Instructor Bios

Uchenna Anyikam

I'm a Computer Science graduate student at CSUF concentrating on Software Engineering and have been practicing Muay Thai for 4 years. I've always been interested in the art for its practical use in actual self-defense situations and its natural and flowing movements. Although it may be difficult to explain, I am a firm believer that martial arts changes people forever. Helping and teaching others has always been a passion of mine so I enjoy this opportunity to share my martial art.

Mariah Lewis

Mariah Lewis is currently a sophomore at CSUF with an anticipated major in Kinesiology. She has been dancing since she was 5 years old and has trained in various styles such as Contemporary, Salsa, Ballet, Jazz, African, modern and her specialty, Hip Hop. Ever since she was young, she always had a knack for dance and at age 13 she started teaching people how to move through this art. At her High School, she choreographed an ample amount of cheer and dance teams along with Beauty Pageants and competition routines. During the summer, she taught at a dance studio in her hometown and now has the opportunity to teach at her college, which is a great accomplishment! She is truly passionate about dance and gains the greatest satisfaction from just teaching others and watching them grow as dancers and people.

Cassidy Worley

Cassidy Worley began dancing hip hop since she was seven years old. She started dancing at Studio 429 in Encinitas. She was apart of their junior and varsity hip hop teams such as, Primary Source, Tru Definition, Reprise Production Team, and Breakthrough. While she was on Breakthrough, they placed 3rd in the USA at a dance competition called Hip Hop International, also known at HHI. As well as placed 6th in the world at HHI. Now, Cassidy is currently on an adult hip hop team called Common Ground, which is located at UCI. Cassidy wants to make sure her students get a lot out of her class. She really wants her students to understand her choreography and ask questions. This class is meant to challenge other dancers, but in the most positive way possible. Cassidy is very patient and is willing to work with anyone as long as they are willing to work with her.

Jabari J. Morris (Mo)

Hi, my name is Jabari J. Morris but you can can call me (MO). I am a (young) 36 year old student at Cal State University fullerton majoring in Theatre & African American history. I have been dancing Salsa since I was 8 years old, and started teaching at the age of 12. I have gotten the opportunity to teach private classes for married couples, at local recreation centers in "mi barrio" the city of Pacomia, and assist at two colleges. Another highlight of my gift from God is getting the chance to finally teach my own classes at The Titan Recreation center at CSUF whch has gotten me closer to the tip of the iceberg, in anticipation of opening and owning my own dance studio(s) someday.I have developed a "Passion for people " over many years and LOVE every minute of it!!!!

Daniel Warren

Daniel Warren has been training in Martial Arts for 22 years. He has attained a 4 degree black belt in Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu Karate, and has trained extensively under Kobudo great grandmaster Roy Nabuchi Shogen Oyakawa. He is also a 2nd degree black belt in Judo, and ranks in various styles of Jiu Jitsu, Kung Fu, and others. Sensei Warren is an instructor at The Samurai Academy, which is one of Orange County’s most elite and oldest Martial Arts studios, established in 1966. Daniel Warren also earned a Bachelor Degree from California State University, Fullerton.

Nick Jenkins and Brooke Gentle

Nick Jenkins and Brooke Gentle have been swing dancing together since February 2012. Nick and Brooke are trained in Lindy Hop, Charleston, and East Coast Swing and together they have won 1st place in Strictly Lindy at Laughing in Rhythm, 1st place in Team and 4th place in Strictly Lindy at Camp Hollywood National Jitterbug Championships, and 6th place in Team at the International Lindy Hop Championships where they competed in Washington D.C. with dancers across the globe. Nick and Brooke compete and perform with the Fly Rights, a three time National Jitterbug Championship winner. Nick is currently the President of California State University, Fullerton Swing Club and recently won 1st place in Pro-Am at Laughing in Rhythm. Brooke has been dancing for 4 years and has won 3rd place in Jack and Jill at Struttersball, 2nd place in Strictly Lindy at U.S. Open, 4th place in Harvest Moon at Inspiration Weekend, and 2nd place in Intergenerational at Camp Hollywood National Jitterbug Championships.

Tracy Bernardo

Tracy Bernardo has been dancing since she was three years old and cannot imagine doing anything else. She is a recent graduate from Cal State Fullerton where she received her BA in dance. She was a member of the national award winning CSUF dance team for two years and is now a member of Fuse Modern Dance Company. She has trained in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, modern, and contemporary and she cannot wait to share all of her training with you!

Melanie Elaine Hansel

Melanie Elaine Hansel, age 21, is from Banning, California in Riverside County. She began her dance training at age 6 at California Dancer located in Moreno Valley. She trained in Ballet her first two years of dancing and then extended her training into different genres of dancing, including Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Musical Theater, Hip Hop, and Modern. She began dancing en Pointe at age 11. She continued her training at this particular studio until it closed in 2009. She is currently a senior at California State University, Fullerton, working on her BA in Dance. During her time at the university thus far, she has had the honor of receiving dance scholarships as well as being chosen to perform in several Ballet and Modern pieces in various concerts, including a Pointe pas de deux and other Ballet variations. She supplements her training with classes at the Jimmy Defore Dance Center located in Costa Mesa.

While training with California Dancer, Melanie competed at several dance competitions, such as Rainbow Connection, Showbiz, Spotlight Dance Cup, Czar Productions, Encore, and others, as well as attended several dance conventions, including Los Angeles Dance Force and New York City Dance Alliance. Throughout her years of competing, she scored in the top three or above placement at numerous regional and national competitions as a soloist and received various special awards for performance qualities and showmanship. Such awards included Technique awards, the Mary Kasai Ballet awards, summer intensive scholarships, and student-choreography awards. In 2007, she was one out of fifteen semi-finalists for the Music Center Spotlight Awards in the non-classical dance category. In 2010, she and five other CSUF students attended and performed at the American College Dance Festival Association regional hosted in Arizona and were chosen to be one of the four universities of their region to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. during the national conference in the summer of the same year. In 2012, she and seven other CSUF students attended and performed at the festival that was hosted in Modesto and were chosen to be one out of two universities of the region to perform again at the national conference in Washington D.C during the summer.

Melanie’s TA and teaching experiences occurred while at California Dancer. She was a teacher assistant, particularly in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, and Lyrical, since the age of 12. She was hired as a teacher in August of 2006 and taught as both a permanent and substitute teacher for beginning and intermediate Jazz, Tap, Combo (geared toward children ages 4 to 6), and, most predominantly, Ballet and Pointe classes. She has had the opportunity to be a teacher assistant for Ballet and Modern classes at CSUF. She also taught Ballet classes at JPD in Corona during the spring of 2011 and a level 1-2 Tap class at the Jimmy Defore Dance Center in the fall of 2011. She is currently teaching Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical at Urban Edge.

Way Chen

Way Chen took on dancing as a hobby in 2008, and it soon became a lifestyle. Ever since he discovered the art of Hip-Hop culture, Way has grown to become a devoted artist in his passion. Specializing in street dance styles, Way has experimented with popping, locking, urban choreography, and many other styles. He has competed and earned first place at World of Dance Bay Area in 2011 under the team Academy of Villains, and has also taken first place in four freestyle competitions in 2012. Take Way's classes to experience the art of Hip-Hop street dance culture!