Haeli Henderson grew up training in all classical styles of dance with an emphasis on ballet and pointe, but also extensive training in tap, jazz, contemporary and modern. She also had a very fun opportunity to train and perform with a hip hop crew while in the Front Range area. She performed in companies in Austin, where her training began, Durango, where she spent middle and high school, and Colorado Springs where she continued to dance through college.  She has been teaching, choreographing, and directing professionally at dance studios in Colorado since 2007.  Starting her career in Colorado Springs, Haeli truly found her calling in teaching. In 2009 Haeli became a company director of a high-level, competitive dance studio in Colorado Springs. There she worked with many leading professional master teachers and choreographers. For 6 years as a company director, Haeli focused on developing dancers into well-trained, professional, confident, and hard-working students. Many of them have moved on to the industry’s top schools and have worked with highly successful agencies, studios, and professional choreographers. 

Haeli decided to bring her experience to the dancers in her home town of Durango, Colorado, and opened Studio 444 Performing Arts Academy in early 2020.  Incorporating all the things she has learned over the years, she has made her dream into reality and enjoys helping her students grow and achieve their own dreams at Studio 444 Performing Arts Academy. 

Building relationships with her students and helping them navigate through life as a mentor is one of the things Haeli is most passionate about at Studio 444. The connections and relationships that she has built with her former students through the years remains an integral part of her life. She looks forward to expanding her dance family.

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Amanda McKovich comes from a diverse background of training that began in Las Vegas, Nevada at the young age of four years old. Well versed in a variety of techniques, Amanda's training was focused mainly on Ballet and Pointe work, as well as Jazz, Tap, and Modern techniques. She has lived in Durango for the past seven years and has been able to combine her two passions for Dance and Early Childhood Education to serve many dancers here in the Southwest. She holds a Bachelor's degree in ECE from Fort Lewis College and resides locally with her two cats Cleo and Mister S.

Michele  Carver was born in San Francisco, California, and moved to Durango, Colorado when she was 3. She has been dancing in Durango for over 16 years.! She spent 9 years as a competitive dancer at Dance in the Rockies including 5 years of assisting and teaching during her time as a student. 

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Michele has attended many different dance intensives across the country including MusExperience, SoulEscape, Colorado Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and Tallahassee Ballet. As a young dancer and teacher working toward finding her way in the world through her passion for dance,  Michele has also recently found a love for sharing her dance knowledge and being there to support her students.

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Logan Freedle was raised in Flower Mound, Texas, and started dancing at the age of 4. She grew up competing not only in the Dallas area but all over the country. She attended serval West Coast Dance Explosion and Nuvo Conventions over the years, along with several other intensives and nationals. She was lucky enough to be chosen twice for The Elite Ballet Intensive, founded and directed by Tara Foy, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Logan has trained in all styles of dance but her favorites have always been contemporary and tap. She has 13 years of competitive dance experience along with drill team and pom experience as well. She was a member of the award-winning high school drill team, the Marcus Marquette’s, which performed at Disney World in 2014.

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Logan is ready to train students for the professional dance world. She not only has experience in dance, but also in singing and theater. She feels all dancers should be well-rounded in all styles of dance and fine arts!

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Claire Taylor has been dancing professionally for fifteen years. Recently retired from the professional Ballet world, she has been teaching extensively throughout the Denver area and has made her way back to Durango, her hometown. Claire has danced throughout the United States with companies such as Ballet West, St. Louis Ballet, and retired her ballet career with Ballet Ariel of Denver.

Expertise

• Ballet

• Professional Stage Experience

• Choreography 

• Professional company experience with Ballet West, St. Louis Ballet, Canyon Concert Ballet, and Ballet Ariel

• Ballet instructor for Coca Dance, St. Louis, MO, Canyon Concert Ballet, Fort Collins, CO, Aurora Dance Arts, Foothills Recreation, Denver Metro Area

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Having been enthusiastic in Haeli’s dance education, she found her own path to studying dance and has enjoyed being a teacher of dance, cardio dance, and martial arts for many years.

She also owns Eye.D., an optical boutique in downtown Durango.

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You'll find Tracy primarily in admin and support but also teaches recreational classes and parent classes at the studio!

Breanna is thrilled to develop and bring to life the vision, character, and brand identity of Studio 444 as the marketing director. 

Breanna was childhood friends with Haeli. She grew up dancing in Durango, which she values and attributes to her happiness and her success in life. She has continued to dance and enjoys aerial arts and yoga. Breanna is happy to be a partner in the business, giving young dancers a space to explore their talents, and to help them build a path beyond graduation. She has Master’s Degrees in Corporate Communications and Public Relations, as well as a Minor in Dance.

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