Spring Illusions 2024

1000 Oaks Dance Challenge

Coaching Staff

Meet our experienced and talented Dance Team Coaching Staff at Thousand Oaks High School.

JaLeen Murphy
Director

I started dancing and twirling the baton at an early age where I competed in many Majorette competitions. During high school I was actively involved with my high school dance team. I loved being the Drill Mistress/Captain for the team. I enjoyed sports, playing high school volleyball and basketball. I danced with various groups all through college including the Ricks College “Vikadettes” and BYU Orchesis. I later graduated with my bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Provo with a Dance Specialization Major and minor in Spanish. While in Provo, I coached, directed, and traveled with the BYU Pep Squad for two years. After my children were grown, I worked and received my master’s degree in dance from the University of Northern Colorado. I have been teaching at Thousand Oaks High School since 1991 where I began the dance program. At TOHS I have taught Spanish, ESL, Health, PE, Cheerleading, and of course, dance. I am the wife of a loving man, Mark Cole; I have five beautiful children from the ages of 21-31, three girls and two boys. I am a stepmother to four children; and I am currently a grandmother to 10 grandbabies.

Jordan Jones
Head Coach

Jordan has been dancing all her life, and has found a great passion for teaching and working with the youth. She began her training at various local studios, including Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts and eventually with the TOHS Dance Team. Jordan was not only a four year dance team member, but a two year captain and a top 10 soloist. She continued her training at San Diego State University, where she studied techniques of modern, contemporary and improvisation. While in San Diego, Jordan had the privilege of being a member of the University Dance Company giving her the opportunity to work with various professional artists. Most recently, she performed a new work by Tamara Saari which placed second at the annual San Diego Young Choreographer Showcase. In 2013, Jordan graduated with her BFA in Dance, a minor in Sociology, and was selected by the faculty as the Outstanding Graduate in Dance. She is excited and honored to be working with the TOHS dance program and its students.

Madi Given
Assistant Coach

Madi began dancing at a young age at Pam Rossi’s Dance Ten and continued her training in high school with the TOHS Dance Team. In college, Madi’s love for dance grew as she was a member of the Division 1 GCU Dance Team. She earned the Rookie Captain position her freshman year, which lead her to become Head Captain senior year. Through her four years on the team, the GCU dancers won four national championships. Madi was also a UDA Instructor and traveled across the country, teaching all styles of dance and working with a variety of high school dance teams. Through this experience, her passion for teaching and working with teams sky-rocketed. Madi feels extremely blessed to be working with the TOHS Dance Program, and for the love, mentorship, and support that Murphy and Jordan have continued to provide.

Marielle Alonzo-Thomas
Ballet Instructor

Marielle Alonzo-Thomas is an experienced versatile and expressive dance artist who graduated as a Dance major at the University of the Philippines. She started training at the young age of 3. She received high grades/ remarks from the Royal Academy of Dance. She was a performer, teacher, and choreographer in Ballet, Hawaiian, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Aerial, ballroom, and Hip-hop. She became part of Ballet dance companies such as the University of the Philippines Dance Company, Philippines Ballet Theater, and contemporary company/ Commercial dance companies like Airdance. She joined the West Side Story 2008 in Manila and made local music videos and TV commercials. Marielle became part of the Royal Caribbean International Production as a dancer in 2009 and got the opportunity to travel and perform around the world. She’s been teaching for more than 17 years and now she’s in California teaching around Ventura and LA County since she moved here in 2012. She loves to share her passion, motivate and inspire the next generations of dancers.

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For more information about the dance program please use this email to contact us:

Tohslancerdancers@gmail.com