Locally Owned for All Ages
History The ballet studio has a long history as a dance studio in Park Hill and changed names and owners a few times since the 1970’s. The studio was purchased in July 2014 by Karlyn Griswold and became Park Hill Dance Academy. Karlyn excited to share her love of dance with the Park Hill community. She is very excited to bring her vision and dreams to life as a teacher and choreographer in Park Hill.
Meet Our Staff
Karlyn Griswold
Karlyn also knew that she wanted to teach. Teaching came naturally to her because she always wanted to share her love for dance with the world. She began teaching ballet at the San Diego City Ballet in 2000. She started teaching at The Dancer’s Advantage 2011 and various studios in Denver including Cleo Parker Robinson and The Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities. She fell in love with the Park Hill Community and purchased the business in July 2014. Karlyn’s vision for Park Hill Dance Academy is to bring dance into the lives of everyone who walks through her door. She loves to teach all ages and all abilities and brings her passion for dance to the studio every day.
When Karlyn is not teaching at the studio, she enjoys spending time with her family, dancing with Park Hill Dance Collective, and riding bikes around Denver.
Madison Oleson
Rowan Salem
Laura Whitby
Jessica Mariner
Jessica Mariner is originally from Chicago, IL. She began dancing at an early age and trained at Dmitri Roudnev School of Ballet, Salt Creek Ballet and at the Studio Company of Ballet Chicago under the direction of Daniel Duell. While at Ballet Chicago she performed some notable ballets including George Balachine’s Serenade, and Who Cares. She also spent summers training at Miami City Ballet, and Orlando ballet. She then continued her education at the University of Utah, obtaining a B.F.A in Ballet Performance. While at the university, she danced with the performing company Utah Ballet performing classic ballets such as Gisselle, La Bayadere, and Firebird.
After graduation, she began her professional career dancing as an apprentice with Ballet Nebraska and then joined Missouri Ballet Theatre as a full company member. Jessica is currently dancing with Ballet Ariel performing soloist and corp de ballet roles in classical and contemporary ballets. Over the past few years, she has had the privilege of performing soloist roles in La Vivandiére, Les Sylphides, The Nutcracker, Cinderella and La Fille Mal Gardee. While performing, Jessica also has had the opportunity to teach at several studios in Omaha, St. Louis and Denver.
Lizanne McAdams-Graham
Mid career Ms. McAdams-Graham joined the renowned ODC/Dance, exploring contemporary dance, completing world tours in Russia, Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and Australia, along with residency at Jacobs Pillow, Joyce Theater, City Center, Lincoln Center in NYC, and Kennedy Center in D.C. She has guest appeared for Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco Opera Ballet Companies in “Faust”, “Die Fledermaus”, “La Traviata” “Orfeo Ed Euridice” and “Aida” and appeared on the PBS televised production of “Dance in America”.
Ms. McAdams served on the dance faculty for Dance Alloy at Carnegie-Mellon University, Point Park University, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Dance Center and Drexel University . She has set major ballets on Charleston Ballet, Ithaca Ballet and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. She retired from performing in 1997 and conducted company class for Boulder Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Zikir Dance Ensemble and Wonderbound in Colorado. She conducted thriving professional classes at Colorado Ballet and Denver Dance Center for 22 years. She was Ballet Mistress for David Taylor Dance Theatre and Dawson/Wallace Dance Project. Before relocating to Austin, Texas, Ms. McAdams was Ballet Director/Choreographer and Ballet Mistress for Sweatshop Dance in Denver.
Alexandra Bell
Inspire Growth and Confidence
Both In Studio and On The Stage