Like many tiny ballerina-hopefuls, Katrina started ballet as a 3-year-old little girl. As a teen, she worked in a dance studio as an instructor and administrative assistant. After completing her bachelor’s degrees in music and elementary education from Colorado Christian University, Katrina and her husband eagerly left the big city behind and settled in Pagosa in 2001. Since then, she has served the community in many teaching, performing, and administrative roles while simultaneously raising and homeschooling their four children. Katrina joined PSDA as a student and assistant in 2016. She has also served more than ten years on multiple local nonprofit boards. She is thrilled to be part of the launch of Expressions School of the Arts and the continuation of the PSDA legacy. Katrina also can be found teaching K-8 music for the Archuleta School District. To unwind, you’ll find Katrina snuggled up with a good book or exploring the great outdoors with her family.

Denise Pitchon, AKA "Miss Dee" is an exceptionally trained, certified, and experienced ballet dancer. In her younger years she was an accomplished dancer herself, and is highly trained in dance instructing and body mechanics. Dee is certified through the rigorous Royal Academy of Dancing program, as well as through the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) choreography certification, mentored directly by the legendary Ricky Harris. After certification, she worked with top dancers and ice skaters, many of who competed in the Olympics. Much of her long instructing career was involved in the Royal Academy program under the JoAnne Jarvis Studio by the Sea in Malibu CA, plus many other ice rinks and studios in California. "However", she comments, "I went all over with my ice skaters, both nationally and internationally. I loved watching them grow to the performance level." After retiring to Pagosa, she has continued to use her talents for high-quality education for dancers of all ages and levels. She also enjoys art, metalworking, gardening, and caring for her dogs.

Lesley began her dancing career when she was 4 years old. She learned, flourished and was able to attend competitions at the high school level. After college, Lesley had two girls and wanted to pass on the love of dance to them. During their little dance careers, Lesley has attended many competitions, conventions, and master classes. Her goal is to encourage students to step out of their comfort zones to try something big and scary. Comradery within the company is imperative and she looks forward to fostering that as well as growing a core group of students who want to take dance to this next level. She also teaches at the middle school and loves spending time outdoors with her family and appreciates a good cup of coffee.

Courtney Luke fell in love with dance at an early age starting class when she was in second grade. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz in Los Angeles. She was president of the Dance Club in high school and enjoyed performing at El Camino College. She continued taking dance classes through her young adult life and became a certified Rhythm Works instructor shortly after the birth of her first child. When she’s not instructing dance, she’s homeschooling her two children and cheering her dirt biking riding son on as he races across the Western United States.

Anika first started dancing at a very young age, but then became serious about dancing at age eleven. At that time, she began ballet and lyrical with Ms. Dee and has loved dancing ever since. Anika has been assisting, teaching, or choreographing for PSDA since 2015. She has a BM in Music Education and a minor in Dance from Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, CO. Anika teaches music as Pagosa Springs Elementary School and privately. She also enjoys musical theater (singing, dancing, and acting - perfect combination!), playing cello and French horn, backpacking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Heather is married to a retired Special Forces Officer, and they live on a hobby farm with their children in Chama NM. Heather learned the art of dance with Ladonna’s Dance Company, in MT, starting at the age of 3. After graduating she taught all forms of classical dance until her 3rd child was born. Later she did private lessons and was a dance sub. Heather has also worked in the modeling/acting industry, out of Fargo, ND. At present she has a company called H & E Literary Works LLC, a blog at heatherearles.com, and has a podcast called Herb ‘N Wisdom™.

She is an established author, works part time for Pufferprint, a publishing company, a stay-at-home mother, and an advocate for healthy living. For the past year Heather has also been tutoring under an integration doctor, learning the art of Chinese medicine, frequencies, color and light therapy, and acupuncture.

“I love giving people hope and helping them heal.”

As dancing is her biggest passion, she is excited to be teaching at Pagosa Springs Dance Academy.

“Dance reveals my soul when sadness, joy, or a thought have no other way of escaping.”

-Heather Earles

Sarah Muirhead has been tap dancing since she was 4 years old and has never stopped! While dancing in her hometown of Pueblo, CO, Sarah also got the chance to learn Irish dance in middle school and fell in love with it, too! After continuing Irish and tap dancing through high school, Sarah taught Irish and tap through college and years afterward in Pueblo, Gunnison, and Pagosa. Sarah enjoys learning about many different cultures through dance, food, and language and loves to share this with those around her.

Olivia started dancing at the age of four. What started out as a way to fix her inward-pointing feet, soon became a fun activity anywhere she went! Olivia moved to Pagosa Springs in early 2016, and enrolled in our academy. Since the time she began with us, she has been training in ballet with Ms Dee- including dancing now en pointe since 2018. As well as exploring many other styles of dance, Olivia always enjoyed helping at the studio. She has had many years in training on how to teach students with proper technique while keeping it fun! Olivia has continued to train and teach with many instructors as well as on her own. She hopes to inspire students to follow their dreams and never give up on themselves!

Faith started dancing at five years old and began studying ballet with Ms. Dee when she was eight. She trains in many styles of dance including ballet, pointe, modern, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and character, and she has been a part of PSDA's show group and competition team since it began. She has assisted with many classes over the years, and has been teaching her own classes since 2022. She loves working with and teaching children. She is the oldest of three siblings and is currently in high school. Besides dancing, she enjoys 4-H, reading, writing, needlework, jewelry-making, singing, playing the piano, skiing, and skating.

Avonlea has been dancing since her fourth birthday and has never looked back. She is part of the competition team, trains in lots of different styles, including tap, ballet, Irish, modern, jazz, character, and musical theater, and loves working with her littles! She has also participated in the community theater and band. Outside of dance, she loves to read, crochet, play flute, backpack, bake, sing, ski, embroider, and fish.