Staff Bios
Kristen Coats, Owner/Artistic Director, Performing Company Director, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Technique Instructor Kristen has created original works for performing companies, dance teams, musicals, theater productions, talent shows, pageants, and competitions. Her choreography has earned her 10th overall at Rainbow Nationals as well as 5 other choreography awards. Miss Kristen’s students dance professionally, attend college on scholarship, perform on professional dance teams, captain worship dance teams, attend professional dance schools, compete in pageants, and become dance instructors. Her extensive training began locally and includes the Edge PAC in L.A. As a young performer she earned regional and national honors including scholarships and titles, trained with top choreographers, was President of her Thespian Troupe, and raised over $25,000 for Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital. Miss Kristen is currently in her second year as George Fox University’s Dance Team Coach and teaches a dance elective at CS Lewis Academy in Newberg, OR. Miss Kristen is driven to provide life skill training through CVDA and help her students set and acheive their goals and fulfill their dreams.
Holly Derville-Teer, Jazz Instructor Holly was the Artistic Director of CVDA for 11 years. Her background includes dancing professionally with companies including Marcello Productions, Allan Albert Productions, and Yagi Productions. In 1991, she was awarded a Lifetime Scholarship at Steps on Broadway, a prestigious studio for professional dancers in New York City. She also studied with “Byokai,” a professional Ballet company located in Sapporo, Japan. Committed to continuing her dance education, she has attended seven national dance teacher conferences including “Dance Life” in Arizona this summer. Her dances have received notable awards including “The Choreography Award” at Thunderstruck Dance and she was awarded “Most Outstanding Concept” twice at New York City Dance Alliance. Holly also had her first article published in DanceLife magazine last year. Miss Holly holds a B.A. in Education and a B.A. in English and was awarded the Education Department’s Award of Excellence upon graduation. She is also certified to coach by the State of Oregon and was previously the Assistant Coach for the NHS dance team and a dance teacher at CS Lewis Middle School. This will be her 15th year teaching Jazz at CVDA.
Kimberly Kjersten, Tumbling Instructor Kimberly has been studying various styles of dance for 21 years with specialties in Tap, Jazz, and Gymnastics. She was the first CVDA instructor to win the acclaimed “Choreographer’s Award” at Spotlight Cup. Before teaching, she grew up studying at CVDA and was an original member of CVDA’s first Senior Performing Company. Kimberly is also currently in her fourth season as a BlazerDancer. In 2010, she attended the Pro Action choreography workshop in Las Vegas to learn dances that she later taught to the BlazerDancers. In September of 2011, she was one of 6 BlazerDancers invited to represent the NBA at the NBA Madness event in Manila, Phillipines. Along with her careers as an instructor and professional dancer, she is also a full-time student at Portland State University and is majoring in Health Sciences with the intent to earn a doctorate in Physical Therapy. This is her 9th year teaching at CVDA.
Kelli Pinkerton, Ballet Instructor Kelli has danced professionally with Cornish Dance theatre in Seattle and with Eugene Ballet company under the direction of Toni Pimble. She has preformed original works by Pat Hon and has also danced roles in the “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Cinderella” and many others. Kelli has taught and coached many of her students on to professional careers, as well as having students on scholarships in many colleges. Kelli is in her 2nd year of teaching at CVDA and loves being apart of the CVDA family.
Samantha Skillman, Children’s Program Instructor Miss Samantha has been training in dance since she was 10 years old. She spent years on Performing Company and dance teams, including the Oregon All State Team in 2007. Currently she is earning her degree from George Fox University in Early Childhood Education. She is dedicated to creating a fun and loving environment for her students to learn in, and is passionate about showing her students the joy that can be found in dancing.
Erin Bowman, RYT, CYI, Yoga Instructor As a yoga student for more than 15 years, Erin has had the privilege of exploring many styles that she incorporates into her classes: Hatha, Vinyasa, Anusara, Core Power, Yoga Therapy, and elements of Iyengar. Erin received international certification in January of 2009 through the Yoga Alliance, following a one-year program at Yogis Hatha Yoga Studio in McMinnville, OR. Yoga sessions with Erin will offer practitioners a joyful opportunity to use their bodies in poses proven to relieve pain, enhance flexibility, and gain a dynamic understanding of how the body works. Erin’s natural gift of teaching cultivates a safe, nurturing, and non-competitive environment. “It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.” -B.K.S. Iyengar Namaste
Rjay Carey, Musical Theatre Instructor, Partnering and Ballroom Instructor Rjay been performing and taking classes in dance, voice, and acting for most of his life. He was in several performance groups in his youth, which were hired through out the country to do shows for every thing from national conventions to audiences with royalty and presidents. He also attended a high school of performing arts where he had numerous opportunities to hone his art. He has worked as a dancer/singer on cruise ships and at theme parks and choreographed for several nation-wide pageants including holding seven different titles of his own. He has taken master classes and been invited to workshops for all genres of dance and work and been taught by the cast of Broadway shows (Chicago, Smokey Joe’s Café, Will Rogers Follies, and Chorus Line to name a few). He is trained in and able to teach tap, jazz, ballet, modern, hip-hop, clogg, Latin, ballroom, Folklorico, Flamenco, and much more. Though he has experienced many styles and genres of dance his first and true love is and will always be musical theater. He is thrilled to be a staff member of Chehalem Valley Dance Academy and looks forward to working with the other instructors and teaching the next generation of dancers.
Francisco Stoller, Handsprings/Flips Instructor Francisco Stoller has a 10 year background in gymnastics, specializing in power-tumbling technique and performance. He previously was a member of the Hang Time gymnastics performance team and participated in half-time shows, parades, and fairs throughout the NW. Since his days as a performing gymnast, he has founded WaterBear Cleaning and Restoration here in Newberg, and stays extremely involved with the community. You may have seen him do back flips at local events such as Tunes On Tuesday or Old Fashioned Festival. Francisco has made a huge impact in his first year of teachingfor the CVDA family.
Rachel Lilly, Ballet Instructor Rachel has been dancing since the age of four. She grew up dancing on CVDA’s Senior Performing Company. During High School, Rachel completed an apprentice role for Joe Tremaine Dance Conventions and traveled throughout the U.S. working under the nation’s top choreographers and instructors. She went on to train and perform in Los Angeles for one year before continuing her dance career as an aerialist for Tokyo Disney, Performing as Ariel in the Under The Sea Production. Other credentials include Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Urban Muse Productions as a dancer for the grand opening of Galaxy Casino and Resort in Macau, China. Rachel can be seen dancing as a Rosebud for the Portland Winterhawks’ dance team. We are thrilled to have Rachel joining the CVDA staff as a ballet instructor.
Cassandra Banton, Office Staff Cassandra spent twelve years working at her mother’s art gallery and frame shop, (formerly the Cottage Gallery & Frame Shoppe in McMinnville), where her daughter Kristen, CVDA’s owner, worked in high school as well. She has spent the last 8 years as a flight attendant for Horizon Air. After working part time for Brenda at Allstar Dancewear last fall, she was reminded of how much she enjoyed being around the dance community. She joins us now in various capacities for the studio – wherever she is needed. Cassandra is the Office Manager.
We are sad to see Mr. Casey go, but we are excited for his future adventures~ Casey Davenport Letter
