Dance Teachers

Cathy Lozano, Owner/ Artistic Director

Cathy’s teaching experience spans over 30 years. She has served as an instructor at California State University Fullerton and the Orange County High School for the Arts as well as at private studios in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Cathy has studied with such noted teachers as Joe Tremaine, Hama, Gus Giordano, Savion Glover, Dianne Walker and Linda Sohl-Ellison. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater from California State University Fullerton and is a graduate of the American Tap Dance Institute in Washington, D.C.

Cathy has appeared in stage shows and television specials for The Walt Disney Company including The Magic of Christmas,The Golden Horseshoe Revue and Disneyland’s 30th Birthday Celebration on NBC. Her Disney career has also taken her to Tokyo Disneyland, where she danced and sang in both English and Japanese. She has created shows and events for charities such as Mercy House, High Hopes and the Variety Club of Hollywood. She has worked with celebrities Clay Aiken, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Hector Elizondo, Art Linkletter, Joe Montana, Paige O’Hara(voice of Belle), Stepanie Block(Elphaba of Wicked,) Jody Benson (voice of Ariel), James Woods, Alan Menken (composer Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin,) Garry Marshall, Robby Benson, and the Muppets.

Cathy was a choreographer and show director for the world premiere of Disney’s Hercules in New York City, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade celebrating A Bug’s Life and the Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s European Tour. She has also directed and staged spectacular live shows at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theater in conjunction with several Disney film presentations including Toy Story and 101 Dalmatians, Pirates of the Caribbean and Lilo and Stitch.

Amber Haller
A graduate of the OC High School for the Arts Commercial Dance department and is currently studying Interior Design in Los Angeles. She’s taught for 10 years and continues to study dance at the Edge and pursue her professional dance career in LA. Her professional experience includes Jessica Simpson’s video These Boots, the Disney Teacher Awards, Flying Angel in Glory of Christmas, the American Basketball Association Los Angeles Aftershock Shockgirl, OC Museum of Art Hair shows, and Disneyland’s Parade of the Stars. Amber is one of our performing company choreographers and has received top choreography and cash awards for both solos and groups!

Crissy Lozano
Is currently a student at California State University Long Beach, majoring in Theatre. She has taken master classes at the American Tap Dance Institute and danced the role of the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. She spent 3 years as a member of Esperanza HS Dance Company where she received the Best Student Choreography award. Crissy was also a Hall of Fame all star dancer and currently studies tap at OCC with Linda Sohl-Ellison, director of Rhapsody in Taps. She has also studied dance at CSULB under the direction of Susan McLain, Andy Voca, Sophie Monat and Keith Johnson. She looks forward to graduating in the spring of 2012 and wants to persue her dance teaching certificate.

Rebecca Binkowsi
Since the age of 2 Rebecca has studied all forms of dance. In addition to dance she has also studied gymnastics. Rebecca joined the Berkshire Ballet Theatre in Illinois at the age of 14 to further her passion of ballet. She participated in its debut season and helped to grow the company’s reputation over a 4 year period. During that time she performed as the lead in several ballet productions including; Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. Rebecca has participated in Advanced Ballet Intensives with Ballet Chicago under the direction of Patricia Blair. Rebecca loves teaching all ages and her enthusiasm and passion for ballet and performance are infectious.

Michelle Serigstad
Michelle has been performing since the age of 4 and performed in Vocal Ensemble and Choir up until freshman year of high school. Up until this year, she competed with the Performing Arts Company and is now in Performing Troupe at Momentum Performing Arts Center. This past spring she participated in El Dorado High School’s production of Footloose. She enjoys teaching and feels she brings a positive energy to the studio. In the future, Michelle hopes to pursue a career as a teacher, nurse or physical therapist; however, she hopes to continue dancing. When she is not dancing, Michelle is either volunteering at the homeless shelter or visiting with friends and family. She would like to thank her mom, Miss Cathy and God for supporting her throughout her dance career.

Christopher Litven

Originally from Canada, Chris is a well-rounded dancer who comes to Momentum having studied at The National Ballet School of Canada, Victoria School of the Arts, and his home studio DanceCo. He has extensive training in Classic Jazz and Fosse Style and enjoys teaching jazz, ballet, modern, musical theatre, tap, lyrical, and classes for men. He has toured the world with Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruise Lines as a performer. He was a featured performer at Tokyo Disneyland as well as here at the Disney Theme Parks in High School Musical, Electrial Parade, Fantasmic! and numerous special events. Currently he is a maintenance choreographer for The Disneyland Resort and is also working on obtaining his pilot's license.

