Miss Aja is excited about the new adventure of owning a studio. She has been dancing since 1992 and began training in the Cecchetti method with Miss Kay Schneider, founder of Black HiIls Dance Theatre. Over the years, she has had several lead roles in productions of Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and the contemporary production of Fire & Ice at the University of Wyoming. From 2009- 2015, she was under the instruction of Lia Malcolm, A.I.S.T.D - A.R.A.D., and has been well-versed in the R.A.D. method under her tutelage. From 2012-2015, Aja apprenticed under Lia learning the detailed behind the scenes activities that happen in running a studio. Miss Aja has also had vast years of training in tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and modern, and even some training in Irish Step. She competed for several years in dance competitions throughout the region. She was happy to be part of the Regional Grand Championship win in 2013 at Triple S Dance Competition. But the most decorated personal award she received was Platinum Elite, scoring more than a perfect score, at the Eclipse competition that same year. 

In addition to dance training, Aja began competing in pageants in 2003 using the experience originally as a chance to dance. In 2006 she was named Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen. With the title, she also won the people's choice award, interview award, and talent award with a self- choreographed classical ballet solo. That same year she was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young South Dakotans by the South Dakota Jaycees, in honor of her ongoing community service and devotion to children's causes both locally and nationally. 

In 2009, representing South Dakota at the national Miss Sweetheart pageant in Hoopeston, Illinois, she was chosen as the recipient of the Producer's Award. In the pageant system, she has served many positions including: choreographer at the Miss South Dakota state pageant; West River Field Director for the local competitions; choreographer, producer, and state executive director for the Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen pageant; and served as a judge for the Miss Chadron pageant in 2013. 

Some of her most fond training experiences have been under Chris and Soozi Childers of Cirque Du Soleil, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Momix, General MacArthur, and Alonzo King's Lines. 

Miss Aja traveled to New York City and became an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.