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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.
Bethany Socher
Instructor
Teaching since 2016
Bethany 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. She also teaches at the Landing Dance Academy in Cadillac and is director of the Dream Team competition team. Bethany has completed three years of training at the Dance Masters of America Teachers Training School and is certified through Alixa Flexibility’s modules one and two. She loves being able to expand her love of dance to her students!
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.
Shelby White
Instructor
Teaching since 2023
Shelby is a COD alumni and started dancing at the Conservatory of Dance at the age of 6. She trained in jazz, ballet, tap and contemporary. She enjoys working with the kids and seeing them learn their love of dance. Outside of dance she enjoys concerts, shopping, hanging out with friends and family, and being in the sun!
Bella Sagala
Instructor
Teaching since 2023
Bella is a COD alumni and has danced at the Conservatory since the age of 5. She has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Acro. She graduated from Manistee High School in 2025 and is now pursuing a degree in dental hygiene. In her spare time she likes to shop, be outdoors, and spend time with her family.
Zoe Braun
Instructor
Teaching since 2025
Zoe is originally from Grand Rapids MI but moved up to beautiful Manistee last year for a job as an environmental engineer at PCA. I danced competitively for 13 years at Imprint Dance Company and taught/choreographed for the GVSU dance troupe. My favorite styles of dance are Jazz and Hip Hop. I can’t wait to meet the dancers this season, have fun, work hard, and improve together!
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 daughters, Quinn and Bria.
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!
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 a certified traditional Irish dance instructor through Le Cheile. She loves spending time with family and being in community with others.
Mya Morin
Instructor
Teaching since 2023
Mya graduated high school in 2021 and is a COD alumni. She has trained in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary and acro and also danced competitively for our CODC team. In her spare time she enjoys going to the beach, going to the gym, traveling, and hanging with family.
Lauren Judkins
Instructor
Teaching since 2024
Lauren is a COD alumni and trained in jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary, lyrical, celtic and musical theatre. She has a background as competitive dancer, having participated in numerous regional competitions and performance opportunities. Lauren previously studied at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City as a dance major for two semesters. Her training included a rigorous schedule of over 40 hours of dancing a week in many styles along with acting and theater coursework. In her spare time she likes to hang out with her friends, trade pokemon and play Roblox.
Heather Dean
Instructor
Teaching since 2025
Heather has been dancing formally since she could walk and grew up training at Rochester School of Dance, in Metro Detroit, where she performed lead roles with the Michigan Ballet Theatre. She went on to attend summer intensives with companies like Miami City Ballet, Ballet West, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre—eventually joining PBT’s full-time program and relocating to Pittsburgh during high school to continue her training. Heather continued her dance journey at Michigan State University, where she taught with the MSU Ballet Club while earning her degree in English Education. In addition to ballet, Heather also has a strong background in jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and heels, and is a certified yoga instructor too! Some of you might remember her from teaching here back in the summer of 2021, and she’s happy to be back! Outside the studio, Heather will be teaching full-time at Manistee Middle High School as an English teacher this fall. She is excited to bring her experience, energy, and passion for dance and teaching to the Conservatory!
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