About

Jess Berto was born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska, leaving home at age 16 to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy, a boarding arts high school, in southern California to train in dance. Upon graduation, she continued her dance education at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, but soon transferred to University of Arizona where she graduated Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Dance in 2010.

She then danced with several professional dance companies in Denver and Boulder, Colorado and taught dance at multiple studios before returning home in 2012 to continue teaching dance at her home studio, Ketchikan Theatre Ballet (KTB). She taught with KTB for 12 years, having just completed her final season in May of 2024. In 2019, she founded Andiamo Dance Company, a professional contemporary dance company in Ketchikan, of which she is still the director and a dancer for today.

Jess was first introduced to Pilates at Idyllwild Arts Academy and again at University of Arizona, but found her passion for Pilates much later while struggling with injuries from dance. In 2022 she began teacher training with Humani Pilates, completed her hours in 2023 and received her certification in February 2024.