A nationally recognized, award winning dancer and choreographer, Ashley Enea earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in performing arts with an emphasis in dance graduating with honors from Saint Mary's College of California. At the age of thirteen, Ashley joined her first competitive dance team and was soon thrust into the limelight when she won a spot in the Fatima Robinson, (choreographer for Michael Jackson and the Backstreet Boys,) Learn How to Dance home video. Over the past decade, she has studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip-hop and cheerleading with the most prestigious choreographers on the West Coast. Ashley has performed on stage with Davy Jones, (The Monkees,) was a featured dancer at the opening of The Palms Resort in Las Vegas, the opening ceremony of Disney's California Adventure and the Stars at Sea show for Princess Cruise Lines. Ashley has been teaching her dance curriculum at respected dance academies and studios in the Bay Area for the past eight years. Her passion for teaching has made her one of the studio's most sought after instructors. She loves her student's excitement and enthusiasm about coming to class and thrives on spreading the joy of dance through a safe environment, positive reinforcement, and most of all patience!
Leland Ireland, hailing from Berkeley, California, discovered his passion for dance at the age of 11 and has been honing his skills ever since. Throughout his college years, he received comprehensive training in various dance styles. His dedication and talent led him to a remarkable opportunity when he secured a prominent role at Disney World, captivating audiences through his performances in numerous shows and daily parades. Returning to the Bay Area in 2020, Leland continued his artistic journey by joining Oakland's esteemed Fitness Crew and the prestigious Hip Hop Crew Culture Shock. With a deep-rooted love for working with young dancers, he finds joy in sharing his dance expertise and contributing to the community. In his spare time, Leland takes on the role of a coach for at-risk youth, imparting his knowledge in styles such as Majorette, Funk Jazz, and Hip Hop. Among his notable achievements, Leland proudly became a member of the Golden State Warriors' Blue Crew, earning the esteemed title of "Fan Favorite" for two consecutive years. We warmly welcome Mr. Leland as he embarks on his inaugural year with East Bay Dance Company, where his passion for dance and commitment to empowering others will surely inspire and uplift our students.
Xuân (pronounced "swan") Marsh is an accomplished artist and dance instructor with a devotion for movement that spans over two decades. Originally from San Diego, she now shares her passion and expertise in the Bay Area. Xuân's dance background is grounded in a diverse range of styles including ballet, contemporary, street jazz, modern dance, and more. Starting her journey at local dance studios, she continued on to receive a degree in Dance and Performance studies from UC Berkeley. Committed to fostering individual artistry while honing technical skills, she aims to inspire and elevate dancers at all levels of their artistic journey. In her teachings, Xuân emphasizes the importance of connecting with your body, developing personal artistry, and cultivating a loving relationship with movement.
Alyssa Plummer is originally from the South Bay Area and has trained in ballet since the age of 4. She has been training en pointe since she was 11. Once in high school she was a part of her ballet studio’s performing studio company and has performed in multiple Nutcrackers, and ballets such as Swan Lake, Les Sylphides and La Bayadere. Alyssa has been assisting and teaching for years, starting in high school. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance: Choreography and Performance and Biochemistry from Saint Mary’s College of California, where she continued to study ballet, and modern while taking classes in West African, Gaga, Ballet Folklorico, Flamenco and Jazz. She has choreographed for multiple shows at Saint Mary’s and her piece” To Tell the Truth” was chosen to be adjudicated at the American College Dance Association in 2021. Alyssa is extremely excited to be teaching for East Bay Dance Company!
Nikki has over 20 years of experience teaching dance and choreographing. She has developed a specialized curriculum and pedagogy focusing on proper alignment, working through progressions, and based in child and adolescent development. She has taught Ballet, Contemporary/neo-classical, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, and Parent and me classes, as well as Acro dance/tumbling, gymnastics, and acrobatics teams. Her main ballet methodology is based in Balanchine with some elements of Vaganova and Cecetti. She also has experience in theatre, music industries, and color guard. Nikki has performed and choreographed for local community theatre, has been nominated for a Shelly for choreography, and has served as a board member. She has produced, written, choreographed, edited music, stage managed, and otherwise organized and designed story based dance productions, as well as organized student showcases and recitals. Beyond all her organisational skills, what she loves most is teaching. Seeing students achieve their goals, learn to express themselves, and develop a love for dance as an art and sport. Dance is her life's passion, and she hopes to continue working in the industry for many years to come.
Kalia Howell’s love for ballet started at age 2 and she has 15 years of training from professionals behind her, with her training still continuing to this day. She has performed variations from Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Balanchine’s Symphonies and countless Nutcrackers, and she choreographed her own solo at age 13. While studying art throughout high school and college, Kalia gained choreography experience through performances at churches, high schools, and teaching civic art ballet programs. Her teaching career has developed through teaching dancers of all ages and levels at studios throughout the SF Bay Area. Some of her experience includes working individually with dancers to provide personalized training, as well as teaching adult beginner ballet, and pre-ballet with littles as young as 18 months. Her teaching style reflects the methodology of Balanchine and Vaganova, while making ballet accessible to anyone who loves to dance, and work hard! She is happy to call East Bay Dance Company her newest home studio.
Brianna Lopez is a nationally recognized dancer and choreographer. Brianna began dancing at a young age and hasn’t stopped since studying Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical & Ballet styles of dance. Brianna has performed all of the state as well as halftime for the Golden State Warriors. Recently, Brianna won three different National Titles at Energy’s National Competition in San Diego. Brianna’s passion in life is giving back and working with young dancers who share her love of dance. When Brianna isn’t at the studio, she loves hanging out with her family and dogs.
Mckenna Pfotenhauer is a nationally recognized dancer and choreographer. Mckenna has studied Hip Hop, Jazz, Cheerleading and Tumbling. Mckenna has won countless awards for her performances including a judge’s standout awards as well as placing first overall last summer and Revolution National Talent competition in Anaheim. Mckenna loves working with younger dancers and sharing her joy and passion for dance. When she’s not at the studio, Mckenna loves spending time with family, friends, and her pets.