“ I believe every woman needs a balance in feeling beautiful not only with their body, but with their mind and spirit as well.  So I would love to share some beauty tips for the real woman that I have written… enjoy!” – Anissa

I am a dancer, choreographer, instructor, singer/songwriter, poet, artist, model, and activist.  My music, writings, and artistic creations are gifts that I have kept to myself for a long time, until something inside me began to burn with the desire to share them with others.  As a child, I began writing poetry, and by age eleven I wrote my first self taught song on the piano.  I continued to write songs throughout my teenage years, but never believed enough in who I was.  I went with the flow, and graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, still songwriting remained a constant passion.  My writings were solely my personal journal, and personal emotions that I thought only I  understood.  However, as time progressed I realized that what I write not only reflects universal feelings, but a deep truth that ironically, even teaches me.  Now, I reflect back and see that my music has been inspired by my life experiences…most of my songs were inspired by a loving yet painful relationship with my mother.  She passed away on April 23rd 2007.  Although my experiences with her were like day and night…it was these hardships that taught me strength.

In 2004, I felt like there was something that I had never tried but always felt a calling to do. That is when I realized I had to dance.  I decided to take a hip hop dance class for fun at a local community college.  The instructor Angie Bunch was also the owner of Culture Shock Dance Center, and she quickly gave me a scholarship to dance at her studio. I began training in hip hop, jazz, and belly dancing. With less than 2 years of dance training under me, I began choreographing and teaching strip tease. My love for dance and the desire for moves that promote female empowerment led me to begin teaching this exciting, expressive, and liberating dance style.  Now I choreograph and teach at various dance studios in San Diego.  I have promoted my class on KUSI news. I have performed with Weird Al Yankovic at the San Diego Fair, for various agencies, and for Telemundo television.  I have also been certified as a personal trainer and nutritionist.

I have been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember.  I am very visual, and art stimulates that need to express the colors I see in my mind.  I am also very drawn to photography, and most of my photos  I produce myself.

In addition to songwriting, dancing, painting, and modeling, I am also very passionate about animal rights.  I have been a vegetarian for 14 years, and now a vegan for the last 7 years.  I know what it feels like to be suppressed, voiceless, vulnerable, and powerless.  So with this my compassion runs deep.  This is my first step toward contributing change.  I believe in change, and that it all begins as a single spark in the imagination. The most significant aspect that I have learned from writing is that I can only be who I am.  With this said, my existence resides in utilizing my creativity as an avenue for spreading truth, love, respect, and compassion to all creatures.