The Academy of the Arts

Dance Instructor​

Mikaela Garrett, originally from Nebraska, began her early training at the Karen McWilliams School of Dance in Lincoln Nebraska. She continued her dance career in Hastings, Nebraska teaching a full curriculum of dance at T'Dance School of Performing Arts. During her tenure at T'Dance, Ms. Garrett studied at Snowy Range Mountain Dance Festival in Laramie, Wyoming and was honored to work directly with Hubbard Street Chicago Dancer, Jay Franke. In 2003, Ms. Garrett relocated to Chicago, Illinois and performed with School Street Movement, a hip-hop outreach dance troupe associated with the Joel Hall School of Dance. While in Chicago, Ms. Garrett studied modern and jazz with Joel Hall and had the opportunity to teach a weekend hip hop workshop at Hubbard Street dance studios to a group of undergraduate dance students. In addition, Ms. Garrett was invited to teach a weekend workshop and choreograph a commissioned hip hop piece for students at T'Dance in Hastings, Nebraska. In 2004, Ms. Garrett moved to the Kansas City area to direct and teach at A Fairytale Ballet dance studios, specializing in creative movement for young children. Since her move to Kansas City, Ms. Garrett has had the honor of working with choreographer Suzanne Ryan and under her direction danced in the 2009 presentation of the 60x60 dance and new music project and the 2010 Modern Night at The Folly.