Carissa Pinnix

Carissa’s love for dance began in San Diego at the age of three, where she trained extensively in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical, earning numerous national-level awards. She went on to attend Sonoma State University on a dance scholarship, where she studied Theatre Arts with a concentration in Modern Dance. During her collegiate career, Carissa trained with acclaimed companies and masters including Alvin Ailey and Alonzo King LINES, performed in the ACDA Collegiate Gala, and had the honor of tapping alongside professional Greg Russell at a Dancers Against Cancer benefit show.

While at Sonoma State, she immersed herself in every performance opportunity, master class, and workshop, and was a four-year member of the Sonoma State University Dance Team. She also developed and expanded a tap program at a local Northern California studio.

After graduation, Carissa returned to Southern California, where she served as the Director of Rêve Dance Conservatory in Orange County. She later taught and choreographed at Element Dance Center and Edge Dance Academy in San Diego, continuing to mentor dancers of all ages and levels.

Now based in Boise, Idaho, Carissa brings her passion, creativity, and wealth of experience to the next generation of dancers. She is committed to inspiring students to grow not only as technical performers but as confident artists, and she is thrilled to share her expertise as a competition judge and choreographer.