Meet Our World Class Staff!
Jenn Acevedo - Jazz/Tap/Hip Hop
Jenn has been dancing at Orange County Song and Dance since she was 9 years old and has loved every second of it. She cherishes the 14 years that she’s been a part of the OCSD family. Jenn has loved performing ever since joining OCSD back in 2009 and was on the Varsity Song Team at Cypress High School for 4 years. After high school, she performed as a can-can dancer at Knotts Berry Farm. She then went on to perform in Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade, Main Street Electrical Parade, and Fantasmic. Jenn is currently studying in hopes of becoming a registered nurse at Cypress College. Jenn is very fortunate to be able to teach at OCSD. Her dance teachers before her taught her everything she knows and is forever grateful. Jenn wants to thank OCSD for the lifetime of opportunities and love!
Kim Arnett- Ballet/Pointe – AEA
Kim started her career in dance as a ballet dancer. She trained and danced with both Hartford Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet after graduating high school. After 3 years she transitioned into Musical Theater. She toured Europe for a year with My Fair Lady and 42nd Street. She was in the Broadway cast and National tour of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby which was filmed for A&E. Kim was also the dance captain for Mamma Mia! 1st National Tour and Vegas. She has worked in local theaters for years including La Mirada where she played Aquata in The Little Mermaid.
Sarah Uriarte Berry – Voice - AEA, SAG, AGVA, AGMA
Sarah is a performer and vocal instructor with a background in theater, opera, film, and television. A UCLA Film/TV graduate, Sarah spent 23 years in NY working on Broadway, in National tours, and as a soloist with symphonies, including the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl! She is currently starring as Charlotte in A Little Night Music at the Pasadena Playhouse. Broadway roles include Eponine-Les Miserables, Belle-Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella (title role)-NYC Opera, Franca-The Light in the Piazza (Drama Desk nom. Best Supporting), Nicola-Taboo, Julie-Carousel-Royal National Theater (DramaLogue Award, Best Actress), Diana-Next to Normal, among others. She can heard on many cast albums. She is married to writer/director Michael Berry and mother of Maddie Berry (a Company Kid!), and Sam and Jesse Berry!
Megan Concepcion – Jazz/Tap/Lyrical/Preschool Dance
Megan has danced at Orange County Song & Dance since 2003 and was a proud Company Kid for 10 years. OCSD has granted many memories and great opportunities including some of her favorites: traveling the country on tour, attending JUMP dance convention, competing against Abby Lee’s dance company, and performing in as many Revues as she can remember. Megan’s love for dance has brought her to continue to study dance at San Francisco State University. In addition to dance, she will also be graduating with a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Movement this December. Megan hopes to use her future B.S. in Kinesiology and minor in dance to become a physical therapist for dancers and athletes. Huge thank you to Miss Linda for allowing me to be part of the Orange County Song & Dance tradition, and another huge thank you to Miss Stacie, my inspiration and hero, who has shaped me into everything I am and am becoming. I couldn’t ask for a better second home and family!
Mollie Rae (Craig) McKinnon – Jazz/Tap/Preschool Dance/Lyrical/Certified Rhythm Works Instructor/ Co Kid Choreographer – SAG-AFTRA
Mollie Rae has truly been a part of Orange County Song and Dance since birth. She was two weeks old at her first Studio Revue. At just 16 months, Mollie Rae waddled down into another dance room, started taking classes, and has been hooked ever since! She even met her amazing husband, Ryan, at OCSD camp and got engaged on this very stage! Their son, Wyatt, is performing and they can't wait for their daughter, Macie, to join them! Mollie Rae is excited to watch them grow up at the studio. She has been a part of the Company Kids for 15 years and was one of the original Company Minis. Some of her favorite credits include “Molly” in the American Girl Revue, multiple voiceovers and events for Disney, and performing various roles in many regional theatre productions. She became a certified instructor with Rhythm Works Integrative Dance for children with special needs. She completed grad school at Stanbridge University to become a certified occupational therapy assistant. Mollie Rae would like to thank Miss Linda for always being there to support her and really be a second family. She would also like to thank her mom, Miss Stacie for everything she does, not only as a mom but also as a dance teacher. Her mom is her hero and Mollie Rae hopes that one day she can be just like her! Mollie Rae’s favorite part of OCSD was getting the opportunity to perform alongside her brother, Quintan. Nana is truly missed in her support of Mollie Rae and the studio but has the best seat in the house this year. Mollie Rae isn’t going anywhere!
