Tai Fukami Vogel – Director
Tai Vogel began her ballet training at Berkeley City Ballet at the age of 5. While she received most of her ballet training through BCB’s Pre-Professional Program with Elizabeth Godfrey and Alexis Drabek, Tai also attended summer intensive programs at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet where she studied with teachers such as Michael Owen, Kathy Kozul, Melinda Howe, and Lazlo Berdo. She performed lead roles in BCB’s annual ‘Nutcracker,’ including Clara, Rose, and Sugar Plum Fairy. Tai continued her dance training at Butler University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Administration with a minor in Dance. At Butler, she was able to not only perform in Butler Ballet productions, but also coordinated the annual Nutcracker boutique and worked as the House Manager at the Schrott Center for the Arts. Tai worked at San Francisco Ballet School for several years, most recently as the School Registrar and Summer Session Coordinator. Tai has been teaching dancers of all levels at BCB for over 10 years. She was appointed as Assistant Director in 2022 and Director in 2024.
Frances Lai Baca
Frances Lai Baca has a MFA in Dance from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she graduated with honors. In addition to her dance career Frances has been a fitness instructor teaching Pilates, GYROKINESIS®️, GYROTONIC®️Expansion System, CARDIOLATES®️, and more. She has completed the ABT National Training Curriculum Preprimary-Level 3, the Horton Pedagogy Workshop (Beginning-Advanced Levels) and the Limón Advanced Teacher Training. Her choreography has been performed in New York City, Brooklyn, Queens and in various San Francisco Bay Area locations. She’s been fortunate to present her work twice at the world renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in Scotland. Frances is excited to be a part of the Berkeley City Ballet faculty, where she can impart her acquired knowledge.
Naila Brown
Naila Brown (she/her) is a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist rooted in movement as a tool for healing and transformation. A Bay Area native, she began her dance journey at the age of 4 at BCB and currently performs with Urban Jazz Dance Company while simultaneously working as a guest artist with PUSH Dance Company. Her choreographic work explores storytelling, ancestral memory, and embodied resilience.
As a dedicated educator, she teaches Ballet, Jazz, and Modern at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Piedmont Ballet Academy, and Berkeley City Ballet to both youth and adults. Her classes emphasize joy, intentionality, and technique as a foundation for self-expression. She believes in cultivating spaces where all students can thrive; where discipline meets imagination, and movement becomes a path toward wholeness.
Whether in the studio or on stage, her work invites reflection, connection, and the courage to transform.
Bryanna Cross
Bryanna Cross has taught dance for over 18 years and additionally has her 200 hour Yoga certification, Pilates Sports Center certification, and Franklin Method Level 2 certification. These trainings and resources provided Bryanna with tools that create lasting and positive change in her own body and those of her students and clients.
Bryanna began seeking out solutions to the problems she and her students faced due to the physical demands of classical ballet. The Franklin Method focuses on how the mind can positively change the body. When combined with movement practices such as dance and Pilates, the incredible effect on the body creates an all encompassing experience.
Her professional credits as a ballet dancer include the Artesan Dance Company, Eglevsky Ballet, Baltimore Ballet and Neglia Ballet. Bryanna began her dance journey at 9 years old. She studied classical ballet at the New Jersey Ballet School and the highly esteemed San Francisco Ballet School.
Anna Diehl
Anna Diehl is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Berkeley, California. She began her training at Berkeley City Ballet, where she performed many roles in their annual Nutcracker including, Clara, Doll Soloist, Snow Corps, and Flower Corps. She is currently pursuing her BFA in Dance at San Jose State University, where she continues to grow as both a performer and choreographer. Anna has also had the opportunity to work with artists from renowned dance companies such as the Alvin Ailey School, American Ballet Theatre, David Dorfman Dance, Raphael Boumaila (who danced for José Limon in the Limon Dance Company) and Shlomit Fundaminsky. These experiences have broadened her artistic perspective and deepened her love for dance.
