Faculty

Elizabeth Ellis – Dance Instructor/Founder

Miss Elizabeth has been teaching dance for ten years and loves to watch the learning process of her students. After growing up dancing in Rapid City, South Dakota, she moved to New York City and graduated from the The Ailey School with a concentration in ballet and modern dance. Elizabeth later completed a BA in Dance from SUNY’s Empire State College, where she focused her studies on child development and dance education. During her ten years in New York City she performed in musicals, danced with the Amir Levi Dance Company, choreographed shows, and taught ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, creative movement, and modern. She can’t wait to start teaching your children!

Amy Weisenhorn – Dance Instructor

Miss Amy studied dance at the University of Utah, where she earned a BFA, and at Denver School of the Arts, where she graduated from High School. After college, she received her teaching license through the Stanley British Primary School Teacher Training Program, and lived in southern California for a handful of years teaching and choreographing. She has taught preschool, kindergarten, summer camp, theater, and dance for the past ten years to kids, as well as adults. She recently directed and choreographed a professional dance rendition of the music of the Eagles, performed with live Tribute Band Hotel California in LA, and dances with MoraPorVida Contemporary Dance company here in Denver. She has worked with Ronald K. Brown, Pearson Widrig DanceTheater, Louder Than Words Dancetheatre, and has performed in several musical theater productions.

Ann Hunt – Dance Instructor

Miss Ann holds a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah and has been teaching dance for over ten years. While in college, she taught creative movement for the Salt Lake City, Utah School District, as well as ballet and jazz at Elite Dance Studio. After finishing her degree, Ann became the Artistic Director of the Juan Diego Catholic High School Dance Department in Draper, Utah, where she taught contemporary, jazz, ballet, ballroom, and choreography. She was a member of the Utah Dance Education Organization and the National Dance Education Organization. As a mother of four children, Miss Ann understands the importance of a great education in all areas of a child’s life. She is committed to providing her students with a positive learning environment and a high quality dance education.

Julie Wolfrum - Dance Instructor

Miss Julie, a graduate of the 2003 University of Colorado Dance Program and recipient the University Dance Scholarship has been immersed in dancing since the young age of three and teaching movement to ages 1 to 99 for over 20 years. Through her years, she has been a guest artist at such festivals as Women on their Way (WOW), the Boulder Fringe Festival, Estes Park Dance Festival, GreenFest, Trolley Dance Tours, and many more. Also known as an artivist, Julie uses movement as a social medium as seen through performing and choreographing with such companies as Oakland's Dancers without Boarders, Art in Action, Venus Christ: The Rock Opera, and various performances at the Oberlin Dance Collective (ODC). She is one of the original members of SoShe’s Performance Collective, which still performs, choreographs, and teaches mainly in the Bay area. Julie is dedicated to movement for children and feels blessed that she gets the joy of teaching the next generation to move and groove it!

Jami Menke - Dance Instructor

Miss Jami is a native of Chicago, who has recently moved to Colorado. She is excited to start this new adventure which brings her two passions together, the mountains and dance. Jami has been dancing all her life; she danced on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School, trained at The Edge in California, won numerous state and national dance and pom competitions, attended California Institute of the Arts, and improved her craft at many prestigious dance schools in Chicago. Jami furthered her dance education at Columbia College Chicago where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a teaching concentration as a dance major. She performed, choreographed, and taught throughout the Chicago community. Jami’s most recent choreographing achievement was an award winning piece for The Academy of Dance Arts in IL. She is an accomplished teacher, who has been teaching dance for over 10 years. Her dance techniques include Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Pointe, Pom, and Tap. Jami credits the following amazing instructors for sharing their knowledge and creativity with her; Bonnie Brooks, Margi Cole, Paige Cunningham, Jan Erkert, Colleen Halloran, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Pamela McNeil, Jason Mhyre, Kelli Mhyre, Shirley Mordine, Sherry Moray, Emily Stein, Kyle Sequin, and Eduardo Vilaro. Jami currently teaches throughout the Denver area, and is looking forward to embracing all Colorado has to offer. Jami is thrilled to pass on her talent, and love for a wonderful art form which she hopes to inspire a new generation of dancers.

