Kallyn Rand

Kallyn Rand holds a B.A. in Dance from Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver and has been the owner and creative director of Rand Dance Academy in Golden, Colorado since 2018. Kallyn has trained and studied with Jacob Mora, Leslie Merrill, Nicole Predki, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Hannah Kahn, and others. Kallyn was selected to represent MSU in a new work by Darrell Grand Moultrie in 2017 ACDA Central Conference. She has choreographed for MSU productions, ACDA conferences, annual Children’s Hospital Charity events, and dance competitions in Denver. She has been dancing professionally with Moraporvida Contemporary Dance since 2019 and VisKosity Dance Collective since 2021.
Kallyn began dancing at the age of four at Colorado Center of Dance and dance has continued to be her passion. She continued to teach dance during college, which started out at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design for two years until a Bachelor of Arts Dance program was established at MSU. While at MSU, she interned with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance while becoming Assistant Director and teaching full time at Colorado Center of Dance. She is trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, and tap and continues to take local classes and workshops in multiple genres. Kallyn endeavors to enrich the lives of young people to experience the movement and exhilaration of dance.

Addie Tapp

Addie Tapp began dancing at the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts in Colorado, and continued training at the Glenwood Dance Academy. When she was 14, Addie attended the School of American Ballet’s Summer Course and was accepted into its year-round program. Addie trained at the School of American Ballet from 2010–2014 where she also performed with the New York Choreographic Institute and two SAB Student Choreography workshops. During her time at SAB, Addie was awarded the Mae L. Wien Award for outstanding promise. Addie then joined Boston Ballet as an Artist in 2014, was promoted to Second Soloist in 2016, and to Soloist in 2019. Addie was a 2015 Princess Grace Award nominee and was featured in Pointe‘s “2016 Stars of the Corps” during her second season with Boston Ballet. While dancing full time, Addie also furthered her education, attending Northeastern University’s CPS program. She graduated with her bachelor’s in health science in 2022. Addie is very passionate about spreading her knowledge and joy for dance with the younger generation. She is very excited to be teaching ballet with the Rand Dance Academy team.

Marinah Fletcher

I’m Marinah Fletcher and I’m so excited to be teaching Creative Movement, Combo Ballet and Tap, Ballet I, Ballet II, and Contemporary classes. I started dancing at Rand Dance Academy in 5th grade and I’ve been an assistant teacher since my sophomore year of high school. I was in the RDA Company where I competed at dance competitions, performed at Children’s Hospital in their Lobby for the kids and have performed at Hearts for Heart’s Sake with the RDA Company where we raised money for Children’s Hospital,CO. I went to Golden View Classical Academy and graduated with honors and now am at MSU Denver where I’m continuing to take dance classes. I hope I can help my dance students not only grow in their technique but become confident in their abilities and learn to love dancing and performing.

Kristi Stivers

Kristi grew up dancing at The Dance Class in Richland, Washington, and was also part of the Richland High School Goldrush Dance Team until she graduated in 2015. Kristi also danced at Larkin Dance Studio with their Senior Competition Line where she learned from very notable teachers/choreographers including, Michele Larkin, Ilia Gorev, Julia Heggerness-Morrison, Talia & Chaz, Travis Wall, Mia Michaels, Kristen Russell, and Tatiana Berenova. Kristi then danced for the University of St. Thomas Dance Team when they placed 1st at UDA Collegiate Nationals in Orlando with HipHop, and 1st runner-up in Jazz. After college, Kristi began coaching the John F Kennedy High School Dance Team. Since then, Kristi has also taught masterclasses back at her home studio in Washington. Kristi’s favorite genres to teach are Lyrical, Contemporary, and Turns/Leaps/Technique-based classes. Currently, Kristi is a Special Education Teacher at West High School in Denver, and is SO excited to continue to share her knowledge and passion for dance with the Rand Dance Academy Family.

