Our Instructors
Mariah MacFarlan
Mariah MacFarlan (She/Her) founded West LA Academy of Dance in January of 2021 and continues to teach Ballet 1 - Diamond Ballet and Junior - Advanced Tap.
She began her teaching career with Tri-Cities Academy of Ballet at the age of 15. She instantly fell in love with the art of teaching and knew that her dream was to open a dance studio of her own. She continued her teaching career at the UofSC Conservatory of Dance while studying Ballet Pedagogy under former NYCB Soloist Stacey Calvert. After moving to California in 2017, Mariah accepted the position of Studio Director and Lead Instructor at a dance school in Orange County and began teaching in Los Angeles In 2019.
Mariah began her dance training at age 3 and studied Classical Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, and Jazz. She performed with the Pre-Professional company, Mid-Columbia Ballet, and traveled with Regional Dance America each year. Mariah spent her summers training at programs such as; Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and San Fransisco Conservatory of Dance.
Mariah furthered her education at the University of South Carolina and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography, and a dual minor in Business and Nutrition. During her time dancing with the UofSC Dance Company, she had the privilege of performing numerous Balanchine ballets as well as many original contemporary works by world-renowned choreographers.
Daniel Diaz
Daniel Díaz (He/Him) has been dancing since a young age but started formally training the age of 17. He started his dance education at Southwestern College in San Diego, and then continued his education at San Diego State University and Academy of Performing Arts. He has booked Dance jobs at the Disneyland Resort and Knotts’ Berry Farm, Touring for the 2014/2015 National Tour of Sesame Street Live, Dancing for the 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade, as well as dancing in various music videos and stage performances. Lately, Daniel has been focused on teaching and cultivating young talent all around LA.
Lilly Leech
Lilly Leech (She/Her) is very excited to be teaching at West LA. Ms. Leech is a professional ballet dancer with the Los Angeles Ballet. She has taught ballet, contemporary, modern, and jazz along with conditioning classes. Ms. Leech received her Bachelors of Science in Ballet from Indiana University Ballet Theater in 2021 where she also studied Pedagogy.
Rachel Stafford
Rachel Stafford (She/Her) began training at a young age in various styles of dance such as ballet, tap, hip hop, and contemporary. She attended intensive programs with UNCSA, Joffrey Ballet, and with Carolina Ballet as a full scholarship recipient. In 2017, she graduated from the university of South Carolina, magna cum laude, with a BA in Dance Performance and Choreography.
Following, she then joined the U.S. International Ballet Company of Wilmington, NC, where she performed in many local productions. Through them she also trained and performed in Italy with the Piacenza Art Ballet.
In 2019 she accepted the position of ‘Ballet Mistress’ for a competitive dance company in NC, where she taught and choreographed. In addition, she has been trained in ballroom dance and enjoys teaching and performing various styles of ballroom and social dances.
Rachel has continued to pursue her passion for teaching upon moving to LA and is excited to share her love of dance with the students of WLA.
Kistina Pressler
Kistina Pressler (She/Her) has toured across America, danced on national broadcast television, and performed with numerous dance companies. Some performance highlights include Disney California Adventure's Festival of Holidays with Blue13 Dance Company, NBC’s The Tonight Show, and her performance as Lily in the award-winning film Allegro Scratch. Kistina has choreographed for Los Angeles dance festivals, musicals, curated art projects, web series, and concert dance shows. She has taught dance throughout the greater Los Angeles area for curriculum arts education in schools, after school programs, and dance studios. Kistina graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in dance from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2021.
Deja Johnson
Deja Johnson (She/Her) is an experienced dance instructor with over 8 years of expertise, drawing from her background as a former competition dancer and cheerleader. She began her dance training at the age of 5 at NuLook School of Performing Arts. She furthered her training through a summer program at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has since traveled internationally as a competition dancer.
She teaches modern, contemporary, jazz, and other styles to students ranging from beginners to advanced levels. She specializes in preparing dancers for competitions, showcases, and performances, focusing on technique, performance skills, and dance fundamentals.
Deja studied dance as a minor at Florida A&M University and holds a master’s degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. She is excited to bring her experience and passion to West LA Academy of Dance.
Genay Tucker
Genay Tucker (She/Her) is a performer, choreographer, and dance educator. Genay began dancing at the age of 3 in a small town outside of Portland, OR and has since performed with the Disney Company, the Vancouver Symphony, Carnival Cruise Lines, and many others. When she’s not sharing her love of dance with her students, Genay can be found performing in parades at Disneyland or spoiling Felix (her dog).
Madison Schumm
Madison Schumm (she/her) grew up in Seattle, WA, and began her dance journey at the age of 4, starting with ballet. Her professional training began at 14 at Spectrum Dance Theater in their Pre-Professional Academy under the artistic direction of Donald Byrd, where she trained in Modern, Donald Byrd Modern Technique, Jazz, Contemporary, West African, and world dance styles. Madison continued her dance education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and also spent a year at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance. At Alvin Ailey she trained intensively in Horton, Graham, Ballet, Pointe, improvisation and choreography. She graduated in 2022 from UCLA specializing in Ballet and Modern with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, where her time at UCLA exposed her to the commercial dance scene. Since graduating, she has joined Troupe Dance Co, and HILA Dance Co, training in hip hop, Afro, Dancehall, House, and more with Antoine Troupe, and Alexander Chung. She has worked in music videos, campaigns, TV shows and live shows with many artists, brands and choreographers such as BOSE, “Clipped” on Hulu, Feid, BetterMe, Any Gabriely, Kyle Abraham, and more.
