Aoife is a senior at Greenhills School. She has been dancing even before she started walking. She was first trained at the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet, where she took ballet, character, and contemporary classes. Later on, she was exposed to more dance genres, as she continued to deeply fall in love with dance. When dancing, she feels like she is storytelling her emotions through her movements. It feels like some kind of therapy. She truly hopes that she can spread this positive everlasting experience and share her love for dance with the students. She is so excited to teach and to be a part of Proud to Be Me!

Leah Zhu is a senior at Pioneer High School, and she has lots of passion for dance! She’s been dancing for as long as she can remember, and she enjoys learning all styles of dance. Leah is grateful for the opportunity to have great teachers here in Michigan, and she wants to be a great role model for other students in the future as well, especially with the amount of love and appreciation she has for dance. From being a young girl who always loved her dance classes to someone who now has the chance to spread the message that anyone can do anything, she is forever grateful. Not only does she like to dance herself, but she loves sharing the art and beauty of it with other people, and she is excited to teach at Proud to Be Me! 

Jessica Lou is a junior at Greenhills School and has been dancing since she was four years old. Even though she only started with ballet, Jessica is grown to love and enjoy all styles of dance. She started to dance competitively just last year and will continue to do so. She participates in various performances, recitals, and competitions each year and loves every minute that she is able to spend on stage. She feels that when dancing, you’re not only expressing yourself but you’re also sharing a story with the audience. Jessica not only wants to share her passion and love for dance but she also want to be able to share how enjoyable and beautiful dance can be. She is delighted to have the opportunity to teach at and be a part of Proud to Be Me!

Sarah is currently a junior in high school and has been dancing for almost her entire life, eventually developing a huge passion for it. Starting out, Sarah learned traditional Chinese dance and loved performing it. She got to learn about the different types of Chinese dances and decided it was time for a change during her seventh grade. Starting then, she not only did traditional Chinese dance but also took technique/acro and ballet classes. Ever since, Sarah has loved almost all of the dance styles she learned, including contemporary, lyrical, and more. Sarah hopes to be able to bring her knowledge to the classes she will teach and also wishes to spread joy and kindness to all of the students that choose to learn dance at PTBM. She wants everyone to understand and know that it is possible for anyone to dance, especially if they love it. Sarah is extremely excited to see what she can do to help the students and also hopes to learn as much as she can along the way from both her fellow teachers and the students.

Matilda Wolfers is a junior at Greenhills School and brings her deep passion for dance to every class. She began her journey in musical theatre dance at age 8 and has been in love with the art form ever since. Matilda has danced both competitively and recreationally, with Dance Theatre Studio and Studio 3 in Ann Arbor Michigan, in the process gaining love and knowledge of the art form that she is eager to share. She participates in numerous competitions, conventions, workshops, and recitals each year to grow her skills and knowledge in the arts. She is dedicated to creating a welcoming, supportive environment for all dancers, celebrating the unique strengths and potential of each individual. Matilda believes dance is a positive outlet for everyone and is eager to help create an inclusive environment that honors that belief.

Eva Malcoun is a sophomore at Greenhills School and has been dancing for 7 years! She began with just ballet and tap, but later found a love for hip hop, jazz, and contemporary, (jazz being her favorite style now)! She dances competitively for dance theatre studio, in Ann Arbor Michigan, and loves dance because it has not only taught her discipline and how to work towards a set goal, but it has brought her some of her favorite people and friendships! She thinks dance can be so empowering and is an amazing creative outlet. She is so excited to be working with PTBM to bring dance to help make dance more accessible for everyone! 

Naya Heider is a sophomore at Greenhills. She took a ballet class when she was about 4 years old, and later rediscovered my love for dance in 3rd grade. She has been dancing for 7 years so far. She started off doing ballet and tap, and now have continued ballet along with lyrical and jazz. She dances competitively at Dancer's Edge in Dexter, Michigan. She loves dance because it's an amazing way to express yourself on stage and be able to be creative in your own way. She has learned commitment and hard work, but she has also met what are now some of her best and closest friends. She enjoys the competition team and family vibes, and love to dance alongside her friends. 

