Known to family and friends as “Tia", Leticia Tsianina Francis was born in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1998. Under the instruction of Mrs. Amy Arnaz, wife of Desi Arnaz Jr., she started her dance journey at age 3 at a dance studio in Boulder City, Nevada called “Dance etc..”.  One of her early performances was portraying Mrs. Amy’s daughter, Hailey, in the “Magic Tutu.” She continued there until 2006 when her parents moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. 

    This led her to Tennessee Conservatory of Fine Arts under the direction of Mrs. Gwendolyn Johnson Delaney. She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and modern with yearly performances, recitals, and competitions. Upon graduation in 2016, she was accepted to Point Park University where she has completed her Bachelors of Fine Arts. Leticia has had the privilege of performing works by Colleen Hooper and Lindsay Fisher.

  2020 was a trying year, working to stay valid in a world that needed to adapt quickly to stay relevant. Adapting to the situation, Leticia continued to work on her craft from home and extending her knowledge to others while instructing dance over zoom. During this time she got a job working in an assisted living facility in Memory Care as an Engagement Coordinator.

  When the entertainment world opened back up, she got her first professional contract in entertainment as a Scare Actor for Universal’s Orlando Resort, Halloween Horror Nights. She continued with the company and has now worked three seasons as a scare actor. Leticia also was a dancer for their Universal Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s. In between those contracts she embarks on her newest adventure with Celebrity Cruise Lines. 

    Lucille Ball was quoted as saying, “It’s a helluva start being able to recognize what makes you happy.” And I’ve known dancing has made me happy for a quite long time. 

   On a deeper level Tia would say that the moment she cherishes most is on stage.  The performance is complete and a sensation almost like an out of body experience comes over you.  The music fades, the lights come up, the audience comes into focus and all of a sudden you take that breath and bow. The crowd roars and your heart is full because at that exact moment, you realize everything you said, they understood.

 

That’s what I live for.