Keira Whitaker is a dedicated teacher, performer, and choreographer, who has been dancing for the past 21 years. She recently graduated from the University of California Irvine with a BFA in Dance performance and a minor in English. She has performed the roles of Clara and the Rose Queen in the “The Nutcracker,” along with lead roles in ballets such as “Don Quixote” and “Sleeping Beauty.” She has also danced and choreographed for the Regional Dance Festival of America, where she studied under world renowned dance teachers and choreographers. She has spent two summers at the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, and one summer at the Hubbard Street Summer Intensive. She spent three years as a member of Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble, and continues to perform and teach as a freelance professional. Keira also works as a dance journalist, and has been published in academic journals such as "Escholarship: University of California." She is the recipient of the UCI Magnificent Perpetual Scholar Award, the Cloud Hseuh Scholarship, and the STEAM Scholarship.