Our Faculty

Ali Bio

Ali Blanchard

Owner + Director

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Sarah Allen

Co-Director | Petite Elite Company, Collective Company, Core Company  

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Jocelyn Allen 

Assistant Director – Competitive Division

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Hope Blalock

Assistant Director – Competitive Division

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Angelita Reyes

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Haleigh Gahan

Performance Division Teacher 

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Alexa Dorohoy 

Competitive Division Teacher 

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Maya Dubuc

Performance Division Teacher 

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Tally Frieder-Balakirsky 

Competitive Division Teacher 

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Kelly Hollinger

Performance Division Teacher 

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Lauren Oblitey

Performance Division Teacher 

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Katie Goeltz

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Amber Kirchner

Performance Division Teacher 

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Aaron James

Performance Division Teacher 

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Sonia Jean

Competitive & Performance Division Teacher 

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Taylor Colleen

Competitive Division Teacher 

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Haley Jenkins 

Competitive Division Teacher 

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Kevin Lipsey

Performance Division Teacher 

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Lexi Elias 

Performance Division Teacher 

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Marina Salama 

Performance & Competitive Division Teacher 

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Our Administrative Team

Ariel Overton

Assistant Studio Manager

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Hope Tumlin

Assistant Studio Manager & Performance Division Teacher

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Let’s dance

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Ali Blanchard

Ali Blanchard, originally from Woodstock, Georgia, has built a distinguished career in the dance industry as a performer, educator, leader, and business owner. With nearly three decades of experience as a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher, Ali’s extensive background spans both the artistic and operational sides of the field.

Her early training and success in the competition and convention circuit provided a strong technical foundation and opportunities to study a broad range of styles. From 2009–2010, Ali pursued a Jazz Dance major at Kennesaw State University before relocating to Atlanta, where she performed with Project 7 Dance Company under the direction of Cherrise Wakeham. Driven to expand her professional reach, Ali later moved to New York City to train in Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester and to study closely with renowned instructors including Joe Lanteri, Joshua Bergasse, Sheila Barker, and Tracie Stanfield.

During her years in New York, Ali worked professionally in Industrials for NYC’s Fashion Night Out, Calvin Klein, and OfficeMax, among others. She also collaborated with the Radio City Rockettes, teaching original Rockette choreography to children around the world. Her interest in the business side of the performing arts led her to intern with Bloc Talent Agency’s New York office, one of the nation’s top talent agencies. She later became the Manager of Broadway Dance Center, overseeing daily operations at one of the most iconic training institutions in the world.

Ali returned to Atlanta to complete her degree in Marketing at Georgia State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. During this time, she began teaching in the local community and developed a competition program that tripled in size within three years. After graduation, she worked as a Project Manager at Brown Bag Marketing while continuing to direct a competitive program, ultimately solidifying her passion for leadership and education.

In 2017, Ali founded Elite Studios, a vision-driven dance training center designed to elevate young dancers both artistically and personally. Now a highly successful and respected studio celebrating nine years in operation, Elite Studios has become known for its commitment to excellence, strong values, and the development of well-rounded, technically proficient, and character-driven dancers. Through strategic leadership, thoughtful program development, and a clear mission, Ali has positioned Elite Studios as a premier institution in the Atlanta dance community.

Ali brings the full breadth of her professional experience—creative, managerial, and entrepreneurial—to her role as owner and director. She leads with passion, integrity, and purpose, striving to inspire greatness, cultivate growth, and foster kindness within every student. Her commitment to building a positive, disciplined, and forward-thinking environment remains the foundation of Elite Studios and the guiding force behind its continued success.

Sarah Allen

Sarah Allen found her passion for dance at the age of ten. Two years later, she joined the world of competitive dancing where she won numerous scholarships and awards. After graduating high school, she began studying at Kennesaw State University while also furthering her dance training. She joined Project 7 Dance, an Atlanta professional contemporary dance company, in 2012 under the direction of Cherrise Wakeham. Through her, she has performed shows in Atlanta, New York City, and Los Angeles. Sarah has also the opportunity to dance in various film projects in Atlanta. To further her career in dance, Sarah plans to share her unique sense of musicality and expression with others through teaching dance.

