Heather Lea Gerdes was born (literally) on Sunset Beach, California. She has been involved in the entertainment industry since the age of ten. Beginning her career as a dancer, she performed with the Florida Ballet Company and was classically trained in the Cecchetti Method of Dance. She holds and A.I.S.T.D. (Associate Level) in that discipline. Heather later studied with David Howard and Finis Jhung in New York. Throughout her performing career, Heather has developed and established her strengths as a teacher and choreographer. She's taught and choreographed in New York (Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance), Los Angeles (Anna Cheselka, Burbank Rec), Japan (Studio Dancin’), Vienna (Tanz Theatre An Der Wien), London (Pineapple, Studio ’68), and Chicago (Ruth Page Center for the Arts).

Heather lived in New York City for thirteen years. While there, she performed the role of Velma in the Broadway Revival of West Side Story, and later, toured with that company throughout Italy and France. She also performed in the Broadway production of Copperfield. Heather danced the female lead Trumpet Solo in Bob Fosse's Dancin' when the show was the first All-American company to perform in London's West End. After the show's run, she participated in the American/British Equity Exchange program and performed with the London Company of Cats.

Heather has worked on many films from background to day-player roles. She was one of the Original Dancers in the film, Dirty Dancing and known for teaching it across the country. Heather can be seen in the feature promo for Booksmart and Tiffany & Company’s Paper Flowers campaign with Elle Fanning. She danced in the Season 2 Opener of Disjointed, played a Vixen on Disney's Shake It Up, Jazzercised on Glee, and danced on 2 episodes of Two and a Half Men and in the pilot of My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She was in the Whoville Choir in Ron Howard's, The Grinch, shot a Sprint Picture Mail print campaign, and was featured in An American Carol as a dancing/singing Professor, The 63rd Grammys with DaBaby, principal dancer in The After Party Imma Live Forever, and Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.

Heather is Certified in Group Fitness training and a Senior Fitness Specialist with NASM/AFAA and has completed Practical Yoga, YoChi, Golden Hearts: Senior Fitness Training, and Group Resistance Workshops. She's also completed Levels 1, 2, & 3 of UZAZU, The Language of Energy, a study in achieving energy embodiment that utilizes polarity-based movement, breath, and sound. Through her Flex Ropes Fitness™ program, Heather created a family of exercise formats that feature resistance training: Country Cardio® dance exercise, Ballet for Real People™, Ballet Body Sculpt™, Stand Bend & Shake™, Sit & Shake™ and Synergy for Seniors™, and Functional Body Training™.

Heather holds a BA in Motion Picture Technology. Her early production experience includes assisting in the Principals Casting Office of HBO's, From the Earth the Moon, and later, assisting the Director of Photography on this same Emmy award-winning mini-series. She's worked with Bill Dance Casting in Los Angeles on various projects, handled production coordinating and locations for others, and directed and produced her own documentary entitled, "Save the Last Drive-In." Heather spent six months as an agent-in-training at the Bobby Ball Agency in the Dance/Music division, coordinating the acquisition of some 150 New York based musical theatre and dance clients as well as maintaining the Los Angeles client roster.

As the Script Department Supervisor for LMNO Cable Group for 15 years, she worked on multiple seasons on network and cable shows for Discovery, TLC, OWN, History, HGTV, WE and many others ... I Get That A Lot (CBS), The Little Couple, The Seven Little Johnstons, Unusual Suspects, The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead, D.B. Cooper: Case Closed?, Murder Book, Final Cut, I Wanna Be a Soap Star, National Body Challenge, DR1 Invitational to name a scant few. Heather has freelanced as Script Supervisor for Asylum Entertainment on National Geographic's Origins: The Journey to Humankind.

Heather is represented by Clear Talent Group in Los Angeles for theatrical, TV, and commercials. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Choreography and Dancers Peer Group in the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Heather’s recently launched Heather Lea Gerdes Design where she showcases her artistic talent via watercolor, sketching and surface pattern design.

University of Central Florida, BA Film

University of South Florida, Fine Arts Ballet

Stephens College, Faculty Musical Theatre, Jazz

Valencia Community College, Adjuct, Choreographer Show Choir

Cecchetti Method of Dance, AISTD

Certified Group Fitness Instructor, NASM/AFAA

Certified Senior Fitness Specialist, NASM

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Directors 14 years, Choreography & Dance Active Member