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Photography by: Renata Raksha

Styled by: Morgan McMurrin

Clothing Credit: Jersey by American Apparel ($22; americanapparel.com);Hoodie and colorful bracelets by H&M ($24.95, $7.95; hm.com); Watch, tank and pants by Target ($12.95, $14.99, $36; target.com); Silver bracelets and necklace by Forever 21 ($5.80, $7.80; forever21.com); Rings are Ayla’s own

Fun Fact: She may play a gymnast on TV, but in real life Ayla’s a classically trained ballerina who’s danced with the American Ballet Theatre.

AC: All girls on “Make It or Break It” seem to be in tip-top-shape. How do you stay fit?

Ayla Kell: My favorite workout right now is playing beach volleyball and tennis.

AC: We heard you danced at Los Angeles Ballet Academy for sixteen years before you landed the role of Payson on “MIOBI.” Is that true?

AK: That’s true. I also did operas and went overseas to Japan and danced with Valentino’s International Carousel, which was amazing.

AC: How did you go from dance to acting?

AK: Dance had always been my main focus, but during a rehearsal my knee got dislocated and I realized I needed a career with longevity. “Make It or Break It” was the first audition I went on and I thought I’m perfect for this.

AC: On “MIOBI” your character, Payson Keeler, is very driven. Do you have any advice for people with big dreams?

AK: I think people with big dreams take big action. You can dream and say as much as you want to, but unless you have the follow-through it means nothing. So get out there and hustle every day.
AC:  What was going through your head when you had to recreate Olympian Kerri Strug’s iconic vault on the show?

AK: It felt awesome to be handed such a monumental thing. I watched the video about 13 times after reading the script. I wanted to see her face right before she took the vault. I was so excited about the emotional standpoint of what she was going through and getting

AC:  Do you remember watching the Olympics when you were younger?

AK: Yes, I’ve always been obsessed with the Olympics. Gymnastics was my favorite before I booked the show and now I adore it. I want to go to London for the next Olympics. I’m trying to figure it when I should go.

AC: What charities are you involved in?

AK: IMAGINE LA is my favorite one, though, because homelessness is so prevalent here in Los Angeles and we all choose to see whatever we want to see. There are 80,000 families that sleep on the streets of Los Angeles every night and most of them have children. IMAGINE LA focuses on the families here.

Check out some outtakes from Ayla’s “Fashionably Fit” AC photo shoot below! Which photo’s your favorite? Let us know! And make sure to watch Ayla on “MIOBI” on ABC Family.

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