ABOUT US

GET TO KNOW PERFORMER’S ACADEMY

MEET OUR TEAM

Richard Lopez – Owner

Richard Lopez has been an instructor and show designer since 1978 for many Texas High School color guards and bands. Richard has designed shows for numerous indoor color guard state champions, UIL Texas State marching finalists and WGI regional champions. He has also designed programs for state solo and ensemble color guard champions. Richard was the education director for the Texas Educational Colorguard Circuit and has been the President for the circuit for 4 years.

Richard is also a marching band drill designer.

He has written for the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps as well as many high schools. Many of his drills have placed in the UIL State Marching Band contests. His drill for the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corp finished 4th at the DCI Finals.

Richard is the owner of Performer’s Academy, a consulting company for the visual arts. He is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association.

Joshua Sanchez – Marketing Manager

Joshua Sanchez graduated from Fredericksburg High where he marched trumpet his freshman and sophomore year, became head drum major as a junior, and lead his band to achieve 2nd place at the 2012 UIL State Marching Band contest his senior year. Josh joined his high school winter guard as a sophomore and participated through his senior year.

Josh attended Texas State University in San Marcos, TX and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science with a focus in Fashion Merchandising, along with a Business Administration minor. In his free time during college, Josh marched Trumpet with the Bobcat Marching Band in the fall of 2013 and was a part of the Identity World cast in 2015.When not teaching, Josh can be found being a Craftsman for Coach at North Star mall or catching up on all things pop culture.

Jeremy Contreras – Office Administrator

Lia Campbell – Office Assistant

Clarissa Herrera – Color Guard Director at Madison High School

Clarissa attended James Madison High School and graduated the spring of 2013, where she marched all four years with the color guard. During that time, she served as a leader for the color guard for three years. After high school she took a couple years off then she was given the opportunity to march with Industry Independent in 2016 and 2017.

Clarissa started teaching at her alma mater as an assistant until she was promoted to Instructor at Samuel Clemens High School starting in the summer of 2017 to present.
Clarissa used to attend at the University of Incarnate Word from the fall of 2013 to spring of 2016 where she studied Nursing with a minor in Psychology.

Galilea Flores – Assistant Color Guard Director at Madison High School

Hannah Oliver – Color Guard Director at Boerne High School

Hannah Oliver has been in the Color Guard industry for 6 years, commencing shortly after her 2015 graduation from James Madison High School. In her 4-year journey as a Colorguard member, she not only demonstrated remarkable skills but also emerged as a dynamic leader, nurturing a profound passion for teaching Colorguard.
Post-high school, Hannah took on the role of Assistant Color Guard Director at Performers Academy, returning to her alma mater to inspire the next generation.

In 2018, she became the Color Guard Director at Boerne High School in Boerne, Texas, revitalizing the program and achieving State competition success.
Hannah’s commitment to education and mentorship shines through with resiliency, instilling values of teamwork, discipline, and creativity in her students. Presently, Hannah is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, specializing in Health Science at the University of Texas-San Antonio; her dedication to education and Colorguard remains unwavering and resolute.

Dana Youngblood – Assistant Color Guard Director at Boerne High School

Dana Youngblood, at 21 years old, hails from Houston, Texas, and is a dedicated enthusiast of color guard. Her journey commenced in the 8th grade when she joined her junior high’s color guard program. Throughout high school, Dana’s love for the craft blossomed, culminating in her appointment as captain during her junior and senior years.

Post-high school, Dana pursued higher education at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she discovered Performers Academy, an organization deeply aligned with her passion. Since 2021, Dana has been a devoted technician at Boerne High School, a role she proudly continues.

Her affiliation with Performers Academy opened doors, leading her to secure the esteemed position of head director at Cornerstone Christian Schools. Dana cherishes both roles deeply and is grateful for her continued growth in the vibrant world of color guard.

Aaron Salas – Color Guard Director at Legacy of Educational Excellence (L.E.E. HS)

Lynelle Ramirez – Assistant Color Guard Director at Legacy of Educational Excellence (L.E.E. HS)

Hunter Phillips – Color Guard Director at Byron P. Steele High School

Hunter Phillips graduated from Wagner High School in 2017, where his color guard career began. Outside of high school in 2016, he marched with the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps. He has also marched with Invictus World Winter guard from 2018-2020 and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from 2018-2020.

Hunter started as a color guard assistant at Wagner High School, then taught at Madison High School as an assistant. From there he was promoted to Director at Byron P. Steele High School.
Hunter currently goes to San Antonio College where he is pursuing his degree in dance.

Briana Holguin – Assistant Color Guard Director at Steele High School

Amber Martin – Assistant Color Guard Director at Clemens High School

Amber’s vibrant journey in the world of color guard commenced during her time at James Madison High School, where she proudly graduated in the spring of 2020. Over the course of her high school years, she dedicated herself to color guard, marching passionately for all four years. Notably, she served as captain for three of those years, guiding her team to numerous prestigious awards and top honors.

After completing her high school journey, Amber embarked on a new path by joining Samuel Clemens High School in the fall of 2022 as a teacher. Her dedication to color guard remained unwavering, and her commitment to nurturing young talent in the art form shines through in her teaching.

Amber’s passion for color guard continues to burn brightly, and she is set to embark on a thrilling adventure with Invictus World in the upcoming year of 2024, further solidifying her love for this captivating art.

Desiree Faz – Assistant Color Guard Director at Clemens High School

Desiree’s journey in the world of color guard began in 2016 when she enrolled at James Madison High School, where she dedicated all four of her high school years to this art form. In the spring of 2020, she proudly graduated, carrying with her the experience and skills gained from her time with the color guard.

Taking a two-year hiatus after high school, Desiree embarked on her teaching career in the fall semester of 2022 as an assistant at Samuel Clemens High School, a role she continues to fulfill with dedication and passion to this day. Her commitment to education and the color guard led her to assume the position of Color Guard instructor at Canyon Lake High School in the fall semester of 2023, contributing to their marching band program titled “This Is Us.”

Desiree’s high school years, during which she chose the public service endorsement with a focus on Education and training, have paved the way for her future aspirations. After completing her college education, she aspires to become a teacher, with a keen interest in either elementary education or teaching family consumer sciences at the high school level.

Regan Martilla – Assistant Color Guard Director at Taft High School