Meet The Instructors
Sarah Robison - Owner and Director
Sarah began her dance training in her hometown of Jackson, Wyoming as a member of the Dancers’ Workshop Junior Repertory Company. There, she studied a range of styles including ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and tap. She also attended many summer intensives, including the American Academy of Ballet in New York, North Carolina School of the Arts, Cincinnati Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. Sarah then attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Dance Teaching. There, she refined her dance technique in a range of styles, and danced with the Butler Ballet and Butler Chamber Dance under many renowned choreographers. While in Indiana, Sarah taught ballet, jazz, and tap at Innovations Dance Center and directed the school’s production of The Jungle Book.
Following graduation, Sarah moved to Colorado to dance professionally with David Taylor Dance Theatre, followed by Apex Contemporary Dance Theater. Over the years Sarah has performed in numerous productions, with favorite roles including Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, Peasant Pas in Giselle, and Nagina the Cobra in Rikki Tikki Tavi. Prior to opening La Roche Academy of Dance, Sarah taught in Castle Rock and Denver, choreographing for and directing recitals such as The Nutcracker and Alice In Wonderland as well as top scoring competition dances.
Sarah is excited to commence the sixth year of La Roche Academy of Dance! She has loved seeing her students grow as dancers and artists as their talent blossoms over the years, and looks forward to
the experiences to come. Through her love of teaching, Sarah strives to pass on her passion and
artistry for dance.
Sarah began her dance training in her hometown of Jackson, Wyoming as a member of the Dancers’ Workshop Junior Repertory Company. There, she studied a range of styles including ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and tap. She also attended many summer intensives, including the American Academy of Ballet in New York, North Carolina School of the Arts, Cincinnati Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. Sarah then attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Dance Teaching. There, she refined her dance technique in a range of styles, and danced with the Butler Ballet and Butler Chamber Dance under many renowned choreographers. While in Indiana, Sarah taught ballet, jazz, and tap at Innovations Dance Center and directed the school’s production of The Jungle Book.
Following graduation, Sarah moved to Colorado to dance professionally with David Taylor Dance Theatre, followed by Apex Contemporary Dance Theater. Over the years Sarah has performed in numerous productions, with favorite roles including Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, Peasant Pas in Giselle, and Nagina the Cobra in Rikki Tikki Tavi. Prior to opening La Roche Academy of Dance, Sarah taught in Castle Rock and Denver, choreographing for and directing recitals such as The Nutcracker and Alice In Wonderland as well as top scoring competition dances.
Sarah is excited to commence the sixth year of La Roche Academy of Dance! She has loved seeing her students grow as dancers and artists as their talent blossoms over the years, and looks forward to
the experiences to come. Through her love of teaching, Sarah strives to pass on her passion and
artistry for dance.
Caitlin Dunne - Instructor
Caitlin started dancing at The Dance Company in Castle Rock at age 3. While dancing with the studio, she studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, and tumbling, and also began dance composition/choreography when she was 13. During her time at the studio, she danced competitively on teams and as a solo dancer until high school. During high school, she was a varsity cheerleader while continuing her ballet and pointe classes. She has taught the tumbling classes at La Roche in the past, and has recently moved back to Castle Rock after graduating college with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Physiology with a focus on exercise physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder.
While in college, Caitlin continued her dance education by taking ballet, contemporary, hip hop, and contact improvisation classes as well as courses in dance history. She hopes to one day go back to school to study sonography. She loves dancing and wants to teach children to love all forms of movement and expression in dance, and to always stretch themselves to grow as individuals.
Caitlin started dancing at The Dance Company in Castle Rock at age 3. While dancing with the studio, she studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, and tumbling, and also began dance composition/choreography when she was 13. During her time at the studio, she danced competitively on teams and as a solo dancer until high school. During high school, she was a varsity cheerleader while continuing her ballet and pointe classes. She has taught the tumbling classes at La Roche in the past, and has recently moved back to Castle Rock after graduating college with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Physiology with a focus on exercise physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder.
While in college, Caitlin continued her dance education by taking ballet, contemporary, hip hop, and contact improvisation classes as well as courses in dance history. She hopes to one day go back to school to study sonography. She loves dancing and wants to teach children to love all forms of movement and expression in dance, and to always stretch themselves to grow as individuals.
