Tiffany Barnes is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland. Throughout childhood she trained and worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Jones Haywood School of Ballet in Washington, DC under the direction of the late Doris W. Jones. In the spring of 1993, Barnes took a Graham-based modern class taught by Denise Jefferson at the Black College Dance Exchange, where Jefferson suggested she audition to study at The Ailey School. After earning her B.A. in English with a minor in Marketing from Hampton University, Barnes moved to New York City in 1995 where she began training at the School and later as an instructor. She taught classes in every level of the Junior Division Program and was a teaching artist for Ailey’s Arts In Education & Community Programs. As a performer, Barnes worked with Nathan Trice/Rituals, Footprints Dance Company, and The Radio City Rockettes. In 2005, Ms. Barnes was selected to be a New York City Teaching Fellow and worked as a New York State certified middle school English Language Arts Teacher. She holds a M.A. from The Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU and a M.S. in Adolescent Education from Pace University. Barnes was appointed Junior Division Director at The Ailey School in October 2010.