Miss Erica
Erica Irizarry-Linebaugh  was born in Aurora, Colorado, and spent her
growing-up years in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She began dancing at the age of
3 and later attended the Magnet school, Northwest School of Performing Arts.  
While there she studied dance: ballet technique and form, modern, jazz, lyrical, as well
as theater and music.  She also began specializing in spatial movement and
choreography.  Erica continued in traditional studio dance and competitions
throughout her childhood and adolescent years.  In 1995, Erica's family moved to
North Texas.  She spent her remaining high school years at Grapevine High
School until she graduated as a Texas scholar in 1998.  Once in Texas, Erica
danced at the former Grapevine Dance Academy.  She focused on Pointe and
Ballet and performed in at least 2 shows each year with many solos.  For five years,
Erica danced in their annual Nutcracker performance in which she danced a variety
of parts such as the Spanish Dancers, Dance of the Reed Flutes, Waltz of the
Flowers, Arabian Dance, Waltz of the Snowflakes, and Dance of the Mirlitons.
When Erica was 18, she began to focus on Hip Hop and fell in love with popular
dance movement.  She most enjoys the ever evolving style of Hip Hop but strives
to keep her roots in traditional jazz and ballet, incorporating training with street
style.  Erica has trained with Marty Kudelka (choreographer for Justin
Timberlake), Jenna Dewan (lead in "Step Up"), Tabitha and Napoleon
(SYTYCD), and at various studios and conventions.
Erica received her AA degree from TCC, went on to UNT to receive her
Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2005.  This May,
Erica will receive her Masters of Science in Secondary  Science Education,
graduating with a 4.0!  She currently teaches high school Chemistry and
Anatomy/Physiology in Lake Worth.  When she is actually able to find free time,
Erica enjoys Science, water sports, volunteering, environmental studies, forensics
(reading crime novels and watching the TV show CSI Vegas!), and has a true
passion for learning.  She loves JJ's Seafood in Fort Worth and her favorite
movie is Office Space.
Erica and her husband Jeremy have been together since 2001 and have a son
Ryland who is two years old.  Their family enjoys their annual family
reunion/vacation every summer in Morehead City, NC, a small beach town in the
outer banks.