Interior Design

Faculty and Staff

Michele Jenkins
Instructor

michele.jenkins@chaffey.edu

Michele Jenkins is associate professor of dance as part of the School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts at Chaffey Community College, Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education emphasizing pedagogy and kinesiology from Utah State University, and her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education emphasizing choreography curriculum from California State University, San Bernardino. As Chaffey's full-time dance director, Michele instructs in dance technique and dance history, directs and choreographs main stage dance concerts, choreographs department musicals with past credits including Forever Plaid and Little Shop of Horrors, and works with members of theatre and music to develop interdisciplinary activities. She has spent a 25-year career as a performer, teacher, choreographer, and director in the areas of ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap, folk, character, musical theatre, creative movement and elementary dance education, dance conditioning, and teaching choreography.

In addition to being a part of Chaffey's dance faculty for 25 years, Michele has been faculty and choreographer for Inland Pacific Ballet Academy, Montclair, Ca. and IPB's Nutcracker children's ballet mistress for the past eight years. She has been choreographer for Claremont High School's musical theatre department with credits including Sweet Charity and Hello Dolly!; faculty, choreographer, and ballet mistress for California Riverside Ballet; visiting lecturer for the program in dance University of California, Riverside; and instructor and coordinator for dance conditioning and aerobic dance program at University of Calif. Riverside Physical Education Department. She has been involved in professional organizations and activities as choreographer throughout the Inland Empire including Riverside Community Arts Foundation and Riverside Community Arts funding events, Riverside Kidstuff Rob D'Arc collaboration, Riverside's annual Mayor's Ball for the Arts, California Riverside Ballet annual Ghostwalk, Arts and Cultural downtown Riverside weekend events, established two regional modern dance companies performing original works in a variety of venues in Southern California, and toured with a commercial dance performing company while in Utah.

Michele has a passion and commitment to the teaching of dance and instructs enthusiastically. Because of this devotion, she inspires, motivates, and empowers students to succeed. With a warm, positive, and encouraging approach, she expects a lot from her students while diligently building their confidence. She has always been committed to quality teaching and works to incorporate the utmost professionalism in creating an appropriate learning environment. From the enrichment received from hundreds of students she has had the pleasure of instructing, her love of teaching continues to grow.

Coye Dahlstrom
Instructor

With a career spanning thirty years, Coye Dahlstrom's credits include numerous performances for television, professional stage, and touring companies, both domestic and international. Highlights include performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, as well as, participating in National Performing Arts competitions for ten years. Hoping to inspire others to share her love of dance, Coye gave up touring to focus on teaching. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, wisdom, and guidance to the aspiring dancer. Many of her students have continued their dance pursuits as professional dancers in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. Others have chosen to continue their careers by becoming some of the best coaches and teachers in the industry. As founder and director of Inland Valley Dance Academy, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, now in its tenth year, Coye continues to set the highest of teaching standards for the future of dance. Coye is currently Chaffey College Dance Program's tap dance instructor.

Kirsten

Kirsten Johansen
Instructor

Kirsten Johansen is a dancer and choreographer with degrees from San Francisco State and Tisch School of the Arts (BFA 1998, MFA 1999). Her works have been presented in New York City by The Flea Theatre, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, BRIC Studio, St. Mark's Church, Williamsburg Art Nexus, and DanceNow/The Festival (2000-2004). A member of Gina Gibney Dance from 2002-2004, she participated in the Women@Work program, bringing dance to survivors of domestic violence and homeless teens. She has served as Assistant Director for Another Theatre Company working on Macbeth and The Seagull, and choreographed for American A*hole at St. Marks Theatre and Lady Convoy, which was presented by the NYC Fringe Festival. In April 2005, she was Artist-in-Residence at Riverside School for the Arts partner schools, and has also worked with artists J Mandle Performance, Marc Jarecke and Antonietta Vicario.

Kirsten is currently faculty within the Chaffey College Dance Program teaching modern and jazz dance, as well as dance faculty at Riverside Community College.

B.J. (BOY1-D-R) Brasier
Popper, Locker, Hip Hopper
Instructor

B.J. Brasier is originally from Tacoma, Washington, but relocated to Southern California in the early eighties where he was exposed to the early hip hop dance scene with the music video Bad. B.J. began popping and locking based on what he had seen in films like Breakin and the videos of Michael Jackson. After high school, B.J. began dancing with dance companies including Culture Shock, MaDonna Grimes dance fitness theatre company, and competed under Arthur Murray's tutelage.

B.J.'s experience in entertainment is overflowing with highly respectable names (in reference to performers, companies, choreographers and pop artists), such as: PINK, Jeff Timmons (of 98 Degrees), Hillary Duff, William Hung, Michael Jackson, Paulina Rubio, PLAY, Bianca, Kelly Ryan, Craig Titus, Paulina Rubio, The Disney Company, Jimmy Locust, Madonna Grimes, Barry Youngblood, NIKE, DADA, K-Swiss, Bally's Total Fitness, The Crunch, SONY, Culture Shock Dance Troupe L.A., Pacific Bell, Bruno "POP N TACO" Falcon, and Arthur Murray.

B.J. has appeared in television, film, and print, such as: Jennifer Lopez's Dance Life, Disney's 411 with Hillary Duff, Madonna Grimes fitness and dance instructional videos, PLAY's I must not chase the boys video, William Hung's She Bangs video, VH1's I will survive, The M collection (magazine), Details (magazine), Eureka! (Disney show), Soap Talk (television), Man on the Moon (film), L.A. Dance Directory.com (online magazine), Dangerous Company (film), Disney's Fantasmic!, Arthur Murray's Medal Ball (televised competition), Street Dance Championships (ESPN), Fusion (Televised Street Dance Competition), Discovery Channel's FIT t.v. All-Star Dance Work Out instructional television shows, and many more.

Jo Quinones
Instructor

Raised in the Caribbean, Jo Quinones has been surrounded by dance forms all of her life with early training in ballet, Puerto Rican folklore, and jazz A versatile artist, Jo continued her study of dance by training in ballroom and Latin dance forms before becoming a professional in 1997. As an instructor, she managed Arthur Murray Dance Studio for two years, and eventually went independent holding group and private instruction all around the Inland Empire. Her passion for acting also led her to become a member of the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

She is currently the Assistant Director of the Otero Dance Co. In June, 2002, she formed Afeenix Dance Co., an energetic group successfully performing throughout the Inland Empire. Her stage and television credits include Salsa congresses in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Puerto Rico, and special appearances at the Asian International Telecommunications Expo, Telemundo, Univision, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and CBS. She has been a guest performer at Cancun's Club Med and South Carolina's Sea Brook Island.

Jo is currently faculty within the Chaffey College dance program teaching all styles of social and ballroom dance. With her blend of charisma, sensuality and style, Jo continues to entertain and inspire audiences, as well as commit to and inspire her devoted students.