Meet our team
Our teachers make the difference
Seaside Arts Center's teachers lead with enthusiasm, pedagogical expertise, passion, and fun, keeping students engaged and excited to learn.
Want to join our team? Email your resume to: elyssa@seasideartscenter.org.
Elyssa Dru Rosenberg, Artistic & Executive Director, Dance Program Director
Elyssa Dru Rosenberg holds a Master’s degree in Dance and Dance Education from New York University and a B.A. from Tufts University. As a dance educator, she brings her passion for historical context and artistic development to her students in her Isadora Duncan technique, Ballet, and Creative Movement classes. Elyssa is a world-renowned expert in the legacy of Isadora Duncan and has presented her research, choreography and historical restorations at dance education and dance history conferences and in numerous venues around the United States. She has also taught Master classes and workshops at universities including UCSD, Tufts University, NYU, and SUNY Purchase. As a performer and choreographer, Elyssa’s work has been presented at various venues in New York City, San Diego and Boston. Elyssa founded Seaside Arts Center as a creative space for children of all ages and means to express themselves and gain confidence through art.
Anna Fitzgerald, Director of Community Engagement, Theater Program Director
Anna Fitzgerald is a theater-maker based in Southern California who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English Literature and Language Theory. Anna previously served as Musical Director for the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, M.A. and is a prolific performer. Some of Anna’s favorite theatrical roles include playing the conniving and evil Beadle Bamford from “Sweeney Todd,” the maid-of-all-work, “Ruth” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance,” and the powerful “Portia” from Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” Anna is the co-founder of ISLE Theater Company, and along with collaborator Marvin Merritt IV, she recently wrote and directed an original comedy entitled "DO NOT MOVE STONES'' — check out the digital-on-demand show here. When not in a theater, you can find Anna either reading, tap-dancing, surfing, or hanging with her husband Liam and adorable kitties, Sage and Saphira. www.annamarjoriefitzgerald.com.
Miriam Haughey, Visual Arts Program Director
Miriam Haughey holds a degree in Art History from UC Santa Cruz and a Master’s in Education from National University. She was a high school art teacher in San Diego’s East County for over 15 years. During that time she designed and implemented curriculum to fit California VAPA standards, taught mixed grade level classes which included general education students as well as ESL students and students with IEPs in a mainstreamed inclusive classroom. Miriam also taught introductory art classes, advanced and AP level courses. She has had several student exhibition wins, and former students who are now working professionally in the arts. Besides her career as an art teacher Miriam is raising two kids, volunteers often in their school and is busy painting and drawing in the little spare time she has left.
Katherine Alspach, Teacher, Voice
Katherine Alspach is thrilled to join the Seaside Arts Center community of teaching artists. Katherine has performed as a singer, dancer and a Shakespearean actress all over the country. New York City, Los Angeles, regional theater, tours, Disney Cruiseline and Crystal Cruiseline, theam parks, workshops, industrials, she has done it all and worked with some of the most exciting directors in the business. Garry Marshall, Diane Paulus, Allegra Libonati, Jim Dooley, Kevin Del Aguila, Jesse Robb, Matt Walker, Sheryl Kaller, Molly Alvarez Booth, Ameenah Kaplan, Barry Pearl, and Marcia Milgrom Dodge, to name a few. Katherine worked backstage on Broadway on the 10 Tony-award winning “Billy Elliot,” where she observed the brilliant Stephen Daldry for 70 hours a week create artists out of 19 talented child actors. She applies what she learned in all of her lessons to her children. For her part, Katherine was hand picked to create the co-leading role for the MainStage show Grand Opening of Shanghai Disney: 12 new script, in 4 days, to be presented perfectly and privately to Bob Igor (CEO The Walt Disney Co 2005-2015), himself. Katherine was also a script reader and long-time troupe member for Garry Marshall, she was Kit in 4 readings of Broadway’s “Pretty Woman,” and contributed to the structure and spirit of the show. Katherine’s favorite rolls include, Katharine in The Taming of the Shrew, Rizzo in Grease, Perdita in A Wither’s Tale (2011 Ovation nomination), Hermia in Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and the beloved children’s character: Junie B. Jones. There’s been lot of singing and a lot of creation. Katherine holds her B.F.A. from The Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee and is honored to to have trained among some of the most dynamic talents in the business. Katherine is married to multiplatinum, multi-award winning music producer and songwriter, Scott Spock of the Matrix Music. He is the most breath-taking musician she has ever encountered and she has learned volumes from him. She and her family live quietly in San Diego. Katherine joined Actors Equity Association in 2004.
