I’m a clinical social worker and training dance movement therapist working in community mental health in the Los Angeles area. My work encompasses a wide variety of evidenced based and creative approaches to support with providing trauma informed and culturally sensitive care to children and families in need. When I’m not providing clinical therapy, you can catch me dancing in Santa Monica with  Let’s Dance It Out, a therapeutic movement program for special needs adults that assists with promoting social, emotional, and cognitive growth.

There are many values embedded in my work but at the core of it is the belief that every person whether big or small has the innate resilient and creative capacities necessary for fostering holistic healing. CI dance has made such a wonderful contribution to my life and career. I remember when I began studying psychology and dance my freshman year of college and how much this fostered my personal growth. Moving my body in creative and holistic ways with the support of peers and compassionate educators allowed to feel more at home within my own body. My awareness of the body and the lessons it had expanded the more I danced and experimented creatively. As I studied psychology, my studies gave me the clinical language to understand and describe the personal shifts that were happening within myself. That’s when it really clicked for me that dance is truly more than just dance; it’s a portal to self-discovery and healing. CI dance has been a huge foundation for my life’s mission: to share the therapeutic power of movement and creativity.

 Hello everyone! My name is Eric Fuentes. I graduated from CSU Channel Islands as part of Class of 2020. The dance program has shaped my outlook in life in a tremendous way. Not only is the training geared towards developing skilled dancers, the professors in this division are fully supportive and have a great sense on professional development working in the industry. The program has great mentors that will help you through your CI journey in an academic sense and the tough times. There was a point that I felt I had to dropout due to a huge pivot in my life, however the educators in the dance program at CSU Channel Islands offered nothing but love, encouragement, and support to help me achieve my personal goals and graduate with my bachelors. I am proud to say now that I achieved that goal. I worked in the entertainment industry for a little bit, working for the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, CBS Let’s Make a Deal as a “Deal Dancer”, dancing on American Idol and Roc Nation’s Ceraadi. Currently, I work at Joseph A. Gregori High School as a Performing Arts Instructor, Show Director, and Speech + Debate Coach. Again, a huge thanks to the dance program at California State University Channel Islands.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Meisha Goetz found passion in the industry at a young age. At the age of three her parents signed her up for dance classes at the local studio to where her passion for dance was to begin. After attending numerous dance competitions and conventions, key relationships were established with some of the best dancers and choreographers in the country. Meisha graduated from Cal State University Channel Islands with a Bachelors in Performing Arts Dance Emphasis and a Minor Certification in Communication.

Coupling her education with her experience as a dancer makes working at Clear Talent Group in the Dance Department the perfect match. Meisha’s dedication to her clients and nurturing personality makes her a great mentor for young talent. She is thrilled to be working alongside the industries best at Clear Talent Group

Studying dance opened up a whole new world for me where the lessons I learned extended far beyond the classroom and dance floor. After graduating in 2015, I worked very physical jobs with the most physically demanding job being a carpenter for a small general contractor where any task is fair game. The lessons I learned from my dance classes about how to listen and take care of my body were crucial in an industry where back/joint pain is all too common. I recently moved onto a career in the mortgage industry where most of my day is spent sitting at a desk and I’m still putting to work what I learned from CI to take care of my body.

In addition, I also bring to the table a different perspective from my peers whose studies are more in line with business and finance. In my free time over the last year, I’ve choreographed several dance pieces for a friend performing at virtual open mic nights and I’ve even turned two of those pieces into dance films! We are fortunate enough to live in a time where you don’t need a huge studio backing to get your art seen. It’s as simple as sitting people down for a performance or pressing “record” on your phone, and the only thing you have to do after that…is just dance!

I was a late starter in dance. I took my first class my freshman year of high school because it sounded like more fun than standard PE. I immediately fell in love with dance, took the class all 4 years of high school, and decided I wanted to teach dance as a career. After high school, I started out at CSUCI as a business major, thinking I wanted to open my own dance studio after graduation. After one semester, I didn’t feel like that was the route I wanted to take. I realized that if I wanted the skills I needed to teach, I’d need more dance experience under my belt.

I switched majors to Performing Arts with an emphasis on dance. I graduated December of 2012 and was hired as a dance teacher for an after school program in January of 2013. Since then, I’ve been teaching dance on and off for many different programs and studios in 3 states.  The dance program at CSUCI has been immeasurably useful to other aspects of my life. I overcame stage fright so now I can give presentations with ease. It gave me a way to exercise that is fun instead of forced. It gave me more confidence and with confidence comes self-worth and the ability to be unapologetically myself. Dance at CSUCI has helped improve every single facet of my life. 

Joseph “Chelin” Juarez is a first generation, Mexican-American dancer based in San Antonio, Texas. Joseph’s dance style incorporates Popping, Waving and Yoga. In his hometown of Oxnard, CA, his dance journey began with learning hip hop dance through YouTube tutorials and music videos. He graduated with a B.A. of Performing Arts with an emphasis in Dance at Cal State Channel Islands under the guidance of Heather Castillo and Carinne Bach. During those years of training he was exposed to many forms of dance and creative concepts, inspiring him to blend new ideas with his street dance foundation. Joseph spent 5 years of his career in Los Angeles training and dancing within the contact improv community. Currently, he collaborates with a group of artists known as San Antonio Creatives to create community and content through art. His recent performances include the 2022 San Antonio Dance Festival and a Cerseau Sisters Production titled  Revolt: A Cirque Showcase.