Quintan Craig – Tap/Jazz/Voice/Musical Theatre/Co Kid Voice– AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AGVA
OCSD has been a part of Quintan’s life even before his birth. Whether it has been learning how to walk, sing, and dance, or teaching others how to do the same, OCSD has been there every step of the way! Quintan graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre (a school that he first heard about on an OCSD tour to Nashville). He spent those four years learning and training with Broadway’s elite performers, choreographers, and casting directors in the heart of the South. Quintan recently closed the Southern California Premier of An American in Paris at Musical Theatre West understudying Jerry Mulligan. When he’s not teaching at OCSD, Q is teaching at Disney’s Imagination Campus as a Teaching Artist for their Disney Dance and Disney Broadway Magic programs. Quintan can be heard on the MTI cast albums such as WEST SIDE STORY (Riff), Chicago (Billy Flynn), Newsies (Romeo), and Footloose (Willard). He would like to thank Miss Linda and everyone who helped and supported him along the way! Much love to Mom, Dad, Mollie Rae, Ryan, Wyatt, Macie, and Vee! Hangin’ a star on this one for Nana.
Stacie Craig – Jazz/Tap/Lyrical/Co Kid Choreographer – AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AGVA
Stacie began her journey with OCSD as a 3-month temporary tap teacher… 34 years ago! She has been extremely blessed in her career to work in every medium: theatre, commercials, print, tours Voice-overs, and animation. Stacie created the Choreography and Staging Dept for the Walt Disney Company and remained the Senior Choreographer for stage shows, parades, special events, tours, and TV productions. Stacie’s proudest credits are her children Mollie Rae and Q! Both OCSD alumni and now on teaching staff at OCSD. Continuing the story, Stacie’s grandson Wyatt will be performing in the Revue as well! And she can’t wait until her granddaughter Macie Rae, can put on her tap shoes too! This work is dedicated to Stacie’s Incredible mom, Our OCSD Nana. She attended every Revue for 34 years (not just one show in a day but all!), attended OCSD Tours, OCSD camp shows, auctions and Competitions, Christmas shows, Company Kid shows always cheering on and supporting OCSD with all her heart. Today she has the best seat in the house. She was one of a kind! Missing you greatly Mom. Stacie would like to shout out a huge heartfelt thank you to Miss Linda for her encouragement, trust, and Love. A Huge Thank you to my Dance Daughters for their Love and support! And to her dancers, So very proud of all your hard work and dedication! Enjoy every moment! Be the music and how beautiful you are! Live it! Love it! Breathe it!
Heather Hoppus-Werner – Voice/Co Kid choreographer – AEA, SAG-AFTRA-AGVA
Heather is the original Company Kid! After growing up at OCSD and graduating from UCI, Heather went on to perform professionally on T.V., film, Broadway national tours, cruise ships, and in regional theater. Heather has been the resident choreographer for the Los Alamitos High School show choir program for 35 years! At Los Al, she has won multiple national championships, choreography, and show design awards. Heather has choreographed, produced, and cast many Equity musicals and cruise ship shows in Los Angeles. Heather also has the BEST mom and daughter…Miss Linda and Miss Jenna!
Suzanne McElderry – Voice
Thanks to a musical family, Suzanne has pursued music since childhood, playing several instruments, directing children’s choirs, and touring throughout high school and college with performing groups. She holds a B.S. from San Diego Christian College and an M.A. from Long Beach State University in Music Education. She has taught music in Orange County public schools since 1997 and currently teaches elementary music for the Los Alamitos Unified School District. In 2014, she was awarded the Outstanding Arts Educator Award in Elementary Vocal Music by the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators. Suzanne is happy to be a part of the OCSD family and has enjoyed teaching voice classes at the studio since 2005. Her favorite pastime, however, is being Justin’s wife and mom to Eliana, Vivian, and Cael.
