THE SHOWOFFS

B is for Becky. A is for Alexandra.

Welcome to B.A. Showoff — the podcast where passion, performance, and personality come together through the world of dance team culture.

Rebecca "Becky" Santalo is the director of the Coral Reef Senior High School Cudettes, where she has built a strong legacy of leadership, discipline, and team excellence. Alexandra Santalo serves as the director of the Our Lady of Lourdes Dance Team, her alma mater, mentoring the next generation of dancers while bringing fresh perspective and energy to the dance team community.

Together, we created B.A. Showoff to celebrate the dance team world from every angle — coaching, competing, teaching, performing, and everything in between. Whether we're sharing personal stories, discussing industry trends, interviewing guests, or talking about the realities of running successful teams, our goal is to create a space where dancers, coaches, parents, and fans all feel connected.

At the heart of it all, B.A. Showoff is about family, leadership, the love of dance, and most importantly — how to showoff while doing it.

Rebecca "Becky" Santalo

Director of the Coral Reef Magnet Dance Program. Founder of the Cudettes. Four-time National Champion (and counting).

Becky began her dance training at Ballet Concerto, where she studied Ballet, Jazz, and Flamenco. She earned her BFA in Dance Administration from Florida International University (FIU), which set the foundation for her career in dance education.

Her journey began as a cheer coach for Christopher Columbus High School for three years — creating a co-ed team and taking the teams to NCA in Dallas, Texas. A few years later she started a dance program at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy where she created a dance team. This was followed by teaching at Southwood Middle School and taking the Middle School dance team to UDA Nationals.

In 1997, she established the Coral Reef Magnet Dance Program and, shortly after, founded the Cudettes Dance Team in 1998.

Under her leadership, the Cudettes have excelled in Regional, State, and National dance competitions. In 2013, 2016, and 2020, the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams achieved a remarkable 4× National Championship, winning in Large Varsity Jazz and Hip Hop as well as Junior Varsity Jazz and Hip Hop. In total she has earned over 50 national championships between her two teams. Now in 2026 she finally decided to pursue the ICU Worlds Stage and earned her team 2 Gold Medals in the Premier Jazz category and the Junior Hip Hop category.

Mrs. Santalo has also contributed to the broader dance community as a judge for Dance Team Union and as the former president of the DADE Association, where she served for five years and now remains on the board as a consultant. Beyond competitions, she has directed numerous productions, including the full-length Nutcracker Ballet and the Halloween showcase Fright Night.

Her passion for teamwork, unity, and school spirit drives her to inspire her dancers to train hard and embrace their school pride. Many of her students have gone on to successful careers as professional performers in both the commercial and contemporary dance worlds. Her new endeavor involves our dance lifestyle Podcast and she can't wait to get started ✦

Alexandra Santalo

Head Coach & Director of the Our Lady of Lourdes Dance Team. National Champion. Behavioral therapist turned dance team mentor.

From a young age, Alexandra has shown a deep love for dance, training extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip hop, and lyrical dance at prestigious studios such as Ballet Concierto, Dance Unlimited, Focal Point, and Dance Empire.

In her younger years, Alexandra also ventured into the commercial dance world, signing with Tae Talent Agency, where she participated in a variety of promotional and commercial dance opportunities. Her time with the agency gave her invaluable experience in the commercial dance industry.

During her High School years, Alexandra joined the Dance Magnet program at Coral Reef Senior High School and was a proud member of the JV Cudettes. She then transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes Academy for her sophomore year, where she quickly became an integral part of the Varsity dance team. By her senior year, Alexandra's dedication and talent earned her the position of Captain.

After graduating, Alexandra studied Psychology at Florida International University, where she earned her certification in Behavioral Therapy. Throughout her college years, she continued to dance through dance fitness, participating in commercial and promotional dance campaigns for major brands like Adidas and CoverGirl.

But it was a special opportunity that would bring Alexandra full circle. She was offered the position of Dance Program Director and Head Coach at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy — the very same school where she had danced. Her mother had started the dance program over 20 years ago, and to return as a coach for a team she once led was both a dream come true and a tribute to her family's legacy.

Now in her 11th year as the Head Coach, Alexandra has guided the team to new heights, earning the title of National Champions in 2025 and 2026 — back-to-back titles and a historical mark for her program and school. Her new endeavor involves our dance lifestyle Podcast and she can't wait to get started ✦