
Meet Our Faculty

Ali Simone
Founder
Ms. Ali is the founder of LA AcroDancers. She has been training in dance and gymnastics for 30 years, specializing in modern technique, contemporary, dance acrobatics and contortion. She graduated from Wesley Institute in Sydney, Australia with a BFA in Dance Performance, specializing in Performance. Ms. Ali has danced, choreographed and taught internationally in the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Belize and Australia. She has 20 years teaching experience, including training nationally competitive dance acrobatic teams in Sydney, Australia. Upon returning to the U.S. Ms. Ali retired from the professional dance world and began working in education as a teacher for Gabriella Charter Schools, while teaching with Everybody Dance! in Los Angeles. She went on to work as the Dance Education Coordinator for United Children’s Learning Academy and Center for Autism and Related Services and later became the school’s Preschool Director.

Avery Potemri
Company/Events Coordinator, Faculty
Avery Potemri is a Rhode Island native, late competition dancer who started training in dance and acrobatics. She has diligent training in Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Tap, which she uses to teach around Los Angeles. She graduated from Hussain College In Studio Los Angeles with a BFA in Commercial Dance. With educators in her family, Avery was always inspired to share education, now specializing in child development, acrobatics, and dance. Teaching and choreographing since 2017, Avery creates a rigorous but playful environment for her dancers to share community together, as well as work hard as a team.

Aneska França
Faculty
Aneska França is a Brazilian dancer, choreographer, educator, and cultural producer whose vibrant career unites the precision of science with the soul of art. With over two decades of experience in both performance and education, she is a recognized authority in Brazilian Zouk, and a passionate advocate for the preservation and reinvention of Brazilian folkloric dances on international stages.She has also competed in and won awards at national and international Brazilian Zouk competitions, further refining her skills as a performer and mentor for aspiring professionals. Now based in Los Angeles, Aneska is the founder and artistic director of the Aneska Dance Company, where she develops multicultural performances blending Brazilian identity, ballet foundations, and modern creative expression.She teaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District through the Conga Kids program, using dance as a tool for connection, learning, and empowerment.

Gloria Martinez
Faculty
Gloria Martinez was born in Sinaloa, Mexico and grew up in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from the dance program at Alexander Hamilton High School mainly specializing in ballet and modern dance. She is an alumni from Los Angeles Acro Dance Academy and studied contortion, acrobatics and danced with the company. Gloria will be continuing her dance studies at University of California Los Angeles.

Miracle Blankenship
Guest Faculty
Mrs. Miracle Blakenship has 20 years of dance and acrobatics training and has 10 years of teaching/choreographing both dance and acro. She's taught many genres of dance (i.e. ballet, modern, jazz, jazz funk, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, pom-cheer dance, heels, and dancehall/soca) and many genres of acrobatics (i.e. gymnastics, controtion, lyra, acro-dance, circus standing acrobatics, and cheer stunting). She also obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree at SDSU in 2021, and a Master of Science Degree at USC in 2023. From 2019 to 2022 Mrs. Miracle was the director and choreographer of her own dance company. Currently, she is a company dancer at Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, and she is a dance instructor and gymnastics coach at many local studios in Los Angeles, CA.

Alicia Cutaia
Guest Faculty
My name is Alicia Cutaia and I am a professional dancer, instructor, choreographer, fire performer, and harness aerialist. Currently located in Los Angeles, I have been fortunate to have been able to follow my dreams and perform across the USA and Internationally doing what I love. As a performer, I am committed to professionalism, collaboration and innovation. I am skilled in adapting to different choreographers’ styles and embodying characters and emotions through movement. I am a quick learner and able to pick up choreography quickly, making me an asset to any production team. I have obtained a BFA as a double major in Classical Ballet and Jazz with honors from Point Park University in Pennsylvania. My training was furthered as a scholarship recipient at Hubbard Street Dance, North Carolina Dance Theater and River North Dance Company. I have worked with and performed pieces by many renowned choreographers from all over the world.

Elizabeth Rodriguez
Guest Faculty
Elizabeth Rodriguez, is a native Angelina who has worked with youth since age 12, earning the 2012 Kohl’s Regional Volunteer of the Year Award. Elizabeth was exposed to Hip Hop in high school and focused all of her efforts on teaching dance at non-profits such as Inner-City Arts, the Crown Jewel Club, and J.U.I.C.E. Elizabeth subsequently graduated from UCLA with a double major in Dance and Spanish. Her main styles include Breakin’, Hip Hop, House, experience in other styles under the Hip Hop umbrella, as well as experience in various Latin dance forms. Elizabeth has had the opportunity to study and perform with Open House, Versa-Style Next Generation, Physical Poets, Inner-City Arts Repertory Dance Co. and Contra-Tiempo Futuro. Elizabeth truly believes that everybody can dance and continues to give back to her community, hoping to inspire youth through Hip Hop.

Avery Polster
Guest Faculty
Bio coming soon!

Clinton Lacerda
Guest Faculty
Bio coming soon!