FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES
Theresa Kahl, Artistic Director/ Owner, is no stranger to the dance community on the Western Slope.  She has been instructing, choreographing, and educating all aspects of dance through local dance studios, and schools for over 15 years.  She has been an Assistant Director/ Jazz Program Director for both Colorado West Performing Arts Center and Grand Junction Academy of Dance.  She's also teaching on Mesa State College's Adjunct Staff in Beginner through Advanced Jazz and Hip Hop classes as well as setting choreography for their concerts.

Her commitments to dancers in the Grand Valley are endless.  Former students that have trained with her are now pursuing dance careers in contemporary jazz companies, studying with prestigious Universities, and programs like the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.  Her approach to teaching is technical, personal, artistic, and stylistic.  Her objective as a teacher is to build dancers that are technically strong, versatile, independent in thinking, and above all, love to dance!  She strongly believes that there is a place for everyone in dance and applies this to all levels of dancers to create a positive, inspiring atmosphere.

Theresa will be teaching preschool, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and all repertory/ performance classes.
Audra Agajanian, will be teaching preschool, ballet, and pointe classes.  Audra began her training here in Grand Junction at Colorado West Performing Arts Center.  She has gone on to study at intensives such as
Kirov Academy, Ballet Austin, and the Bolshoi Academy in Vail.  She danced professionally as a  soloist with the Atlanta Festival Ballet.  She has danced the roles of “duex swans” from Swan Lake, “Dew Drop Fairy” and “Snow Queen” from the Nutcracker, and “Ursula” from the Little Mermaid.  Today you will see her in many musical theater productions throughout the Grand Valley, have performed with the Empire Theater, Paramount Productions, and the Cabaret.  She has over 8 years of teaching experience here in the Grand Valley as well as Atlanta Festival Ballet and is excited to pass on her passion for dance and performing to all ages of dancers.

Sam Harl

John Kelley, will be teaching hip hop and jazz at Absolute Dance. He is originally from Grand Junction where he started dance at the age of six. He surrounded himself with all forms of dance, but knew that Hip Hop would be his forte. He has danced and trained with many well known teachers and choreographers from LA to Chicago and back; including Barry Lather, Gus Giardano, Greg Russell, Keith Clifton, and Tony Copolla. His teaching/choreography career began at 14 and has taught for many different studios and workshops over the years including Clarksville, Tennessee where he was the jazz/ hip hop director for a large studio there. Some highlights for him have been performing on snow in the Opening Ceremony of the World Cup Ski Championships, assistant choreographer for the 2000 Pro Bowl in Hawaii , teaching and choreographing Hip Hop for Mesa State College, working for Starpower Dance Competition, and performing with Up With People's Benefit Shows. John says that he believes that his true passion for dance shows when he is teaching. He is glad to back in Grand Junction amongst family and friends, but even happier to be continuing to teach dance.

Brieana Lavery, will be teaching hip hop.  She grew up dancing in the Grand Valley at the early age of four. Studying various styles of dance such as ballet, jazz, tap, and modern from various instructors.  Brie began traveling to competitions and conventions which is where she took her first shot at hip hop and ever since has grown a new passion for the dance form. Along the way Brie has had opportunities to take master classes and workshops from some of today's most notorious dancers/choreographers such as, Wade Robson, Shane Sparks, Chris Judd, Andre Fuentes, Stevie Ray Anthony and many others. She has won several awards and scholarships for her dancing talents and creative choreography. Sharing her love and passion for dance, Brie began teaching in 2003. Since then she has been able to instill in dancers one of her greatest dance traits, confidence. Her students love the energetic upbeat approach she has to offer, plus she teaches them to utilize their own personality and style as a dancer and most important to dance from the heart.

Melissa Mock, will be teaching basic tap and jazz.  A dancer in training still to this day is what makes Melissa unique.  Her thirst for dance has always been a big part of her life and to pass that on to any dancer desiring to learn is an achievement in itself.  Having over 10 years of teaching and directing experience she is no stranger in the dance studio.  As a dancer, Melissa received her training with Colorado West Performing Arts Center as well as intensives from the Edge Performing Arts Center, in Los Angeles, Kim Robard's Dance, in Denver and numerous workshops and competitions.  She danced professionally in The Rainforest with David Taylor's Dance Theater in 1997 and has performed locally with Empire theater in many musical theater productions.

Tara Oldfield, will be teaching Modern for Absolute Dance.  Tara comes to us with great knowledge and expertise in both modern and classical ballet.  She has several years of prior teaching experience with students of all levels and ages.  She understands the differences of each dancer and helps them appreciate what each individual is capable of.  Tara's training includes growing up with a Ceccheti based ballet program and intensives with Ballet West at Aspen, and Virginia School of the Arts.  At VSA, she was chosen to dance Monotones II (a Sir Fredrick Ashton piece), by Petrus Bosman, the school's director.  She danced on scholarship at University of Utah, her major was modern dance.  She also apprenticed with Repertory Dance Theatre, a classical modern dance company that has toured Western  Europe and Taiwan.
Suzanne Schaffer, will be teaching the adult tap class.  Suzanne comes to us from Collbran, CO, where she developed a dance program of her own.  She has a following of students that can't wait to have her teach again.  Absolute Dance is excited to be able to offer an adult tap class that is sure to uphold a reputation.  Suzanne has been around dance all her life and dance is truly what makes her happy.  Taking classes at Mesa State College has energized her again to pursue training of her own once again. She is one full of life and expertise, that she will certainly pass this along to adults in a fun, energetic class.
Melonie A. Buchanan
 Melonie Buchanan, Guest instructor, will be teaching advanced ballet and pointe as well as intensives for the younger dancer.  Melonie holds a BFA degree in Ballet from Friends University (Wichita, KS) and an MFA degree in Dance from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). She attended UCI on a full fellowship and was also the recipient of an Arts Bridge scholarship. During her time at UCI, Melonie studied with the legendary Donald McKayle, had her choreography chosen to be performed in graduate concerts, was selected to teach many dance technique classes at the university, and received a grant to travel to New York for her thesis research.

Her performance experience includes dancing as a Radio City Rockette, as a principle dancer with Wichita Ballet Theatre, and as a featured dancer with Musical Theatre of Wichita. In addition, Melonie sailed the seas with Norwegian Cruise Lines as a dance captain for Broadway-style productions, and has performed with several musical theatre companies in Southern California. Most recently, Melonie performed as a featured dancer with Francisco Martinez Dance Theatre, a Los Angeles based award-winning modern dance company.

Melonie has experience teaching all levels of ballet and modern dance at institutions such as Friends University (Wichita, KS), Santa Ana College (Santa Ana, CA), Irvine Valley College (Irvine, CA), and South County Classical Ballet (Orange County, CA). In addition, she continues to guest teach and choreograph for regional ballet companies and summer intensives.  Melonie is a member of the Society of Dance History Scholars, the Congress on Research in Dance, the Texas Association of Teachers of Dancing, and the Florida Dance Association.