Meet The Team
Courtney Labat DaValle
Owner/Director
Courtney Labat DaValle is a captivating performer, instructor, choreographer, and artist. This Louisiana native began her dance career at the age of three and has trained extensively in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, tap, and jazz. During her competition years, she took top honors both regionally and nationally for her jazz and lyrical performances. Her passion for dance along with her love of football lead her to become a member of the Louisiana State University Golden Girls. During her time with the Golden Girls, she was chosen to travel internationally to Hong Kong to perform in the prestigious Chinese New Year’s Parade. After receiving her Bachelors of Biology from Louisiana State University, Courtney became an NFL cheerleader, dancing and cheering for her favorite team the New Orleans Saints. Courtney was also an instructor and choreographer for both competitive and performance based studios. With her training, her students have received top awards at numerous competitions (KAR, Rainbow, Starpower, Tremaine, Starbound. etc.) and many have been selected for New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, American Ballet Theatre, Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, and the Relativity School just to name a few. Professionally, Courtney has performed with Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, the Jonas Brothers, Snoop Dog, Neil Patrick Harris, & Dave Bickler. She has also worked with various choreographers and companies such as Fatima Robinson, Adrian Wiltshire, Disney, Lego, the NFL, DirecTV, Entertainment Tonight, and Chevron. In addition, Courtney is also a former judge for Showstopper National Dance Competition! She holds certification with Acrobatic Arts, the industry leader in AcroDance and is a certified instructor for AcroDance Preschool & is heading into Module 1 Certification for AcroDance levels 1-6 in just 2 weeks! She is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and LOVES the progress achieved in ALDA's PBT classes!! Ms. Courtney takes the greatest pride in helping her students achieve their highest potential and is extrememly excited to welcome all dancers joining the Alta Loma Dance Academy family!
Freya Starks
Instructor/Choreographer
Maddison Nall
Instructor/Choreographer
Megan Geier
Instructor/Choreographer
Courtney "Mr. C" Winder
Instructor/Choreographer
Summer Betancourt
Instructor/Choreographer
Freya Starks is a scholarship recipient and graduate from the University of California, Irvine. As a triple major she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Education Sciences. Freya has performed in many professional works with the Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento’s Best of Broadway, Core Contemporary Dance Company, Geometry Dance Company and Lume Dance. Freya’s choreographic works have been featured in Physical Graffiti, Bare Bones and East Meets West performances. She has choreographed with musicians from the St. Cecelia Conservatory of Rome, Italy and is a colleague of The Next Festival of Emerging Artists. Freya is extensively trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, musical theater, ballet, pointe and modern dance. She was a backup dancer in Jimmie Allen’s music video and for NESYA. She has worked alongside Monika Felice Smith, Maryanne Chavez, Mackenzie Martin, Lar Lubavitch, Amy Berokoff, Francisco Gella, Ama Wray and many more. Currently, Freya is a company member of Geometry Dance Company and Lume Dance in Los Angeles, CA. She is a teacher/ choreographer and Co-Director of ALDA’s EDGE competitive dance program! Freya is so excited to share this beautiful art form and the joy of dancing to the next generation!
Maddison is a talented award winning triple threat performer with 20+ years of training under
her belt. She has professionally trained to be a singer, actor, and dancer since the age of 4 and
developed a love for performing ever since. She has been working and volunteering with
children since she was 11 y/o and officially hired when she was 16 y/o to be a dance instructor
and choreographer. Maddison has worked and performed with several high brand name
companies such as Disney, Nickelodeon, and Universal just to name a few. She has trained in
almost all styles of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, modern,
musical theatre, and ballroom dance. She used to dance competitively throughout her years of
training, but has now found her love in teaching. Following her degree for English Literature,
Maddison received her degree in Dance, along with her certification for Commercial Dance. She
is also a certified instructor for the Acrobatic Arts AcroDance Preschool program. Outside of
ALDA, Maddison has choreographed full blown broadway style shows such as The Little
Mermaid. As well as performing in multiple award winning productions including, but not limited
to, Beauty and the Beast, Legally Blonde, and The Wizard of Oz. Maddison has performed for
and has been recognized/awarded with several awards with the National Youth Arts Awards
program. Maddison now holds her role here at ALDA as a Company Team Co-
Director/Instructor and Choreographer. She holds her ALDA family close to her heart and looks
forward to another amazing season!
