Born in South San Francisco California, Ashley Morgan Monroe began studying dance at age 3 with a formal 14 years of Tap. At the age of thirteen, Ashley started to study Hip Hop, Modern, and Jazz, Ballroom which continued throughout college, and until today.
Ashley attended California State University of Chico, to study Musical Theatre and Dance. While attending college, she played leading roles in 42nd Street as the character of Anytime Annie, Man of La Mancha as Aldonza, The Taffetas as Peggy, Edith in Blithe Spirit, Maria in William Shakespeare’s Twelve Night, and many other ensemble roles in productions like: Working, Something Wicked This Way Comes and Once Upon A Mattress.
While in college, Ashley co-directed Chico Dance Theatre; which was a student directed, and student run Dance Company. Directing in her junior and senior years, she choreographed about 25 pieces. Ashley also participated for 5 years in Keeping Dance Alive, a community based dance program as a dancer and choreographer.
As a part time job in college she taught at Chico Creek Dance Studio. While teaching there, she co-choreographed pieces for the studio’s competitive Hip Hop and Jazz company, Full Force; which every year placed either first or second place during her residency.
After earning her B.A in Musical Theatre with multiple honors, she was contracted to work as a guest choreographer in Northern California, for various shows such as, the Musical Beauty and Beast, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and A Night at the Moulan Rouge at feather Falls Casino.
Ashley moved to Brooklyn, New York in April of 2007 to pursue a career in Theatre and Dance. Since then, she received her Pilates Apparatus Certification as well as her Mat through The Lab under the direction of Lawson Harris. She is a certified personal trainer through A.C.E and has taken many continuing ed such as: TRX, Zumba, Kettle Bell 1 and 2 and Kick Boxing for Fitness. Her Pilates Credits include: Pre and Post Natal ( Pilates on Fifth, Movements Afoot), osteoporosis ( Pilates for Buff Bones), the Barrel apparatus (The Lab), Foot and Knee, Arthritis, Pilates Foam Roller and Balanced Body Arc/ Spine Corrector ( Movements Afoot), and most recently, Innovative Therapeutic stretching ( Anthony Levitt). has also fallen in love with fitness and believes that variety is the spice of life!
She currently teaches at The Lab in Dumbo Brooklyn , The Sephardic Jewish Community Center in Midwood Brooklyn,and is happy and honored to now teach a Zumba Class in her hood at Congregation Beth Elohim – on Garfield and 8th avenue in Park Slope!
She brings spice, innovation and a little sass to all of her classes. Come and take a class with her and you won’t be sorry.