MEET THE TEAM

Alicia began dancing at the age of 3 when she started studying Ballet and Tap. Throughout her childhood she continued studying multiple styles, adding Jazz and Broadway Jazz to her list, while strongly focusing on Tap. In 2005, Alicia joined Precision Dance Company in Rockledge, FL led by Marty (Eyster) Mercado, performed around the county, and continued to further her education into other styles, including Modern, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. During this time, Alicia began to gain experience teaching tap and hip hop classes to children ages 4-10, and was an assistant teacher to Natalie McKnight-Palmer during her summer musical theater workshops. Alicia spent the next few years performing with Evolution Dance Company at different events, including baseball games at Space Coast Stadium as a part of Space Coast Surge Entertainment. In 2019, Alicia choreographed for the musical "Guys and Dolls" at Eastern Florida State College. She also works alongside the Brevard Achievement Center with a residency in their Arts4All program working with Special Needs students for their annual Performing Arts Showcase and is a Certified Rhythm Works Integrative Dance Instructor. Alicia's passion for dance is long-lasting and she hopes to bring something new and exciting to Brevard County by offering a wide range of classes for everyone to enjoy!

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Memberships/Certifications/Credits

• Rhythm Works Integrative Dance Certification

• National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Member

• Creative Dance in Early Childhood (NDEO-Endorsed CEUs)

• Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD) Certification

• First Aid/CPR Certified

Brooke began dancing at the age of 2 in a studio located in Brusly, Louisiana. At age 6 she began competitive dancing and by 13 she began traveling and assisting for Tremaine and The Streetz Dance Conventions. Brooke spent time assisting and learning from many esteemed dancers and choreographers such as Paula Abdul, Joe Tremaine, and Derrick Schrader to name a few. During the summer, Brooke would travel to study dancing at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio located in Los Angeles, California and Joffrey Ballet School located in San Antonio, Texas. At age 15 Brooke began choreographing and teaching many different styles of dance including technique, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and ballet classes around Louisiana. When she graduated, she moved to Orlando, Florida to begin her career as a performer for Walt Disney World. Brooke performed for 2 years and was even cast in the 2019 “Mickeys Most Merriest Celebration” Castle Stage Show for Walt Disney World. Brooke now works for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort as a Children’s Activities Hostess and is studying to become an Elementary Teacher. She is excited to share her passion and skill for dance with many aspiring dancers in the studio and hopes to become a valuable role model in your children’s lives. 

Stephanie has been dancing since the age of 2 and when she took her first dance class,
she immediately fell in love with the art. Her favorite style to dance is Hip Hop and her
favorite style to teach is all of the above! She has been trained in all genres of dance
including; Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Pointe, Hip Hop, Clogging, and
Breakdancing. Stephanie was in a pre-professional company, Boston Community
Dance Project, from ages 12-15. Stephanie has had the opportunity to dance at Epcot,
has won numerous national titles and has been recognized by many nationwide
choreographers; Travis Wall, Aaron Tolson, Peter Sabasino, Twitch, Skooj-Choreo,
and Allison Holker. Stephanie has traveled across the country for several dance
opportunities and to teach alongside these choreographers. She has been
demonstrating/teaching students since she was 13. She loves every child she works
with and she believes the most rewarding part of the job is being able to give children
the space to be themselves as well as make connections with her students year after
year. She is excited to teach children the joy of dance and can’t wait for what this year
has in store!

Rachel has been dancing since the age of four, training in a wide range of styles, including tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, modern, acro, and pointe. She began competing at age eight, performing in jazz, lyrical, and hip hop before expanding to modern, contemporary, and tap at competitions across the Northeast. Rachel has also assisted and taught at Holiday Dance from 2018 to 2023, instructing acro, hip hop, ballet, and tap. In addition to teaching, Rachel has choreographed for stage productions, including Fiddler on the Roof at Hollidaysburg High School, and currently serves as the 2024-2025 Florida Tech Dance Competition Team Choreographer, creating Pom, Hip Hop, and Contemporary routines. Rachel is thrilled to bring her passion for dance and movement to her students. She believes in fostering a fun, supportive, and inspiring environment where dancers of all levels can grow in skill and confidence. She is excited to share her love for dance and help students express themselves through movement!

Leah is a Chicago native with over three decades of dance training in tap, jazz, ballet, modern, contemporary and hip-hop disciplines. She earned a double Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Teaching and Performance from Columbia College Chicago. During her time at Columbia, she expanded her professional experience as a member of HipHop ConnXion Chicago and Crossfade, performing in notable projects including Adero's "Animated" music video, and high-profile performances such as Oprah's flash mob, Carnival Choreographer’s Ball and Urban Dance United. Following graduation, Leah became the Dance Specialist for Nord Anglia Education Schools for 10 years, holding positions at both the British School of Chicago and Windermere Preparatory School in FL. In this capacity, she developed comprehensive dance curricula, directed after-school programming, including competitive dance teams and theatrical productions, was a chapter sponsor for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts and directed whole-school recitals and flash mobs. Leah was also a pioneer of the NAE-Juilliard dance collaboration launch and ongoing continuing education initiatives. At this time, Leah continues her professional career as the General Manager of StretchLab, where she oversees daily operations and manages a team of certified flexologists. In this role, she has developed expertise in the therapeutic benefits of assisted stretching and its positive impact on physical wellness. In her spare time, she maintains an active lifestyle through continued dance education, kickboxing and planning her wedding. She is engaged to be married in December 2025!

Mrs. Roxane Linares (aka Roxy) is a passionate and dedicated educator with over 30 years in the dance community. Throughout her career she has cultivated an immense love for dance that spans multiple genres, including ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, tap, and modern. She began her dance journey at age 2. Over the years she transitioned to gymnastics world and continued her dance career joining competitive dance teams and programs. She continued exploring styles and began teaching ballroom dancing for the Arthur Murray School of Dance in Miami, FL. Roxane is committed to nurturing the next generation of dancers and is dedicated to fostering growth in every student. Her commitment to excellence here at Dance Variations ensures a dance education that elevates confidence and poise.

Juliann transitioned from the world of gymnastics to dance at age 13. She began to take classes in jazz, pom, and technique. At 16 she was competing in jazz, pom, hip hop, lyrical, and tap while still taking ballet, pre-pointe, acro, and technique classes. Juliann has assisted and taught at Taps N’ Toes Dance Studio in Colorado from 2022-2024, instructing classes in ballet, jazz, pom, and hip hop for ages 5-12. She joined the Florida Tech Dance Team freshman year of college and in 2024 she became dance captain where she continues to run practices and choreograph for both the performance and competition teams. Juliann cultivates a positive, encouraging, and adaptable environment for her dancers to thrive. She is excited to bring her experience, enthusiasm, and love for dance to the classroom again!