Jocelyn Allen 

Jocelyn Allen started her journey with dance at the age of five, and finished her dance training at Studio 23, under the direction of Shannon Brown, in 2016. Throughout those years, she has had the privilege to attend many conventions and competitions where she won numerous scholarships and awards. Jocelyn had the honor to perform in Cherrise Wakeham’s show “SHE” in both Los Angeles and Atlanta in 2015, and in Jon Carr’s show “Mutual Core” in the summer of 2016. After graduating high school, she went to college at Georgia Southern and University of Georgia, where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Education, in Exercise and Sports Science. During and after college, she has continued her passion in dance by teaching performance and competitive level dancers. As Jocelyn continues her dance career, she plans to share her knowledge in sport science with others.

Hope Blalock

Hope received her training from Dance Dynamics Studio in Macon, GA. She grew up dancing competitively in all styles, and at the age of 14 fell in love with choreographing. Her senior self-choreographed solo won many first overalls and choreography awards through the season. Hope is now a dance major at Kennesaw State University where she trains and broadens her knowledge of dance through an academic lens. Since recently moving to Atlanta, she has choreographed for Dance 411’s Choreography Showcase, worked on projects with Rachel Truitt and Jon Carr, performed with the KSU Dance Company, secured a spot in Cirque Du Soleil’s dancer database, and danced on CW’s T.V. show “Legacies.” She hopes to continue to grow as a versatile dancer, choreographer, and teacher while sharing her love for dance.

Angelita Reyes 

Angelita Itzanami Reyes is a recent graduate from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in She has worked with choreographers Ido Gidron, Annalee Traylor, Thang Dao, Sean Nguyen Hilton, Lisa K. Lock and Cherrise Wakeham. Angelita has trained under Ben Green, Billy Barry and Kyle Scheurich at the GagaLab NYC and with Claudia LaVista, Kimani Fowlin, Shura Baryshnikov, Maree ReMalia and Rosy Simas at Bates Dance Festival. Most recently Angelita produced, choreographed and directed a full length dance concert, SER. Angelita’s film, hear me, I have nothing to say, represented Kennesaw State University at the American Dance College Association and presented in la nuit des idees sponsored by the French Institute, this film also received an Undergraduate Creative Activity and Research Grant. Angelita received the Pomare-Connor Memorial Endowed Fund for Dance, Choreographic Recognition Award and was selected as Outstanding Senior from Kennesaw State University. As a Mexican-American artist, Angelita is ecstatic to share her passion for dance and culture at Los Niños Primero Non-Profit Organization as the Ballet Folklorico dance teacher. Angelita also has enjoyed teaching at Elite Studios for the past two seasons and is thrilled to be the new Assistant Studio Manager.

Haleigh Gahan

Growing up in New York, Haleigh had the privilege of being exposed to a diverse spectrum of dance and working with renowned choreographers from a young age. Aside from her studio education, she was accepted into the New York State Summer School of the Arts and received a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive, where she was able to develop her technique further. She also trained with True Dance Potential for several years, and has since had the opportunity to assist on several projects and become proficient in their methodologies. Years of experience in gymnastics and acrobatics also led her to experiment as an educator, as she began coaching gymnastics at the age of 14 and later teaching acro classes at her studio.

