ABOUT: CF Dance academy
CF Dance Academy, The Orange County Destination For A Performing Arts Education, prides itself on providing families with high quality dance education and training in a nurturing and encouraging environment. CF Dance Academy currently offers beginning to advanced classes for dancers as young as 2 years old through teen and adult age groups. We offer classes both at our studio location in historic downtown Fullerton, and throughout various cities in Orange County such as Anaheim, Yorba Linda and Buena Park community services departments. CF Dance Academy also offer on-site dance programs at private schools, preschools, and after-school programs throughout Orange County. Our dance programs are all performance-based, rather than competition-based. We strive to provide a nurturing and fun-filled environment for dancers in all age groups, and we emphasize the importance of teamwork as we prepare for our many annual performance opportunities.
ABOUT: The Studio
CF Dance Academy is located on the 3rd Floor of The Williams Building which is situated in downtown Fullerton. CF Dance Academy has 2 large dance studios and is a total of 5000 square feet. Built in 1927 as an Oddfellows Hall, the structure was promptly put into use as a speakeasy. Renovations began to modernize the building for its current use as a banquet venue and dance studio.
ABOUT: Founder, Owner/Co-Directors and Instructors
Cathleen Forcucci - Heideman (Founder)
December 24, 1947 - August 14, 2003
Cathleen Forcucci-Heideman was the founder and long-time director of Cathleen Forcucci Dance Academy (now known as CF Dance Academy). Miss Cathy was a fully accredited teacher with the Cecchetti Council of America and received certification with the Cecchetti Society of America ISTD, their international affiliation. Miss Cathy also taught with the City of Anaheim for twenty-two years. She directed the studio for many years with the support of her loving husband William Heideman. Now, C.F.D.A. is owned and directed by Miss Cathy’s daughters Jennifer Forcucci-Marzluf and Leanna Forcucci-Herron. Our mission is to continue our mother’s legacy of excellent dance instruction.
Jennifer Forcucci-Marzluf, ACUSA (Co-Owner/Co-Director)
Jennifer Forcucci-Marzluf has been teaching dance for over 14 years. She specializes in the instruction of Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Ballroom. Miss Jennifer holds her Associates Teachers Certification with Cecchetti, USA (www.cecchettiusa.org) and has completed her Advanced 1 (Grade 9) Examination. Miss Jennifer continues her teachers studies with Cecchetti USA’s Executive Director, Marnell Himes-Ushijima. Miss Jennifer is currently the Director of CF Dance Academy’s Ballet Intensive Program and submits her dancers for yearly ballet examinations. Throughout her ballet career, Miss Jennifer has attended numerous seminars and workshops, receiving instruction directly from top ballet masters. Miss Jennifer attended the Orange County High School of Performing Arts, where she studied jazz dance and commercial arts as well as ballet. At the age of seventeen, Miss Jennifer became a certified ballroom dance instructor for the Imperial Ballroom, and went on to dance and compete professionally.
Leanna Forcucci-Herron (Co-Owner/Co-Director)
Leanna Forcucci-Herron has been teaching dance for over 22 years. She has taught for several dance studios in Orange County and even worked as the lead ballet teacher for a competing dance troupe in Austin, TX, where she also worked as a professional hip-hop dancer. Miss Leanna has taught many different dance and movement forms including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and tumbling. Her specializations are in hip-hop dance and working with preschool-aged children. She currently trains with lead hip-hop choreographers in Los Angeles and tours her CF Dance Academy Hip-Hop Performance Troupe throughout Orange, Riverside & LA Counties. This troupe has gained professional recognition and will be competing in the World of Dance Competition in Pomona in April 2010. Currently she is director of the largest Hip Hop program in Central and North Orange County and has put CFDA on the map for hosting professional hip-hop choreographers in master class workshops at the academy. She has her B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies from Cal State Long Beach, where she also attended graduate school to work on her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. During the past ten years, Leanna has directed and taught CF Dance Academy dance programs at preschool and after school programs in cities throughout Orange, Riverside & LA Counties.
Vanessa Benitez (Tap, Hip Hop)
Vanessa Benitez born and raised in California has been dancing since she was 9 years old. Going between sports and dance classes, she finally found her true calling in continuing her love for dance. Vanessa teaches tap and hip hop and been taught by nationally acclaimed instructors. Vanessa has been teaching Tap for CF Dance Academy for the past 5 years and is the assistant instructor for the CFDA Senior Hip-Hop Troupe. She brings a different element by blending her tap with hip hop to bring out "FUNKY TAP". Vanessa states, "My true inspiration comes from watching my students improve each class, they are the ones that make my ideas come to life!" She has participated in 2005 Hip Hop International, continues her education in hip hop by taking workshops/classes in LA. Such choreographers she has taken from are Teresa Espinosa, Shane Sparks, Leslie Scott, Dave Scott, and many more. She hopes to continue to tap and dancing hip hop for many years to come. One thing she likes to emphasize to her students in her hip hop classes, "Hip Hop is not just a dance, it's a lifestyle."
