dance from CSULB. Some of her professional commercial credits include dancing on the FX television show “Nip/Tuck” and performing with such artists as Gladys Knight and Wayne Brady. She has danced with several contemporary and jazz companies, notably, BARE Dance Company under the direction of Mike Esperanza. Currently, she is a dancer, choreographer, and rehearsal director for RhetOracle Dance Company with Nate Hodges. Her diverse work has been presented on the professional concert stage, in college dance departments, studios, and extensively with competitive high school dance teams. She is a much sought after master class teacher and has taught for conventions/workshops like Dance aTAK, United Spirit Association Dance Camps, American Ballet Intensives, KAR convention, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts in affiliation with ABT William Gillespie School. In addition, she judges dance competitions on a regional and national level for USA and internationally for the USASF Dance Worlds. During the school year she teaches at the prestigious Orange County School of the Arts where she is a Facilitator and jazz/contemporary teacher for the Commercial Dance Conservatory.
Tim Stevenson is a Director, Choreographer, Author, and Artist Manager. He strives to bring professional, cutting edge and positive experiences to all his projects and inspire all who strive for excellence. Tim has choreographed for Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, Trinity Jo Dee Messina, Colette Carr, Usher, Boys to Men, Johnny Knoxville, Stacie Oricco and More. He comes from an extensive background in all styles of dance and has performed on stages, concerts, television award shows, and music videos with Jennifer Lopez, Boys II Men, Usher, Destiny’s Child , Brandy, TLC, Jennifer Love Hewitt and had a scene in the Movie” Bringin Down the House” with Steve Martin. 
Rachel Ruhe began dancing at the age of three, focusing on classical ballet through childhood. At the age of twelve, she expanded her dance training to include jazz, contemporary, modern, tap and tumbling, and at this time, also began competing. After graduating high school, Rachel decided to continue her dance training in college after being accepted into the dance program at California
State University Fullerton. As a dance major Rachel extensively studied ballet, pointe, modern dance, and dance composition/ choreography under the direction of Gladys Kares, Debra Noble, Alvin Rangel-Alvarado and Muriel Joyce. While in college she was also selected to represent CSUF at the American College Dance Festival in 2015. Rachel graduated with her B.A. in Dance in May of 2016 and is so excited to be apart of the OCPAA staff. |
Melissa Sandvig is most well known for her performance on Season 5 of "So You Think You Can Dance" as the "Naughty Ballerina". Melissa was the first classically trained ballerina and the oldest contestant at age 29. She broke stereotypes about age and ballet and made it all the way to the top 6. She has performed on the hit shows “GLEE” “DANCING WITH THE STARS”, “AMERICA’S GOT TALENT”, “GREYS ANATOMY”,“HART OF DIXIE”, “BUNHEADS," "MOBBED"and “THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS.” She has also performed in motion capture work for many of the “Shrek” movie dance scenes “Puss in Boots” and “Madagascar 3”, and is currently working with Cirque Du Soleil creating a new show.
Melissa continues to perform with companies such as Helios Dance Theater, Sacramento Ballet, Los Angeles Contemporary Ballet, Luminario Ballet, Motion Tribe, Body Traffic, Strange and Elegant Dancers, String Theory, The Los Angeles Opera, and many more. Now she continues to perform, teach master classes, and is pursuing a career in acting. 
Kendra Andrews was raised in Florida and graduated Cum Laude with a B.F.A in Dance from Florida State University. Some of her film/television credits include: starring as "Anala" in Disney's STEP UP 3, FOOTLOOSE, G.I. JOE RETALIATION, HOUSE M.D., LOST GIRLS, BACHELORS, MASTERS OF SEX, and BLINDSPOTTING. She has performed at the Academy Awards, on So You think You Can Dance, the Teen Choice Awards, The Voice, and at the MTV VMA's with Rihanna. She was the Assistant Choreographer for NBC's "THE VOICE" season 1, and toured nationally with the finalists as their choreographer.
Eddie Garcia is an accomplished director, choreographer, dancer and all around entertainer. He has performed around the world with many of today’s most celebrated stars. At just 16 years old, Eddie Garcia’s incredible dancing style and technique had delivered him to the world stage via Janet Jackson. Less than one year later, Janet’s older brother Michael Jackson, hired Eddie to join him on (what would become the first of several) world tours with “The King of Pop.” Drawing from his performance background in some of the most classic and influential videos of all time (with both Michael and Janet Jackson), Eddie Garcia has also had the pleasure of lending his talent to projects with Adam Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Jane’s Addiction, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Brandy, to name just a few. Working extremely well with collaborators, Eddie has also joined forces with superstar Jennifer Lopez, appearing in and co-choreographing several of her award-winning videos. Eddie also worked alongside “J-lo’” with various television appearances including “The Today Show” and “The MTV Video Awards.” Additionally, Eddie co-directed the live NBC Television Concert special – “Let’s Get Loud.” Other notable credits include both choreography and performances for the film “Bringin’ Down the House” (starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.) Eddie also appears in the feature film version of the musical “RENT.” Along with choreographing Disney’s “The Suite Life with Zach and Cody,” Eddie worked with Perry Ferrell and Satellite Party for “Lollapollaza” as well as Jane’s Addiction for the Coachella Festival. 
Jia Huang graduated from The University of California Irvine with a BA in dance. UCI is also joined one of Southern California most cutting edge hip hop teams, Kaba Modern, which she directed in 2003-2005. In 2007-2008 she appeared on television shows such as Dirty Dancing and America’s Best Dance Crew. She spent 2009 on The Circus Tour Starring Britney Spears as one for four female principle dancers. She was a founding member, choreographer and dancer for the professional Contemporary Jazz company RhetOracle, Mischief Makers and KM Legacy. She has been a dancer in multiple music videos, award shows including the VMAs, commercials and most recently choreographed a promo video for the 2017 Grammies. This is her 9th year on dance staff for the United Spirit Association and has been awarded Rookie of the Year, Hardest working, MVP for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 and the Leadership Award for 2018. She is a seasoned judge, having judged competitions such as World of Dance, USA High School Dance Nationals, UDA College Dance Nationals, Japan Dance Nationals and Dance Worlds. She is also a faculty member at the prestigious Orange County School of the Arts, but spends most of her time teaching and choreography for high school teams and studios in California. She has taught master classes in places such as Canada, Australia, Norway, China, Mexico, Japan and continues to teach all over the US. |
Will Tran has been dancing and doing gymnastics since he was 14 and has been teaching/choreographing since 2003. He started when he was in high school and did dance competitively with his high school and his studio. After high school, he graduated from Chapman University as a dance major with a minor in advertising. While at Chapman, he started the nationally ranked dance team who has won USA Nationals every year since 2009. During college, Will also worked for Disney where he was a performer for many parades and shows. He entertained many guests and celebrities for 8.5 years. After college, Will joined Pace Elite All Stars Dance Team where they were chosen to be Team USA for Pom and Jazz and they were the gold medalist at International Cheer Union and Dance Worlds in 2012. He has worked with and done commercials for Disney, Mattel: Barbie, and other shows in Vegas. Now he is currently getting his teaching credentials from CSULB and is teaching and choreographing all over the nation for all kind of students and famous YouTubers.
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