Hello, everyone! Welcome to CBT! Our mission is to inspire a profound love of ballet that empowers children and students to reach their full potential. Dance serves as a transformative tool for self-expression, communication, and connection. By fostering a supportive and inclusive community, I am dedicated to helping students discover their unique talents, build confidence, and grow both as dancers and individuals. Through our shared passion for dance, we are creating a vibrant and diverse community that honors culture and creativity. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of my students with all of you.

Artistic Director/Instructor

Kotomi Matsuda has performed with internationally recognized companies and masters from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and the New York City Ballet. She has also danced with the Ajkun Ballet Theatre and performed in Europe and on the East Coast.

Education & Certification

• State of California Commission on Teacher Credential Permit. Child Development. CA.gov (2021)
• Certified American Red Cross – Adult, Child, and Infant First Aid/CPR/AED
• Film Diploma, University of Copenhagen
• French, Associate of Arts degree, El Camino College (distinction, literature – postgraduate program).
• Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts, and Minor in Dance, California State University of Long Beach
• Internship under Diane Ratley, the British Ballet Organization, and the Royal Academy of Ballet
• Teacher certification, Kamaletdinov Vaganova Ballet
• Many of her students have been accepted into prestigious institutions, including the Vaganova Academy, the School of American Ballet Theatre, U.C.L.A., U.C. Berkeley, Notre Dame, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Boston University, the University of Utah, and other prestigious academies. Students aged 9 – teens have won ballet competitions and received first place. High school students have taken on leadership roles in both artistic and academic programs.
• Her mission is to preserve and pass on the legacy of classical ballet and the performing arts and inspire children and dancers to dance from their hearts.

CBT’s Philosophy and Methods 

Diane Ratley, a distinguished member of both the British Ballet Organization and the Royal Academy of Ballet, profoundly influenced Kotomi’s teaching philosophy and methods.

Recognizing Kotomi’s intense curiosity about music and movement at an early stage, Diane offered her an internship as both a performer and a teacher. Encouraging her open-mindedness toward new rhythmic techniques, dance steps, styles, forms of expression, and continuous learning, supporting her with masterclasses, ABT performance appreciations, world premieres at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and various artist showcases across both coasts.

Driven by Diane’s artistic vision, she produces nurturing theater productions and contests annually, empowering students to achieve their goals, win competitions, and refine their stage skills.

Later, Ballet Master Kamaletdinov trained her as his leading pupil and assistant, guiding her to discover each dancer’s individuality through ballet variations and character dances, and helping them achieve new heights.

About Diane Ratley: As the founder of Dance Center Inc. in the South Bay, she has earned great respect for more than a decade of teaching students who have achieved success in the performing arts and advanced graduate programs.

Diane’s principle of “Expression from the Heart” remains a continual inspiration within our dance community, producing distinguished performers for generations.