Meet our team

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. 

 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.  

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!

 Uriah Brown (Bass-Baritone) is a graduate of San Diego State University where he earned a BM in Music Education and a BA in Spanish for Education. He is a classically trained Singer and has performed in a few operas, but is deeply rooted in Gospel and R&B as he grew up and learned to sing at church. Uriah  has an extensive background in musical theater both on-stage and behind the scenes. Some of his favorite leading roles were in The Wizard of Oz, Rent, and The Music Man. Although he loves to be on stage, Uriah’s true passions are Education and Advocacy for the Music and Dramatic Arts. He has served as an ambassador and mentor for Youth Entertainment Stage Company (Y.E.S. Co.), a Musical Theater Arts Education program of the Stanislaus County Office of Education in partnership with Gallo Center for the Arts and is annual lead performer for UC Merced’s Children’s Opera, an outreach program servicing the neighboring schools and districts. 

Uriah is originally from the San Fransisco Bay-Area, but spent his most important and formative years in Turlock, California.  Uriah is thrilled to share his passion for the stage and music with the children of Seaside Arts Center and it’s community.  

 Karama "Ayanna" Butler is a performer and instructor recently relocated here from Los Angeles. She was most recently on staff as an adjunct Dance Professor at Hussian College for the Commercial Dance  Program prior to moving to San Diego. Her professional experience includes: working with Laureanne "Boomkack" Gibson for French Montana, assisting the company Ballet Black in London, instructing for the Korean Dance Federation, Master class series at Cal State Fullerton, The Koresh School, and various schools back East. Some of her training background includes: the Cincinnati Ballet school, The Alvin Ailey School, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Jacob’s Pillow. Past collaborations/company work include: DCDCII, Dance Theater X under direction of Charles Anderson, Nathan Trice's R I T U A L S, and Abdel Salaam's Forces of Nature, Zane Booker's Smoke, Lilies, And Jade, and Iquail Shaheed’s Dance Iquail!. Outside of dance she has always extended herself to many different artforms, such as the beauty industry which she's been involved in for over 10 years. Ayanna is very excited to join Seaside and believes that in this very specific environment, we are able to promote development, artistic expression, and individuality . Whether it’s instruction in class or conversation out of class, she is excited and grateful at the opportunity to be a part of that process. She loves laughter and making her class enjoyable, imprinting the joys of dance on students. 

  Averill Corkin has been teaching for over 10 years; subjects including musical theater, vocal pedagogy, classical and a cappella choirs, acting through song, movement for the stage, and Shakespeare. She has a BA from Brigham Young University in Humanities of Theater, and Piano and Vocal Performance, and an M.Ed. from Harvard Graduate School of Education in Arts in Education. She is passionate about using the performing arts as a way to develop humans. She is excited to be a part of the Seaside Arts Team!   

 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!

 Zoe Kromer is an intuitive, creative, and empathic human being with a deep love for the practice and philosophy of yoga. She works as both a children and adult yoga instructor in the greater San Diego area. Her classes combine movement, breath, and mindfulness to create an effective and memorable experience. She is a certified yoga instructor (200 hr YTT) with her training from 3Oms Yoga. She also holds a BA in Holistic Health and Wellness, with an Emphasis on Yoga Studies from Western Washington University. Zoe believes that when taught and practiced with integrity, yoga has the power to heal, unite, and awaken us all to our divine nature. When she is not teaching yoga, she enjoys painting, dancing, writing poetry, and being in nature with her dog.