Miss Kristin

Owner/Director

Kristin started dance at the age of 4 and has not slowed down since.  She graduated from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) with a degree in Sport/Dance/Art management and minors in dance and health.  The day she graduated, she signed her first lease in Avon Lake to begin creating the dream she always had…her own dance studio!  She has built her studio from the ground up and 29 years later is still working hard to offer her MKDS dancers the best dance education in the area!  She is an active I.D.E.A. member (International Dance Entrepreneur Association).  She has been tested and certified through both Dance Educators of America and Acrobatic Arts.  She attends many conferences and seminars all over the country each year to continue to grow and expand her skills, knowledge and her business.  Kristin teaches with energy and a smile!  She can’t wait to meet you and your dancer!

Miss Hilary

Hilary began dancing at the age of three at a small studio in Wellington, Ohio. She was a competitive dancer throughout  high school.  Upon graduating high school Hilary was asked to join The Dee Hillier Dance Company and this is where she met Kristin Perry.  She trained with many teachers here in Cleveland and traveled to New York as well.  She performed in many Cleveland area shows and events with Dee and her company for over 10 years. Hilary began teaching immediately out of high school.  She has been a studio and competitive dance teacher for 28 years and she has been with Miss Kristin’s for 18 years.   She also loves decorating, teaching private technical dance lessons and being with her family. She has been married for 23 yrs to her husband Matt and they have two children, Victoria and Charlie.

Miss Tara

Tara Kunzelman has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She studied and/or taught at Daryl Jervis, O'Connell's, Toledo Ballet and the ADA Dance Academy. She was a competitive dancer throughout high school. She went to college at Ohio Northern University where she majored in Pharmacy and minored in Dance. Tara was part of the ONU Dance Company where she performed in many shows with groups such as The Tom Evert Dance Company, LA Jazz Tap Ensemble, River North, Ballet Memphis, Especially Tap Chicago and the African American Dance Ensemble. She also performed as a dancer/singer/soloist in "Rockin' Round The Point" at Cedar Point, and she traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland to perform in the Fringe Festival. Since college, Tara tap danced in NYC for two summers with "Break The Floor." She has taught at multiple dance studios in the Cleveland area. Currently, she teaches at Miss Kristin's Dance Studio, where she has been for over 10 years.

Miss Molly

Molly Stanton has taught, coached and choreographed dance professionally since 2016. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a BFA in both Dance and Arts Management in 2020, she returned home to Cleveland, Ohio to receive her Masters in Business Administration from Cleveland State University in 2021. Since moving back to Cleveland Molly has choreographed for studio, high school and college dance team programs across the state. Her work has received numerous regional and national title awards including two Dazzle Awards for best choreography, top 10 placement at NDA College Nationals and numerous first place finishes at regional competitions. Molly is also currently on the coaching staff for the Magnificat High School Dance Team, Avon Lake High School Dance Team and she serves as Co-Director of Miss Kristin’s Dance Studio Competitive Dance Program. In addition to teaching and choreographing dance Molly enjoys teaching group fitness classes and spending time with her family in Avon Lake.

Miss Mary Grace

Mary Grace Geise is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and fitness instructor based in Cleveland, OH. She graduated from Western Michigan University summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance and an undergraduate certificate in Dance Studio Management. While at WMU, she performed choreographic works by renowned artists such as Yin Yue, Tsai-Hsi Hung, Penny Saunders, Kelsey Paschich, Carolyn Pavlik, and Monique Haley. Mary Grace also has professional experience performing pieces by Alyssa Brutlag and Robyn Mineko-Williams. She is a coach, teacher, and choreographer for the Magnificat High School Dance Team and Barre Dance Academy. She additionally works as a professional fitness instructor certified in Barre and group fitness. Mary Grace is excited to teach at Miss Kristin's Dance Studio this year!

Miss Eden

Eden Lengauer has over 30 years of experience choreographing and instructing dance. She was a former dance studio owner for 18 years and is versed in jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical and musical theater. She has choreographed for many community events including the Independence Primary and Middle School concerts, the Cleveland Stars-n-Motion, and for a fashion show in downtown Cleveland. Eden received her training from Dee Hillier and has taken many master classes with renowned instructors from NY to LA.  Eden resides in N. Ridgeville with her husband and two sons.   

Miss Caitlyn

Caitlyn Guyer is a student, instructor and choreographer based in the Cleveland area. Her dance career started at the early age of two when she began taking class at Miss Kristin’s! When training became more serious, she began assistant teaching at the studio and taking outside intensives and workshops. She was apart of the MKDS company dance team for four years, and is now the assistant coach. She is also responsible for the pre-competition teams, which began in 2022 as just one team. Currently, she’s teaching classes 6 days a week and taking class when she can. Caitlyn believes dance is more than just steps and brings this passion wherever she goes.

