Our Staff
Claire Music Dye, Director
Claire Music Dye was born and raised in Central California and began dancing when she was 3 years old at Cynthia Merrill School of Performing Arts (now California Arts Academy). She spent a grand total of 12 years at CMSPA, training in ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, ballroom, Irish Step, modern, acting, and vocal training. She also trained in jazz for two years at Northwest Dance Studio. Claire began student teaching at the age of 15, and by 17 she was instructing classes on her own.
After graduating from high school, Claire decided to give up the agricultural mecca where she had grown up, and went away to school in the gorgeous city of Santa Barbara. It wasn't long after her move that she obtained positions teaching for Goleta Unified School District's creative arts program, and Dance Unlimited under the direction of the incomparable and amazing Lisa Walsh. Over the next several years, she appeared in several productions with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, Musical Theater of Santa Barbara, and Ensemble Theater Company. During the summers, she worked as the choreographer for the Young Actor's Workshop under the direction of the multitalented and super hilarious Druyan Byrne. In 2003, she founded Santa Barbara School of Dance Arts (S.O.D.A.) and began coaching competitive teams for the first time.
In 2005, Claire moved to Portland with her family and began teaching at All Star Dance Academy which she purchased a year later. Claire's choreography credits include Spotlight Dance Cup's Outstanding Entertainment Award, Outstanding Showmanship Award, Sensational Staging Award, Outstanding Overall Performance Award; American Dance Awards' Highest Scoring Choreography Award, Dare to be Different judge's award, Creative Concept judge's award; Starpower's Judge's Choice for Outstanding Choreography; A Dance Xtraordinaire's judge's choice award for Best Technical Performance (3 times), and Studio Sportsmanship Award. She is the very proud coach of American Dance Award's Junior Dancer of the Year and Senior Dancer of the Year as well as many runners up for these titles; Spotlight Dance Cup's National Dance Down Winner, National Teen Finalist and Emerald Overall Winner; many Hollywood Connection scholarship recipients, and countless Top 10 Overall soloists and groups.
Claire finds herself humbled and amazed at the great dancers and teachers she gets to work with everyday. She thanks her husband for his unfailing love, support, and patience. She could not do this without him! Claire thinks everyone can master dance and finds the utmost joy in helping her students discover that fact!
Bethany Small (Studio Manager)
Bethany grew up in the performing arts, taking her first ballet class at 4. Her love of being on stage led her to musical theatre, which led her to classical music performance. She received a BA in Music from Humboldt State University in Northern California. She is excited to be a part of the ASDA family, and to be a part of the performing arts community.
Valerie Ditchfield, Instructor (Jazz/Hip Hop)
Valerie is a native of Hawaii. She started dancing ballet, tap and jazz at the age of five. In high school, she added the sport of cheerleading to her dance repertoire. Upon completion of high school, she moved to Forest Grove, Oregon, where she attended Pacific University. At Pacific she was a member of the performing dance team for five years.
Valerie graduated from Pacific University with a B.S. in Exercise Science and minors in Psychology and Literature, and went on to coach Pacific University’s performing dance team for six years.
Valerie has been with All Star Dance Academy since its opening in 2004, and absolutely loves teaching dance to all age groups.
Valerie continues to dance ballet and jazz and is a member of the Moveo performing Dance Company.
Outside of the dance world, Valerie enjoys sewing, spending time with her wonderful husband, and being Mommy to three year old Giselle and her two dogs..
Jeff George , Instructor (Ballet, Hip Hop, Lyrical)
Jeff George was born and raised in snowy Minnesota. He naturally gravitated to dance and choreography throughout high school. Shortly thereafter, he trained with Ballet Arts of Minnesota and Broadway Dance Center in New York. After performing on the east coast tour with Sesame Street Live he then moved on to traveling the world. The next 4 years were spent sailing the Mediterranean and Pacific Seas performing on various Royal Caribbean Cruise ships. Now Jeff lives in Portland dancing with Body Vox. He was thrilled to have joined the All Star family in July of 2009!
Tammy Wallace, Instructor (All Star Minis, Tap, Acrobatics, Tiny Tots, Jazz/Hip Hop)
Tammy has been teaching dance in the greater Portland area for over 15 years. She has been trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Modern, Musical Theatre, Drama, Modeling, Hawaiian and Acrobatics. Tammy loves teaching all ages and all levels of dance! She works with the All Star Minis, preparing them for performances and dance competitions. She also Choreographs solos and prepares dancers for competitions. Tammy's love for tap has allowed her to take several tap dances to dance competitions through out Oregon.
Tammy has been the Choreographer for Miss Oregon scholarship pageant as well as local Miss Oregon pageants.She had the opportunity to Choreograph the Miss Oregon Radio Hour at the Chinook Winds Casino working with past Miss Oregon's and various professional singers and dancers. She has also worked with Valley Catholic High School choreographing their musical.
Tammy has performed on National television at the 1988 Miss America Pageant. In 1987 Tammy was Miss Oregon. She had the opportunity to perform in local and state pageants. Also making a appearance in Disney Land for Oregon Day! One of her favorite performances was being one of the professional dancers for the band "The Pink Martini's."
Tammy has two daughters that also dance at All Star Dance Academy, Ali and Bridgette Wallace. Tammy and her girls consider All Star Dance Academy their second home as well as their extended family!
Zahra Banzi
Zahra Banzi was Born in Madrid, and raised in numerous places. Brought up by musicians, she has spent her life surrounded by the arts. Zahra spent her infancy in the studios of Mary Osland & Co. and began formal studies at age four as a scholarship student at the Oregon Ballet Theater. After moving to California, she began studying under Claire Dye at Dance Unlimited in Santa Barbara when she was 12 and was a member of the performing company.
Graduating from the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts in 2006, Zahra has gone on to perform for such notables as Queen Sofia of Spain, Lady Bush & Princess Haifa Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.
Zahra received her BFA in Dance and Choreography at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 2010. During her time at CalArts she was given the opportunity to see many of her choreographic works go into performance, as well as perform in various BFA, MFA, and faculty works.
In addition to choreographing and performing, Zahra has a passion for teaching. She founded the dance program at Budo Sport in Tangier, Morocco. And was the director of the dance program at Girls inc. in Santa Barbara, CA.
Zahra is currently dancing with Bouand dance company in Portland and is so exited to be working with all of the talented dancers at All Star Dance Academy!
Katie McCulley, Reception/Substitute Instructor
Bio coming soon.