Welcome to our garden...

A butterfly is not born a "butterfly" - it is incubated. It is created by love, grown by nurture, care and more love... guided through their own journey and only then they flourish.

Our talented and artistic professional Team at Tiny Butterflies Academy is the heart of our garden.

With years of experience and a deep passion for their art, our Master Instructors are committed to guiding each child on their "unique" journey.

From egg to butterfly our Team conceives a supportive and inspiring atmosphere where every child can thrive.

Join our garden today and be a part of birthing a new generation of unique children with their unique gifts without barriers.

Tiny Butterflies Academy is a community Garden created to focus primarily on individual growth and development of YOUR child.

STAFF PORTAL

A Little About Us

Meet Our Founder
Mitsouko M. Alvarez-Pinon (Miss Mitze)

I was just 3 years old, when my mother signed me up for dance classes as an after school alternative. She was a single mother working two jobs. That always stuck with me. Little did she know that (one) decision would seal and ignite a passion within me. The love affair grew in intensity as I learned, developed and studied the art of ballet and flamenco. I shortly thereafter stumbled upon my first acting role. While accompanying my ballet instructor to one of her rehearsals, the Director needed a "shy little girl" for two scenes; (Um, hello?) I fit the part and caught the bug. At the young age of 16, I auditioned for the local and quite prestigious Ballet Concerto Company in Miami. I then became the youngest member of the company. During my tenure with Door to the Arts, a non-profit organization co-founded by Alina Trueba, I discovered my calling and began my journey in after school enrichment. Over two decades later I have been blessed to continue to develop my mission for children and now expanding to adults throughout South Florida. Tiny Butterflies Academy is an extension of my years of experience teaching, building, growing and managing the arts for participating schools. My extensive experience in accounts management, strong client advocacy skills, human resources, financial administration, artistic experience, staging, choreograhy AND above all, love for the arts conspire to water, nurture and grow the butterfly garden. My goal for this new venture is to continue offering students a safe and nurturing environment where they can explore their artistic potential while cultivating social-emotional skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, self-discipline, and creative thinking. At Tiny Butterflies Academy we will provide engaging activities that focus on developing each student's individual artistry whilst creating a sense of connection within the group. We strive to have all butterflies come away with a greater appreciation for cultural diversity as well as enthusiasm for the performing arts! I personally look forward to having your butterflies develop their unique talent in our garden.

Our Team

Director, Strategic Partnerships

Alina Trueba

Alina has been involved in program development for more than 15 years. She started her professional life as an attorney in Miami but has always had a passion for the arts. Alina grew up dancing ballet, jazz, flamenco and attending as many theater performances as possible. After practicing law for several years, Alina decided to shift her career goals and dedicate herself to providing cultural arts enrichment programs to students. In 2010, she co-founded a nonprofit organization offering after-school cultural arts enrichment programs, a program which grew to over 800 students in 12 schools throughout South Florida. She discovered that students were curious about different forms of arts and parents wanted a convenient way to expose their children to the arts. She created partnerships with arts cultural arts stakeholders to enhance the students' enrichment experience. Alina also created a Social & Business Skills Workshop, co-launched an educational publishing company, and started Kangowrite, a research and writing software company. Most recently, she was the Director of Academic Affairs and UKC Engagement Administrator for the College of the Florida Keys. Alina and her husband, David, reside in Key Largo, Florida.

Alina has been involved in educational program development for more than 15 years. She started her professional life as an attorney in Miami but has always been passionate about the arts. Alina grew up dancing ballet, jazz, and flamenco, and attended as many theater performances as possible. After practicing law for several years, Alina shifted her career goals and launched a non-profit cultural arts program, Door to the Arts (DTTA). DTTA grew organically from 24 students to over 800 students in 12 schools throughout South Florida. She discovered that students were curious about different forms of arts and parents wanted a convenient way to expose their children to the arts. She created partnerships with community stakeholders to enhance DTTA's enrichment programs, allowing students to attend and participate in professional performances.

In addition, Alina created a Social & Business Skills Workshop, co-launched an educational publishing company, and started Kangowrite, a research and writing software company. Most recently, she was Director of Academic Affairs and UKC Engagement Administrator for the College of the Florida Keys. Alina and her husband, David, live in Key Largo, Florida.

Master Instructors are born...

Master Instructors are crucial to our mission seeking only the elite guidance for our butterflies. We hand-pick each instructor to ensure our mission remains true and children are fed the right amount of artistic nourishment needed to allow them to grow and flourish in our garden. Every instructor is thoroughly vetted and is required to complete VIRTUS training and a fingerprint background check.