Aspire Dance Academy Owners
Tewa Wride
Tewa Wride has been involved in the performing arts for over 40 years as a student, performer and teacher and adjudicator. She has extensive training in jazz, voice, ballet and gymnastics. She is a former member of BYU’s Young Ambassadors and was Head Cheerleader at BYU. She taught for the United Spirit Association for 4 years and danced professionally with Paula Abdul’s dance and cheer company. She has been on the faculty of Aspire Dance Academy, Pioneer Performing Arts High School and Showcase USA. Her award winning choreography has been on the stages at Miss Utah, Miss America, Disneyland and numerous state and national competitions, receiving judge’s choice awards for choreography. She is in high demand as a voice teacher and interview consultant. She is a former Miss American Fork and Miss Indian Scholarship.
Tewa has taught and mentored many young women to local and state titles in the Distinguished Young Women, Miss Drill Utah, Miss Outstanding Teen and Miss America programs throughout Utah and Idaho. She was selected twice as Miss America’s “Woman of Influence” award. Teaching her own daughters and watching them blossom as dancers and choreographers has been her greatest joy. She is a true triple threat and loves teaching her students the importance of training in music, dance and theater. She is married to Lance Wride and they have four amazing children and three grandchildren.
Cassie Warner
Cassie Warner was born and raised in Reno, Nevada where she trained in the Cecchetti method of ballet. In high school, she continued her training in jazz, lyrical, and tap and performed with the Nevada Festival Ballet. Cassie attended BYU where she danced 3 years for the nationally acclaimed Cougarettes – winning the very first of what would become 19 national championship titles. While dancing for the Cougarettes, Cassie toured China and danced at a variety of venues, for dignitaries and citizens across the vast country. Cassie graduated summa cum laude from BYU with a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in teaching English as a 2nd language. She used that emphasis as she taught 2nd grade at the LDS primary school in Suva, Fiji.
In her professional dance career, she danced on Odyssey Dance Theater under the direction of Derryl Yeager. She performed with Odyssey for 3 years, working with choreographers Derryl Yeager, Bonnie Story and Mia Michaels. She danced in Thriller and Shut Up and Dance. She continues to choreograph for many studios, drill teams, and soloists in the intermountain area. Her biggest passion is dancing along side her 6 daughters and is very happy that one little boy joined her family.
Lea Tucker
As a child, Lea spent countless hours at the studio where her mother taught and her love for dance began. She has been honored to receive many awards for her talent which include: Member & President of the BYU Cougarette Dance Team, All-American Dancer at NDA Collegiate Dance Camp, 4-time National Champion at NDA Collegiate Dance Nationals, Miss Dance/Drill Utah 2011, 2nd runner-up to Miss Dance/Drill USA, State Sterling Scholar Finalist in Dance, and 4th runner-up and Talent Winner at the Miss Utah Scholarship Pageant.
Lea has a passion for choreography and is honored to be choreographing for the nationally acclaimed BYU Cougarettes this year. Lea has a degree in Communications from Brigham Young University. Aspire has become a creative outlet and second home to Lea. She loves seeing her students grow as dancers, technicians, and artists. When she isn't teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband Kyle and her dog Dash.