MEET OUR TEAM
Our instructors are not only accomplished artists but also exceptional educators. With a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and an unwavering passion for the arts, they foster a dynamic, inspiring environment where students are motivated to learn and grow.
Elyssa Dru Rosenberg
Artistic & Executive Director
Teacher: Duncan Dance, Ballet, Musical Theater
Elyssa Rosenberg is the Founder and Executive & Artistic Director of Seaside Arts Center, a dance and theater educator with more than 25 years of teaching experience, and a world-renowned expert in the legacy of Isadora Duncan. She holds an M.A. in Dance and Dance Education from NYU and has spent her career creating arts experiences that center artistry, technique, creativity, and the development of the individual artist.
Elyssa’s deep connection to Duncan’s artistic and educational legacy—particularly its emphasis on musicality, freedom of expression, individuality, and the development of the whole person—has shaped not only her approach to dance education, but her broader philosophy of arts education.
A lifelong dancer and “theater kid,” Elyssa’s artistic background has always crossed disciplines. She has directed more than ten children’s musicals, choreographed numerous musical theater productions, and directed and produced countless dance performances for children and adults. Her work as an educator and director is rooted in the belief that young artists deserve opportunities not only to develop their craft, but to discover where they belong within the arts.
That belief is at the heart of Seaside Arts Center. Elyssa founded Seaside in part to recreate and expand upon the multi-arts education that shaped her own childhood—an environment where dance, theater, music, and visual art are not separate worlds, but different ways for young people to discover and express who they are. She is particularly committed to ensuring that the next generation of theater kids, dancers, musicians, and visual artists are not passed over simply because they do not have exposure, resources, or the opportunity to discover what they can do.
Through Seaside, Elyssa works to build pathways for young people to encounter the arts, develop serious artistic skills, take creative risks, and see themselves as artists—often before they have even thought to see themselves that way.
Hollie delaMontaigne
Managing Director
Hollie delaMontaigne (she/her) 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.
Natalie Gigarjian
Early Childhood Program Coordinator
Natalie Gigarjian (she/her) is a California native and graduate of San Diego State University. She studied Communication and has worked for various organizations in communications and coordination. She also has several years of experience working with children, which has instilled in her the importance of having a growth mindset and cultivating individuality. As EC Program Coordinator at Seaside, Natalie supports all things from tuition and billing to scheduling and communications. When not at the Seaside studio, Natalie can be found with her dog at the beach.
Danielle Behrens
Dance Program Assistant Director
Teacher: Ballet, Jazz/Musical Theater Dance, Tap
Danielle Behrens (she/her) 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!
Anna Fitzgerald
Teacher: Acting, Musical Theater
Anna Fitzgerald (she/her) 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. 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.
Stacie Birky Greene
Teacher: Visual Arts
Originally from Colorado, Stacie Birky Greene (she/her) received degrees in Art and Art History from the University of Kentucky. She also studied in Florence, Italy, and at the Art Institute of Chicago. Although painting was the focus of her training, she has explored her art in a wide variety of media, including drawing, installation and mixed media work. Since 1998 Stacie has been teaching art to children and adults throughout San Diego county, though non-profit organizations, private studios and private lessons.
Stacie believes in providing a warm and open classroom environment where students learn the fundamentals of art, for example, portraiture, still life, landscape, color theory and art history. These subjects are explored while fostering a sense of creativity and personal expression. She feels the visual arts open doors that can empower a student, helping them to develop confidence and individuality by embracing both the intuitive and the rational, and providing a framework for creative thinking that is applicable to a broad variety of study.
Erica Kahn
Teacher: Acting, Musical Theater Dance
Erica Kahn (she/her) is a San Diego-based director, choreographer, and teaching artist with a passion for musical theatre. She holds a double bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Dance from UCSD with an emphasis in choreography and directing, and a minor in Education Studies.
She believes strongly in advocating for the importance of the arts and is passionate about creating safe and accessible spaces for youth of all backgrounds and experience levels. Erica also runs a volunteer youth theatre group she co-founded, called Scripps Onstage, that aims to educate and provide opportunities for students to get involved in the arts and produce original works.
She has 10+ years of experience working with youth and currently works with various youth theatre companies and educational arts programs across San Diego County.
Xander Liszt
Musical Theater Stage Manager
Teacher: Ballet, Duncan Dance
Xander Liszt (they/them) is a San Diego County native and recent graduate of San Dieguito High School Academy. They have trained in and performed classical ballet, Isadora Duncan Dance, musical theater, and singing. Some of their favorite roles have been the Rat Queen and the Dew Drop (The Nutcracker), Ms. Hannigan (Annie), Mother Abbess (Sound of Music), and Mrs. George (Mean Girls). They are currently pursuing a degree in Theater and Dance. Xander has always found their second home to be the dance studio and performances, and hopes to extend this same experience to their students at Seaside. They are excited to share the beauty and skills integral to dance, including artistry, story-telling, and technique.
