Sterling Tu is an emerging professional dance artist based in Southern California. She graduated in 2025 from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she built her classical foundation in ballet at the Alameda Ballet Academy under Abra Rudisill. She furthered her training through intensive programs with City Ballet School San Francisco, American Ballet Theatre, and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. During her undergraduate studies at the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts, Sterling  broadened her training to include jazz, modern, and hip hop, diversifying her technical repertoire. She received the William J. Gillespie Scholarship and was a two-time recipient of the Sylvia Reines Dance Scholarship. Notable performances include George Balanchine’s Serenade, staged by Zippora Karz; Molly Lynch’s Moonlight; and Archaea, a collaboration by S. Ama Wray and Cyrian Reed. 

Beyond the studios, Sterling held leadership positions with Bare Bones Dance Theater as head of finance and marketing officer, and also served as a social media officer for the Dance Department’s Community Student Advising Committee. As she pursues professional dance opportunities, Sterling looks forward to joining the New Classics Ballet Theater and sharing her passion for performing arts to the local community.