Biography

Tessa is a student at the University of Utah where she is pursuing a major in Modern Dance. She expects to receive her BFA in May 2012. In addition to her university coursework and teaching duties at Prodigy Dance in Holladay, Tessa was elected to serve as the 2011-2012 Fine Arts Assembly Representative to ASUU, the university student government and as Vice President of the BSU chapter at the university. Under the direction of Ann Carter she has been involved in teaching modern dance at Wasatch Elementary School in the fall of 2011. She has worked as a Research Assistant for the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) since the fall of 2008.

Tessa is a 2008 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she received High Honors in Dance and Academic High Honors as well as the Dance Coordinator’s Award. She received an Honorable Mention in West African Dance from the NFAA Presidential Scholar in the Arts competition for 2007-2008. She was a three year member of the African Dance Ensemble and was a rehearsal captain for the 2007-2008 year. Tessa was a three-year member of the National Honor Society and served as treasurer in 07-08. She was a student at Amanda’s Dance Express for thirteen years and was a member of the apprenticeship program for eight years. Tessa competed with the xtremeDancers, FIRE!, and Águilas Azteca Ballet Folklórico. She was a founding member of Images Contemporary Dance Company.

She currently is teaching jazz, ballet and tap at Prodigy Dance Studio in Holladay, Utah.