REBECCA WARD

**FOUNDING OWNER AND DIRECTOR**
Ms. Becky grew up in Woodbridge, VA, where she studied ballet with Linda DelMonte of Linda's Ballet Workshop Inc. She became a founding member of the studio's performance group, Fifth Position, and was appointed assistant teacher for the school's Adapted Ballet class for children with special needs.
Becky was awarded a teaching internship with Maryland’s Ballet Petite in 1999, and soon after, became a full-time teacher in the areas of Ballet, Creative Movement and Musical Theater-style Jazz. She served next as the Artistic Director for Dance Upon a Dream in Potomac, MD, from 2004-2006. Becky has choreographed numerous pieces for performance groups and dance competitions along the east coast with notable stops at Walt Disney World, FL, and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C.
Certified as a Level II Member of The Dance Educators of America, Becky has taken classes with world-renowned teachers such as Luigi, Twyla Tharp, Charles Kelley, Raymond Lukens, and Nan Giordano. Her 20-year career teaching in the DMV area has culminated in her founding of Studio One Dance.
Becky is certified by the American Red Cross in Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED.

IMOGEN COOPER

**STUDIO MANAGER AND INSTRUCTOR**
Ms. Imogen has been a dedicated instructor at Studio One for 3 years, she has worked within childcare for 10+ years as a teacher, nanny and tutor in the U.K. and in schools across DC, such as GeorgeTown Day School and The River School where she currently teaches Physical Education. Imogen has been a passionate performer since the age of 3, training at Roydon Academy of Performing Arts. Her training includes ballet, tap, modern, jazz, musical theatre and commercial. In addition to Imogen’s training she has also attended workshops with the Alvin Ailey Company and worked with Dam Van Huynh for a Project with the UK / Beijing company. Imogen has starred in multiple professional productions in acting (screen, stage and tours), dancing and singing roles. As well as performing roles, she has also landed professional choreographic roles for various stage productions. Imogen attended the University of Canterbury Christ Church where she majored in Dance and Psychology.
Imogen is certified by the American Heart Association in Child CPR/AED and Infant CPR.

KYRA MCDONALD

**INSTRUCTOR**
Ms. Kyra, originally from Tampa, FL, began her dance journey at the age of 3 and quickly fell in love with ballet. Her extensive training includes five years as a Trainee at Next Generation Ballet where she performed roles such as Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty and Lead Spanish in the Nutcracker. She enriched her dance education through summer intensives at acclaimed schools like Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. Kyra continued to follow her passion at Duke University, minoring in dance and leading the ballet student group as its President.
With a teaching career spanning seven years, Kyra has shared her knowledge of ballet with students of all ages at respected studios like Nina's School of Dance, Walltown Children's Theatre, and Patel Conservatory. In addition to ballet, Kyra is a certified Zumba instructor, infusing her classes with energy and fun. Kyra is devoted to inspiring young dancers in a supportive and engaging learning environment, helping them to discover the joy of dance.
Outside of dance, Kyra obtained her masters in engineering and works as a Technical Product Manager in McLean, VA. Her passion for teaching spans across all domains of her life as she is also an Adjunct Instructor for a masters of engineering course at Duke, traveling home to her alma mater to give lectures throughout the semester.

LYDIA JENKINS

**INSTRUCTOR**
Ms. Lydia began dancing when she was 3 years old. She studied ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, modern, lyrical, tap, musical theater, acro, and hip hop at various studios for over a decade. As a competition dancer, Lydia received numerous accolades, including being chosen for Starpower’s PowerPak multiple times, and also was awarded the title of Miss Teen Showbiz in 2016. Lydia danced at many conventions including Jump, KAR, and Monsters, and was awarded numerous scholarships in jazz funk, musical theater, and tap. Lydia studied during the summers at Baltimore Ballet, the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the Nutmeg Conservatory, and under the private tutelage of Leslie Hench at Ribbon Mill Ballet. For high school, Lydia attended the prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied ballet and modern dance under Norma Pera, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Dmitri Malikov, and Anton Wilson. At BSA, Lydia was consistently placed in upper level dance classes, and danced multiple lead roles, including Snow Queen and Rat Queen, in BSA’s annual performances of The Nutcracker, cast and choreographed by Barry Hughson of the National Ballet of Canada.
Lydia attended Towson University as a BFA candidate in Dance in 2019; in 2020 she changed her major to Philosophy, with a minor in History, and graduated magna cum laude in December 2021, completing her four year Bachelor’s Degree in 2.5 years. Lydia is currently a government policy analyst, a law student, and a dance teacher evenings and weekends. Her intense love for the art of dance continues, and she values the lessons, perseverance, and skills learned through dance that translate to and enhance other areas of life.

TANNER FANT BRYAN

INSTRUCTOR

Ms. Tanner is a Mississippi native who has devoted her life to advocacy through dance and the performing arts. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and minor in psychology. During her collegiate career, Tanner trained on scholarship with Giordano Dance Chicago and Visceral Dance and served as the co-director of Dance Alabama Film Festival. Upon graduation, Tanner performed internationally with Creative Studios by NCLH on Regent Seven Seas Cruises and was featured in works by Patti Wilcox, Chase Benz and Brittany Stewart. She then went on to serve as Assistant Cruise Director, performing with world-renowned guest entertainers and choreographing works on the onboard entertainment team.

Tanner’s teaching and choreography experience has earned her success both nationally and internationally, and many of her former students have blooming careers in the performing arts industry. In 2011, she helped launch Let’s All Dance: a dance program for individuals with multiple abilities. Let’s All Dance has inspired programs across the southeastern United States and Belize. Tanner believes that dance is for all and strives to make dance accessible to all ages and abilities. Dance provides a creative learning path of self-discovery, discipline, and world perspective that Tanner hopes to share with her students each class.

Beyond the world of dance, Tanner is the Special Events Coordinator with Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. She recently moved to the D.C. area and looks forward to embracing all the DMV has to offer.

CANDACE GIBSON

INSTRUCTOR

Candace began taking barre classes to cross-train for long-distance running. She found a workout that was efficient, effective, kind to her joints, incredibly social, and sweetly reminiscent of her youthful dance days. When she began teaching barre in 2015, she knew she'd never return to a desk job -- at least not full-time. She simply loved being back in a studio; what's more, her background in communications translated seamlessly to planning classes and cueing exercises. Candace has witnessed the power of positive movement in her clients' lives and believes that every body (not a typo; her part-time work is writing!) can practice barre. She taught through two pregnancies, and she's aging into an even deeper appreciation of barre's infinite variety and gentle strength-building. Candace also teaches barre in the park and enjoys walking absolutely everywhere. She hopes to see you in her class or chat with you in the lobby while her daughter dances with Ms. Becky!