Miriam Morgan
Studio Director
In 1993, Miriam walked into her first ballet class, wearing a pink tutu, sparkly tights, and bedazzled house slippers. The excitement she felt that first day still fills her every time she walks into a studio! It was there when she joined her first ballet company, Praise in Motion, at age 11 and again when she joined the senior company at 14. She joyfully accepted her first teaching role at Eastside School of Ballet at age 18, and began choreographing at 19. She was honored to direct her own pre-professional company MOVE: a body, where her students had the opportunity to perform around the nation and assisted Miriam in teaching dance in impoverished communities. Using dance to make a difference has been the cornerstone of her training and work. Miriam was a founding member of Advocate Arts, a professional contemporary company, where she taught company class, directed the apprentice company, and performed in works that told stories of victims caught in human-trafficking and childhood abuse.
Miriam moved to Durango from her hometown of Atlanta, GA in 2014. Later that year she began teaching classes at Durango Dance under the direction of Kristen Sitter. In 2016, she accepted the role of director and took sole-ownership in 2017.
Outside of the studio, Miriam and her husband Daniel love living in Durango with their furbaby and three young children, all of whom joined their family in just 10 months time!
Studio Director
In 1993, Miriam walked into her first ballet class, wearing a pink tutu, sparkly tights, and bedazzled house slippers. The excitement she felt that first day still fills her every time she walks into a studio! It was there when she joined her first ballet company, Praise in Motion, at age 11 and again when she joined the senior company at 14. She joyfully accepted her first teaching role at Eastside School of Ballet at age 18, and began choreographing at 19. She was honored to direct her own pre-professional company MOVE: a body, where her students had the opportunity to perform around the nation and assisted Miriam in teaching dance in impoverished communities. Using dance to make a difference has been the cornerstone of her training and work. Miriam was a founding member of Advocate Arts, a professional contemporary company, where she taught company class, directed the apprentice company, and performed in works that told stories of victims caught in human-trafficking and childhood abuse.
Miriam moved to Durango from her hometown of Atlanta, GA in 2014. Later that year she began teaching classes at Durango Dance under the direction of Kristen Sitter. In 2016, she accepted the role of director and took sole-ownership in 2017.
Outside of the studio, Miriam and her husband Daniel love living in Durango with their furbaby and three young children, all of whom joined their family in just 10 months time!
Bif
Relevé Director When Bif was little she had a cousin who couldn’t say her full name Elizabeth and called her Bif. Like all great things it stuck. She grew up in Durango and developed a passion for movement. Starting young as a dancer she left at 14 to attend a boarding arts high school, Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she studied all forms of dance. Idyllwild is known for modern dance as the program was started by a well known Horton dancer Bella Lewitsky. This was Bif’s first taste of modern/contemporary movement and was found to be her true calling in the dance world. She then continued on to graduate with her Bachelor's in Fine Arts in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts and dance professionally in Seattle for many years. This love for dance naturally lead her into the yoga world where she found the self loving generosity of this style to be the perfect counter movement. She now teaches yoga and dance in Durango, Colorado. The culture and creativity of Bif’s contemporary dance teaching style is to gracefully connect movement with breath to give you a whole body experience. This will be done through movement techniques found in Horton, Limon', Duncan, Cunningham, Lewitzky, Graham, Jazz, ballet and yoga. It is all about finding a balance between functional movement and codified technique. Having anatomically correct cuing and sequencing is very important to her to keep everyone safe. Teaching dance is a way for Bif to build community and connect with others on a deeper level. She is a kind and forgiving teacher and will let you learn at your own pace. As an open and honest person feel free to contact her about any questions or opportunities. Bif welcomes her first baby in October of 2020! |
Amanda
Elevé Director Amanda began her life in dance in 1997 when she was four years old in a simple ballet/tap combination class. Having shown an affinity for the art, her parents enrolled her into the London Dance Academy, a local studio in Las Vegas, where she classically trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and character dance from ages 7 to 13 years old. Upon entering high school, Amanda was accepted to Las Vegas Academy, a performing arts high school in Las Vegas. She had to decline when her family moved from Las Vegas to Wrightwood, California. Once in California, Amanda auditioned for Encore High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Hesperia, California. Once accepted, she served the remainder of her high school career as a dance major with focus in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Musical Theatre. She performed in different productions like Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. In her junior year of high school, Amanda auditioned for a summer ballet intensive at The Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington D.C. She was accepted and completed a six-week summer intensive studying ballet, contemporary, character, and the Vaganova Method. Outside of school, she took part in a community theatre group called The Snow Players, where she performed numbers from Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Sound of Music, and Oklahoma! This gave her insight and experience into more musical theatre, as well as acting. After high school, Amanda began studying Child Development at Victor Valley College in California. Here she gained the skills to work with young children as a preschool teacher. She is currently studying Early Childhood Education at Fort Lewis College here in Durango, and has taken ballet, jazz, and contemporary classes throughout her college experiences. She lives alone with her two cats Mister and Cleo. She will graduate with her degree in Early Childhood Education in December 2020. |
Elanor
Plié Director Elanor Meeker is the “Plie Playwright” for our Pre-K program. As a child and young adult she spent her time twirling in fairy costumes, off in some magical world all her own, exploring drama, music and dance. Now she is helping other children imagine, create, and explore the world through the beauty of the creative arts. As a mom of three young children, she knows the importance and value of play in a child’s life. She believes it is essential that children have a safe, creative space in which to explore the world and their unique place in it. Elanor spent the last twelve years working as an early childhood educator, director, and college instructor. She is excited to bring that knowledge and experience to the magical land of Durango Dance, both as the Pre-K Director and Musical Theater Instructor. She holds a Preschool Director’s License, has a B.A. in Education, M.A. in Educational Leadership, and a M.S. in Entertainment Business. (Yes, that's she's kitty-wearing a her new kitten Milo during our photoshoot!) |
Dick
Elevé and Relevé Instructor Dick Walker has always believed that one's exploration shouldn't be confined to one discipline. His musical training (mostly from age 4 through high school... but never ending) has served him well, as has his devotion to mountaineering and rock climbing. He discovered his love for teaching in mountaineering schools and in graduate school at the Colorado School of Mines. He worked as a geophysicist for several years, and then became a mathematics professor at Fort Lewis College (still climbing and performing music occasionally). In 1987, Dick discovered dance (folk, then modern, jazz, and ballet). A bit scary at first, but so much in line with musical training, being in shape, and even rock-climbing technique: he was hooked right off. He quickly got into choreography and discovered the fun of tap in 2000. His current favorites are Tap (with some jazz or lyrical mixed in) and ballet. |
Maggie
Relevé Instructor I grew up in Bayfield CO and started dancing when I was 7. Dancing was for most of my life what I wanted to do when I grew up. Then I discovered math and finance and got most of a masters degree in economics. I’ve spent 15 years in banking and about 4 years ago rediscovered my love of dance. During that time life went a little sideways for me and I had to dig deep to be strong. Now I’m a single mama to 2 amazing boys, a football player and a gymnast, and two crazy dogs. More than anything I want to share my love of barre with others and hopefully help other women find their inner strength. |
Coming Soon....
Ananda - Relevé Instructor Kaila - Plié Instructor Corrie - Relevé Instructor |
Cynthia
Elevé and Relevé Instructor |
Vivien
Elevé Instructor & Office Assistant |