Alexandra Bourne from Manistee, Mich., has been hired as the ballet director. She teaches all graded ballet technique classes; pre-pointe and pointe; flexibility; pro ballet; junior dance, a combination class of jazz and lyrical; competition teams; the pre-professional program; and a team of dancers going to the world’s largest ballet competition, the Youth America Grand Prix. As ballet director, she also is in charge of the production class that puts on “The Nutcracker” each fall — this year it features all-original choreography — and a different classical production each spring.

Bourne spent many years at the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet before transferring to and graduating from the Michigan Ballet Academy. After graduating high school, she went to Alma College as a duel major in dance and English language and literature. While there, she was a member of the Alma College Dance Company and was marketing director for the dance academic honorary. She took classes in dance pedagogy, choreography, dance history and more. She continued her education at Ferris State University, where she graduated with top honors in May 2018.

Bourne has taught dance classes since she started college and spent the past two years teaching at a studio in her hometown.

Alexandria Heide from Blackduck, Minn., is running several competition teams, teaching the tap technique class, ballet, modern/contemporary, hip hop and the special needs class, Meghan’s Place. She also works at TDA’s new location in Escanaba.

ALEX HEIDE

Heide graduated from Austin Peay State University this past May with a bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre and dance with a concentration in dance. While at Austin Peay, she was president of the student-organized dance association and a member of the performance ensemble, taught at a non-profit dance studio and taught at Austin Peay as a student learning assistant and working with special needs students.

Her choreography earned recognition by the American College Dance Association. She also earned the Outstanding Senior in Dance award from APSU in May 2020. She was an active member of the Modern Love Dance Company.