Jana Taylor (Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Lyrical)
Jana Taylor recently graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dance with a Ballet Emphasis, and minors in French and Art History. At BYU she performed and toured for three years with the university’s two ballet companies. In 2006, Jana received a grant from the Office of Research and Creative Activities to choreograph a contemporary ballet piece, for which she later received the Phi Eta Sigma 2007 Outstanding Performing Arts Award. Jana also published an article on contemporary dance in the 2007 BYU Dance Journal. She began dancing in Las Vegas, NV, where she trained in the Royal Academy of Dancing ballet technique as well as many other styles: modern, jazz, lyrical, tap, character, and swing. She is passionate about choreographing and especially teaching, as she has been teaching many styles of dance to all ages for seven years. Jana is very excited for the opportunity to teach at CF Dance Academy this year!
Rosa Garcia (Ballet)
Rosa Garcia is the recipient of the Donald McKayle Medal Scholar from UC, Irvine. At UCI, she earned her M.F.A. in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography and at CSU, Long Beach received her B.A. in Dance. She also attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance School in New York on scholarship. Her passion is teaching dance and has been on the journey in becoming an eclectic teacher for over 10 years. She was invited by Holly Mistine, a former Cecchetti scholar to study under Marnell Himes-Ushijima for the Cecchetti work. Ms. Garcia completed her Intermediate (Grade 8) examination and is working on her Advanced 1 (Grade 9) examination and Associate Teachers Certification with Cecchetti/USA. She currently teaches Ballet and Introduction to Dance Forms, a course for future teachers at Santa Ana College. She has taught at Fullerton, Cypress, Saddleback, Rio Hondo Colleges, St. Joseph's Ballet, Orange County High School of the Arts - Folklorico Conservatory Dept., and Chapman University as a sub. Ms. Garcia has choreographed, taught and performed in modern dance (derived from Limon, Horton & Graham Techniques). She was a soloist for the UCI Spanish Dance Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Nancy Ruyter, Spanish Dance Historian, As a performer, she has danced for various well received Ballet Folklorico companies, Gema Sandoval with Floricanto/USA, Graciela Holguin with Mexicanisimo and the South Bay Latin Dance Ensemble (derived from Pacifico Dance Company). She is invited to judge for the USA National Folklorico Dance Competitions held annually in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Kimberly Miles (Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Lyrical)
Kim Miles began dancing at age three at On Stage Productions in Pollock Pines, CA. In 1997 Kim began taking dance at Tinsel Town Performing Arts in Shingle Springs, CA. Kim has studied various styles of dance including, acrobatics, jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, lyrical, and Broadway Jazz. In 2005 Kim received a jazz scholarship for superior jazz technique at Pacific Dance Arts in Shingle Springs; CA. Kim has also performed in the Sacramento Nutcracker for six years. Kim graduated from Ponderosa High School in 2008 and worked at Foothills Dance Studio throughout high school and in to college. Kim has also work for Diamond Dance Company working as the regional manager/lead instructor. Kim is currently attending Fullerton College. Kim enjoys sharing her love for dance with all of her students and is very excited to start teaching at CF Dance Academy!
Jessica Anderson (Office Manager / Instructor)
Jessica began her training as a young girl and has studied seriously at CF Dance Academy since 2004. She also receives dance training at Cypress College. She has had the privilege of studying in L.A. with professional choreographers such as Jabari, Tricia Miranda, Glenda Morales, and Havic. She studies Hip Hop, Ballet, and Pointe. Jessica dances with our Bring the Noise Hip Hop Troupe and Fortissimo. Her responsibilities include: managing the front desk, stage managing our showcases, organizing most offsite events, and supporting management.She has worked very closely with CFDA directors and has become a very strong instructor as well as office personnel manager. Jessica currently teaches Hip Hop, Ballet and Tap.
Evona Markanian (Assistant Teacher)
Evona Markanian has been dancing at CF Dance Academy for 10 years and studies Cecchetti Classical Ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, lyrical/contemporary and hip hop. She had the privilege to dance under the instruction of Cathleen Forcucci-Heideman. Evona is currently studying for her Grade 8 Cecchetti Ballet Exam. She is also studying for her Teachers Certification through Cecchetti USA. Evona is currently a member of the CFDA Bring The Noise Hip Hop Troupe which was awarded Crowd Favorite at World of Dance National Competition. She has also studied with top industry dance professionals and coaches in Hollywood, CA and Master Classes at CF Dance Academy.