As a teacher, Anna strives to create a warm and welcoming space where every child feels supported, valued, and inspired. She believes dance is not only about building strong technique, but also about nurturing creativity and self-confidence. Her classes encourage curiosity and self-expression, allowing students to explore movement in a positive environment where they can grow at their own pace. Anna’s goal is to help young dancers discover the excitement of learning, the joy of performing, and the confidence that comes from embracing their own artistic voice.
Ricardo Dyer
Ricardo Dyer is a native of Panama based out of New York City. In 2011, he graduated from the dance department at The Governors School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia. He earned a degree in Dance Performance from Butler University where he performed extensively with Butler Ballet. After graduation, Dyer danced with Elements Contemporary Ballet, Charlottesville Ballet, and Ballet Memphis. Some of his favorite works performed include Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie and Square Dance, as well as Trey McIntyre’s Memphis. Dyer has been a dancer with Smuin Contemporary Ballet since 2019.
Lia Eisenberg
Lia Eisenberg’s love of dancing began at just 1 year old, when she enthusiastically joined her mother at folk dancing. At the age of 4, she started studying Chinese dance and performing with the Ah-Lan dance studio, which she did for the next eight years. At age 5, she began her studies at Berkeley City Ballet and continued there through her high school graduation. Lia played Clara in BCB’s annual Nutcracker and in subsequent years performed the solo roles of Harlequin Doll, Spanish Chocolate, and Russian Licorice. She was a guest performer this past winter, dancing the solo role of Chinese Tea. Lia has taught for levels from Pre-Ballet to Ballet 6 in the Pre-Professional Program at BCB and during BCB’s Summer Workshop. When not working at BCB, she is a college student studying to be a speech pathologist.
A’lia Martin
A’lia Martin (she/they) began dancing at the age of 4 and continued her pre-professional training at SLO Movement Arts Center in San Luis Obispo, CA. She attended summer programs at San Francisco Ballet, The Juilliard School, and with the Merce Cunningham Trust. They graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance Performance and a Psychology minor from SUNY Purchase in NY. While in school, she performed choreography by George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener, and Kimberly Bartosik. Since graduating, A’lia has moved to the Bay Area and is excited to join the faculty at Berkeley City Ballet!
Maya Mohsin
Maya Mohsin is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Oakland, CA. In 2022, they received their BFA in Dance from Dominican University Of California with the Alonzo King Lines Ballet BFA program, as well as a minor in Community Action and Social Change. During her time in university, she performed works by Christian Burns, Gregory Dawson, Carmen Rosenstraten, Nick Korkos, Sidra Bell, and Dexandro Montalvo. Since graduating, Maya has danced for Jocelyn Reyes for REYES Dance, Roseann Baker, Andrea Salzar, Jennifer Perfilio Movement Works, Addison Norman and Erin Coyne. Growing up, Maya attended summer programs at The Ailey School and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2022, they received the Give Em’ Hope Award from the SF Gay Men’s Chorus. Maya has been teaching dance since 2016 and has taught at various studios around the Bay Area.
Sarah-Lynn Oiknine
Sarah-Lynn Oiknine is a Berkeley City Ballet alumna who completed her training at UC Irvine with a double major in Dance and Psychology. While completing her undergraduate degree, she had the pleasure to work with Vitor Luiz (San Francisco Ballet), Diane Diefenderfer (New York City Ballet), and Tong Wang (Shanghai Ballet). In addition, she attended American Ballet Theater’s Summer Intensive where she took classes from various ABT alumni as well as from Artistic Director of American Ballet Theater Kevin McKenzie and Artistic Director of Summer Intensives Kate Lydon.
Alice Svetic
Alice Svetic is a freelance dancer+choreographer+educator based in Oakland, CA. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Alice received their BFA in Dance from University of Wisconsin-Madison and their MFA in Dance from Hollins University, where they taught ballet and contemporary dance practice. Alice is currently a dance artist with SF-based Alex Ketley’s The Foundry and a teaching artist with the Alonzo King LINES BFA program at Dominican University, Marin Dance Theater, Berkeley City Ballet, and Stapleton School of the Performing Arts.