Alexis Longway
Teacher: Early Childhood, Acting, Ballet 1 & Jazz 1
Alexis Longeway (she/her) is a San Diego-based dance educator and performing artist with over a decade of training in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, tap, ballet, musical theater, and improvisation. She previously taught dance with Onstage Dance Company and Dance To EvOLvE, where she inspired students of all ages through creative, confidence-building instruction.
Alexis is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Television, Film, and New Media Production from San Diego State University and holds an Associate degree in Acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). She also graduated with honors from Connections Academy’s Performing and Visual Arts program.
Passionate about movement and storytelling, Alexis strives to create a positive, engaging classroom where every student feels encouraged to grow as both an artist and an individual. She is excited to share her love of dance and theater with the Seaside Arts Center community.
Lucia Padilla
Teacher: Camps, Liberty School
Lucia is a proud San Diego native, born and raised in National City. She began her dance training with transcenDANCE Youth Arts Project and later earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a Minor in Women’s Studies from San Francisco State University. Upon returning to San Diego, Lucia reconnected with transcenDANCE as a Teaching Artist for their off-site residency with the Lemon Grove School District, and performed as an alumni dancer in several productions, including their 20th Anniversary celebration.
Her experience also includes work with a variety of arts and entertainment organizations, such as Malashock Dance School, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, and the Entertainment Department at Sesame Place San Diego. Passionate about arts education, Lucia is dedicated to enriching the San Diego community through creative expression.
Stephanie Smith
Teacher: Singing, Voice, & Piano
Stephanie Smith is a Lyric Coloratura Soprano from Southern California. Pevious roles include Barbarina and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Rona in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Amy in Little Women. Stephanie has performed internationally with the acclaimed opera studio at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS). Stephanie has performed with notable professional choruses Musica Vitale, San Diego Bach Collegium, and La Jolla Symphony Chorus and is a founding member San Diego-based vocal octet Vox Humana.
Stephanie has won awards from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) in the San Diego 2024 and 2025 district competitions, taking first place in the advanced college category both years. She is also a second-place award winner in the advanced college category of the NATS Cal-Western 2025 regional competition, and a 2026 finalist and winner of the Trovillo-Graham Award at the San Diego Musical Merit competition. Stephanie has recently graduated from San Diego State University with her Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance where she has gained experience in classical voice, stage directing, and teaching in higher education. Stephanie has worked with students of all ages and levels in musical theater, classical, jazz, rock, and pop styles.
Wen Song
Social Media & Community Outreach Coordinator
Teacher: Early Childhood, Visual Arts, Lyrical Dance, Hip Hop, Musical Theater, Sewing, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Singing
Wen Song (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist and dance graduate of San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts(SDSCPA), where she trained at a pre-conservatory level. She has worked professionally as a performer, choreographer, and costumer with organizations including San Diego Dance Theater, Malashock Dance, Opera A La Carte SD, San Diego Mesa College, and the Asian American Dance Festival. Wen is the founder and director of Song In Motion, a contemporary dance company focused on community engagement and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
A dedicated educator, Wen creates nurturing, dynamic classrooms where students feel empowered to express themselves. With pedagogical training through AXIS Dance, Expressive Arts Institute, and Child Development studies at San Diego Miramar College, she designs curriculum that supports both artistic growth and social-emotional development. She is currently pursuing her B.A. in Dance at UC San Diego and is proud to teach at Seaside Arts Center.
Ana de la Torre
Teacher: Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater
Ana de la Torre (she/her) discovered her love for dance in high school and has been inspiring movement ever since. She trained at the Academy of Performing Arts, Edge Performing Arts Center, and Millennium Dance Complex, and has performed with various theater groups throughout San Diego.
Ana has had the opportunity to work with renowned artists including Bill Virchis, Kevin Patterson, Liam Harney, Tiffany Billings, and Jean Isaacs. She has taught dance to students of all ages and choreographed for The Hollywood Christmas Parade. Ana is thrilled to bring her passion, experience, and vibrant energy to the Seaside Arts Center community.
Megan Wasniewski
Teacher: Hip Hop, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Fiber Arts, Acting
Megan Wasniewski (she/her) is a San Diego-based dance professional, choreographer, and teacher. Originally from San Jose, CA, Megan began her dance training at the age of two and has studied extensively in the styles of ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and modern throughout her career. In 2016, she received a B.F.A. in Dance from San Diego State University and was a member of the SDSU Dance Company where she continued to perform and adapt her personal movement aesthetic. She has attended programs including the American Dance Festival and the American Dance Festival Winter Intensive.
In 2016, Megan spent a year furthering her dance career in New York City. While in NYC, Megan performed as a company member on Bryce Dance Company, collaborated and performed in work by Sandra Kramerova, and danced in multiple music videos for various music artists. Since moving back to San Diego, Megan has performed and collaborated in dance shows throughout San Diego, as well as choreographed and produced work herself. Megan teaches dance styles including ballet, hip hop, jazz, and musical theater and is excited to start a new teaching journey with Seaside Arts Center!
