Meet the StaffAll of CDI’s teaching artists are professionally trained performers who have completed the rigorous National Dance Institute (NDI) teacher training, taught by master teachers from New York. All of our accompanists are professionals trained to work in a live classroom environment.
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Carole Valleskey
Founder/Artistic Director Carole Valleskey is the Founder and Director of the California Dance Institute, an affiliate of Jacques d’Amboise’s renowned National Dance Institute. Familiar with the NDI program since 1983, Carole re-connected with founder Jacques d’Amboise in 1998 and worked to bring this acclaimed program to Los Angeles. Ms. Valleskey danced with the Joffrey Ballet from 1976-1991 and was a principal dancer from 1983 on. Receiving national and international notice, her most critically acclaimed roles were as “The Cowgirl” in Agnes deMille’s Rodeo, the title role of “Lise” in Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardee and “The Chosen One” in the re-creation of the 1913 Nijinsky-Stravinsky Le Sacre de Printemps. She also danced with Cynthia Gregory & Fernando Bujones; the Basel Ballet in Basel, Switzerland; Houston Ballet; and American Ballet Theatre II. Ms. Valleskey was Dance Captain and swing dancer with Phantom of the Opera from 1991-1995. From 1998-2002, she was Director of Education and Outreach for the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles, Prior to that she worked with the Music Center Education Division as a teaching artist and writer of their arts study guides, Artsource. |
Kevin Bowers
Musical Director
Accompanist
Kevin Bowers, has a BA in music from Princeton University, a Masters in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan, teaches private lessons, and has accompanied dance classes throughout the Southland. Kevin develops, edits, arranges, and distributes music for all CDI programs. He recruits, trains and mentors all accompanists. With the Artistic Director and staff, he develops musical pieces for all culminating shows and hires and directs a 6- to 8-piece band for the Event of the Year shows.
Musical Director
Accompanist
Kevin Bowers, has a BA in music from Princeton University, a Masters in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan, teaches private lessons, and has accompanied dance classes throughout the Southland. Kevin develops, edits, arranges, and distributes music for all CDI programs. He recruits, trains and mentors all accompanists. With the Artistic Director and staff, he develops musical pieces for all culminating shows and hires and directs a 6- to 8-piece band for the Event of the Year shows.
Susan Gladstone
Assistant Artistic Director
Susan Gladstone, studied at the prestigious School of American Ballet, after which she joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle where she performed principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and Lynn-Taylor Corbett among others. Susan was dance captain/ballet swing in both the national touring and Broadway casts of The Phantom of the Opera. In 2004 Susan completed the National Dance Institute’s teacher training program and began teaching for CDI shortly thereafter.
Assistant Artistic Director
Susan Gladstone, studied at the prestigious School of American Ballet, after which she joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle where she performed principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and Lynn-Taylor Corbett among others. Susan was dance captain/ballet swing in both the national touring and Broadway casts of The Phantom of the Opera. In 2004 Susan completed the National Dance Institute’s teacher training program and began teaching for CDI shortly thereafter.
Jessica DeBolske
Teaching Artist
Jessica DeBolske trained at Motion Pacific Dance Studio in Santa Cruz, CA for 12 years in a variety of genres. She received a Bachelor of Arts from UC Riverside in 2015, where she expanded her technique training into modern dance and improvisation and performed/choreographed for the department’s productions of Spring Forward and UCR is Dancing. She danced for the university’s Gluck Contemporary Dance Ensemble, where she toured schools in the Inland Empire to demonstrate the importance of dance and the arts to students. In addition to being a CDI Teaching Artist, Jessica also works as a brand ambassador for multiple sports teams in Southern California.
Teaching Artist
Jessica DeBolske trained at Motion Pacific Dance Studio in Santa Cruz, CA for 12 years in a variety of genres. She received a Bachelor of Arts from UC Riverside in 2015, where she expanded her technique training into modern dance and improvisation and performed/choreographed for the department’s productions of Spring Forward and UCR is Dancing. She danced for the university’s Gluck Contemporary Dance Ensemble, where she toured schools in the Inland Empire to demonstrate the importance of dance and the arts to students. In addition to being a CDI Teaching Artist, Jessica also works as a brand ambassador for multiple sports teams in Southern California.
Maya Estephanos
Teaching Artist
Maya Estephanos is an award winning choreographer and instructor from Atlanta, GA. She has over 15 years of industry experience and has taught dancers of all levels and genres including hip-hop, jazz, ballet and tap. Maya's experience includes: Training at Alvin Ailey and The Broadway Dance Centre (studying under Debbie Allen and Savion Glover); dancing with Beyonce, Usher and J.Lo; choreographing for P.Diddy, Nicole Scherzinger and The Second City; along with developing artists for Zone 4, Jive and Interscope records. Maya is passionate about dance and education and believes there is something to be learned in every moment. She hopes that students will apply what they learn in class to life, both accomplishments and the feeling of community.
Teaching Artist
Maya Estephanos is an award winning choreographer and instructor from Atlanta, GA. She has over 15 years of industry experience and has taught dancers of all levels and genres including hip-hop, jazz, ballet and tap. Maya's experience includes: Training at Alvin Ailey and The Broadway Dance Centre (studying under Debbie Allen and Savion Glover); dancing with Beyonce, Usher and J.Lo; choreographing for P.Diddy, Nicole Scherzinger and The Second City; along with developing artists for Zone 4, Jive and Interscope records. Maya is passionate about dance and education and believes there is something to be learned in every moment. She hopes that students will apply what they learn in class to life, both accomplishments and the feeling of community.
Toni Collins
Development Associate
Toni Collins is a summa cum laude graduate of UC Irvine in Information and Computer Science. Beginning her career as a business specialist for major computer firms such as IBM and NCR, Toni later started her own company, Cross that "T" and Dot that "i" Editing and Web Services, which specializes in helping nonprofits. An enthusiastic supporter of California Dance Institute since its inception, she is pleased to count CDI as a valued client.
Development Associate
Toni Collins is a summa cum laude graduate of UC Irvine in Information and Computer Science. Beginning her career as a business specialist for major computer firms such as IBM and NCR, Toni later started her own company, Cross that "T" and Dot that "i" Editing and Web Services, which specializes in helping nonprofits. An enthusiastic supporter of California Dance Institute since its inception, she is pleased to count CDI as a valued client.
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Jonathan Selig
Photographer Jonathan Selig is an award winning photographer who began his professional career in photography with assignments from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE at the age of sixteen. He served as the Lead Documentary Photographer for the 1984 Olympics, and was the Senior Western States Instructor for Nikon from 1972 to 1979. |
Jonathan's design work exhibits a unique ability to create sophisticated and powerful graphic images, and he is exceptionally skilled at capturing the elusive moment when people reveal their true identity. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, corporate brochures, advertising and museums both nationally and internationally.
Presently working on a wide range of projects for corporate, non-profits and private clients while continuing to produce his fine art images, Mr. Selig's web site is https://branded.me_/jonathanseligphotography.
Presently working on a wide range of projects for corporate, non-profits and private clients while continuing to produce his fine art images, Mr. Selig's web site is https://branded.me_/jonathanseligphotography.