Lexi is an junior at Pioneer high school. She had danced when she was younger, but rediscovered her love for it 4 years ago and hasn’t stopped since. She’s trained at The Studio Centre in ballet, Jazz, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, and lyrical! She loves going to dance conventions, competitions, and all her recitals. She love the self expression dance brings to everyone and how it can make her day so much better! She looks forward to bringing a positive atmosphere and sharing the thing she loves most, and is excited to be a member of Proud To Be Me!

Gabrielle is a freshman at McGill University. She has been dancing since she was 6 years old. She started in a dance school in Germany where she discovered that dancing was her passion. She then moved back to France, her origin country and continued dancing. She started doing competition and even won some national prices. The competitions are her best memories of France She moved to the US, enrolled in a new dance school, stopped doing competition but started being part of ballets like Nutcracker and Degas. She was helping her French dance teacher in some classes before, and she doesn’t have the same opportunity now that she is in the US. PTBM is a great opportunity to pass on her love for dance!

Catherine Lee, a freshman at University of Michigan, has been immersed in the world of dance since a young age. From the graceful elegance of ballet to the vibrant energy of K-pop dance, she has explored various genres, each leaving a unique imprint on her style. Recently she has been dancing for the Skyline Varsity Pom team and cheering for Skyline's basketball team. Catherine's dance is a personal journey of self-expression, where every movement, even offstage without spotlights or audiences, becomes a testament to her joy and zest for life. With the hope of sharing her joy of dance and helping out children refine their motor skills, she is excited to further her positive impact on the community, specifically in the field of dance therapy.

Jessica Wu is a sophomore at UPenn. She was exposed to dance since she was young, in pre-school to be specific. During that time, she participated at a dance studio where during the performance she stood lifelessly on the big stage. However, as she continued her dance journey, her confidence grew. The newfound confidence helped her face countless challenges like speeches and presentations. This is why Jessica wants to continue to spread the magic of dance and performance; to help others stand tall and confident in their own challenges. Jessica also has a lot of experience with teaching growing performers. One example is teaching young kids to skate.  Along with dance, Jessica has also been skating for around six years. She decided to instruct kids in skating in the program, “Learn to Skate.” She loved this experience, so she can’t wait to teach here at Proud to Be Me!

Elena Mychaliska is a junior at Barnard College in Columbia University. She has danced for all of her life, ending formally at the age of 14. She has focused on many types, such as jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and tap, though mainly ballet. When she was 10 years old, she began doing pointe, and participated in annual dance performances, such as the nutcracker and spring recitals. She also loves to teach and help her community. She worked with the Peer Connections program at her High School during the 2021-22 school year, in which she partnered with a student with special needs. She loved becoming friends with them, while helping them with things like schoolwork, social skills, organization etc. She believes that these skills should be taught while having fun and making memories, and dance it a great medium to do so! She is so exited to meet all of the students, and help teach the class!

Keira Li is a freshman at Detroit Mercy Dental. She started dancing when she was 3 and has done different styles of dance for many years. She started dancing competitively when she was 12 and is still doing so now. The countless hours of practicing and performing has allowed her to open up and express herself on stage. Another thing Keira likes to do is teach kids. Along with dancing, she has been figure skating for about 11 years and has helped teach younger skaters in the program, “Learn to Skate.” She enjoyed that experience and wishes to spread the art of dance through this program onto growing dancers. She is so excited to be able to teach at Proud to Be Me!

Aneesha Rayalla is a sophomore at Georgia Tech. From the moment she could walk, she fell in love with dance, and it's become an integral part of who she is. She has explored various styles from traditional to contemporary and hip-hop. In her high school years, she has become deeply involved in her school's dance community and hopes to continue as she goes into college. Even though it seemed daunting at first, she has grown to love every second of performing on stage. Beyond the dance studio, she is excited to spread her passion for dance and hopes to encourage others on their dance journey. She believes that dance is a beautiful way to express your self, and she is extremely excited and incredibly grateful to be teaching at PTBM.