Janessa Mehalko - Instructor
Janessa is a Colorado native who fell in love with dance at the age of two. After many years of ballet training, she expanded her focus and started competing at age eight in jazz, tap, lyrical, and ballroom. Coming from a musical family, Janessa also grew up learning piano, cello, and voice. Along with numerous dance competitions and recitals, she has performed in many musical theater performances. In 2010, Janessa graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BA in Aerospace Science and a minor in Dance Performance. She has performed with the Life/Art Dance Ensemble contemporary company in Golden, Colorado and has experience teaching at various studios. Janessa is excited to continue her career with the La Roche family, and loves sharing her passion and knowledge of dance through her teaching and choreography.
Janessa is a Colorado native who fell in love with dance at the age of two. After many years of ballet training, she expanded her focus and started competing at age eight in jazz, tap, lyrical, and ballroom. Coming from a musical family, Janessa also grew up learning piano, cello, and voice. Along with numerous dance competitions and recitals, she has performed in many musical theater performances. In 2010, Janessa graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BA in Aerospace Science and a minor in Dance Performance. She has performed with the Life/Art Dance Ensemble contemporary company in Golden, Colorado and has experience teaching at various studios. Janessa is excited to continue her career with the La Roche family, and loves sharing her passion and knowledge of dance through her teaching and choreography.
Maria Nguyen - Instructor
Anhthi "Maria" Nguyen began dancing at age fifteen on a full scholarship at Movement Laboratory, a pre-professional ballet school based in Lebanon, PA. In 2010, she received her Bachelor of Science in Dance, the first in her program at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. During her time at Drexel, she participated in several youth out-reach programs such as the Drexel Touring Ensemble and the Youth Performance Exchange. She was selected several times as a student choreographer to set pieces on the Drexel Dance Ensemble (DDE). Throughout her four years of study, she was also a recipient of the Drexel Dance Scholarship and in her Senior year received an award for Outstanding Contribution to the DDE. She also performed with resident artists such as Marienella Boan, Jumatatu Poe, Meredith Rainey, Whit MacLaughlin, and Kun-Yang Lin. After graduation she became an apprentice with Olive Prince Dance for their 2010 Live Arts piece “I desire” and performed choreography by Renee Banson in the 2010 Philly Fringe Festival. In 2011, she began performing with companies such as Dancefusion, Band of Artists, Underground DanceWorks (UDW), and Group Motion. Following that year, Maria also began teaching at studios such as Elite Dance Academy and working with PhillyBOOST, a public school “out-of-school hours” program aimed to offer courses that pursue youth interests such as dance. She has recently relocated to Denver and is blessed to be continuing her career as an educator and long lasting student of dance.
Anhthi "Maria" Nguyen began dancing at age fifteen on a full scholarship at Movement Laboratory, a pre-professional ballet school based in Lebanon, PA. In 2010, she received her Bachelor of Science in Dance, the first in her program at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. During her time at Drexel, she participated in several youth out-reach programs such as the Drexel Touring Ensemble and the Youth Performance Exchange. She was selected several times as a student choreographer to set pieces on the Drexel Dance Ensemble (DDE). Throughout her four years of study, she was also a recipient of the Drexel Dance Scholarship and in her Senior year received an award for Outstanding Contribution to the DDE. She also performed with resident artists such as Marienella Boan, Jumatatu Poe, Meredith Rainey, Whit MacLaughlin, and Kun-Yang Lin. After graduation she became an apprentice with Olive Prince Dance for their 2010 Live Arts piece “I desire” and performed choreography by Renee Banson in the 2010 Philly Fringe Festival. In 2011, she began performing with companies such as Dancefusion, Band of Artists, Underground DanceWorks (UDW), and Group Motion. Following that year, Maria also began teaching at studios such as Elite Dance Academy and working with PhillyBOOST, a public school “out-of-school hours” program aimed to offer courses that pursue youth interests such as dance. She has recently relocated to Denver and is blessed to be continuing her career as an educator and long lasting student of dance.
Lenise Ruff - Instructor
Lenise was raised here in Castle Rock, Colorado! She grew up competing in gymnastics from age 8 through 18. Her love of the sport brought her to start coaching gymnastics, cheer, and tumbling, and has been doing so for over 5 years. After graduating high school at Douglas County High School, she moved up to Denver where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Metropolitan State University. She went on to get her certification as a Dietitian Technician and worked at Children’s Hospital for three years.
She eventually made the transition to change careers and started working more in the business world. Now she is working for a small leasing company in Lone Tree, Colorado.
Life eventually lead her and her husband Sam back down to Castle Rock in 2017 where they bought their first home! Being back in this wonderful community has been such a blessing and she is excited to be a part of the family at La Roche were she coaches tumbling and acrobatic skills!
