ALISO NIGUEL DANCE TEAM 2025-2026

    Mrs. Desiano began her career at Aliso Niguel High School in 1998 and has been teaching and coaching high school dance for 34 years. She began dancing as a child to support her training as a competitive gymnast, ultimately developing a lifelong passion for movement and performance.

    She earned her associate degree from Citrus College in Glendora, California, where she was a member of the Citrus Dance Company (1986–1988). She continued her education at California State University, Long Beach, completing her bachelor’s degree in physical education (1988–1991) and performing with the university’s Spirit Team for two years. Mrs. Desiano later earned her master’s degree in education from California State University, San Bernardino (1999–2000).

   At Aliso Niguel High School, Mrs. Desiano teaches Dance, Tennis, Power Walking, and PE 9 in the Physical Education Department. She was a finalist for Orange County Dance Teacher of the Year in both 2006 and 2008 and was honored with the “10 Years of Dedication-A Lifetime of Appreciation” award by Contest of Champions in March 2023. She strongly believes that teamwork forms the foundation of a successful program and embraces the motto by John Wooden: “Hard work beats talent when talent will not work hard.” She is exceptionally proud of this year’s Dance Team, who demonstrate commitment, resilience, and passion each day while learning from outstanding choreographers and a supportive coaching staff.

   Mrs. Desiano feels extremely blessed to have former Dance Team members part of the coaching staff.

Mrs. Desiano resides in San Clemente with her husband of 27 years, Tom, a Social Studies teacher and the Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at Dana Hills High School. They have two children and a family dog, Harley. Their daughter, Madelyn, is a professional soccer player for Spokane Zephyr FC in Washington and the self-published author of Bend Never Break, available through Amazon and the UCLA Bookstore. Their son, Tommy, is a senior at San Diego State University majoring in Communications, where he serves as President of the Speech and Debate Team.

Caitlin began her dance training in Southern California at the age of five and specialized in ballet. She was a member of the Aliso Niguel High School Dance Team from 2010-2013. In 2013, she began her dance teaching career and has taught at several local dance studios in Orange County and Utah. She worked for the Walt Disney Company as a parade performer from 2014-2020. Caitlin has been cast in several parades at Disneyland. Parades include "Mickey’s Soundsational Parade", opening cast of "Paint the Night Electrical Parade", "Frightfully Fun Parade", and "A Christmas Fantasy Parade". 

Caitlin attended Saddleback College where she earned an Associate Degree in Liberal Studies. During her time at Saddleback, she was a member of the Saddleback cheerleading squad and the Saddleback dance program from 2013-2015. Caitlin furthered her education at Utah Valley University on a tuition scholarship. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in Dance, with an emphasis in Ballet. She was a member of UVU’s Repertory Ballet Ensemble from 2015-2018. With the ensemble, she guest-performed with Repertory Dance Theater in their show Sanctuary in 2017. Caitlin attended the American College of Dance Association in 2018. From 2018 to 2020 she coached the middle school and high school dance team at Saddleback Valley Christian School. She has also taught physical education in the private sector since 2020. This is her third year coaching the Aliso Niguel High School Dance Team. She is passionate about dance and physical education. Caitlin believes that a teacher not only teaches dance steps but life lessons and an overall healthy lifestyle along the way.

    Dana started dancing at the age four, and has since trained extensively in a variety of styles, including ballet, jazz, pom, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, tap, and more. She has performed with Festival Ballet Theatre in their productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and The Gala of the Stars. From 2020 to 2024, Dana was a member of the Aliso Niguel Dance Team, where she served as a co-captain her junior year and as captain her senior year.

    Dana attended the Dance Atak Convention in 2023, where she was selected for Team Dance Atak and awarded a full scholarship for the following year’s convention. In 2024, Dana represented ANHS Dance Team as she competed as a soloist in the Miss Dance Drill Team USA Nationals. That same year, she was also nominated for OC Register’s Artist of the Year in Dance.

  Dana is currently attending UC San Diego, where she is majoring in mathematics-computer science and is a member of their dance team. Outside of school, she works with the United Spirit Association (USA) as part of their song/pom staff. Throughout the summer, she teaches at multiple camps, guiding high school students through a variety of dances while fostering a supportive and uplifting environment. Dana is thrilled to be coaching the ANHS Dance Team, a program that shaped so much of her own growth as both a dancer and a leader. She is passionate about giving back to this team, and she looks forward to a season filled with growth, connection, and unforgettable memories!