Danielle Behrens, Teacher, Ballet, Jazz/Musical Theater Dance, Tap
Danielle Behrens was born and raised in Visalia, California. She works professionally as a musical theatre performer and dance instructor in both California and New York City. She has been dancing since the age of 3 and teaching and choreographing since the age of 16. While studying dance at Sierra Performing Arts Center, Danielle quickly discovered that she wanted to pursue a career in the arts and began training in voice and acting as well. She continued her training at College of the Sequoias, and then transferred to Marymount Manhattan College in New York City where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre. After graduation, Danielle joined the North American touring cast of The Wizard of Oz working as a swing. She then performed on the Disney Wonder cruise ship where she appeared onstage as Aurora, Cinderella, Belle and more. Danielle has also had the pleasure of performing at many regional theaters around the country. Some of her favorite credits include: Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza, Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain, and Meg Giry in Phantom of the Opera. She has worked as an instructor and choreographer at Broadway Dance Center, Thommie Retter’s NYC Tap Crew, Lopresti Dance Theatre, Sierra Performing Arts Center and College of the Sequoias. She loves sharing her passion for the arts as well as everything she has learned along the way!
Hannah Cook, Teacher, My Grown-Up & Me, PRe-Ballet, Dance FUNDAMENTALS with Tap
Hannah Cook graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCSD with a BA in Dance. She has taught dance for children of all ages for the past 8 years all over San Diego County, including enrichment programs in academic settings. Ms. Cook enjoys introducing kids to rhythm and creative movement as well as developing their gross motor skills, emotional expression, and technique.
Selena Di Paolo, Teacher, Pilates Mat
Born and raised in San Francisco, Selena trained as a classical ballet dancer.
At age 19, after performing and touring with local companies (Robert Moses & Robert Henry Johnson), Selena moved to NYC, where she discovered Pilates. She found it was the perfect rehab/cross training for Ballet dancers and quickly saw how it would benefit anyone.
For 20 years Selena has taught all levels of Pilates, tailoring her teaching to meet the needs from her clients.
Selena is certified in both Mat & Equipment Pilates.
Courtenay Duckett, Teacher, Tap
A native New Yorker, Ms. Courtenay spent several years studying tap with Broadway legend Charles Goddertz before transitioning to Maryland where she successfully managed Knock On Wood Tap Studio, the longest running tap-only studio in the world. While there, she continued her training with Baakari Wilder (Bring In Da Noise Bring In Da Funk), Yvonne Edwards (co-founder of Knock On Wood) and a host of other special guest instructors, including Chloe Arnold and Maud Arnold (Syncopated Ladies). In 2011, Ms. Courtenay relocated to San Diego where she has been improving the dental health of children as a Pediatric RDA. She is also helping others improve their quality of life and well being as a Certified Professional Life Coach while raising the next world leader, her son Ryan (a.k.a. “Duckie“).
Rebecca Elster, Teacher, Ballet, Modern
After training in Ballet from the age of 4 at the Performing Arts Workshop in Encinitas, Elster graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2017 with dual degrees in Dance and Education. Upon graduation she was named in the Santa Barbara Independent’s “young artists to watch” list, and awarded the “Emerging Dance Artist 2017” prize. She was also awarded the DEL Scholarship to receive training at the Dance Education Laboratory in New York. She particularly enjoyed touring internationally and getting to perform in London, Athens, Cypress, and Italy as well as in New York and California. Rebecca is very happy to be back at her “childhood dance home” teaching dance in North County!
Cybele Peña, Teacher, World Rhythms, Hip Hop
Cybele Peña has been a dance teaching artist for more than 20 years. Teaching credits include: Culture Shock Dance Center, isadoraNOW, Arts for Learning San Diego, Bocón, and SDCCS. Cybele has been dancing all her life and is inspired by all forms of movement as well as the way culture, life, history, tradition, and nature help to cultivate dance styles. She has spent many years learning about Latin American and Caribbean dance, training both locally and in South America. Among the dance styles she teaches are Hip Hop, Latin Fusion, Afro Cuban, Creative Movement and storytelling through dance. She sees dance as a critical tool for education reform and social justice. She loves teaching about dance as a dynamic, embodied way to investigate culture and history and deepen our understanding of and our connection to people around the world.
Heather Shershun, Teacher, Hip Hop
Heather Shershun graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Sociology. She completed a Dance Teacher Training program through Eveoke Dance Theatre. Heather specializes in teaching youth and underserved, "at risk" populations, and is certified to teach people with disabilities in movement classes. Heather’s teaching credits include Malashock Dance, Eveoke Dance Theatre, ODC Dance Commons, and California Academy of Performing Arts (SF Bay Area). Heather has developed curriculum and choreography on positive body image and healthy self-esteem for young women through dance and founded San Diego’s first Women in Hip Hop Conference. She also presented on Dance as Activism and Hip Hop Dance History for social justice conferences and for dance companies. Professionally, she has performed in Oregon, Oakland, CA and San Diego with Dance Northwest, Breakdown Dance Co., Bodywerk Dance, Eveoke Dance Theatre, and NuEra, under the direction of David Darkie Simmons.