Through the Performing Arts Program at San Juan Hills High School, students will encounter art forms on several different levels as defined through the California State Framework including, but not limited to artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, and aesthetic valuing. All students of varying artistic aptitude and prior experience will receive quality instruction at the appropriate level, with a focus of challenging them to reach a greater level of artistry. Students who have the aptitude and desire to pursue any of these areas as a profession will be given the full opportunity through quality instruction and a variety of course offerings for them to reach their goal. However, the primary focus will be to bring the creative experience to all students of San Juan Hills High School through every artistic medium to the end result that all students bring a ‘creative spirit’ and critical analysis to all of their life challenges.
Choral / Vocal Arts
Dance
Instrumental Music
Theatre Arts
CHORAL / VOCAL ARTS
Teacher: Michael Ushino
Michael serves as the Director of the Choral/Vocal Arts Department at San Juan Hills High School and heads the program's Vocal Music Conservatory. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine in 2010 and his Masters in Music for Choral Conducting from the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University, Long Beach in 2013. His conducting mentors have included Professor Emeritus Joseph Huszti, Dr. Jonathan Talbert, and Keith Hancock. As a singer and choralist, he performed in England, Hungary, Slovakia, Korea, China, Wales, Spain, Mexico, and throughout the United States. He has also performed and conducted on state with internationally acclaimed performers such as Kronos Quartet and the Rolling Stones. He is also trained in martial arts and has received a first degree blackbelt in Shotokan Karate.
DANCE
Teacher: Kristine Calder
Kristine has over 35 years of dance experience. She has trained extensively in all forms of dance in the LA and Orange County areas. She attended Cal State University Long Beach where she received her degree and danced for the nationally ranked and recognized dance team led by Ray Lozano. A year later, she received her Master's Degree in Education, specializing in multi-ethnic studies.
Her experiences in performance include dancing for ABA, Professional Arena Football, Warner Brothers Backlot Dancer, Team USA Dancer for Japan International Dance, numerous Hollywood industrials, and a parade Cast Member at Disneyland.
She has also received 1 of 2 coveted dance educator scholarships awarded at the Pulse Dance Convention. In addition, she has received 4 consecutive Gold Apple Awards, for which she was nominated by her students, named a Top Teacher for Who's Who among American Teachers and Orange County Dance Educator of the Year in 2005 and 2015.
She is the current Dance Director and Choreographer for San Juan Hills High School Dance Program, where she teaches 200 student on a weekly basis. She has been teaching for the Capistrano Unified School District for 17 years. She previously coached the national champion song, cheer, and dance teams at Dana Hills High School. Last year, she started a modern dance conservatory to help guide students who want to pursue a college dance program. In addition, this year she formed a competition team to help students who want to continue on a competitive dance team to enhance their college experience.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Teacher: Dean McElroy
Dean has been the Instrumental Music Director from the inception of San Juan Hills High School. Dean received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University, Fullerton. After a successful 10 year career at Aliso Niguel High School, he was given the opportunity to serve on the planning team for San Juan Hills the year before it opened, and led the establishment of the vision for the performing arts program. As director of the Instrumental Program, he has seen the program grow from a handful of Freshmen to a thriving program with multiple ensembles and musical opportunities for all students. Under his direction as the chair of the department, San Juan Hills has developed a performing arts staff that works collaboratively to offer a comprehensive performing arts department. Our mission is to offer a Conservatory-style program that fully prepares students who want to pursue their art for a career, but to also bring the creative experience to all students regardless of their future career interests so that they may bring creative solutions to all of life's challenges.
THEATRE ARTS
Teacher: Cambria Graff
Cambria is the Director of Theatre Arts at San Juan Hills High School. Cambria received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama from the University of California, Irvine in 2008 and her Masters in Teaching from the same institution in 2012. Additionally she received her Masters in Theatrical Production and Design from Southern Oregon University's Ashland Center for Theatre Studies - a program created for Theatre teachers in order to help them create professional production standards at their high schools. Before entering the wonderful world of teaching, Cambria was a working actress that not only performed with companies as prestigious as The San Diego Opera, but was also lucky enough to tour many different countries with independent theatre companies.