Board of Directors
Jason Coosner, President
Jason is a master teacher, choreographer, coach and deeply passionate educator based in Los Angeles, CA. Jason’s eye for detail, masterful understanding of technique, ability to extract organic performance and innovative choreography continues to attract dancers from around the country to coach with him and teachers to learn from him. He holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from Southern Methodist University for which he received a full artistic scholarship and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre with a Minor in Dance and Business Administration from Elon University. He has been awarded numerous choreography awards most notably for his ballet "Composition VII" which received the Regional Dance America National Choreographic Recognition Award. His work has been featured at the Anaheim International Dance Festival and International Ballet Festival Miami. Jason created choreography for the web series, INSTNT MSGS directed by the award winning Justin Simien.
Including national and international conventions, Jason has taught master classes for the University of Indiana-Bloomington, Elon University, Long Beach Ballet, Collin County Ballet Theatre, SoCal Ballet, Southbay Ballet, Burbank Youth Ballet and Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet. As well as consistently placing in the both the classical and contemporary top 12 categories at the Youth American Grand Prix. At YAGP Jason’s students have won both 1st place in the senior and junior contemporary category, 2nd place in the pre-competitive competitive and 3rd place in the classical pre-competitive category. His students have been accepted into Harid Conservatory, School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Bolshoi for summer study while his graduating seniors have been accepted as dance majors to Juilliard, NYU, Boston Conservatory, CalArts, UC Irvine, Southern Methodist University, SUNY Purchase and the University of Michigan. Jason has performed in over twenty regional theatrical productions including the Broadway National Tour of Kiss Me Kate. As a singer he has shared the stage with Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Jo-Dee Messina, Norm Lewis and most recently David Foster. Jason is the president of Dance Masters Pacific Coast, a National Area Director for Dance Masters of America, a member of both Screen Actors’ Guild, Actors’ Equity Association and the International Dance Entrepreneurs' Association. He is the Director of Burbank Dance Academy and is on the Bachelor of Fine Arts Commercial Dance faculty at Relativity School where he teaches ballet, contemporary and dance composition.
Grace Pack, 1st Vice President
Grace Pack began her dance training with the Shely Pack Dancers under director Shely Pack-Manning, Past President of Dance Masters of America. She furthered her ballet training and intensively studied under Alexsey Berdyugin, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, and Nina Amato, former principal dancer with the Sacramento Ballet. Grace has over 17 years of teaching experience in many different styles. She is currently certified in Ballet, Jazz, and Acrobatics through Dance Masters of America. She is also a nationally certified jazz examiner and a chapter examiner in acrobatics. Grace enjoys teaching, choreographing, and adjudicating for both regional and national competitions. Grace’s students have won many awards, including Dance Master’s Pacific Coast Petite Miss, Junior Miss, Teen Miss, and Miss Dances, and the 2015 Petite Miss Dance of America. She’s been honored to receive many choreography awards throughout her years of teaching, especially the DMA George Lon Memorial Award. Notable Choreography credits include Marya Stark’s music video for her single Stargazer and, more recently, for her single Keep the Light On, coming out later this year. She was also proud to choreograph the award-winning short movie Carnival of Wonders, directed by Christopher Childers. In 2022, Grace received the Tony Spisak Award for outstanding service in the arts and contribution to Dance Masters Pacific Coast. She is a former Petite Miss and Miss Dance of Dance Masters of California, where she also enjoyed serving on the board of directors. She is featured in Dance Master’s of America instructional DVD “The Art of Teaching Ballet”. She is currently the Assistant Studio and Competition Director for The Shely Pack Dancers, National Area Director and Teen Title Director for Dance Masters of America, and the 1st Vice President, Title Director and PAC Director for Dance Masters Pacific Coast.
Sharon McCormick, Awards Director
An accomplished Choreographer, Sharon McCormick founded The Lake Arrowhead School Of Dance 40 years ago, where dozens of talented dancers have been launched into the world of quality performance. Encouraged by the popular support of her dance productions, she founded The Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company in 1993, with which she has choreographed and directed numerous balletic performances,including La Fille Mal Gardee, La Boutique Fantasque, Cinderella, Peter and The Wolf, Hansel and Gretel, Paquita, Stars and Stripes, Union Jack, Neue Lieberslieder Waltzer and most notably The Nutcracker.
Mrs. McCormick has studied under the direction of Eric Hurst of The Sadler Wells Ballet, Axcel Herring of the Royal Swedish Ballet, Cecile Herring of Les Grande Ballet Canadian, who was also a principal dancer with major European ballet companies, Mahri Jacobsen of The Royal Ballet, and Donald Hewitt of The National Ballet Of Canada.
With her signature ballets, her status as a gifted teacher, and her finesse for unique expressive movement, McCormick instills a flair for excellence in all her artistic work.
