Instructor Bios

Andy Chidester

Andy was born in Dearborn, Michigan; Andy’s love for sports has been present ever since. Attending the University of Michigan, his love for his home state remained as prevalent as it is today. He is a huge fan of all Detroit professional teams as well as all University of

Michigan sports. Once he graduated with a B.A. in Sports Management, he began to coach, and now works for Assist Athletics. His favorite sport to coach is flag football because “I can be the most active with the kids and I feel like I get the most exercise with it.” Andy has always enjoyed playing baseball ever since he was younger.

Beyond sports, one of Andy’s favorite pastimes is to DJ, but very recently his free time is spent changing diapers and reading Dr. Seuss to his son, Adyn. It’s yet to be seen if Adyn is a natural born athlete like his dad, but as soon as he can come to work with Dad, we’ll see!

 

 

 

 

 

Deborah Gillins (no picture)  
Deborah has a BA in English.  “I started teaching adult & children’s tap in 2001 on and off (in between babies) at the YMCA.  I started tapping at age 3.  I was in a dance company for 2 years during high school in Northern Virginia.  I danced as many semesters as possible all through college.”  Deborah has been teaching here at the Community Center since 2004, taking a year off after she had her last baby.  Deborah is constantly motivated because she says “I have the best students.  You can’t take yourself too seriously in a tap class.  Every session has been so fun because of the people and also my darling routines.  Even if you haven’t tapped since you were a child, you would be surprised at how fast you pick it back up.  It is fun to have somewhere to use those tap shoes in the back of your closet.”  Pictured here is her very fun Spring 09 Adult Tap class.  A picture of Deborah is soon to come. 
Deborah’s fun fact: “I was born in Minnesota – that seems fun don’t cha know!  I love to draw and see movies and take care of my four kids who are sweet and crazy.” 

Jean Taylor

Jean is founder of the ceramics program and longest running teacher here at the Community Center.  Jean started teaching here at the center in June of 66’ back when it was still called the Youth House.  “When I began teaching I only had one adult class and one children’s class.  I was very anxious to make it work so I deliberately set out to make it very available to students – so, then they would want to be there.  We held a number of social events that made them feel like a ceramic family and the sales began to give us more financial stability.” When Jean first came to the Youth House looking for work, she called “and Smitty answered the phone and said I’m not the person you need to talk to, but let me have you talk to Happy Hildabrand.  So I tell Happy I’m interested in working in the ceramic dept. and she says come right at once, our potter has left to

Europe.  I told her I can’t, I have my two girls with me, and she said that’s okay, bring them too!”  And from that day on Jean started working in the ceramic dept.

Jean was born in Essex England.  She worked for the B.B.C. in London over a period of eight years as a Studio Manager.  “It was a really fun job that I was really sorry to leave behind when I went to Canada.”  Her late husband Jim worked as a Canadian Diplomat.  Being married to a diplomat allowed for travel to different countries, the first posting being

South Africa.  This is where Jean first started teaching ceramics.  Jean remembers “The teacher at my daughter’s preschool asked me if I would like to teach a ceramics class to the preschool kids.  I said no, I can’t teach, and the teacher said yes you can, it’s not really teaching its fun.  And it was fun.”  That was Jeans first exposure into the world of teaching ceramics.  “They had one wheel, one kiln, and 1 table,” Jean said.   

         Jean has over 40 years of diverse teaching experience.  She taught archeology to children for 10 or more years in the science program at the Adventist Hospital, 2 years as Creative Arts Director of Hillside South School for children with learning disabilities, and for 31 years at the Creative Arts Ceramic Studio in Sierra Madre.  Jean has been involved with innumerable small group events; scouts, campfire girls etc.

       Jean went to collage in the UK and obtained her C.G.S.M. (ELOC) teaching degree in speech training and drama.  “It’s all about the subject.  I disliked teaching speech and drama but discovered ceramics and I was hooked!  To be able to watch other people grow and discover is incredibly satisfying and fun.  For my own personal satisfaction is the ever opening door of discovery.  It’s as much fun perhaps even more than when I first started because experience has raised the bar.  Result – 42 years of fun and ever expanding creativity.”  You can find Jean in the Ceramic studio on Fridays as well as a participant in our bi-annual ceramic shows.  

     Jean’s Fun Fact:  “I used to roast chickens in the kiln.  I would put clay right on the chicken and it would act like a casserole when it would harden up.  I discovered a better way to do it was putting rosemary around the chicken and the clay over that. And it turned out good.” Jean’s likes cooking (love to research + and have taught it too) gardening, knitting, sewing, drawing, painting and reading. 

Jeanne Lavieri
She has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Arts from Lewiston Maine.  She attended Cal State Northridge and obtained her Master's Degree in Art Education and her CA teaching credential in Art.  Jeanne first started teaching ceramics to children and adults in 1991 (filling in for Jean Taylor) at Creative Arts Group in Sierra Madre.  The following year, she began to teach children’s clay classes at the Youth House and eventually added adult ceramic classes to her teaching schedule.  Jeanne Lavieri has been teaching art at RobertFrostMiddle School for LAUSD since 1999. Jeanne Lavieri says “I believe that humans hunger for community and creative expression.  The Community Center is a place where both of those needs can be fulfilled.  It feels right to work with earth and fire to shape beautiful, useful objects, and to be sharing knowledge with others who want to make objects with their hands.  I enjoy being together every week with people who share these values.” 
      Additionally, Jeanne is instrumental in organizing the Empty Bowls Fundraiser raising money for hunger relief organizations.  Visit

http://www.cvemptybowls.org for more info.  Jeanne writes “I am committed to directing my interests and gifts towards the good of the world.  I make art to communicate peace, and I stand for peace, and teach peace.  Our Empty Bowls project is a fine application of these concepts.  Several smaller, separate communities came together to share diverse talents to provide for the hungry.  This could not have happened without the enthusiastic participation of Miriam Balcazar and the many contributing potters at CCLCF.”