Miss Becky

Becky is from Cleveland, OH where she began dancing at the age of 3 years old. After graduating from Magnificat High School, she went on to graduate with a degree in dance from Loyola University Chicago. While in Chicago, she studied under professors who danced professionally with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, River North Dance Chicago, and Luna Negra Dance Theater. She also travelled to Havana, Cuba in 2016 to take classes at the National Arts School. She performed in various historical works such as Grieg Concerto (Doris Humphrey), La Ventana (August Bournonville), and Paquita (Marius Petipa). After graduating in 2017, Becky returned to Cleveland and began teaching and choreographing at local studios. Becky is very excited to be teaching at Miss Kristin’s Dance Studio this year!

Miss Ari

Ari is a dancer, teacher, and performer. Ari graduated in 2018 with a BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University. Ari went to MKDS her whole childhood, from the age of 3 until graduation, and she is so excited to be back as a teacher! Ari has her 200-Hour Yoga license and an Opacize Greek Dance Fitness license. After graduation, she worked with Ballet Chicago as a summer chaperone, then began teaching at The Mark Morris Dance Center as an assistant teaching artist in NYC. In summer of 2019, she completed the 3-month Training Program at Broadway Dance Center focusing on Street styles. In NYC, she performed at Lincoln Center-Keenan Fellowship performance, ABC T.V.’s Annual Columbus Day Parade, NYC Korean Choseok Festival, Broadway Dance Center, and for many peer/teacher projects. Recently, Ari just completed her first summer performing with Universal Studios in Orlando. Ari loves teaching all styles and is so excited to be working with the students of MKDS!

Miss Holly

Studio Manager

Holly Armbrecht was a Certified Public Accountant after graduating from Miami University and worked in that capacity for 11 years.  She is Kristin’s sister and had also helped Kristin at the dance studio for years.  In 2007 she left public accounting and joined Kristin at the newly expanded dance studio location.  At the studio Holly does just about everything except teach.  You can see her working the front desk, helping customers schedule classes or working behind the scenes on the mkds dance team.  She and her husband Scott have four daughters and reside in Avon Lake.  In her spare time Holly enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors (especially at the beach), and reading.   

Miss Caroline

Caroline Szocs has been working at Miss Kristin's since 2007.  She is married to Frank and they have two daughters, Alexandria and Natalie, who both danced at mkds.  Her oldest daughter Alex started dancing when she was five. Alex was a senior in high school the year the mkds built the current location and Caroline was given the opportunity to work the front desk.  Caroline also sells promotional products and has been supplying a lot of the mkds spiritwear for years.  In her spare time Caroline enjoys exercising and visiting her daughters.  

Miss Jenny

Jenny Walsh has been working at MKDS since 2014, but has been walking through the front doors since 2001 when her oldest of three dancing girls started this journey. The girls have never looked back and would do it all over again as it has shaped them into the people they have become!  Jenny spends her days at Play and Learn Preschool working in the pre-k classroom.  In her free-time she reads, watches movies, plays with her golden retrievers and spends time with her husband and family. 

Miss Dawn

Dawn Crannis has been working behind the desk at MKDS since May of 2018, however, she has been with the studio as a dance mom for many years! Dawn lives in Avon Lake with her husband, Damion, children Kiley, Sophia, Charlotte, Quintin and dog Otis. When she is not at the studio Dawn teaches Pre-K at Cornerstone Preschool in Avon Lake. She loves to run, read, golf, practice yoga and spend time with family & friends.

Miss Cindy

Miss Cindy is retired from working with Cuyahoga County for over 32 years, and she loves working at Miss Kristin's Dance Studio. She loves seeing all of the students and their parents. Miss Cindy was a dance mom for many years, and knows first hand how dance enriches a child's life!  Miss Cindy lives in Avon Lake with her husband, her daughter, her two cats Stanley and Stella, and her two Australian Shepherds Caesar and Ruby Sue. In her free time she enjoys swimming and walking Caesar and Ruby Sue!

Miss KELLY

Kelly Meullauer is excited to be working in a dance studio setting again after 10 years in the dance retail industry. She’s been a dance mom since 1995 and continues in that role as her 2 daughters still teach/perform in the Cleveland area (Miss Becky here at MKDS). In her spare time, she enjoys taking tap classes, watching Guardians games, reading and spending time with her husband.