Meet the Live Love Dance Team!

Miss Valerie Gunnels-Meredith

Owner, Director, & Teacher

Miss Valerie Gunnels-Meredith

Owner, Director, & Teacher

Combo Classes for Ages 2 to 7, Conditioning Classes, Acrobatic Arts

Miss Valerie has been dancing since the age of 4. She began student teaching at the age of 16 and knew from that time that she wanted to make teaching her career. She has trained with numerous master teachers at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles and at various dance conventions around the country. Valerie holds a BA in Dance, with a minor in Psychology from California State University Fullerton an Elementary Teaching Credential from Cal State Teach and she is a Certified Preschool Teacher.

Miss Valerie has attended Dance/Movement Therapy workshops across the United States, The Dance Life Teacher Conferences, as well as Creative Dance Workshops in Washington State at the Creative Dance Center, under the direction of Anne Green Gilbert. It is there that Miss Valerie learned The Brain Dance which is incorporated into all of her classes for dancers ages 6 months to 6 years.

Miss Valerie is a Level 4 Certified Teacher of The Paula Morgan Technique, a very prestigious training that is a combination of Yoga, Pilates and Ballet and structures the dancers to help avoid injury, while teaching a solid foundation and strong work ethic. In 2018 she also became Acrobatic Arts Certified up to Level 6 and is an Alixa Flexibility Certified Teacher through Level 2.

Miss Valerie’s goal is to reduce injury in young dancers by training them properly, focusing on alignment, strength and flexibility without hyper mobility and also to make dance available to children who may not have the means to afford a dance education.

Valerie has 4 years of experience as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Volunteer and was awarded the CASA Philanthropist of the year award in 2011. Under Valerie’s direction Live Love Dance began offering two dance scholarships to CASA youth in 2011. Since that time the program has expanded through the Live Love Dance Performing Company’s annual fundraiser. The Gift of Dance raises money for dance costumes, clothing and shoes for children in our community who are in foster care and on scholarship at Live Love Dance.

In 2020 Miss Valerie Started Bloom Preschool at Live Love Dance, an Arts Based Preschool for ages 3 to 5.

Chad Meredith

Owner & Studio Manager

Meet Chad

Chad Meredith

Owner & Studio Manager (and Valerie’s husband)

All Things Behind the Scenes

Chad has many years of operations management experience and has recently decided to use this experience in customer and employee relations and dedicate his career to dance education and fine arts. Mr. Chad has a musical background and has worked in the dance education industry for over 10 years. He enjoys creating a positive impact for the students and their families throughout the year and specifically at our annual dance performances. Chad is always working the front desk as well as working behind the scenes at Live Love Dance, editing music, creating backdrops, and helping to plan each show.

When he is not at the studio, Chad is real estate agent with Engel & Volkers and also has several years of experience as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a nationwide program dedicated to improving and monitoring the well-being of children involved in the foster care system. He also enjoys spending time with his family. Chad is proud to be part of the team at Live Love Dance.

Mary Martin

Teacher

Meet Mary

Miss Mary

Teacher

Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Dance is for Everyone, and Contemporary

Mary Martin began dancing at the age of three in her home state, Maryland. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, and contemporary extensively and earned a BFA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University. Mary has danced with several dance companies, including the Chicago Honey Bears, traveling across the USA and abroad. With over 15 years of teaching experience, Mary loves to pass on her passion for dance to students of all ages and levels. Mary also holds a Master’s degree in Somatic Psychology/Dance Movement Therapy and practices therapy in Broomfield, CO.

Dana Mikayla

Teacher

Meet Mikayla

Miss Mikayla

Teacher

Hip Hop

We are thrilled to welcome Miss Mikayla Medina to the Live Love Dance staff! Miss Mikayla is a homegrown Hip Hop queen! Training with the Live Love Dance staff in all styles of dance from age 3 to 18, she quickly found her passion for Hip Hop. She earned numerous awards and acknowledgments as both a performer and a choreographer during her years at the studio. Mikayla was instantly promoted from a beginning level assistant teacher, to subbing and teaching her own classes. While still in high school she choreographed for the Company Dancers, in addition to her own peers. Miss Mikayla brings a level of maturity far beyond her years, leading with a heart full of kindness! You can find Mikayla teaching Hip Hop on Thursdays! Welcome home Mikayla!ove Dance team!