As the third of eight performance-loving siblings, Megan was surrounded with dance, acting, singing, and instrumental music from a young age. She began her dance training at the age of three with ballet and tap. She later added jazz, lyrical, and contemporary into her repertoire. In high school she performed on the colorguard team for four years, gaining experience in field and winterguard shows, competitions, community performances, and parades. As a senior in high school, she was awarded the role of colorguard captain and helped to lead her team to their first ever world championship competition. In college she developed her love for acting. She was casted in several theater productions and student films of all genres. She founded and ran her school's first dance club and her skills allowed her to choreograph several music videos, short films, and musicals. She graduated with a degree in communications media with an emphasis in acting in 2018. She was hired on by her alma mater to choreograph all of their musical theater productions, and still continues in that path today. Some of her recent credits include John Paul the Great Catholic University's "Beauty and the Beast" and "Newsies," Coronado Playhouse's "Nunsense," and Inland Conservatory for the Performing Arts' "the Music Man." She's also had the opportunity to choreograph for short films around Los Angeles, as well as acting in recent TV shows, movies, commercials, short films, and music videos. She has worked regularly with Universal, Sony, Warner Brothers, HBO, Amazon, and more!​
Courtney Winder has over 15 years of experience in the dance industry, beginning with rigorous training in Jazz, Modern, Ballet, and Hip-Hop at Allan Hancock College on the central coast of California. He advanced his training and career by joining the San Luis Obispo-based CORE dance company, where he underwent a multi-year intensive Jazz and Hip-Hop curriculum, showcasing his talents through performances at various local shows and events and teaching at multiple studios around the Santa Barbara area. He went on to start a local dance company with fellow dancers that focused on raising awareness for the arts in his community, outreach, and offered free dance training. Courtney moved to L.A., where he pursued more dance opportunities and took advantage of working and training with dancers on the professional level. Through his efforts, he was granted the privilege of teaching stints at International Dance Academy Hollywood, Millennium Dance Complex, and Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where he also trained/choreographed for L.A.-based dance companies. He has also had the opportunity to choreograph halftime shows for the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, L.A. Sparks, and the Rose Bowl. Currently, Mr. C is a dance educator in the LAUSD school district and is head of the ALDA Groove Crew Competitive Team.
Summer Betancourt has trained, performed, and competed in various dance styles such as: jazz, tap, ballet, musical theatre, contemporary, modern, hiphop, and lyrical for 15 years. She has taught at multiple dance studios and is a professional choreographer for theatre entertainment in the Inland Empire. Summer holds a bachelors degree in Theatre Performance from California Baptist University. Her choreography credits includes: Temecula Valley Players: Oklahoma; Tweedlie Center for the Arts: Into The Woods Jr., Elf Jr.; Christian Arts & Theatre: Aristocats, Winnie the Pooh; California Baptist University: Cinderella; Temecula Valley Players: Oliver; Redlands Theatre Festival: Head Over Heels; Christian Arts & Theatre: A Year With Frog and Toad; Temecula Valley Players: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; California Theatre: Beauty and the Beast; California Baptist University: Wizard of Oz; Temecula Valley Players: A Christmas Carol, Mamma Mia; and California Theatre: Mamma Mia. Summer loves teaching dance and sharing her passion with others!
Ava Lucia’s ballet journey began as a toddler in Creative Combo and Ballet classes, where the art’s discipline and elegance first enchanted her. At 13, she found her true calling under Ludmil Boubbov, a Varna State Opera Principal Dancer who once outshone all but Mikhail Baryshnikov in competition. Ava primarily trained in the Vaganova method— Russia’s gold standard of strength, artistry, and dramatic storytelling. Ballets like Coppélia and Swan Lake shaped her love for classical technique. Because most dance academies in America don’t specialize in this style of dance, she sought out every opportunity to learn it properly. At Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, she trained in over 8 styles of dance for over 35 hours a week under Dmitri and Jennifer Kulev, who are incredible classical ballet dancers, and now the Nashville Ballets directors. Ava was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet School’s Summer Intensive. But during intense preparations, suffered a back injury that ended her performing journey far too soon. She went on to study law and business at college but ballet’s pull never faded. Ava earned her Bolshoi Ballet Academy certification through Russian Ballet International. Now, she teaches with the Vaganova method’s intensity, inspired by Natalia Osipova’s passion, Anna Pavlova’s grace, Mikhail Baryshnikov’s boldness, and Rudolf Nureyev’s drama. She has a passion for encouraging students to give 110% in the studio and on stage. Ava teaches her students to embrace their artistry and tell unforgettable stories with every step. Ballet is where elegance meets strength—where movement becomes magic. Ava Lucia hopes to share that magic and inspire the next generation of dancers to shine with fearless beauty.
Ava Chan
Instructor/Choreographer
Tera Majer
Instructor/Choreographer/
Customer Care
Kara Ajetunmobi
Instructor/Choreographer
Cassie Araujo
Instructor/Choreographer
Tera Majer is a passionate dancer and dedicated business management student at California Baptist University. With a love for dance that began at age three, Tera has spent ten years competing in dance, honing her skills and showcasing her talent in numerous performances, including the renowned Disneyland Parade. She has performed on the KTLA News channel for their memorable Super Bowl halftime show segment. She also had the honor of competing on the national television show America's Got Talent. This experience further fueled her commitment to the art form. Beyond her dance achievements, Tera believes that dance has taught her invaluable life lessons that extend far beyond just the physicality of movement. With a burning passion for the art, she is excited to share her love for dance and inspire others through her journey.
Bio coming soon!
Cassie has been a dedicated coach and dance instructor for over six years, including two years at Alta Loma Junior High School, where she has continued to inspire and develop young dancers. Cassie has choreographed a wide range of dance styles, including jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and more. Along with choreography, Cassie has a deep commitment to teaching technique, ensuring that students develop strong foundations in various dance genres.
As a former member of the Alta Loma High School Dance Team, Cassie competed at multiple dance competitions and earned top placements, securing 1st and 2nd places at championships USA Dance Competition for two consecutive years. Her experience as a competitor gives her a unique understanding of the discipline and dedication required to excel in the dance world.
Cassie also has a diverse dance background, starting with hip hop and folklorico classes at a young age through the local city programs. This early exposure to different styles has influenced her versatile approach to teaching and choreography, offering students a well-rounded and inclusive dance education.
Lena Arriaga
Office Manager
-page-001.png)
Graciela Jauregui
Customer Care