Alumni

Natalie Salas
4 years
Dance & Music

Natalie attended VSPA all through high school and performed in six of their musicals. Her classes included tap, voice, drums, ballet, and tumbling. In her time at VSPA, she learned not only technique, but also valuable life skills such as the importance of hard work and what is expected of a professional in the industry. She grew in confidence, character, and was encouraged to step outside of her comfort zone. She is grateful to the instructors and staff at VSPA for all they have taught her. She made many friends and has countless memories that she will treasure forever. VSPA and its members were a blessing to her and she wishes the very best to all who become involved in the future.

Natalie is now a student at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. She is a Theatre major with a Technical/Design concentration. So far she has worked as Audio Mixer and Light Board Operator and looks forward to learning all the areas of backstage theatre.

Special thanks to Ms. Megan for always believing in her.

Magali Salas
3 years
Music, Theatre, & Dance

I started taking classes at VSPA when I was 16. Going into it I was hesitant because I was so much older and less experienced than a lot of the kids in the classes with me. However, as soon as I started, I was so incredibly welcomed and encouraged. I never felt out of place and found a safe place to learn and to fail so that I could further my skills as an actress, dancer and singer. I found a family and a place where I belonged.

VSPA has so many performance opportunities for students to gain experience. Whether it be showcases, recitals or musicals, the experienced gained is truly invaluable. Encouraged to do so by my instructors, I auditioned for Big Fish in 2014. It was my first musical ever. I was terrified and I had no idea what I was doing. To my (very big) surprise, I got cast and was able to learn and grow SO much from being around my teachers, professionals and other experienced peers in the production. During that show I realized that I wanted to do Theatre for the rest of my life. 2 years later, I auditioned and was accepted into a BFA program. VSPA helped me in my preparation to audition for college. I am currently going into my senior year in the BFA program in Acting for the Stage and Screen at Azusa Pacific University! Who knows where I would be today, or what profession I would have chose, if it weren’t for VSPA.
Eternally grateful, forever blessed. Thank you, Valverde.

Alexis Ramirez
11 years
Dance, Music, & Theatre

Having been a VSPA dance, music, and theatre student for 11 years and having been in almost all of their productions, the things I have learned from the staff, my friends, and my own experience has impacted me in all aspects of life. My time at VSPA has taught me so much about artistry, self growth, professionalism, and the overall appreciation of the arts and I cherish all of the memories that are attached to that. The VSPA community has a special place in my heart because I have made lifelong friends there and because it is so welcoming that everyone feels like they have a place there which truly makes it a great environment to learn and grow as a performer. I am now a Tisch drama student at New York University and I can confidently say I couldn't have done it without my VSPA training. I would like to thank Frank and Yesenia Valverde for creating a place in the community for performing artists to learn and thrive beyond the competitive realm and helping make the arts more relevant in people's lives.

Alyssa Blunk
3 years
Dance, Music, & Theatre Departments

My very first experience with classical dance training came from the Valverde School of Performing Arts, where I was exposed to the performing arts not as a hobby or a competitive sport, but as an artistic endeavor that could lead to a fulfilling and sustainable career. The chances of ending up at a studio where the arts are studied and respected as such, especially in regards to younger students, is ridiculously (and very unfortunately) small, so I consider myself extremely lucky to have found VSPA back when dance was simply a fun pastime. They emphasized proper technique in a setting that prioritized performance – not competition – and focused on training intelligent artists who understood class etiquette just as much as injury prevention. Sustainable, respectful, and well-learned performers – they’re surprisingly hard to come by these days! I learned how to set myself apart in auditions, how to make the most of every class I was taking, how to maintain professionalism in a company setting, and how to perform in a way that fulfilled both me and my audiences. I have yet to find another studio that excels in cultivating artistic development and technical foundations as does VSPA, and I consider this unique introduction into the arts a pivotal part of my success as a professional dancer. On top of their exceptional training, they also shed light on dance history – keeping classical traditions and dance knowledge alive – and opened doors to performance opportunities outside the studio, thus broadening my horizons and building my resume early on. I am forever grateful for the head-start VSPA offered, and I cannot recommend them enough to any artist – child or adult – looking to cultivate their love of the performing arts.

Alyssa Johnson began her classical training with the Valverde School of Performing Arts and the Brockus Conservatory in Los Angeles, where she was introduced to her movement foundations of Luigi Jazz, the Lester Horton Technique, and contemporary ballet, before furthering her training at Alonzo King LINES Ballet and UC Berkeley. She danced as a soloist with Peninsula Ballet Theater under the artistic direction of David Fonnegra, and performed in works by Copious Dance Theater’s Kat Roman, BrickaBrack Theater’s Gabriel Grilli, and Scott Wells & Dancers. She danced as a guest artist with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for Judith Jamison’s retirement tour and choreographed works under the direction of Joe Goode. For her excellence in dance scholarship and performance, she received the Julia Payne Dance scholarship upon graduating from UCB. She now dances with the critically acclaimed Austin-based contemporary dance company, ARCOS Dance, touring internationally as both a performer and an instructor.

Kaleigh Kailani
3 years
Music & Theatre Departments

I had a wonderful time as the Queen of Hearts in VSPA’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. as well as taking singing lessons from Mr. Frank. I have continued to pursue a career in the arts as a published author, award nominated actress and a multiple award winning-screenwriter and filmmaker. You can catch me on Youtube as the host of Sharp Productions and Sharp News or check out my channel Queenadreams. Now that I have graduated from UC Berkeley, I am taking time to finish the sequel to my book The Broken Trinity: Secrets of the Orb. I am grateful for being part of the VSPA family and I want to thank Frank and Yesenia for supporting my career and allowing me to cast their talented performers in my film productions.

Summer Kailani
3 years
Dance, Music, & Theatre Departments

Some of my fondest memories are performing with Expressions and in VSPA’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. I will never forget the amazing friends I made, the wonderful teachers and the supportive environment. Their training laid the foundation for my time in the Lythgoe Family’s production of Cinderella, Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Investigation Discovery’s Unusual Suspects. I am currently attending UC Berkeley and served as the President of the Actors Fund’s “Looking Ahead” program for professional young performers. I would like to continue pursuing a career in the entertainment industry and was recently nominated for Best Actress at the Young Entertainer Awards at Universal Studios Hollywood and the Opificer Media Film Festival.

Katarina Kushin
8 years
Dance, Theatre, and Music Departments

Katarina joined VSPA in 2006 as a drama student. Over the years as VSPA expanded, she joined the improv troupe which performed all around the community and in the yearly showcases. She took private singing lessons with Mr. Frank and jazz dance with Mrs. Yesenia. As soon as Rock School was introduced to the music program, Katarina auditioned as a back-up singer and later fulfilled the bassist role of the band. She was apart of Just Like Us, Alice in Wonderland Jr.,The Wiz, School of Rock Jr, Pocahontas: A Dance Drama, and CATS. In 2012 she created a digital background for Peter Pan: A Dance Drama and in 2015 designed the platform stage for Disney's The Little Mermaid Musical. In June 2016, she will receive her B.A. in Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona and is eager to pursue production design for film and theater. She is very thankful for the impact that VSPA has had in her creative life, and is grateful for the enriching friendships she has developed with students and the VSPA family.

website: www.kmkushin.com

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