Alexa Dorohoy 

Lex Dorohoy was born in a small suburb in Washington State. She discovered her passion for dance at age 13 and threw herself into all competitive styles. She trained from ballet and contemporary to jazz, musical theatre and hip hop. Before turning 18, Alexa traveled on scholarship to New York City, where she trained with top educators at Broadway Dance Center and worked closely with the cast/choreographer of hit musical series SMASH. After graduating high school, Alexa moved to Los Angeles, CA. She mentee’d for months with Beyonce’s choreographer, Dana Foglia, who’s heels and contemporary movement shaped the mover Alexa is today. After completing the Foglia International Program, Alexa signed with commercial talent agency, McDonald Selznick Associates, MSA. Since then, Alexa’s loyalty reflects her versatility and hard work in the industry. She is a dancer, creative director, choreographer and teacher. She has had the pleasure of assisting top choreographers such as Tricia Miranda, Cameron Lee, and multiple industry creatives. Alexa assisted choreography for Disney’s Descendants Dance Party with the direction of Nappytabs Creative. She’s worked as a backup dancer for Paula Abdul, 2019 PRIDE Festival headlined in Los Angeles and again in the creative vision of Paula Abdul’s Las Vegas Residency “Forever your Girl”. She has dance headlined shows as America’s Got Talent light show sensation “iLuminate” and has multiple credits to her name such as Mario, Chesca, DanceOn Network, Walmart and more. Having the knowledge of both stage and behind the scenes production, Alexa now continues her professional career in Atlanta, where she builds her choreography credits for music industry’s top up and coming artists. She continues her professional career while educating and sharing her knowledge and passion for dance to the all generation of movers!

Maya Dubuc

Maya Dubuc is an Atlanta-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher with a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from Kennesaw State University. She was born in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Maya works across studios in Georgia, sharing her love for dance with students of all ages. Credits include Microsoft Launch Program in Atlanta, Six Flags Over Georgia: Fright Fest, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines: Stars at Sea performance. She has worked with choreographers such as McCree O’Kelley, Ivan Pulinkala, Lior Lazarof, Tristian Griffin, and Andrea Knowlton. Maya continues to pursue new opportunities to grow as an artist and educator, always looking for ways to challenge herself and inspire others through dance.

Tally Balakirsky

Tally Frieder is a former member of the SanFrancisco Ballet under the esteemed direction ofHelgi Tomasson. Ms. Frieder-Balakirskyhas danced soloist and principle roles in a wide variety of choreographic styles. These include many ballets such asHelgi Tomasson’s “Swan Lake”, Anthony Tudor’s”Dark Elegies”, and Balanchine’s “Serenade”. While at the San Francisco Ballet, Ms. Frieder-Balakirskyworkedwith numerous choreographers during the creation of new works. Most notably, she worked with choreographer Val Caniparoli who created two leading pas de deux for her. In her earlier years, Ms. Frieder-Balakirskydanced with OaklandBallet where she performed numerous roles including the title role of Giselle.Ms. Frieder-Balakirskywas born in Haifa, Israel. As a child she moved to the United States and received many dance scholarships, including Jofferey Ballet School, the school of American Ballet, and the National Academy of the Arts boarding school. Ms. Frieder-Balakirskyhas taught adults and children at various schools in Maryland, Virginia, andD.C. since 1994. Since moving to the Atlanta area, she has taught company and pre-professional classes at the Georgia Ballet under the direction of Fiona Fairrie and the Atlanta Ballet’s fellowship program under the direction of Gennadi Nedvigin. Ms. Frieder-Balakirskyholds a BA in Creative Arts Therapy from The George Washington University.

Kelly Hollinger

Kelly grew up in the Atlanta area as a competitive dancer, training extensively in all styles of dance. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University, where she refined both her technical skill and artistry.

Following graduation, Kelly pursued a professional dance career in Los Angeles, performing in music videos, live Disney productions, the Lakers Summer Pro League as a dancer, and touring with a magic show, among other exciting opportunities.

While she will always love performing, Kelly’s true passion lies in the classroom, teaching and choreographing. Known for her infectious energy and positive spirit, she creates an encouraging environment where every dancer feels confident and inspired. Her mission is to deliver high quality dance instruction while helping each student develop not only as a dancer, but as an individual who feels good about themselves.