Kevin O’Keefe: aka KO

One of Colorado’s original Hip Hop teachers, Kevin has an extensive background in all Hip Hop styles. He received training from industry pioneers- Clyde Evans, Eric Finn, Quickstep and Rennie Harris. He has performed with: Don Campbell Lock jr , Electric Boogaloos , Lady Jules of the BeatFreaks , and the late Gary Kendall of the Jabbawockeez , and is a former member of Motion UnderGround’s Hip Hop company EOM. He has been a guest artist at the Arena in Switzerland, The San Francisco Hip Hop Festival, the Colorado College Dance Festival, The Breaking Point in Montana, CU Boulder, and CSU Fort Collins, Red Rocks community college and Front Range community college. Kevin now is bringing this unique flavor to many Studios in Colorado and is the Founder/Director of True 2 Form Dance Group. He has for years been spreading a fire about the history of Hip Hop and a vision for where it could go. At this time, Kevin is a member of Street Stylez b-boy crew, performing core member with Machinez Remainz popping crew, and Rennie Harris Grass Roots Project, which has just finished a small performance tour of the Eastcost.

Monica Weller

Monica Weller is a teaching artist and choreographer based in Thornton, Colorado. She graduated with her MFA in Dance from the University of Colorado Boulder in May 2021. Since graduating, Monica founded and is the Executive Director of Summer Mountain Dance Project, a Non-For-Profit Dance organization that produces professional dance performances and presents them to local communities in the Denver-land area at no cost to the community. Monica is currently Rehearsal Director and company Dancer for VisKosity Dance Collective.

Gigi Golden

Gigi is a Colorado native-trained dancer, where she grew up training at Parker Dance Academy and Starstruck Academy of Dance. During high school, she was a part of Ponderosa Poms, where she served as captain her junior and senior years, bringing home two state title championships. After high school, she attended the University of Hawaii, where she served as a member of the university's dance team and studied dance for a semester. Then, returned home to the University of Colorado Boulder, danced with the Buff Gold dance team for the remainder of the year, and joined the Denver Outlaws dance team shortly after. Gigi then fell in love with the professional dance world. She graduated with a Bachelor of arts at the University of Colorado and made the Denver Nuggets Dance team shortly after. She performed with the Nuggets organization for four years. Gigi also spent four years coaching and mentoring at Broomfield High School as an assistant coach, bringing home a State Hip Hop championship and engaging in choreography for high schools across the Denver Metro area. After graduating, she spent the following years teaching dance throughout the public school district before applying to nursing school. She currently dances for team EZ and various performing companies across Denver. Despite her busy scholastic schedule as a future registered nurse, Gigi is so excited to be a part of the Rand Dance Academy team and looks forward to engaging with all of the fantastic dancers.

*Vern Lazar*

Born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, Vern Lazar began dancing at the age of three. Lazar attended Desert Ridge High School where she was the treasurer and choreographer for the dance team, Pulse. Outside of school, she attended Artistic Motion Dance as an assistant dance teacher and senior company member, which involved rigorous training in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, lyrical, and modern. In May 2023, Lazar graduated as an honors student from Colorado State University with a BA in Dance and Journalism and Media Communications. In the Dance Program, Lazar trained under Judy Bejarano, Grace Gallagher, Madeline Harvey, Matthew Harvey, and Emily Morgan in modern, jazz, ballet, and improvisation. Currently, Lazar is a dancer for Vitality [The Company] and teaches around the Denver area. She wants to continue in her dance performance and teaching career and is excited for all that the professional world has to offer.

Leah Springman

Leah Springman is a certified Zumba instructor and is excited to be teaching Zumba classes at Rand Dance Academy! She is also a certified Group Fitness Instructor with AFAA (Athletics & Fitness Assoc. of America). Leah started regularly attending Zumba classes in 2015 and got hooked! She now teaches multiple classes each week in the Golden and Applewood area.

Currently a resident of Golden, Leah grew up in Madison, WI where she also attended college and studied Technical Theatre. She later earned an MFA in Theatrical Lighting Design from the University of California - Irvine and subsequently worked designing the lighting and rigging systems for theme parks, trade shows and corporate events. In 2021 she quit her day job, earned her Zumba instructor license, and hasn't looked back.

No judgement, only joy! That's Leah's attitude toward fitness and what you can expect in her classes. Whether you're a first-timer or a Zumba pro -- her classes are an open, welcoming space for all.

MEET YOUR RDA DANCE TEACHERS!

303.524.9132 • 17301 West Colfax Avenue #145 Golden, CO 80401