Madison has a diverse teaching background and has worked with dancers of all ages and levels, from young beginners to advanced teens and adults. Her teaching experience includes roles as a TA for intermediate/advanced ballet at UCLA, as well as teaching in LA public schools and various dance studios in both Los Angeles and Seattle offering instruction in Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Dance Conditioning, and Contemporary dance.
Madison believes that dance is more than just an art form—it’s a transformative journey that nurtures creativity, discipline, confidence, and self-expression. Her goal is to cultivate an inclusive and supportive environment where students feel empowered to explore their full potential, both as dancers and individuals. Madison's classes are designed to be both fun and challenging, encouraging students to push their limits while enjoying the process. She brings energy, creativity, and a deep love for dance to every session, offering engaging and dynamic classes that blend technique, choreography, and freestyle exploration. Whether you're new to dance or refining your skills, Madison's classes provide a welcoming space for all.
Ashley “Robi” Robicheaux
Ashley “Robi” Robicheaux (She/They) is a choreographer, performer, and dance educator. Robi has over a decade of teaching experience, and considers herself a student of life. With a background that truly mixes both the commercial and concert dance worlds, she brings versatility with her wherever she goes. Robi studied dance at NYU, where she earned her B.F.A. in 2014. She has an extensive background in dance-theater and immersive work. Her performance credits include Punchdrunk’s “Sleep No More” (2014-2014 and 2022-2023), Third Rail Project’s “The Grand Paradise”(originating cast member), and Shannon Gillen & Guests (now VIM VIGOR). Robi has taught at professional training studios such as the EDGE Performing Arts Center, Peridance, and Millenium Dance Complex Nashville, in the private and public school systems, for pre-professional training programs, and at Western Kentucky University and Elon University. She was the assistant choreographer for the MUSE “Simulation Theory” world tour in 2019, and set choreography on Chattanooga’s “The Pop Up Project” for their immersive production of "Romeo and Juliet" in 2021. Most recently, she has been traveling working with professional companies including Stewart/Owen Dance (Asheville), New Dialect (Nashville) and The Pop Up Project (Chattanooga). Other choreography and performance credits include Billie Eilish, Maggie Rogers, FKA Twigs, Lennon Stella, BECK, Gucci, TNT, Avril Lavigne, Mack Weldon, Taco Bell, and many more.
Soph Cardinal
Soph Cardinal (they/them) is a queer and non-binary dancer, dance educator, and choreographer based in Los Angeles, California. They have been dancing since they were 3 years old - training and competing throughout high school in styles such as ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, musical theatre, heels, and improvisation. In 2018, they graduated high school with their International Baccalaureate degree and continued their studies in dance at Colorado State University. At CSU, they refined their modern, ballet, contemporary, and jazz technique while being a featured dancer in over 25 faculty and guest artist pieces. They also used this time to dive deeper into choreography and dance pedagogy. Their choreography draws from elements of contemporary and hip hop movement and is often reflective of social justice issues. One of their pieces, entitled Blessed Be The Fruit, was presented at the 2021 Earl Mosley Diversity of Dance Dance is Activism Film Festival. In 2021, they graduated Summa Cum Laude in 3.5 years with their Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance. Since then, they relocated to Los Angeles, California to continue dancing and teaching professionally. They have been an avid teacher in Colorado, Arizona, and California - winning choreography awards and national titles. They have taught and choreographed in hip hop, contemporary, and improvisational styles. Teaching is their ultimate passion and where they strive to make the biggest impact in dance. As a teacher, their goal is to curate a safe and welcoming environment for all students to grow not only as dancers but as artists and humans as well. They have also been working as a professional dancer both in LA and Colorado over the last few years. They have worked with artists such as Derek Hough, Hayley Erbert, Dwight Rhoden, James Barre, Megan Grabau, and Jessica Starr on music videos, film projects, and stage performances. Their goal as an artist is to inspire dancers to show up as their authentic selves in any dance space they walk into. Soph has loved being a part of the West LA Academy of Dance family and is so excited to continue sharing the art of hip hop with their students!
Bri Edwards
Bri Edwards (She/Her) began her dance training at the age of 6 and is currently a professional dancer with Los Angeles Ballet. She has danced for companies across the country including Ballet West and California Ballet, and studied for five summers with the School of American Ballet. Bri began teaching ballet in 2010 at California Ballet School and has since taught for various schools with Balanchine, Vaganova, and Cecchetti curriculums.
Jonathan Alexander
Jonathan Alexander (He/Him) began dancing at age 7 at the School of American Ballet (SAB), and continued his training there for 11 years. During his senior year he discovered his passion for teaching when he was granted the opportunity to instruct younger SAB students. In that same year Jonathan became the first SAB student to choreograph on their own musical composition at the Choreography Workshop. After graduating, Jonathan danced professionally with Ballet Austin and Cincinnati Ballet. With an increasing desire to explore choreography, songwriting, and academic endeavors, Jonathan went on to study at the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and Annenberg School of Communication. Jonathan is so excited to share his passion for dance and music with the WLA Dance community!
Stephanie Mizrahi
Stephanie Mizrahi (She/Her) is a Los Angeles-based performer, choreographer, and educator. She was a competitive artistic gymnast until age 14, and then received her dance training from Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet and Debbie Allen Dance Academy, both in LA. She graduated from the Ailey School and Fordham University in 2020 with a dual major in Dance and History. After returning to LA, Stephanie performed extensively for BrockusRED Dance Company, and is in her second season with Psychopomp Dance Theater. Stephanie's choreography has been presented throughout the Los Angeles area, at Atwater Village Theater, Stomping Ground LA, LA Dance Project (Mashup’s IWD Festival), Brockus Project Studios, and Rose Center Theater (OC Dance Festival), as well as in New York City and Atlanta. Stephanie is a certified Pilates instructor and teaches private sessions at Equinox, and is a teacher at West LA Academy of Dance.