Ashley Pincek – Voice/Preschool Dance
Ashley Pincek has been dancing and singing at Orange County Song and Dance since she was seven years old. Throughout her years as a student, Ashley has learned not only the performing arts but also the value of patience, persistence, and a positive attitude, which are instrumental both in the studio and in her schooling at Orange Coast College, where she is studying English and Film. Ashley is grateful for the opportunity to pass down a love for singing and dancing to the next generation!
Mykenzie Radford – Preschool Dance/Jazz/Tap/Certified Rhythm Works Assistant
Mykenzie Radford has been dancing at Orange County Song and Dance since she was 3 years old and has performed in 16 Studio Revues. She loves being able to assist and teach in the studio she grew up in. The Orange County Song and Dance family has had such an amazing impact on her life and she is excited to be able to pass that along to the new generation of performers. Mykenzie is currently going to school to get her RN license.
Jenna Rosen – Voice – SAG-AFTRA, AEA
Jenna started dancing at OCSD when she was just 2 years old! She is the proud granddaughter of Miss Linda and the daughter of Miss Heather. Jenna currently works as a voiceover actress and singer for The Disney Channel in shows like Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor, Fancy Nancy, and many more. Jenna recently played Belle in Beauty and the Beast at the Moonlight Theatre in Vista, and she has performed in musicals, cabarets, and concerts all over California and in New York. OCSD ROCKS!
Amy Twisselmann – Ballet/Jazz/Tap/ Lyrical
Amy has been dancing at Orange County Song and Dance since she was 3 years old and is thrilled to continue her journey as part of the OCSD staff family in her 19th Studio Revue. She is beyond thankful for all of the opportunities and experience she has gained in her time as a Company Kid and is excited to help pass along everything she has learned to the next generation. Amy was part of the Academy for the Performing Arts in the Dance and Musical Theater departments and graduated from UC Irvine with a BA in both Criminology and Psychological Sciences. She wants to thank all of the teachers for their continuous inspiration and all of the students for their hard work and dedication.
Kailyn Weber – Jazz/ Tap/Lyrical/Preschool Dance/Certified Rhythm Works Instructor/Co Kid Choreographer
Kailyn has been a part of the Orange County Song & Dance family for 19 years and is proud to call it her second home. She has been trained at the studio in jazz, tap, singing, hip-hop, ballet, and lyrical. She has been teaching at OCSD for about 7 years and has had the opportunity to go with the studio on several tours and conventions. Kailyn attended Cal State Long Beach for teaching and received her BA in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, as well. She is currently a third-grade teacher in the Los Alamitos Unified School District and she teaches ages two through eighteen here at the studio. Kailyn has choreographed dance routines for school show choir programs and for several studio revues and other performances.
Nicole Werner-Sliwa – Voice – AEA, National Association of Teachers Singing, Music Teachers Association of California
Described as a “diminutive charmer with powerful pipes,” Nicole Werner Sliwa has proven herself the consummate triple threat in musical theatre productions and concerts throughout the country. She “dazzled” in 42nd Street as Peggy Sawyer, starred as the title role in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella at South Bay Civic Light Opera, and played Olive in San Diego’s regional premiere of Putnam County Spelling Bee. She has made many appearances as a guest artist with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and Cape Cod Symphony and has sung throughout California with jazz groups Odyssey Tango Trio and Blue Coral. She also had the great honor of recording a musical demo with the legendary Golden Age composer Hugh Martin. She has worked as a choreographer and director for university, public school, and professional productions and teaches voice and musical theatre in her private studio. A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and The National Association of Teachers of Singing, Nicole is also a graduate of Orange County High School of the Arts and San Diego State’s MFA Musical Theatre Program, the only graduate program of its kind in the nation equipping artists to both perform and teach at the university level. Love to her OCSD students and family - Jason, Lyla, Harper, and Chase.