Biography
Briana Hayman, a Newark, Delaware native, has built an impressive career in the dance industry spanning over 20 years. Her passion for dance began at just three years old when she started training at New Castle Dance Academy, where she studied ballet, jazz, tap, and lyrical. As a member of the studio’s competition team, Briana quickly developed a strong technical foundation and discovered her love for performance and competitive dance.
Briana continued her training at Delaware’s prestigious Cab Calloway School of the Arts, where she majored in dance throughout both middle and high school and performed as a dedicated member of the school’s dance company. During her high school years, she further expanded her training and performance experience through Delaware Arts Conservatory and Eleone Dance Theatre.
Throughout her training, Briana studied with renowned institutions including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Creating New Stars. Her dedication to the art form led her to attend intensive workshops and competitions across the United States and internationally, including performances and cultural experiences in China.
Briana later attended University of the Arts, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. During her collegiate training, she continued to rigorously study ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and tap while constantly seeking opportunities to grow as a versatile artist.
While attending college full-time, Briana booked her first professional opportunity as a dancer for the Philadelphia 76ers, where she performed for three consecutive seasons. Through her work with the NBA, she shared stages and performances connected to artists including Jordin Sparks, Montell Jordan, Bell Biv DeVoe, Desiigner, Nina Sky, Biz Markie, and Naughty by Nature.
While represented by Bloc Talent Agency, Briana’s professional career continued to flourish, leading to performances on major platforms including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, BET, and the Billboard Hot 100 Festival. She has performed alongside artists such as Demi Lovato, G-Eazy, and Cardi B.
Today, Briana proudly serves as the middle school dance teacher at Cab Calloway School of the Arts while continuing to pursue professional performance opportunities, including work as a backup dancer for Gina Thompson.
With over a decade of teaching experience, Briana’s journey began as a student teacher and evolved into leading classrooms and mentoring young artists of her own. She is deeply passionate about using dance not only as a tool for technical excellence, but also as a vehicle for confidence, discipline, self-expression, and personal growth.
Known for building meaningful relationships with her students, Briana is committed to creating a supportive environment where dancers feel seen, challenged, and inspired both inside and outside of the studio.
Whether teaching, performing, choreographing, or mentoring, Briana remains dedicated to sharing her passion for dance and pouring her knowledge, experience, and heart into the next generation of artists.