With a lifelong passion for dance, Miranda grew up on her studio’s company and competition teams and performed in ten of her studio’s annual productions of The Nutcracker — with her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy holding a special place in her heart.

At Carthage College, Miranda earned a minor in dance, choreographed six stage pieces, and won two Best Choreography awards. As president of her college’s National Dance Education
Organization chapter, she led community events and fostered a creative dance community on campus.

Miranda also holds a Master’s in French Literature from CU Boulder. She has spent a year teaching English in southern France and has instructed eight college-level French courses.

Outside of the studio, Miranda enjoys reading, going to the movies, and spending time with her husband, their dog Albus, and their cat Joi. She loves supporting students, families, and
teachers while helping foster an inspiring environment where dancers grow, perform, and thrive.

Mikayla Costales grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and went to the Public Academy for Performing Arts, where she studied Flamenco and voice. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology with a minor in Music. Mikayla moved to Colorado in 2018 to earn her Master’s in Museum Studies.

Erin received a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts from the Oklahoma City University and has been an instructor, choreographer, and entertainer for over three decades in many different populations across America and internationally. She has choreographed Ballet, Broadway and Rhythm Tap, Cheerleading, Contemporary and Modern Jazz, Gymnastics, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Musical Theatre and professional credits include: The American Spirit Dance Company, Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Company, Spirit of Dance, The Hoofers Club, and the principal dancer at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Erin continued her education in the psychology of humans, obtaining a double Master’s Degree in Forensic and Counseling Psychology. Erin is so excited to be teaching the next generation the art of dance.

Katie Shelton, hailing from Connecticut, began dancing at age four, specializing in ballet and later adding jazz, tap, and hip hop to her repertoire. She achieved regional honors in competitions, including Teen Miss Superstar 1995 and awards for Dancer of the Year and Choreographer of the Year in the late 1990s.

Katie earned a dance and business management degree from Oklahoma City University on scholarship in 2003, focusing on tap dance under esteemed mentors. She has garnered accolades for her choreography, including the Outstanding Choreography Award from Nextar in 2009 and the Tap Excellence Award from Spotlight Dance Cup in 2010 for her students.

Beyond dance, Katie enjoys family time with her husband and two children. She takes pride in her 13-year tenure at PCDC, where she continues to teach and inspire.

Lucia grew up training with Rochester City Ballet’s affiliate school under Jamey Leverett. At 16, she attended San Francisco Ballet School under Patrick Armand, dancing works by Helgi Tomasson and George Balanchine. In 2018, she joined Ballet Austin under Stephen Mills and worked with Jennifer Archibald, Jennifer Hart, Jimmy Orrante, Alexa Capareda, and Performa/Dance Company. She moved to Cincinnati, OH in 2022 joining De La Dance Company to perform principal and soloist roles in full-length classics and mixed repertory shows. She joined Oakland Ballet Company in 2024 under Graham Lustig and performed pieces by Phil Chan, Wei Wang, and Elaine Kudo. Lucia spent her 2025 summer dancing with Heather Maloy’s Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in North Carolina.

Lucia joined Boulder Ballet in 2025, performing works by Val Caniparoli and Ben Needham-Wood.Throughout her time dancing, she has been given the chance to explore her love of teaching both children and adult students. Lucia is excited to be in Colorado sharing her passion for ballet as a teacher!

Originally from Atlanta, Paige has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She earned a BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University, where she also served as the official dance tutor, helping fellow students strengthen their technique and confidence.

Her training includes classes with Broadway legends like Christopher d’Amboise, Mercedes Ellington, John Dietrich, and several Rockettes. Performance credits span regional theatres, theme parks, and cruise ships across the country. These days, she works as a professional performer in the Denver theatre scene.

Dance has always been a source of joy, creativity, and connection—and she’s passionate about passing that on in the studio. Outside of dance, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and spending time with her husband and their dog.

Abby Gaus is originally from a small central Missouri town called Hermann. She began dancing at the age of 16 and quickly fell in love with the art form. After graduating from her home studio, Abby went on to study the Art of Dance at Southeast Missouri State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dance in 2018.

During her time at SEMO, Abby trained in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz, along with Choreography, Aerial Arts, Dance History, Movement Analysis, and Principles of Teaching Dance. She performed in multiple main stage and second stage productions and attended the American College Dance Association three years in a row, taking master classes in a wide variety of dance styles and techniques.

After graduating, Abby moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where she spent two years teaching dance and gaining experience in the dance community. She later relocated to Longmont, Colorado, where she continues her teaching journey with Production Company Dance Co.

Abby loves working with children of all ages and is passionate about creating a positive, encouraging environment where dancers can grow both technically and confidently. She is dedicated to helping students develop a strong foundation while also fostering creativity, self-expression, and a genuine love for dance.

Nicki has been dancing since the age of seven and has trained in hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and ballet. She began teaching over 10 years ago and quickly discovered a passion for sharing her love of dance with young dancers.

At PCDC, Nicki teaches Hip Hop- one of her favorite styles- and brings a strong foundation in Poppin’, Lockin’, House, and Breaking into her classes. She is passionate about creating an environment that is both fun and supportive, while building strong technique and a sense of community among her students.

Outside of the studio, Nicki is currently pursuing her Master’s in Social Work and enjoys taking dance classes and spending time with her sassy corgi, Lilo.

Born and raised in Colorado, Elizabeth found her love for dancing at the age of 3. She has danced in most of all the styles. She currently teaches preschool at Longmont Christian School. She is currently attending Front Range Community College to pursue her Associate in Applied Science in Early Childhood Education. If she’s not teaching or at the studio, you can find her spending time with family, playing with her cats, or talking with friends.