Allana Scourfield-Thomas has trained in numerous dance styles and has 25 years of teaching experience for dancers of all ages and levels. Her patience and commitment to her dancers have grown them into amazing people that have gone on to fulfill their own dreams! Allana founded Allana’s Academy of Dance in 2009 and since then has become a staple name in the community with her studio being awarded Best Dance Studio on the Denver A*List 6 times, ADCC (Association of Dance Competition & Convention) Studio of Excellence 2019-20, Parent Magazine and much more. Her desire to inspire her students shows in the quality of her teaching. She is committed to providing a nurturing, family first, accepting and loving dance home for all who step through her doors!

After auditioning for one of Americas premier conservatories for the performing arts, Shirley attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles with a scholarship as a performing arts major, immersing in Dance and Musical Theatre with some of the most successful Broadway directors, choreographers and entertainers. Currently, Shirley is the Elementary Tumbling TA/ Dance Teacher at Parker Performing Arts School and an instructor of six years and running at Aurora Dance Arts. Aside from teaching Shirley adores children and is completing her degree in Elementary Education at CCU and is the proud owner of a children’s character entertainment company called Princess Parties of the Rockies. On her free time she loves to go on adventures with her little girl, cook, and exercise. She is very excited to add to the positive atmosphere at Allana’s where she can share her passion for dance, kids, and hard work. 

Krysta Pozsgai has been dancing for over 30 years and teaching & choreographing for over 20 years. She has taken Master classes with Stacey Tookey, Sonya Tayeh, Travis Wall, Mia Michaels and Brian Friedman. Her experience includes teaching lyrical, jazz, ballet and modern as well as coaching the pom squad at Wheat Ridge High School, the Competition Director at Allegro Dance Company in Littleton, CO and choreographing for the Senior Master Projects at Metro State and CU Denver. She has received several awards in regional and national competitions for her choreography. Currently she works very closely with Allana’s Academy of Dance Competition Company the AAD Gems with choreography and rehearsals as well as normal recreational classes.

Ella Bernal started dance at a young age and studied various types of dance including hip hop, lyrical, modern and swing but her passion has always been ballet. She committed to ballet after a few seasons of cheer, tumbling and years of martial arts.  She has danced on pointe for over a decade. 

She participated in recreation dance for performance opportunities, studied dance at several Denver Metro studios and has been part of dance school companies performing locally.  She has also had the privilege of taking technique classes in California. Her freshman year of high school she attended Arts Immersion where she majored in dance and pursued her dream of being a professional dancer. She was accepted into Colorado Ballet, Ballet West and Ballet Austin summer intensives. After an injury she decided to focus on her health and return to traditional high school where she danced on the Varsity Poms team, but due to medical reasons she opted to leave the team, retire from studio dance and pursue another dream of figure skating. Her strong dance technique and discipline has been a source of strength for her on the ice. During this time she maintained her ballet technique and returned to a studio. 

Outside of the dance studio she works at an elementary school as a ILC teaching assistant and is a lead at the before and aftercare program. She enjoys spending time with her family, working out, outdoor activities, baking and attending church. She has aspirations to be a Social Worker one day. She believes that dance is not just about movement but caring for your soul and being the healthiest version of yourself. 

Sarina Tamura grew up dancing and doing gymnastics since the age of 3. She trained in both disciplines (dance styles including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and Irish) until the age of 13, when she decided to commit solely to gymnastics. She went on to compete, coach, and judge and was part of the Overland High School gymnastics team that won the 5A State Championships in 2009. Sarina completed her gymnastics career in 2010 and returned to dance, where she fell in love with hip-hop and breaking. She currently competes and performs locally, out-of-state, and internationally, as well as judges local events in Colorado.
Sarina combines her background in dance and gymnastics, and has been an active tumbling and acro instructor at multiple dance studios in Centennial and Aurora for over 7 years. She has a strong passion for teaching and inspiring children of all ages. Sarina graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrative Physiology and Japanese and has received her Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from Regis University.

Stacey Dion is a seasoned choreographer, instructor, and dance adjudicator. She grew up in Aurora and spent most of her life dancing at Miller’s Dance Studio where she has spent the last 17 years teaching, choreographing and directing. She has received awards both regionally and nationally for her choreography. Ms. Dion loves judging and teaching master classes for Spotlight Dance Cup. She enjoys traveling all over the U.S to judge and choreograph for several studios and companies across the country.

Stacey received her training from the University of Northern Colorado, where she majored in Musical Theater and Dance. Since 1998, Stacey has performed with TIBS Production Company, Little Theater of the Rockies, Colorado Dance Theater, Greeley Conservatory of Dance, and UNC Theater and Dance Company. She was resident director and choreographer for 8 seasons at St. Michael’s Players Theater Company. She choreographs for many musicals in Denver area schools, and has taught master classes at the Denver School of the Arts.
Stacey has trained dancers that have gone on to lead very successful careers. Her students have been seen in dance and theater companies across the United States, on cruise ships, and in Europe and Asia. They have been seen on stage and television in Tap Dogs, True Blood, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, The Oscars, Bunheads, and Glee. Her students have also been seen in hit films such as High School Musical, Burlesque, and Michael Jackson’s This is It, to name a few.
Stacey loves to teach and share her enthusiasm and love for the art of dance to all her students!

Erica Brandell started dancing at her hometown studio in Wisconsin at the age of four. She went on to attend Interlochen Arts Academy to further her education and performed many ballets ranging from The Nutcracker to Coppélia. After graduating, she continued her studies at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee where she graduated in 2020 with a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance. She has since worked closely with PyDance Company, a now Nashville based collective, and has performed with them throughout Boston and New York City. Erica’s love for teaching really began when she taught her first full season with a studio back in Minneapolis. She loves that she gets to share her passion and knowledge gained from the teachers she had growing up with the next generation of movers! Erica is currently in school to receive her masters in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver. This is Erica’s first season with Allana’s Academy of Dance, and she cannot wait to meet everyone and get started!

Bio Coming Soon!

Introducing Brooklyn “The Frug”:

Chief Paw-sitivity Officer at Allana’s Academy of Dance.

Meet Brooklyn, the four-legged dance sensation who’s here to wag, twirl, and groove her way into your hearts!

Follow her journey on Instagram @brooklynthefrug for doses of paw-some dance moves and tail-wagging fun.

From paw-tapping choreography to tail-wagging finesse, Brooklyn is redefining dance floor enchantment.

Join the paw-ty at Allana’s Academy of Dance and let Brooklyn show you how to dance through life, one paw at a time!

Let’s paws and dance like nobody’s watching with Brooklyn the Frug.