Courtney Kelly
Courtney has recently relocated to sunny San Diego from Columbus, Ohio where she has been active in the dance community for over 30 years as a dancer and teacher. Her love of dance started at age 3 and she studied ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical at a local studio that has been in business over 50 years. In her many years of dancing, Courtney danced on the studio’s competitive team in tap, ballet and lyrical and won multiple regional and national awards at Dance Masters of Ohio and America, Headliners Performing Arts Competitions, American Dance Awards and KAR Nationals. She was a featured performer in Capitol Holiday Lights performing at the State House, the Miss Ohio Competition, and the United Way Fundraiser at Nationwide Arena with Dionne Warwick in 2000.
Courtney has danced professionally for Six Flags Theme Parks, in New York City, and was an original member of the Columbus, Ohio branch of New Vision Dance Company. In New York City she studied with such masters as Frank Hatchett, Jackie Patterson, Ann Reinking and Dana Moore. While performing is something she loves, nothing compares to the joy teaching brings. Teaching is her biggest passion and she loves watching students grown, learn and become more confident through the art of dance. Courtney has been teaching for the past 24 years, choreographing multiple award-winning competition routines in musical theatre, tap, jazz, ballet and contemporary. As a dance educator, Courtney is proud to be an active member of Dance Masters of America, certified in ballet and jazz, as well as having completed Level 1 of Dance Masters of America’s Teacher Training School in Buffalo, New York. Before moving to San Diego, Courtney was the Ballet Director at The Dance Space, having created a pointe program and new syllabi for the studio. Well versed in dance history, she taught all levels of adult and children’s classes at Artisan Dance Studio and all levels of tap at BalletMet Academy. Since moving to California, Courtney has been teaching & choreographing for Fusion Dance Solana Beach, North County Academy of Dance, and Lynch Dance Institute. Courtney has a BA in Italian from The Ohio State University and loves everything about her Italian heritage. She is excited to start a new chapter in her teaching career here in California.
