MEET THE TEACHER!
RAY GARCIA
A Bay City native and proud graduate of the Class of 1981, Mr. Ray is thrilled to be home, sharing his passion for dance with the next generation of performers.
His career has taken him around the world as a performer, choreographer, and teacher. Some of his favorite performance credits include Life Without Makeup starring Rita Moreno at Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Rent on Broadway and the First National Tour, where he performed the role of Angel and other featured roles; Peter Pan on Broadway and the national tour starring Cathy Rigby; and The Ten Commandments in Los Angeles starring Val Kilmer.
Ray also spent three unforgettable years living in Rome, Italy, where he danced on Italy's hit television variety show Fantastico and toured the country in the all-Italian production of Sweet Charity, playing the role of Daddy.
His film and television appearances include the feature film Rent, the independent film Neverland, Desperate Housewives, and Jane the Virgin.
As a choreographer, Ray has created productions for Universal Studios in Hollywood, Florida, and Japan, Live It Up Productions, Norwegian Cruise Line, and many other entertainment companies. He trained at the renowned Joe Tremaine Dance Center in Los Angeles and later joined its faculty, teaching aspiring dancers from around the world.
After a career filled with incredible opportunities, Ray considers one of his greatest joys to be returning to his hometown. He is passionate about helping young dancers build confidence, develop strong technique, and discover the joy of performing. Whether a student dreams of dancing professionally or simply wants to grow as an artist and individual, Mr. Ray is dedicated to inspiring every dancer to believe in themselves and reach their fullest potential.
JADE CROUCH
Mr. Jade began his professional dance career at just 16 years old. We had the incredible opportunity to dance together in Debbie Gibson's Anything Is Possible music video, and we were both
selected to join her world tour!
Throughout his career, Mr. Jade has performed with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Diana Ross, Destiny's Child, and Prince, among many others.
For the past 27 years, he has shared his passion and expertise by teaching dance both at our studio and throughout the surrounding area. As an award-winning competition choreographer, he has inspired and trained countless dancers, many of whom have gone on to become professional performers and pursue successful careers doing what they love.
We are incredibly proud to have Mr. Jade's experience, talent, and dedication as part of our BCAPA family.
ASHLEN MAYHEW
Hi, I’m Ashlen! I’ve been dancing for 14 years and spent 11 of those years competing at my hometown studio, Barbie Rhodes Dance Studio in Lake Jackson. Throughout my competitive career, my team earned multiple national titles, and I was honored to receive a title award, win several improv battles, and co-choreograph my senior competition solo. I began teaching part-time during my senior year of high school, and this is now my second year teaching full-time. I’m also the Co-Director of the competition team at my hometown studio. Having trained in a variety of dance styles, my favorites to teach are contemporary, tap, and hip hop. I’m so excited for this season and can’t wait to share my love of dance with all of my students! 💕
BRITTANY NGUYEN
Brittany has loved dance for as long as she can remember. From weeknights spent watching dance shows, captain of a high school dance team, to owning and operating Pulse Dance Studio. She has worked with Tony Dovolani, Maks Chmerkovskiy, and Val Chmerkovskiy. Brittany is ready to assist in the classroom and share her passion for dance. As a wife, and mom of four, she is excited to bring that same love and care to the students at BCAPA.
JUDE CROUCH
Jude has been dancing for most of his life. Training with his dad Jade. He has performed in many Night on Broadway shows with CAST here in Bay City not only as a dancer but as a singer as well. He loves teaching and is excited for another year at BCAPA!
KELLA BEYER
Kella is thrilled to be a part of the BCAPA staff this year! Kella has been dancing for the past 14 years and has loved every second of it. She first joined BCAPA in 2023 and never looked back! At the age of 13, she began assisting with dance classes and hoped she would one day be able to teach again! Her love for dance and performance has only grown stronger through the years and she is so grateful to now have the opportunity to help more students on their performance journeys! Although she has trained in many styles of dance, her favorites are tap and ballet! Kella is incredibly thankful to the BCAPA family for welcoming her in, and can’t wait to connect with all of the students throughout this year!