Kelly currently resides in Smyrna, GA, with her husband, Cameron, and their two precious children.

Kelly Hollinger

Lauren Oblitey is a performance-based artist located in Atlanta, Georgia. She started her pre-professional training as a Prodigy at Gotta Dance Atlanta under CiCi Kelley. From the age of 9, she has trained in all styles of dance with a concentration in modern, ballet, jazz, and contemporary. During her training, she has participated in summer studies such as Alvin Ailey (2015) and Perry Mansfield (2017). Her professional career has allowed her to study abroad in Amsterdam and take daily classes at Henny Jurriëns studio and ICK Dans Amsterdam.

Lauren now has her BA in Modern Dance from Kennesaw State University and is currently dancing in her second season as a Company Member of Komansé Dance Theater. Lauren’s work includes teaching ages 3 to 16, collaborative research, sight-specific improvisation as well as performing choreographic works on traditional proscenium stages. The driving force for her work comes from the love of free movement and the inspiration of natural elements. Her mission as a teacher is to help her students connect to their style of movement, while inspiring them to achieve their goals.

Katie Goeltz

Katie Goeltz began her dance journey at Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts in Southern California at the age of 2 and embraced competitive dance from the age of 5. She continued her training at Nor Cal Dance Arts, collaborating with renowned choreographers and competing at the highest level. Katie further developed her artistry through summer intensives including chuthis. Movement Intensive, Arts Umbrella, a residency at Zeitgeist Dance Theater, and as a dance major at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her choreographic talents have earned her recognition as the Icon Dance Awards Student Choreography Winner and a finalist for the New Century Dance Project. Throughout her dance journey, Katie benefited from cross-training, leading her to become a certified Level 1 Gyrotonic Instructor and a former [solidcore] coach – experiences that deepened her understanding of strength, mobility, and body awareness. She uses these principles to help her students develop power, control, and flexibility. Katie is currently pursuing a degree in Sports Management at Kennesaw State University, combining her passion for movement and performance with a deeper understanding of the athletic and organizational aspects of the arts, and she is so excited for her third year at Elite Studios!

Amber
Kirchner

Amber graduated cum laude from Kennesaw State University in May 2019, earning her B.A. in Dance with a concentration in modern. During her undergraduate studies, Amber performed original works by Daniel Gwirtzman, Andrea Knowlton, and Lisa K. Lock. Many of these works were selected to perform at the American College Dance Association (ACDA), including the ACDA National Conference at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Amber also traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel, studying Gaga and repertoire of the Batsheva Dance Company.

Amber is a freelance dancer based in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has danced professionally with companies including SOMOS, The Off Centered Project, Bautanzt Here, KSU Dance Company, Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Dance Canvas, Dance Aegis, Watershed Dance Theatre, and Gotta Dance Contemporary. Within these companies and freelancing, Amber has worked with choreographers such as Tsai-Hsi Hung, Angelita Itzanami Reyes, Nadya Zietlin, Patsy Collins, Dana Woodruff, Ashley Chasteen, Ricardo Aponte, Andrea Knowlton, Sarah Emery, Lonnie Davis, Rachel Truitt, Madi Nelson, Christina J. Massad, and Simone Stevens. In a review from ArtsATL, it was written, “Kirchner especially has a dynamic, can’t-look-away stage presence.”

Alongside her performance career, Amber has been teaching and choreographing for over ten years. She has also worked with renowned companies such as Xcel Talent Agency, The Atlanta Opera, Nike, Só Dança, Bloch Dance, and Suffolk Dance.

