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Meet The Staff
Tarah Hodges
Co-Owner / Instructor
Teaching since 2004
Tarah started at the Conservatory of Dance at age 5. During her time at the studio she trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and hip hop. After graduating high school she auditioned and was hired at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida as a famous princess. She has completed level 3 of Dance Masters of America Teacher Training and continues to further her dance education yearly. Tarah has choreographed for the Drama department at Manistee High School and works with the Manistee High School dance team as manager and choreographer. She has co-choreographed and co-produced four productions performed at the Ramsdell Theater. Tarah loves all things Disney, her dogs, Gunner and Meiko and her cat, Binx.
Alissa Solberg
Instructor
Teaching since 2011
Alissa began her dance training at the Conservatory of Dance at age 4. While growing up at the studio, she enjoyed all kinds of dance but developed a real passion for Acrobatics. She is certified in the Professional Curriculum for Acrobatic Arts and has completed Level 3 of the Dance Masters of America curriculum. She loves to share her knowledge of Acro and dance with her students and see them progress! Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family, her twin sister and her fluffly peek-a-poo, Finley.
Kaylan Kolanowski
Instructor
Teaching since 2020
Kaylan is a COD alumni and has danced at the Conservatory since the age of 3. She graduated from Manistee High School in 2018 and is now pursuing a career in Nursing. In her spare time she likes to shop and travel the country!
Shelby White
Instructor
Teaching since 2023
Shelby is a COD alumni and started dancing at the Conservatory at the age of 6. She has trained in jazz, ballet, tap and contemporary. Outside of dance, she enjoys going to concerts, hanging at the pool and her friends and family.
Shelli Golembiewski
Co-Owner / Instructor
Teaching since 2009
Shelli was born and raised in Manistee and loves this area! She took her first dance class at the Conservatory of Dance at age 4 and continued through high school. As a high school junior she was chosen to be a member of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Ballet Ensemble and toured three countries in Europe. Her senior year she choreographed, as well as performed in, the Manistee High School musical "42nd Street". She is a graduate of the Dance Masters of America curriculum with certifications in Ballet, Jazz and Tap. She is also certified in Alixa Flexibility Level 1 and Progressive Ballet Technique. Shelli is married to her awesome husband, Jason, and mother to their adorable daughter, Quinn.
Beth Socher
Instructor
Teaching since 2016
Beth is a COD alumni and has danced at the Conservatory since the age of 3. She graduated from Manistee High School in 2016 and is now pursuing a career in Dance Education. In her spare time she likes to practice hairstyles on her friends and spend time hanging out with her family. She is also involved in the Peer to Peer program at the high school working with kids with Autism.
Jai Benitez
Instructor
Teaching since 2022
Jai is a Conservatory of Dance alumni and has danced since she was 3 years old. She has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary and Celtic. She graduated from Manistee High School in 2022. In her spare time, Jai loves traveling, reading, art and practicing the piano, ukulele and electric guitar.
Mimi Foster
Instructor
Teaching since 2023
Mimi started dance when she was 4yrs old at the Nichols Studio of Dance in Milan, MI and was there for 16yrs. While there she studied tap, jazz, ballet, Hawaiian and hip hop. She taught dance at the Landing Dance Academy in Cadillac for 4 years before moving to Arcadia. She is a certified group fitness instructor and loves encouraging others to incorporate healthy movement into their everyday lives. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband of 21 years, 3 kids, 1 grandson, being involved in MOPS, serving others, jeeping, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, running, going on adventures and all things Disney.
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