Four tracks, for dancers who are serious.

Jena Minnick-Bull

CEO / Director

Jena Minnick-Bull, the Owner/Director of South Coast Conservatory since 2002. She has over 30 years of teaching and award-winning choreography, an MBA from Quantic International Business School, a BS in Marketing, and has been recognized by the OC Business Journal, Chase Bank, and the CA State Assembly. Her studio has been awarded “Best Dance School in Laguna Niguel” for the past 18 years. She has worked with hundreds of teachers and choreographers throughout Orange County and is a community outreach activist, ensuring dance and drama are accessible to all of our community’s youth.

Jessa Mendoza

Aerial Director

Jessa has over 26 years of teaching experience. She has a BS from CSU Long Beach in Dance, certified in Pilates, and is a Master Instructor in Aerial Arts. She has danced with San Francisco Ballet, Metropolitan Ballet, Will Smith, Ricky Martin, The Backstreet Boys, Mark Ericson from ABT and Phantom of the Opera; and Mia Michaels from “So You Think You Can Dance”.

Maria Tikhomirova

Ballet Director

Maria born in Moscow trained and received a PhD from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy as Choreographer/Master Ballet Teacher. She has toured internationally with ballet companies and has been a judge for ballet competitions. She is the Co-Director of our Ballet Conservatory Program. She has been with SCC since 2013.

Carla Guajardo

Competitive / Commercial Director

Carla Guajardo is a dance educator, performer, choreographer, and researcher with an M.F.A in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Hawaii Manoa. She brings over 15 years of experience teaching various dance genres, emphasizing kinesiology, injury prevention, and inclusivity.