Behind the Movement
Welcome to Breakthrough! We are so happy you are here!
At Breakthrough, our goal is to create a positive and safe space where those who love the art of dance can express themselves and share their passion. Where kids can be kids and to empower confident adults.
Breakthrough is about discovery and development; about embracing where you find yourself now and pushing yourself to greater heights.
We believe in creating a community of dancers who celebrate their differences and who want to hone their craft. Who respect themselves and the class culture. Who want to enrich the dance community here in Sonoma County and beyond.
We want to share the beauty of dance and how it can change lives, one step at a time.
We hope you join us in this exciting new journey and we hope you enjoy Breakthrough.
Our Instructors
Anakarina Swanson
Director
Anakarina, also known as AK, has been dancing for 18 years and has been teaching for 10 years. She is trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical jazz, modern, contemporary, musical theatre and hip hop. She has choreographed for Santa Rosa Junior College, both for their dance program and their theater program.
She has won numerous awards for her choreography including platinum and 1st place in dance competitions, The Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, Best Theme, Best Costume and Best of Show awards. She was a member of the hip hop dance company Prophecy from Chapkis Dance Studio in Suisun City. With them, she competed and performed in Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Vacaville, and Vallejo and performed at halftime for the Golden State Warriors.
Anakarina has also worked with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria with their youth summer program injunction with Z Space. She helped develop their summer Word for Word youth theater camp for the past three years.
She was also the hip hop director at the Dance Center Santa Rosa for seven years where she directed three competitive hip hop companies. There she choreographed numerous award-winning routines, including large production numbers, coordinated fundraisers, did administrative work and facilitated in-studio shows.
She has held number of master classes both on her own and in numerous schools all over Sonoma County. Anakarina loves teaching, inspiring, and sharing the art of dance with as many people as she can.
Her calling is to mentor, create and teach.
Lilia Griffin
Contemporary
Lilia Griffin graduated as a psychology major and dance minor at Sonoma State. She has been dancing for 12 years. Her favorite styles are Contemporary and Lyrical; she has also been trained in Jazz and Ballet. She has had the opportunity to learn and perform in multiple countries including South Korea and England. She loves to be creative and expressive. She also loves the way that moving brings so much to curiosity in the body and physical challenge.