Kristine Bachina-Hintz

Teacher

Meet Kristine

Miss Kristine

Teacher

Ballet, Musical Theatre, Private Lessons

Kristine grew up dancing and competing in Thornton, Colorado before continuing her dance education as a Dance Management Major at Oklahoma City University. She has performed in numerous musicals in the Denver theatre community including Cinderella, White Christmas, and Cabaret. Musical theatre choreography credits include Young Frankenstein, Heathers, Newsies, and more! As a teacher she has experience with all age groups and a variety of styles such as tap, jazz, ballet, and lyrical. She loves sharing her passion for dance through teaching.

Cassy Clark

Teacher

Meet Cassy

Miss Cassy

Teacher

Hip Hop, Jazz, Private Lessons

Cassy Clark is a performer, teacher, and choreographer located in the Denver/Boulder area. Originating from Salt Lake City, she trained for 14 years in modern dance at Tanner Dance on the University of Utah campus.

Miss Cassy competed her BFA in Dance at the University of Colorado Boulder and just recently finished her thesis investigating how our individual experiences converse and navigate with each other in space. Since moving to Colorado, she has performed with Summer Mountain Dance Project for their past two seasons and performed in multiple dance performances at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Hayley Williams

Teacher

Meet Hayley

Miss Hayley

Teacher

Musical Theater, Turns & Jumps, Company Choreography

Hayley grew up in southern Utah and after years of begging, she began her dance training at the age of 10. She studied at Diamond Talent Productions and was a member of their studio and ballet intensive companies. She danced with the Windfall Dance Company and served as their Company Coordinator & Junior Dancers Director. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and an M.Ed in Instructional Design; she created and designed a comprehensive recreational ballet, jazz and pre-ballet curriculum for the School of Dance, SLC.

Hayley discovered her zeal for teaching in 2008 and has taught at numerous schools and venues in Utah, Texas, Virginia, Spain and Indiana. She is so excited to join the Live Love Dance team and share her love of dance with all of her students!

Vera Stephenson

Teacher

Meet Vera

Miss Vera

RAD Ballet Teacher

ARAD, RTS, TC, TD, BLS

Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance

Vera is a trained dancer, choreographer, and performer with a wealth of experience in various dance styles. She trained at the Canadian College of Dance and earned her Advanced 2 status in the Royal Academy of Dance ballet program, as well as training in modern, national dance, tap, ballroom, and Latin. Vera has danced lead roles in various productions, including Carousel, Brigadoon, and Anne of Green Gables. She has also choreographed numerous shows, including Swing, Annie, and South Pacific, and has directed and choreographed pieces for various summer schools and the University of Memphis.

Vera’s passion for dance led her to open the Reverence Academy of Dance in Lafayette, Colorado, in 2002, where she mentored other dance teachers and helped to establish the Royal Academy of Dance program in the area. She also hosted visiting dancers and instructors from around the world, including Christina Zati from Milan and Mary Moe Adams, a Vocational Examiner and Presidential Award winner. Over the course of 18 years, Vera and her husband ran the academy, shaping the careers of many aspiring dancers.

As an Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance one of 9 in the US, and 200 in the world, Vera has traveled to Hong Kong, England, Australia, Chili, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and does a yearly tour in the US.

Vera’s love for dance has driven her to explore many facets of the art form, from training to performance to choreography. Her experience and dedication have made her an invaluable teacher and mentor to many aspiring dancers, and her contributions to the world of dance will continue to inspire future generations.

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Pre-Company FAQs

Why did you start Pre-Company?

We started pre-company because we have so many dancers interested in Company but they are not taking the appropriate classes to help them reach their goal, or they are not meeting the standards or work level of a Company dancer.

What benefits are there of being Pre-Company?

All teachers will be made aware of your goals to join the Performing Company and you will be challenged at the level the Company Dancers are within your own classes but in a way that is still appropriate for your age and ability level.

Does being in Pre-Company guarantee I will be in Company next year?

Not necessarily —many factors that go into determining Company placement. There may not be a group at your age or ability level next year or it may take several years of being in “Pre-Company” to meet your goal.

What’s the difference between Pre-Company and Mini and Junior Stars?

As a dancer, each December and June you will receive a detailed report of how you are doing in your classes as well as what you need to work on to meet your goal of becoming a Company dancer.

What if I am not recommended to take the required classes yet?

Please email missvalerie@livelovedance.net for recommendations.

What if I fail to meet one of the above requirements for Junior Stars or Pre-Company during the year?

Unless you have an emergency situation you will be removed from “Pre-Company” status and will not receive the benefits listed above.

How do I join Pre-Company?

Simply fill out the Mini and Junior Stars Form and return it to the office!