McKayla McDonough is a veteran performer with credits ranging from Broadway National Tours, Norwegian Cruise Lines and The 5th Ave Theatre in Seattle; to numerous regional theatres across the Denver Metro including BDT Stage (Boulder’s Dinner Theatre) and The Arvada Center. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theatre from The University of Northern Colorado.

McKayla draws inspiration in her choreography and classes from the multiple dance teachers and choreographers she’s worked with across the country and the world, from Broadway Dance Center in NYC to Cleo Parker Robinson in Denver.

Her diverse knowledge of dance technique, accompanied by her 5 years as a practicing medical/rehab assistant, give her a broader scope on the human body and how it functions; allowing for a healthy approach to teaching and maintaining a dancer’s physical strength inside the studio.

As a mother, McKayla is very keen on creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for her dancers to flourish!

McKayla lives in Erie, CO where she enjoys spending time with her husband Seamus and their 5 year old daughter Rogan.

Jordan Ross

Instructor

Jordan grew up in Northeast Florida and began dancing at the age of two.  She trained in ballet at the Atlanta Ballet school and competed in countless dance competitions throughout childhood. Her passion for dance led to a role as a high school poms team coach and, in 2009, a degree in Dance and Movement Studies from Emory University.

After college, she spent five years as the director of a ballet school in Northeast Florida before taking a break from teaching to pursue a J.D. from the University of Colorado. After completing law school, she returned to dance part-time and has spent the past five years as a ballet instructor at Mile High Dance Center. During her time at the two schools, she has directed countless ballets, including The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Peter and the Wolf, The Wizard of Oz, and more!

After relocating to Louisville last summer, Jordan continues to share a passion for dance while enjoying time outdoors, hiking, and making memories at the zoo with her two daughters.

Julia Meister

Ballet Instructor

Julia Meister is originally from Lake Elmo, Minnesota and began dancing at St. Croix Ballet.

She continued her training as a New Artist at Next Generation Ballet, performing principal roles

in Coppélia, Giselle, and George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, and attending summer

courses at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, National Ballet School of Canada, and Miami City

Ballet School. From 2017-2019, Julia studied in the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest

Ballet School, performing in both company productions and works by Margaret Mullin and

Kiyon Ross. Upon graduation, she danced with Diablo Ballet, followed by Ballet Tucson. Her

repertoire includes works by choreographers such as Andrea Schermoly, Justin Peck, Penny

Saunders, and Chieko Imada. Julia is grateful to be joining Boulder Ballet and The Dance Front this season!

Tessa Awald

Instructor

She has performed professionally at BDT Stage, Lone Tree Arts Center, and Lakewood Cultural Center. She has been doing theatre since the age of 3 and continues to enjoy theatre (especially the choreography part). She represented Colorado at the state level as a Colorado State Thespian Officer for the 22'-23' school year where she advocated for arts education and more diversity in the arts across Colorado schools. Tessa was head choreographer for Monarch High School Theatre from 2021-2023. She choreographed all productions, including Mamma Mia! and The Lightning Thief:  Percy Jackson the Musical. She has studied choreography with Liz Kimball, a former Broadway performer. Tessa is currently a student at the University of Colorado, Boulder. 

Allison Rose

Instructor

Allison Rose is a professional artist from Slidell, Louisiana. With over 20 years of dance training, she recently graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography. 

Allison has been teaching for the last 4 years and loves watching a student grow in class. She spreads kindness and has compassion for her students while maintaining a positive attitude throughout the year. 

What brought Allison to Colorado is acceptance into the graduate counseling program at Naropa University to become a dance/movement therapist. She believes movement has the power to change the world one person at a time and plans to spend the rest of her life being a part of that change.