Evona currently attends Fullerton Union High School and is enrolled in the Academy of the Arts program and studies Women’s Choir, Theater and Dance. She was awarded “Rookie of the Year” in Dance Company and received special recognition for her choreography. Her motto….LIVE, LAUGH & DANCE!
Marissa Sands (Assistant Teacher)
Marissa Sands has been with CF Dance Academy for 14 years and started her dance career with Cathleen Forcucci, the founder of CF Dance. She studies ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, flamenco and hip hop. In her first two years of high school, she participated in Fullerton Union High School’s “Dance Company”. During her second year, she co-choreographed a lyrical/contemporary piece and received the award of “Most Valuable Dancer”. She also takes classes at Millennium dance studio in Hollywood, CA and has been coached by many professional dancers and choreographers. Marissa is currently preparing for Cecchetti Class Ballet Level 9 Professional Examination. She is also studying for her teacher’s certification through Cecchetti USA, www.cecchettiusa.org. Marissa currently teaches ballet, tap, lyrical/contemporary and hip hop at CF Dance Academy, Fullerton.
Faith Forcucci (Assistant Teacher)
Faith Forcucci has been dancing for more than 13 years at CF Dance Academy. She has studied Cecchetti Classical Ballet along with many other dance forms including tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hip-hop. Faith is currently a member of both performance troupe's belonging to CF Dance Academy: the Bring the Noise Hip-Hop Troupe and the Fortissimo Ballet Performance Troupe. She has had the opportunity to experience the dance industry in competitions that include World of Dance and Studio 429's K-12 Competition. Faith has attended numerous dance workshops and classes with industry professionals in Hollywood, CA. She has been studying Cecchetti Ballet for more than 9 years, and has completed up to the Cecchetti Grade 8 Exam. She is also currently studying for her Cecchetti USA Teachers Certification.
Hope Forcucci (Assistant Teacher)
Hope Forcucci has been dancing at CF Dance Academy for over 13 years. She has studied ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, and lyrical dance. Hope is currently a member of both the award-winning Bring the Noise Hip-Hop Troupe and the Fortissimo Troupe. With these groups, she has competed and participated in exhibitions such as World of Dance and Studio 429’s K-12 Competition. Hope has studied with professionals in LA and Hollywood, CA in workshops and classes at Edge and Millenium studios. She continues her dance education and assists in various hip-hop, tap, jazz, and Zumba classes at CF Dance and off-site programs.
Sierra Ledesma (Assistant Teacher)
Sierra Ledesma has been dancing under the direction of CF Dance Academy for 4 years. It is her love for dancing and learning that brought her to CFDA. She currently studies ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical, jazz, flaminco, and hip hop and is a proud participant of both performance troupes; “Bring the Noise” hip hop troupe and “Fortissimo” ballet troupe. She continues to expand her knowledge and experience in dance by attending various master classes and studying under many of the top dance professionals in Hollywood, CA. As a continuous learner, Sierra is working on her grade 7 & grade 8 Cecchetti Ballet Exam, as well as a teaching certificate. Sierra attends Cypress High School and is a member of the song team. At this time, Sierra is teaching ballet, tap, and various levels of hip hop. A quote by Constanze is the way Sierra lives and dances: “Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!”
Paige Boulanger(Assistant Teacher)
Paige Boulanger started dancing 11 years ago with Miss Cathy, founder of CFDA, at the Anaheim Downtown Community Center. Paige began as a demonstrator for ballet and tap classes 5 years ago where she has developed a love for teaching. At Fullerton Union High School, she had an opportunity to expand her teaching skills as a Teacher’s Assistant for Dance I. Currently studying for her Cecchetti Ballet Grade 9 Exam and her Teacher’s Certificate with Cecchetti USA, Paige studies ballet, pointe, contemporary/lyrical and also has a background in modern, tap and hip hop. She has studied with many professional instructors and choreographers at the Cecchetti seminars and workshops as well as at the Millennium Studio in Hollywood. Paige enjoys teaching Ballet and Tap, Tiny Tot Ballet and Parent and Me classes for CFDA.
Heidi Schneider (Assistant Teacher)
Heidi Schneider started dancing ballet with CF Dance Academy under the instruction of Jennifer Forcucci-Marzluf in 2006. Her passion for dance developed and currently takes Cecchetti Classical Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, and Hip-Hop classes. She is studying for her Grade 7 Cecchetti Ballet Exam and is part of the Bring the Noise Hip Hop Troupe that competed and won Crowd Favorite at World of Dance. She has taken Master classes from top ballet, hip hop, and jazz instructors. Heidi’s passion for dance expanded as she became interested in becoming involved with dance outside of the studio. She is currently part of the Dance Production team at Sunny Hills High School and is the Assistant Instructor for CF Dance Academy’s Hip Hop program in Anaheim Hills.