Kaitlin Wright
Has been studying dance since the age of 4. She is currently a student at the University of California, Irvine. She has performed the roles of Ariel and Jasmine in Momentum’s most recent ballet productions, and she is excited to be a part of the Momentum Performing Troupe. She has studied at the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive program and she appeared in an episode of Nickelodeon’s Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. She also accompanied Marlene Hall on the European concert tour in 2007.

Jenny White

Holds a BA in Theatre/Dance from Cal State Fullerton, Her long list of training includes Long Beach Ballet, ABT, Harkness Ballet, the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham Schools. Jenny was a member of the Gloria Newman Dance Theatre as well as Matti Lascoe Dance Company. Additional performances include Disneyland’s Golden Horshoe Revue, Wild Bill’s Extravaganza, Wizard of Oz National Tour, Sacramento Music Circus. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years as she loves to share her passion for dance with so many.

Carla Henson
At the young age of ten Carla discovered her passion in the form of movement. Starting off with jazz as her first introduction to dance she was consumed by the energy and free flow of this pure form of expression. Once she reached junior high she advanced to hip hop and started to choreograph different events .ie. talent shows, rallies, etc. Her senior year she became a member of a hip-hop company called Breed OCLA and performed with them for four years. She is currently a dance major at CSUF where she trains in modern and ballet and will be receiving a degree in performing arts. Her main purpose for all this hard work is not for adulation or praise but simply for the deep love and passion to teach movement to those who are willing to embrace the experience. She believes that each student is there own and should be approached differently to the evolving practices of dance in order to look toward the future.

Michelle Hamilton             

Michelle was raised in Buena Park where she received her early ballet training from her mother, Norma Hamilton. She received a scholarship at    age 16 to the Joffrey Ballet Company in New York City and also performed and toured with the San Francisco Ballet Company. Her other professional credits include principal dancer with Nevada Dance Theatre and Project Coordinator/Choreographer for all productions for Princess Cruise Lines.

Michelle Berry                    

Michelle has been dancing since the age of four. She has taken classes at the Yorba Linda Community Center, Academy of Ballet and Dance Arts and Clifton Dance Project. She was on the tap team at Academy of Ballet and Dance Art for four years and has studied ballet, jazz and tap. Tap is the style of dance that shows her highest dance qualities. Michelle was in a Disney Sing Along video, danced in the FOX show "Mobbed" and has performed in Friends in Dance, which is a choreographer's showcase. She attended Rosary High School and was captain on Red and Gold for two years. Her senior year she was on the white team. She graduated from California State University Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Minor in Health Science. She is currently working on her Master's of Science in Kinesiology at California State University Fullerton and will graduate in May 2012.

Administration

Melissa Litven, Studio Operations and Events Manager
Melissa comes to Momentum with a broad variety of experience in managing and creating entertainment. She has a passion for developing entertainment, television and live events. She has experience with entertainment management for Disney, the United Spirit Association, MTV Networks, Direct TV, Epson, Toshiba, and The Gallery Theatre in addition to Momentum Performing Arts Center. Prior to working behind the scenes, she spent several years performing in shows, parades, television, atmosphere entertainment and special events. As a performer, Melissa was featured at Disneyland in Anaheim and Tokyo. For television, Melissa was a featured actor for shows, The OC, Las Vegas, The Nine, and Hero's. Melissa holds her BA in Communications with an emphasis in Entertainment Studies and a minor in Television and Film. While attending Cal State Fullerton, Melissa interned at MTV Networks on her favorite MTV shows. Her professional training in Television Production and Electronic Field Work was received at Orange Coast College. Her self produced Film Short, was featured at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Molly Bracken
Molly competed in gymnastics for 3 years and was on the El Dorado High School Cheer Squad for 2 years. She also helped coach a Pop Warner cheer squad in Yorba Linda. Molly also enjoys playing soccer and played on a club soccer team for 9 years. Molly recently graduated from El Dorado and will be attending Cal State Fullerton in Fall 2009 as a Human Services major.

Laura Lanzi
Laura is currently attending California State University Fullerton. She received professional dance training at the Academy of Ballet and Dance Arts. Laura was involved in the Esperanza High School Dance Company. She has a passion for music and hopes to work in the field of publishing.