Megan Clark – Dance Instructor

Miss Megan, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, knew from an early age that dance, and even teaching dance, were going to be a major part of her life. Megan graduated from Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management with a Bachelor of Science degree in American Dance Pedagogy and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree. While at Oklahoma City University, Megan was a member of the American Spirit Dance Company. After graduation, Megan accepted a position within the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management, serving as Assistant to Jo Rowan, the Dance Department Chair. Megan held numerous roles at OCU, including Assistant Director to the Community Dance Center, an on-campus learning-laboratory for the American Dance Teacher Majors, Assistant Professor of Dance, and Academic Advisor. Megan has extensive training in ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater dance. Most recently, Megan has had the privilege of teaching dance and master classes throughout the Mid-West. She also has professional stage management, performance, and choreographic experience with productions such as The American Spirit Dance Company’s Shows, South Pacific, Coppélia, The Wizard of Oz, and Beauty & the Beast. Specializing in teaching younger children, Megan is certified in the Leap ‘N Learn ® teaching program. Megan’s favorite part about teaching is to see the joy as dancers discover their love for dance and movement, and she looks forward to seeing that grow in your dancer!

Amanda Benzin - Dance Instuctor

Miss Amanda is a rhythmically and passionately driven educator, performer and choreographer originally from Buffalo, NY. She recently graduated from CU Boulder with her MFA in Dance with concentrations in performance, choreography, somatics (Alexander Technique and Body-Mind Centering), women and gender studies, and pedagogy. She graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a BFA in Dance and minor in Business Administration. Amanda was a member of the renowned Chicago-based rhythm jazz dance company Jump Rhythm Jazz Project for 6 years touring nationally and internationally and receiving an Emmy Award for her work in the multiple-Emmy-Award-winning documentary Jump Rhythm Jazz Project: Getting There, produced by HMS Media and aired on PBS. Amanda has taught dance to children and adults of all ages in dance studios, public schools, and universities in Buffalo, New York City, Chicago, Northern California, and Colorado for the past 18 years. She believes dance education should not only instill the knowledge, passion, love and appreciation for dance, but also inspire students’ creativity and encourage self-confidence, exploration, and skills they can use in dance and in life. She is committed to empowering individuals through the community of dance!

Melissa Kubik - Dance Instructor

Miss Melissa has been dancing since she was 3 years old and teaching dance for over 30 years. Her training and performing credits include: Christine DuBoulay, Richard Ellis, Al Gilbert, Birute Barodicate, Claire Bataille (Hubbard Street Dance/Lou Conte Studio); Maria Tallchief, Homer Bryant, Paul Mejia (Chicago City Ballet), Robert Joffrey, Charthel Arthur, Robert Estner, Jim Snyder (Joffrey Concert Dancers), Sally Seven, Patricia McBride, Conrad Ludlow, Cherie Noble (Grand Rapids Civic Ballet), Gayla Zukevich, Loyce Houlton (Ballet Michigan), Bruce Marks, Melissa Hayden, Helgi Tomasson (Boston Ballet). She served on the board of TJ & Dance Company in Illinois. Her choreography has been showcased by Florida State University, Heritage Grove Players, Naperville Players, Circle Theatre, and many dance troupes for competitions. She co-created the Dance Body Strong strength and conditioning program for dancers. Her teaching philosophy is to train the WHOLE dancer. Technique is important, but the health and spirit are as well.

Angie Martyn – Dance Instructor

Miss Angie holds a BFA in Dance from Ohio University and has been teaching dance for 18 years. She has also studied at Blindern University in Oslo, Norway, and St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio. An experienced dance teacher, gymnastic instructor and choreographer, Angie has taught ballet, jazz, and creative movement for young children, and has coordinated school performances, assemblies and recitals.