Jeanne’s Fun Fact: “Most of the dishes in my cupboard were made by Community Center potters.” 

Joanne Voors

Joanne was born and raised in ManchesterEngland.  Joanne started dancing at the age of four (she wanted the cute dance bag + umbrella that came with the class.) Joanne started her career working for MGM in Las Vegas in Donn Arden’s Jubilee and Hello Hollywood Hello.  She performed in the Libo de Paris and the Folies Bergere.  She also danced on cruise ships for several years but never found her sea legs.  The most memorable time was performing to a sold out arena with Bob Hope at the Olympics in Soeul Korea in 1988. 

 

She first came here to the Community Center to work with home school families, and she found “a team of genuine caring people who are committed to the enrichment of our community.  That commitment rubbed off on me and I found myself wanting to do more with our community and the world of dance.”

 

            When asked what her greatest joy about teaching dance here at the Community Center Joanne said: “I enjoy meeting people who have always wanted to do something for themselves and choose dance to fulfill that need.  I love the children who put the fun in their love of music and dance.  And I hope to bring the joy of dance to many families.  I would love to encourage parents and children to experience the world of Ballet or Tap or to explore the world of Broadway through music and choreography. Dance is for everyone.” Joanne lives by the motto “Give of yourself with heart and soul.”

 

Joanne has been involved with numerous performances including Hello Hollywood Hello - Donn Arden- MGM Hotel - Reno Nevada, Jubilee - Donn Arden - Bally's Hotel - Las Vegas, Lido De Paris - Stardust Hotel - Las Vegas, Fast Company - Frederick Apcar- Harrahs Hotel - Lake Tahoe, Bob Hope TV Special - 1988 Olympics- Soeul Korea, Winds of the Gods - Luxor Hotel - Las Vegas, Hot Rock and Country - Plaza Hotel - Las Vegas.  Various shows onboard ships Crystal Cruises, Royal Viking Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Cunard Cruise Line She has performed in musicals such as 42nd Street, Anything Goes, Will Rogers Follies, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls, and Cats.  Joanne has done TV commercials for MGM Grand Hotels, Bob Hope Olympics show, Things Change and TV appearances with David Mamet, Jerry Lewis telethons,

Joanne Voors received her training in England with Royal Academy of Dancing.  She got her teaching certificates with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and the National Association of Teachers of Dance. Joanne says “I have been teaching students in dance for over twenty years as well as holding dance captain and teaching positions for professional productions."
Joanne’s Fun Fact:  “I love to bake English stuff like sausage rolls and jam tarts.”

 

Joe has enjoyed seeing kids have fun in his tennis class here at the Community Center since 1990.  He started worked here at the center in 1984 a year after he graduated college with his B.A. and teachers credential.  Joe has taught a variety of classes over the years including Fun w/ clay, oil painting, tie dying, sculpture, and even doing general handyman work around the center.

Joe’s Fun Fact:  “I hunt for ghost towns in the desert and plan to write a book about it along with the photographs I’ve taken there.  Joe is an avid record collector.  I have a huge collection of mostly 60’s and 70’s rock music, all on vinyl!” 

Jose has a bachelor of Fine Arts, and has studied and taught HWA Rang Do as a black belt for 6 years before opening his first school in 1972.  He has been teaching ever since, and started teaching at the Community Center in 1995.  Jose says “I had my own schools for 17 of those years.  The remainder was with other organizations including the Community Center of LaCanada and the YMCA in Los Angeles.” When asked about his experience and motivation for his classes, Jose says “Being a parent has been a part of my learning experience with children.  My belief in martial arts and seeing it develop character, confidence, physical and mental strength in my students motivates me.  Interacting with children and the learning we both receive from it, as well as getting to know the parents and the community motivates me too.  Working with people here at the Community Center, teaching the students and getting to know the families have been a real pleasure.

Jose’s Fun Fact:  Jose enjoys listening to, and telling jokes, hiking and observing nature. He likes watching action movies of any kind, and T.V. shows Monk, and Ugly Betty.  Yes Ugly Betty.

Tom has many years experience enrolled in ceramic classes in the LA area before he started teaching at CCLCF.  Tom started his ceramic journey at Everywoman’s Village in Van Nuys.  He then moved on to the ceramics program at PierceCollege in LA, where he volunteered as a teaching assistant.  Tom began teaching costume design and construction as far back as grad school.  He earned his BFA, MA at the University of Arizona in technical theatre (design).  Tom worked on the set of “The Young and the Restless” for 24 years.  He currently teaches here at CCLCF filling in for Jenny Donnell.  Tom says “I like to help people and I like to inspire their creativity.”

Sonia Chung
Sonia teaches “Young Cooks and Great Books”, our popular kids cooking class, at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge which combines cooking and reading. Over the past five years she has been able to combine cooking, nutrition, academics, social skills, and cultural awareness in a fun hands-on class. The kids have made everything from apple pie, sweet potato latkes, zucchini frittata, miso soup, to dulce de leche ice cream. Every winter she has been able to arrange for her students a private tour of a restaurant to show them what goes on in the kitchen. Every summer she runs a cooking camp where a different country is highlighted in food and culture. Students range from 3 years old and up. In addition to the Community Center, Sonia has taught cooking classes for Whole Foods Market, Crescenta Canada YMCA, Valley Vista Preschool, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and at birthday parties. She takes her love of teaching and combines it with her love of cooking and makes learning delicious. Sonia is a credentialed elementary teacher and has taught in the Glendale Unified School District for 9 years.