Meet our team

 Hollie delaMontaigne is a Southern California native and graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara. She studied Art History and Early Childhood Education and has worked for various non-profit organizations in communications and development. She also has more than a decade of experience working with children, which taught her how essential it is for children to have a creative outlet and to find their own voices. As Director of Operations at Seaside, Hollie oversees everything from tuition and billing to scheduling and communications. When not at the Seaside studio, Hollie can be found with her energetic toddler, James, her husband, Brian, and their rambunctious boxer dog, Rudi.   

 Christine Rudy-Reed is a certified dance educator in public PK-12 education. In addition to her work at Seaside Arts Center, Christine serves as the Magnet Schools Assistance Program Arts Resource Teacher at Creative, Performing, Media Arts (CPMA) Magnet Middle School, guiding and supporting teacher professional learning and curriculum development for the San Diego Unified School District. Christine has been an active member of several organizations, including the Illinois Dance Education Organization (founding Board of Directors), Prismatic Movement (founding Board of Directors), and the National Dance Education Organization (Development Committee, K-12 Teaching Mentorship Committee). Christine holds a Masters in Teaching, with a focus in Elementary Education, from Columbia College Chicago, as well as a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in General Business Administration, Dance, and Arts Management, from Bowling Green State University.  

 Katherine Alspach 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. 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. 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 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 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. 

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“). 

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.

 Eliana (Elle) Krasner is a San Diego movement artist who puts her mind and body to work exploring the ways that dance informs the complexities of her own identity and her lifestyle of questioning. In 2022, Eliana earned her BFA in Dance from The Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University under the direction of danah bella in Baltimore, Maryland. At Peabody, she had so many incredible opportunities to better herself not only as a dancer, but as a person.  Before her college career, Eliana trained at Step in Step Dance Studio and the San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in numerous styles including tap, jazz, ballet, different modern techniques, and contemporary. Between Peabody and SCPA, she has worked with world renowned artists including Kyle Abraham, Danielle Agami, Yin Yue, Marjani Saunders, Tessandra Chavez, and Hope Boykin to name a few. Eliana is beyond proud to be a part of the professional world of dance, dance making, and dance teaching.  

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.