In February 2017, McCormick accepted on behalf of The Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company, the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce award for Non-Profit of the Year Award at the Chamber’s Annual Gala Event. She was honored in October 2016 as a finalist for the 12th Annual Women of Distinction by State Senator Mike Morrell, who represents the 23rd Senate District which includes our mountain communities. The Soroptimist International of Lake Arrowhead presented her with the Women of Distinction Award (Arts and Cultural) in 1997 for her work with the youth and her contribution to culture in the area. As further testament to the success of McCormick’s endeavors, each year her students audition for and are accepted to ballet schools and companies throughout the United States.
Tera Luedde, 2nd Vice President
Second Vice President of DMA Dance Masters Pacific Coast Chapter 1 previously a 19-year member of Dance Masters of Pennsylvania Chapter 10. She has been dancing since the age of 2 at her mother’s Dance Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. Having her mother as her teacher instilled her passion and love of teaching and the art of dance. At the age of 14 she began teaching her first competitive team and has been teaching and choreographing ever since.
Tera is also the Artistic Director and founder of the Western Pennsylvania Performing Arts Company and past board member of Dance Masters of Pennsylvania. She has worked and choreographed with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover including coordinating master classes for their Jellies Last Jam Tour Nationwide. She wrote, directed and choreograph the 1998 and 1999 Christmas Spectacular, 1998 Century of Celebrations, Assisted with the choreography at the 1998 Olympics’, Coke-Cola Village in Atlanta Georgia. Her students travel and perform internationally and have won various titles and Scholarships such as Jr. Teen Miss Dance of Pennsylvania, Petite Master Dance of Pennsylvania, Young Miss Dance of America for DEA, Jr Mister Dance of America runner up, Jr Mister Dance Master Pacific Coast, International Ballet Competition in Panama First Place Winner, cover of Dance Spirit Magazine and many more. Tera enjoys working with students of all ages sharing her love and passion for the arts. Carpe Diem!
GiGi Hartman, Secretary
GiGi Hartman moved to Los Angeles in 2009 after being the owner and artistic director of GiGi’s Studio of Dance and Dance Steps, Inc. in Pennsylvania. She has been in the dance business for many years as a performer, teacher, and choreographer. She has studied with many great masters such as Luigi, Gus Giordano, Bob Rizzo, David Howard, E. Laura Hausmann, Tom Ralabate, and Frank Hatchett. GiGi attended Point Park University majoring in dance and graduated from the Dance Masters of America Teachers Training Program. In addition, she is a certified Regional and National Examiner for Dance Masters and is on the Board of directors as Secretary and Treasurer. GiGi holds the Teacher’s Professional Intermediate VI Licentiate Certification through the Cecchetti Council of America. The Cecchetti program is dedicated to maintaining the standards and methods of Ballet Training established by Cav. Enrico Cecchetti through sequential examinations for students and teachers. At the College level, she was an instructor for the Westminster College dance department. In the Summer of 2019, GiGi received the Cathleen Wendel Lista Award which is given annually to the teacher showing dedication and advocacy for the Dance Masters of America Teachers Training Program.
Her Ballet performances include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Snow Queen, The Firebird, The Nutcracker, Dragonfly Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty with Ballet Theatre Shenango Valley and The Great Lakes Festival Ballet. GiGi performed with the Walnut Street Players, Jo Coleman’s “Just Jazz” Dance Company, The New Castle Playhouse, and The Red Barn Theatre. Her choreographic and performance credits include musicals such as Sweet Charity, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Fantasticks, Children of Eden, Forum, Little Shop of Horrors, Camelot, Black Patient Leather Shoes, and Dracula: The Musical.
Lauren Wilkins, DMPC Director
Lauren has been a member of DMPC and Dance Masters of America for 22 years. She has over 25 years of teaching experience in ballet, jazz, tap, acrobatics and lyrical, and holds certifications through Acrobatic Arts, Progressing Ballet Technique, and Alixa Flexibility. While she enjoys teaching all ages, her passion is teaching young children! Lauren resides in Camarillo, California with her husband and three daughters.
The DMPC Difference
Dance Masters Pacific Coast, Chapter-1 offers workshops, master classes, and training sessions for teachers and students in addition to scholarship auditions, competitions, and much more.
DMPC, Chapter #1 also sponsors dance competitions throughout the year. Qualifying members will have the opportunity to compete in national competitions hosted by Dance Masters of America and others. Events include Solo Title Competitions, Dance Scholarship Auditions, and Performing Arts Competitions for member students.
Professional Development
Manuals and DVD Supplements are available to members and non-members in each area of dance. The manuals are an excellent asset for members and non-members to use teaching guides and learning tools or to assist non-members in preparing for DMA Membership Examinations. The Manuals are constantly updated and upgraded to remain on top of the constantly evolving world of dance education.
Dance Competitions
Qualifying members will have the opportunity to compete in national competitions hosted by Dance Masters of America and others. Events include Solo Title Competitions, Dance Scholarship Auditions, and Performing Arts Competitions for member students.