Lenise was raised here in Castle Rock, Colorado! She grew up competing in gymnastics from age 8 through 18. Her love of the sport brought her to start coaching gymnastics, cheer, and tumbling, and has been doing so for over 5 years. After graduating high school at Douglas County High School, she moved up to Denver where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Metropolitan State University. She went on to get her certification as a Dietitian Technician and worked at Children’s Hospital for three years.
She eventually made the transition to change careers and started working more in the business world. Now she is working for a small leasing company in Lone Tree, Colorado.
Life eventually lead her and her husband Sam back down to Castle Rock in 2017 where they bought their first home! Being back in this wonderful community has been such a blessing and she is excited to be a part of the family at La Roche were she coaches tumbling and acrobatic skills!
Alison Fletcher - Guest Instructor
Alison Fletcher has recently returned back to the states from North Africa, where she worked for an arts and culture organization that is designed to help university students express themselves artistically, as well as experience the creative process from other students around the world. Here she used dance to build their gifts and grow her students in leadership and communication. As the Artistic Director of Dance within that company, Alison developed dance programs for students at local universities. She offers them basic training in Contemporary, Hip Hop, Improvisation, and Ballet, and taught them how to use dance to share personal testimonies of their lives.’ Independently, Alison developed a company of her own that was committed to using art for discovery, both internally and externally. Her company often collaborated with local artists to invite the North African community into these art forms through workshops, masterclasses, and exhibitions.
Before Alison moved to Africa in August 2012, she was teaching Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and Hip-Hop dance to students from thirty-eight different countries at an international high school known as Wasatch Academy located in Mount Pleasant, Utah. In 2011, Alison received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance Education from James Madison University, where she was actively involved in JMU’s Contemporary Dance Ensemble.
Alison began formal dance training when she was eight years old, from Genia Johnson Dance Company, and has been falling in love with the art form ever since.
Alison Fletcher has recently returned back to the states from North Africa, where she worked for an arts and culture organization that is designed to help university students express themselves artistically, as well as experience the creative process from other students around the world. Here she used dance to build their gifts and grow her students in leadership and communication. As the Artistic Director of Dance within that company, Alison developed dance programs for students at local universities. She offers them basic training in Contemporary, Hip Hop, Improvisation, and Ballet, and taught them how to use dance to share personal testimonies of their lives.’ Independently, Alison developed a company of her own that was committed to using art for discovery, both internally and externally. Her company often collaborated with local artists to invite the North African community into these art forms through workshops, masterclasses, and exhibitions.
Before Alison moved to Africa in August 2012, she was teaching Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and Hip-Hop dance to students from thirty-eight different countries at an international high school known as Wasatch Academy located in Mount Pleasant, Utah. In 2011, Alison received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance Education from James Madison University, where she was actively involved in JMU’s Contemporary Dance Ensemble.
Alison began formal dance training when she was eight years old, from Genia Johnson Dance Company, and has been falling in love with the art form ever since.
Jessica Pittman - Guest Instructor
Jessica was born in Grand Rapids, MI and began her dance training at the age of six. The first eleven years were spent training at a competitive dance studio, Dance Dimensions, to be versatile in many styles of dance. Recently receiving from Grand Valley State University a Bachelors Degree in Dance and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting, she has expanded her knowledge of both technical and performance training. Through the Grand Valley Dance Company she has studied with renowned guest choreographers such as Lauren Edson, Autumn Eckman, and performed with the Thodos Dance Company of Chicago. Jessica has choreographed for various shows throughout her years spent at Grand Valley and was selected to represent the university at the 2013 ACDFA with her senior group piece, Let “Only You” Go. Future plans are to pursue a performance career in Denver, CO.
Jessica was born in Grand Rapids, MI and began her dance training at the age of six. The first eleven years were spent training at a competitive dance studio, Dance Dimensions, to be versatile in many styles of dance. Recently receiving from Grand Valley State University a Bachelors Degree in Dance and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting, she has expanded her knowledge of both technical and performance training. Through the Grand Valley Dance Company she has studied with renowned guest choreographers such as Lauren Edson, Autumn Eckman, and performed with the Thodos Dance Company of Chicago. Jessica has choreographed for various shows throughout her years spent at Grand Valley and was selected to represent the university at the 2013 ACDFA with her senior group piece, Let “Only You” Go. Future plans are to pursue a performance career in Denver, CO.