Staff
Introducing Dance Fever's 2024-25 Teaching Staff:
Karlie Krizanik
Owner/Director
Karlie's love for dance began in Erie, PA at the age of three- training in ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, hip-hop, gymnastics, cheerleading, and more. As a teen, she joined her studio's Acrobatic Adagio Company and danced/cheered competitively. She began teaching at 13 and has been doing so ever since! Karlie earned a Bachelor's in Child Development and Family Relations with a minor in Dance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Upon moving to Charlotte, Karlie attended the University of North Carolina Charlotte for graduate school, earning a Masters in Dance Education. Karlie has been employed as a Dance Educator with Rowan-Salisbury School District, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District, and has experience specializing dance instruction for students with special needs. After teaching with Dance Fever, Karlie fulfilled her lifetime dream of becoming the studio owner and director. She is beyond excited and proud to call Dance Fever home. Karlie's goal is to continuously learn and grow as a life long student of dance and to share that knowledge, providing excellent dance education to all students! "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle Acrobatic Arts Certified Instructor
Taryn Moreno
Charlotte Manager / Instructor
Acrobatic Arts Certified Instructor Taryn was raised in Fort Mill, SC where her passion for dance began at the very young age of two. She began performing and competing all around the country in Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Acrobatics, Pom, Lyrical, and much more! Taryn began teaching at the age of 19 while receiving her degree in Sport Management at Winthrop University. She has had the privilege of dancing for the University by performing with the Dance Department in many different showcases and musicals. Taryn danced professionally for the Charlotte Checkers CheckMates and coached the Winthrop Spirit Squad upon graduation.
April Carte
Instructor
April has been a part of the Dance Fever family since she was 5 years old and started competing at age 8. As a student at Dance Fever, she trained in all dance styles and spent many hours student teaching and working the front desk. April is excited to have joined the teaching staff and remains an important part of the Dance Fever family. April is a graduate of Mallard Creek Highschool and UNC Charlotte.
Gabby Lockovich
Instructor
Acrobatic Arts Certified Instructor Gabby Lockovich was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. A graduate of Lake Norman Charter High School and UNCC. She started dancing at Dance Fever Charlotte in seventh grade, training in ballet, jazz, acro and was a part of the competition team as well as a student-teacher. In her free time, she loves to travel, shop, and spend time outdoors.
Brianna Graves
Instructor
Brianna started dancing at the age of 2 in Arizona and is entering into her 20th year dancing, as well as her 8th year teaching dance. She trained at a young age in both Arizona and California before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. She started competing with dance at the age of 8 and has trained in many diverse styles including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theatre, latin dance, and hip hop. She began assisting dance classes through the fine arts program at her school in the 6th grade and eventually started teaching her own classes before graduating high school. She has experience working with various ages of dancers ranging from preschoolers up to adults in many styles. She recently graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor's degree in Dance Studies. Throughout her college experience she had the opportunity to perform in and choreograph for main stage shows, such as the Appalachian Dance Ensemble, as well as club showcases. She was also the President of Entropy Dance Crew, a hip hop and street styles dance club at App State. After graduating, she moved back to Charlotte and is very excited to start teaching at Dance Fever this year as she continues spreading her knowledge and passion of dance onto the younger generation of dancers!
Nikki Underwood
Instructor
Nikki’s love for dance began at age 3 in Troy, AL and she joined the competition team soon after. She is a well-rounded dancer trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary. During her years of competing, she trained with many well-known instructors, including Brian Friedman and Mia Michaels, and was titled West Coast Dance Explosion’s Elite Dancer and Hollywood Vibe’s National Dancer of the Year in her high school years. After graduating, she went on to become a member of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Cabaret and RipTide dance teams, a Nike Industrial dancer in 2008, and choreographed and participated in student dance shows on campus. Nikki has 18 years of teaching experience in jazz and contemporary with kids of all ages. She has a passion for technique and strength training, as well as helping students unlock their unique styles and musicality. In addition to teaching dance, Nikki works full-time in marketing and is a wife and mom of two!
Sarah Reid
Instructor
Sarah Reid began her dance training in her New Jersey hometown, participating in competitions and conventions nationally. Sarah diversified her dance technique and performing arts education at the Academy for Visual and Performing Arts High School where she supplemented her training with multimedia, theater, and stage production. Sarah earned her B.A. from Muhlenberg College, double-majoring in Dance, with an education concentration & Psychology. While attending Muhlenberg, Sarah taught modern, ballet, and jazz classes at the Muhlenberg Community Dance Center and was a performing member of DanceMax Moving Company. In 2013, Sarah studied at the Florence University of the Arts (Italy) where she had the opportunity to choreograph and perform site-specific solo works alongside the Florence Dance Company. She also studied with Pilobolus Dance Theatre during their summer workshop series. Sarah is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Professional performance credits include works by the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, regional touring in Philadelphia, New York City, and the Northeast as a founding member of the Megan Flynn Dance Company, and other collaborative projects as a freelance dancer. For the past 6 years, Sarah was the Program Manager and a teacher on faculty at the Philadelphia Dance Academy. She is excited to continue to share her passions for dance performance, education, and production.
