Meet the BA Team

Bri took her first ballet class when she was three years old and hasn't stopped dancing since. Over the years she has studied with 12+ dance companies including the American Ballet Theater and the University of Arizona School of Dance. Bri received her Group Fitness certification from the American Council on Exercise, her 200-hour Hatha & Vinyasa Yoga Certification, and more. Bri believes the art of dance and fitness improves your health, promotes strength, confidence, self-expression, and overall well-being.

Amanda (Mandy) began studying ballet at a pre-professional ballet studio as a child. Over 20 years of dancing, she pursued other styles such as jazz, contemporary, lyrical and more. She was the lead soloist in productions of The Nutcracker and The Little Mermaid, and performed at venues all over Tucson. As an adult, she discovered her true love for teaching fitness. Now, she loves to share the importance of movement in living a healthy, happy and confident life. 

Valerie began her dance journey at age 12 at her local pre-professional ballet studio in Southern California. Through life, she has continued to dance various styles but always enjoys the rules and rhythms of classical ballet. Performing and choreographing in many productions such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Les Slyphides, Little Mermaid, and many other dance showcases/exploratory workshops, she is excited to be a part of the BA studios team and help craft more in the wonderful world of dance. 

Alexa grew up taking gymnastics, dance and cheerleading. She started dancing on a team when she got to high school. Since then, she hasn’t stopped! In high school, she competed at UDA nationals with her team in Jazz and Hip Hop. After high school, she taught cheerleading and dance and joined the Tucson Sugar Dolls. As a semiprofessional cheerleader, she gained 5 years of experience on the field and 4 years of being captain. Now, she loves to teach pro style cheerleading, jazz, and hip hop. 

Kaya grew up in Topeka, Kansas where she trained ballet, jazz, contemporary, and modern at a local pre-professional studio. Kaya extensively performed in ballet productions such as the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella. Amongst her training, Kaya has attended summer ballet intensives with Joffrey Ballet, the Rock School of Dance, and Kansas City Ballet School. Today, Kaya is most excited to share the art of ballet with others where she hopes a passion for dance will grow in their hearts!

Wini graduated from Northern Arizona University with a bachelors in Science Dental Hygiene degree. Nutrition was a prerequisite for that program of study. Wini has fun experimenting with food and meal prepping, skills she loves sharing with others. Wini also has a growing interest in fitness. Having a longtime casual dalliance with dancing, she loved the appeal of dance-based fitness. She earned her group fitness instructor certification and looks forward to growing her passion with BA Studios.

​Ella is a senior nursing student at the University of Arizona. She began dancing at the age of two and joined her studio’s competitive company team at age 10, where she trained and competed in jazz, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, ballroom and tap. She later spent two years on her high school’s pom team, helping her team earn a fourth-place finish at UDA Nationals. Ella is passionate about sharing her love of dance and is excited to help her students build confidence and develop a lifelong appreciation for dance.

Alan is originally from Tucson, Arizona, but was raised in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. As someone who grew up in a border town, Alan gained the perspective to develop art from two different and contrasting countries. Alan has been recognized several times as a leader and promoter of the culture of art and dance in Nogales, Arizona/ Sonora and Tucson. He has been a dedicated and well-recognized artist, dancer, painter, photographer, interior designer, graphic designer, and Pilates instructor for the last 10 years.