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Meet the Teachers!

Kate Collins

Kate is the owner and artistic director of Art of Dance Studio and the non-profit organization Art of Dance, Inc. She has been dancing since the age of 2 when introduced to Ballet, Tap, and Jazz in her hometown of Apex, North Carolina. After watching a live performance of the Nutcracker, Kate knew she had found her passion. She then turned to intense Contemporary Ballet and Pointe training in the junior company at the Triangle Academy of Ballet for 8 years, taking classes under instructors from the Carolina Ballet Company. Such technical education influenced her to have a strong focus on Ballet and Pointe productions. At The Academy for Performing Arts, she studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Choreography and Hip-Hop. Most of her time was spent traveling to conventions, performances and competitions as a member of the Junior and Senior Company Competition team. Kate was awarded with a Scholarship to Broadway Dance Center in New York where she attended classes under tap enthusiast Mike Minnery and many other professional choreographers/dancers. This memorable experience led to her interest in choreography classes and inspired her to start teaching dance as she has been for the past decade. While attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, she was a member of UNCW Dance Team. In May 2009, she graduated with Bachelor Degrees in Psychology (child development emphasis), Philosophy, and Religion. Shortly after graduation, Kate took over ownership of a small dance studio in Wilmington, NC before moving to Asheville, NC in May, 2011. Kate truly loves teaching children of all ages and abilities. She believes that dance is an enlightening form of expression that every child can learn and grow creatively from. Kate also judges for National Dance Competition circuits such as INSPIRE, Imagine and Encore.

Amanday Hoyte

Amanda Hoyte began her study of dance at age 4 in her hometown of Flat Rock, NC, and received the majority of her dance education at Pat’s School of Dance in Hendersonville, NC. As a student, she trained extensively in several styles of dance, including tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, and hip hop. By age 12, she worked as a teacher’s assistant for several beginner and intermediate classes. During this time, Amanda was also a member of the award-winning Pat’s School of Dance Performing Arts Troupe, participating in numerous performances, most memorably at Disney World in 2006, and in countless competitions, including Showstoppers, Encore Dance Competitions, and Dance Educators of America. Her senior year, Amanda danced the lead role, Sweet Georgia Brown, in the senior production “Bubbling Brown Sugar,” which received the President’s Cup (highest score overall) at the Dance Educators of America National Dance Competition in 2008. After graduating high school, Amanda moved to Chapel Hill, NC to attend UNC. While attending UNC-Chapel Hill, she taught musical theater and tap to children and adults at Barriskill Dance Theater School in Durham, NC, and in 2012, graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (child psychosocial development emphasis) and a minor in Chemistry. In 2013, Amanda moved back to Asheville, NC, where she has since performed with professional performance companies Project NEGUS, Bronson’s Baddies, and Fire&Feist at events including The Art Trap House Atlanta, LEAF, and Coda at the Orange Peel. Additionally, since her return, she has cultivated her career as a mental health professional through work with special populations, such as those suffering from eating disorders, SPMI, and addiction, and has recently earned a M.S. in Medical (Health) Science from USF. As both a healthcare worker and a dancer, Amanda truly believes that dance, in all its forms, is therapeutic, and furthermore, is avidly dedicated to promoting body positivity and health in the dance community.

Elizabeth Kellberg

Elizabeth has been dancing since the age of 10 when she was introduced to Jazz at The French Woods Performing Arts Camp in New York. In 2016, she received her degree in dance from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Over the past 20 years she has studied from such notable dancers as Joyce Stahl, Denis Hyland, Ann Dunn, Tricia Renshaw, Fleming Lomax, Allison Hertzberg and more. She has studied gymnastics, ballet, pointe, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary ballet, and character dance. Elizabeth has danced with the Coffee Mill Dance Studio in her hometown of Key West, Florida, the Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Vermont, the Key West High School Competition Colorguard and Eurythmics Team, the local Key West Dance Team, and the Asheville Academy of Ballet. She has studied at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

Elizabeth has performed in the Dirty Dancing Festival for the past three years, is the contemporary dancer for a band called Grendel’s Mother, and is currently a member of the Trillium Dance Company. She has worked at Vance Elementary teaching dance in the after school enrichment program. Elizabeth is a ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary instructor and teaches all ages at beginning and intermediate levels. Currently, Elizabeth teaches at WNC Dance Academy, Art of Dance Studio, and is the Founder of Looking Glass Dancers Society, a local community organization. Teaching is inspiring and making connections with kids and adults in a dance class is such a rewarding experience

Melvin A.C. Howell


Melvin AC Howell is an internationally cultured choreographer and creative director who has been transforming and molding lives, while evolving the art of dance, for over 13 years. His approach is

his purpose, “Spread positivity, encouragement, and guidance through dance. The positivity movement.”  With a background in fitness, art, and many different cultural styles of dance, Melvin brings a unique vision to the world that is dance. His visionary style and technique promotes growth physically and mentally, encouraging a strengthened body, foundation, and creative capacity. As a movement expert and master instructor in Hip Hop, Contemporary, Jazz Funk, and Freestyle; Melvin emits a genuine uplifting abundance of positive energy and inspiration, which fills the atmosphere and effortlessly uplifts your spirits, leaving you motivated and wanting more. With dance serving as the primary purpose in his life, Melvin not only touches at the center of what inspires people to move; the desire to create, to feel, to connect, to speak without words. Moreover, Melvin focuses on the core of the human desire for motivation, support, inspiration, and love. It is his mission, his passion, his life goal: “To Change People’s Lives for the better.”

Rebecca O'Quinn

Originally from Raleigh, NC, Rebecca is a choreographer, Dancer, Singer, actress, and model working and living in Asheville, NC. Before moving to asheville in 2012, she graduated with a degree in dance and musical theatre from Elon university and went on to work as a singer and Dancer with several different cruise lines, theme parks, regional theatres, and industrial entertainment companies. Since moving here, she has enjoyed several seasons with Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre, Asheville Ballet, and Montford Park Players. She is a dance instructor with Mars Hill University, Warren Wilson College, and many local dance studios. She is currently the most giddy about tap dance, hip hop fitness, singing with her country band, Rebecca and the Reckoning, and watching Star Trek the Next Generation.

Maggie Lewicki

A native to Florida, Maggie began her training at the age of 3 when she took lessons during preschool. Since then, she joined a competitive dance team at Barbara’s Centre for Dance where she was trained in many styles: jazz, tap, musical theater, acrobatics, and ballet. She competed in dance competitions throughout the year in production groups, large group, small groups, and trios, duets, and solos. She further trained at 2 different ballet conservatoires and developed basic tumbling skills at her local gym. After graduating from her competitive team at the age of 18, she attended Rollins College. She graduated with a degree in both Biology and Political Science and a minor in Dance. Her dance minor focused on teaching healthy dance practices and techniques combining breathing with natural movement. Maggie currently works at Camp Ton-A-Wandah, and all girls’ summer residential camp, where she continues to develop her passion for teaching and working with youth.

Katie St. Jacques

Coming Soon....

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