Molly Haughey
Instructor
Molly is a Charlotte native who grew up dancing at Dance Fever from the age of 3, and started competing at age 9. As a student at Dance Fever, Molly trained in all styles, and spent time student teaching and working at the front desk. Molly joined the teaching staff in 2022, and is excited to continue her teaching journey with the Dance Fever family. She is a current student at Queens University of Charlotte where she plans to graduate in 2027, and is also a member of the dance team!
Cordelia Hogan
Ballet Instructor
Cordelia Hogan, a Virginia native, began dancing at age four at a competitive studio in her hometown. She trained in many styles, including ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, hip hop, musical theater, and contemporary. Cordelia graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Dance and Linguistics, where she danced in several performances sponsored by the Duke Dance Program, as well as performances by Devils en Pointe, the only student-run ballet company on campus. Also at Duke, Cordelia played the trumpet in the Duke University Marching and Pep Band, performing at all home Football and Basketball games. She is excited to have the opportunity to share her passion for ballet with the students at Dance Fever.
Faith Bitsko
Instructor
Faith Bitsko began her dance training at a young age in Virginia at Dance & Company, taking classes in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, musical stage, and lyrical. During high school, she worked with professionals Shannon Hummel (Cora Dance) and Canyon Carballosa, privately with Dani Maloney and Mary Robare, and participated in scholarships to the Joffrey Hip Hop Summer Intensive (2017) and Liberate Artists Intensive, working with Lauren Froderman and others (2018). Faith trained at JMU in dance for two years working with Dance Works Chicago, Jess Hendricks, and privately with dancers with disabilities. She has also more recently attended dance clinics for the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.
Taylor Dixon
Instructor
Miss Taylor grew up dancing at Dance Fever and is excited to rejoin our team after graduating from Chapel Hill. Taylor began dancing at age 2 and started competing at age 9. At Dance Fever, Taylor trained in all styles, while also student teaching and working in the front office. Taylor recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2024, where she continued to dance and served as Carolina Style’s Tap Director. You can find Taylor teaching at both locations everyone from our PreDancers to tap and Acro too! We are so excited to have her smiling face back and ready for her to spread her love for dance.
Sydney Forbes
Instructor
Sydney Forbes is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. Forbes has been dancing since the age of 2 at the Dance Centre, located in Skippack, PA. At her home studio, she competed with the competition team for 9 years and took classes such as tap, jazz, modern, hip hop and ballet. In addition to her studio training, Sydney attended the Center for Performing and Fine Arts, a hybrid high school located in West Chester, PA. Sydney started to focus on tap and commercial jazz in high school which started her love and drive for these specific styles. In 2017, Forbes joined an all-female tap company in Philadelphia called The Lady Hoofers. Forbes recently graduated in May of 2024 from Slippery Rock University, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography, as well as earned a Minor in Adapted Physical Activity. Sydney is beyond excited to be teaching at both Dance Fever locations this season as she continues to share her passion for dance!
Leandra Marchesin
Ballet Instructor
Leandra has worked for over 20 years as a Classical Ballet teacher and choreographer. She has a degree in Classical Ballet and Jazz and has been a professional classical dancer since 1996 when she joined the "Cisne Negro Compania de Danca" (Black Swan Professional Dance Company - Contemporary) in Sao Paulo/Brazil. As a soloist dancer, she perfromed with Joinville Dance Festival, Danca Ribeirao, Promodanca Solo a Cinq, RV Promocoes, Grand Prix Brazil, Festidanca, Bravo Festival de Danca, Passo de Arte, Sao Paulo Dance Festival and others. As a professional dancer and classical ballet teacher she took over the coordination of "Grupo Cadencia de Classico Avancado" (Advanced Classic Amateur Group), where was responsible for teaching the daily classes of classical ballet, developing choreographic projects (classical, freestyle, and contemporary), revising, or adapting classical ballet repertoire in groups or with soloists. MIss Leandra has worked for more than twenty years as a classical ballet teacher at and has extensive experience in teaching this art to children. Leandra also is a Ballet/Pilates instructor and specializes in several other modalities like XtendBarre, Balletpilates and Progressing Ballet Technique – PTB Level 1. We are so excited to welcome Leandra and watch her share her knowledge and passion with her Dance Fever students.
Megan Whittington
Instructor
Megan started dancing when she was five years old, doing tap and ballet, where she was born in California. At age seven she and her family relocated to Nevada where she started dancing in several ballroom programs, learning latin dance, swing, waltz and more. Throughout her youth she continued developing her ballroom skills as well as her technique through ballet, acro and jazz classes. After graduating high school she won two National Ballroom Championships receiving both a silver and a gold medal for the U.S. She has even had the opportunity to perform at Disneyland several times during her career. After this she relocated to the Carolinas to continue schooling as well as teaching dance. After receiving her communications degree, Megan started a wedding planning company based in Charlotte. Megan is ecstatic to share her joy and love for dance at both Dance Fever locations!