About Alana Tillim

Alana Tillim has owned Santa Barbara Dance Arts for 28 years and is a proud mother, speaker, entrepreneur, wife, and mother. She is a leader in the national dance industry, where she speaks at conferences and coach’s studio owners to run impactful and successful businesses.

In 2025, she gave a TEDx and is passionate about inspiring others to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.
She is a regular contributor to Dance Business Weekly and other dance publications. She was recognized as a “More Than Just Great Dancing Member of the Year” in 2020 for her leadership and inspiration through the pandemic. She has since received honors from several dignitaries and local organizations for her dedication to the community.

She founded and led a dance nonprofit successfully for 18 years and recently, she founded the new nonprofit Move With Purpose. In the last 20 years, she has donated over $450,000 in scholarships to local youth and has helped raise over $1,000,000 for marginalized communities to participate in dance.

She is the visionary behind the Mother Daughter Empowerment Brand, I am Her. She is Me and will be expanding to include Mother and Son bonding events in 2026. Alana believes that dance can heal and that the lessons dance teaches extend far beyond the classroom. Alana believes that the arts cultivate belonging, community, and creative freedom and that studio owners can create meaningful and successful careers in the arts.