Aaron James

Aaron James a creative director,choreographer, dancer and actor has been active in the professional entertainment industry for just over 15 years. He got his big break as he was a participant on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew in 2010 with his crew Royal Flush that he created along with his younger brother Jared James. Exposure from placing in the Top 8 on America’s Best Dance Crew propelled him into a full fledged professional dancing career that gradually led to many other opportunities in the entertainment world. Aaron has graced the stage with many big names such as Pharrell, Little Big Town, Baby Keem, Kane Brown,T-Pain ,Jacob Latimore and more. Aaron has choreographed for many artists such as Jack Harlow and Lecrae just to name a few, as well as balancing an emerging acting career as you can find Aaron in many movies, television series & commercials currently airing on many major networks and streaming platforms. Aaron continues to expand his career as an emerging leader in Atlanta’s quickly expanding entertainment industry and loves being able to share what he learns with many young performers who wish to follow in similar footsteps.

Sonia Jean

Sonia Jean grew up in Mesa, AZ as a competitive dancer at Tempe Dance Academy. After graduating high school, she attended The Juilliard School in NYC which lead her to her first of 5 professional contracts with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. She was then contacted by Cirque Du Soleil with an offer to join the creation of their new show IRIS as a dancer in Montreal, which then played at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood for the following 2 years. While with Cirque, Sonia had the opportunity to perform at the 84th Academy Awards, The ELLEN Show, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Not only did Cirque bring her incredible career opportunities, it’s also where she met her husband of now 11 years! With the unfortunate closing of IRIS, Sonia and her husband moved to Orlando, FL to join the Equity cast of Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom where she played the principle role of Maji. Sonia is also a Certified Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and exudes the importance of dancers’ need to have proper strength and flexibility training in all aspects of dance. Over the past 4 years, Sonia has taught contemporary ballet throughout Central Florida and traveled as a judge with Legacy Dance Championships, while raising her two boys ages 5 and 1. As a mentor and teacher, Sonia has had students accepted to the dance programs at Juilliard, Point Park University, The Ailey School, Florida State University, BYU, and the Netherlands Dance Theatre’s second company in Amsterdam. Being a new resident of the Atlanta area, Sonia is excited to start a new chapter with her family while sharing her knowledge and experiences with the up and coming dancers of Atlanta.

Taylor Colleen

Originally born in Canada, Taylor grew up in the States and began dancing at 3 years old. She started competing at age 5 at Southern Strutt, later continuing her dance training at Birmingham Dance Theatre from ages 10-18. She traveled to LA and NYC multiple times at a young age after receiving dance scholarships which led her to master camps with Debbie Allen, Broadway Dance Center, and choreographers on Break the Floor Productions. At age 16, she was brought in to test Star Wars Kinect Dance, choreographed by Wade Robson. Her score was the benchmark performance on what other players were graded. 

At age 18, Taylor moved to LA after signing with Go 2 Talent Agency and began school at Loyola Marymount University. She danced in performances including; Carnival, Daylight Come with “Dance Moms”, Shushybye on PBS; as well as worked for E! Red Carpet at the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, and Grammys. She’s danced with artists including Charice, The Pointer Sisters, New Kids on the Block and Portugal the Man. Following four years in LA, Taylor relocated to Portland, OR in 2016 to continue dancing and teaching. She was an NBA Blazer Dancer for 5 seasons. During her tenure, she was named Rookie of the Year, served as team captain, and represented the Blazers multiple times at Pro Action in Las Vegas.

Haley Jenkins

Haley is an Atlanta native, and has been moving and shaking around the city and surrounding suburbs for 20+ years. Her training is based out of Lawrenceville, GA from Susan Chambers School of Performing Arts, where she was introduced and extensively trained in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, hip-hop, contemporary, modern, lyrical, and musical theatre. Out of high-school, she took a hiatus from dance to attend college and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion and Behavior from the University of Georgia with a focus and study on injury prevention in dancers. After college, her dancing feet couldn’t keep still any longer, and she went on to teach and perform whilst implementing her college degree on herself as well as her students. She currently teaches multiple genres to all age groups all around Georgia while staying active as a professional performance and industry dancer. (Who says dance isn’t a “real job?”) Her recent successes include traveling to Niger, Africa to perform with local celebrity Hassane Boukary, under the direction of Stephan Reynolds, as well as starring as a principal dancer in the Netflix Original, “Step Sisters.” Haley is currently, deeply involved with The Tap Rebels, Atlanta’s only professional tap company, who just kicked off their inaugural season. Haley finds so much passion, freedom, release, and happiness from music and movement and hopes to share that love with her students and fellow dancers.

