About Us

Aliya Anderson

Owner & Director

BALLET ( level 1 & 3), POINTE, and ACRO (all levels) TEACHER

Aliya Anderson is a dancer, choreographer and teacher from Cheltenham, PA. At the age of 7, she began dancing at Soliloquy in Motion under the direction of Doris Roberts. While at Soliloquy in Motion, Aliya studied ballet and modern with former Alvin Ailey dancers Deborah Manning St. Charles and David St. Charles. She also studied Umfundalai with Josephine Heard who studied under Dr. Kariamu Welsh. Additionally, Aliya trained in hip-hop and jazz. During her time at Soliloquy, Aliya was given the opportunity to perform at the International Association of Blacks in Dance in Philadelphia in 2010 and California in 2011. Aliya received her BFA in dance from Temple University where she studied under professors such as Dr. Kariamu Welsh, Laura Katz, Nora Gibson, Dara Meredith and many more. She was given the opportunity to learn repertory and perform in Ishmael Houston Jones's piece entitled, “In My Perfect World” and attended Maria Bauman Dance Company’s summer intensive. Post-graduation, Aliya danced with Ujima Dance Theatre and had the opportunity to perform at Koresh’s Showcase series. She is also a former Chocolate Ballerina Company member where she has performed at BalletX pop-up performances The Nutcracker Dipped in Chocolate the opening act of Milano Di Rouge’s winter fashion show and so much more. In addition to performing, Aliya has taught at several dance schools in Philadelphia and Bucks County and was the assistant director at Ujima Dance Theatre Movement Arts Center. Aliya has recently obtained a yoga certification and Pilates certification and is eagar to bring adult movement classes to MDA. She is blessed and excited to own her own dance school where she can share her love and knowledge for dance with children and youth.

Lia Haynes

Executive Administrative Assistant

MY GOWN UP & ME, HIP-HOP (all levels) BALLET+ACRO COMBO & TAP 1A TEACHER

Lia Haynes is a performer, choreographer, and scholar from Plainfield, New Jersey. She recently received her BFA degree in Dance and Africology and African American Studies from Temple University. During her time at Temple, Haynes was able to perform, choreograph, and stage manage several productions both on and off campus. She has had the pleasure of opening up for Bernie Sanders and performing in a music video for Netflix. Including performing in Ephrat Asherie’s So Fly, MFA theses by Uriah Huffman and Tatiana Greer, and three BFA theses. In 2022, she performed in the Fringe Arts Festival for Ella-Gabriel Mason’s work Ever After. Aside from performing for other choreographers, Haynes has choreographed several of her own pieces such as c a t a c l y s m, The Amerikkkan Dream, and  Women’s Creed. Her work was showcased in The Black Choreographer’s Festival, Conwell Dance Theater, and NAACP events. In addition, Lia has joined a professional Hip Hop dance company, IAMPHRESH, where she has had the ability to work with celebrity choreographers and perform at World of Dance. With her broad interest in various dance styles and her passion for social justice and education, it has led her to choreograph and teach dance locally in both New Jersey and Philadelphia area. In 2021, Lia was invited by the University of Ghana to teach a Umfundalai master class to their first-year students while conducting her own research. Currently, Lia has recently obtained her master’s degree in Fine Arts and plans to continue performing and teaching dance through an Afrocentric perspective to create socially challenging narratives both on and off stage.