Kevin Lipsey

Kevin Lipsey, a renowned international artist hailing from Atlanta, has captivated audiences worldwide with musical talents of the arts . With millions of streams across various platforms, Kevin’s artistry has positioned him as a leading figure in the fine arts scene . Trained by some of the industry’s most esteemed choreographers, who have crafted the techniques of today’s dance icons, Kevin excels in creating dynamic and innovative performances. His distinctive style blends fresh pop movements with precisely executed spins, crafting unique lines that evoke the essence of a live stage performance. Kevin’s ability to convey emotion and story through dance has set him apart as a trendsetter in modern choreography. His dedication to his craft and his innovative approach continue to inspire dancers making him a name to watch in the ever-evolving world of performing arts.

Lexi Elias

With over a decade of training under the direction of Ali Peecher, Lexi has built a strong foundation in dance technique, performance, and artistry. After starting her Communications studies in person at Louisiana State University (LSU), she is now finishing her degree online. She has expanded her passion for movement and motivation into the fitness world as a certified instructor at [Solidcore].

Whether in the studio or the fitness space, Lexi’s greatest joy is teaching. She loves helping dancers discover what makes them fall in love with dance, all while strengthening their technique and confidence. Her classes are designed to inspire growth, discipline, and self-expression—because she believes that dance is not just about movement, but about finding yourself through it.

Marina Salama

Marina Salama is a dancer and choreographer based in Atlanta, Georgia, known for her versatility, creativity, and commitment to growth. She graduated from Elite Studios in 2022 and went on to train at the CLI Conservatory, where she spent nine intensive months training under the guidance of top industry professionals. Marina graduated from CLI in 2023 and is thrilled to return to Elite Studios as an alumni and teacher.Alongside her training at Elite Studios she trained through many pre-professional programs. Marina was previously apart of the I AM FORCE (IAF) mentorship program, where she trained with leading choreographers and artists in the Commercial and Concert dance world. She was also selected to tour with the competition/convention circuit, Artist Simply Human (ASH) as a member of ASH The Company. Through this program, Marina was able to push her technical and creative boundaries. She was also part of the Xcel Talent Agency Teen Program, which provided her with professional development and insight into the commercial dance industry, preparing her for future opportunities in performance and choreography.Marina continues to pursue her passion for dance with energy, discipline, and a drive to inspire others through movement!

Ariel Overton

Ariel Overton is a dedicated dancer, choreographer, and educator from Hampton, Virginia. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a minor in Dance, blending her artistic talent with strong leadership and communication skills.

Ariel has performed alongside Keke Palmer on the Master of Me Tour, at the BET Red Carpet, and in music videos such as Stand on Business and Rock with You. She has also been featured in KeyTV Network’s YouTube series Diva Gurl.

Beyond performing, Ariel is passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers. She co-founded Elevate Dance Company, an award-winning competition team and workshop series that helps young dancers grow in both skill and confidence. She currently serves as Assistant Director for Inspire Dance Competition and Assistant Studio Manager at Elite Studio in Atlanta, where she continues to build community and nurture the artistry of every dancer she works with.

Hope Tumlin

Hope has been dancing since the age of two and spent over 13 years training and competing in a variety of styles. After graduating high school, she began teaching and discovered how much she loved helping dancers grow as performers and individuals. After a few years in the studio, Hope took time to travel and gain new experiences that helped her grow personally and creatively. She’s now back doing what she loves most, teaching and assisting with administrative work at Elite Studios while continuing her college education. Dance has always been a huge part of her life, and she hopes to inspire dancers to find the same joy and passion in it that she has.