Kate Lynn began dancing at the age of 3 and has since cultivated a lifelong passion for dance. She studied dance at San Diego State University and San Jose State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in dance. Kate Lynn is the proud owner and director of Studio650, where she seeks to inspire the love of dance in individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Kate Lynn's artistic journey is not only about personal fulfillment but also about fostering community, connection, and positivity among her students.

As the Studio Director of Studio650, Taya brings a unique perspective to dance education. With a degree in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California, she aims to create a culture of health, encourage a sense of community, and promote a positive mindset within the studio. Taya specializes in teaching lyrical, contemporary, jazz, and technique classes alongside guiding our company teams. She encourages her students to give their best effort individually and as a team.

Kasey has been dancing competitively since she was a little girl. After growing up in the studio, she pursued a major in dance at San Jose State University. After college, Kasey returned to teaching dance and has never looked back! When she is not in the studio, you can find her being a mom to Frankie (one of our petite team dancers) and Mila (a future dance star) or teaching barre and pilates at local studios.

Juliana St Goar is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer with over seven years of teaching experience. She specializes in contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, and lyrical styles. Juliana grew up as a competitive dancer before pursuing a degree in Health Policy at Georgetown University. During university, she trained extensively in commercial styles such as jazz funk, hip-hop, and heels. Juliana is passionate about training young dancers and helping them develop their artistic styles and technique while fostering confidence and strength in their abilities.

Chloe danced at Studio650 for six years, where she discovered her passion for choreography and teaching during her final three years of high school. She graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Dance and Communications, training extensively in jazz funk, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary. Chloe continues to choreograph and train students through solos, group dances, and private lessons. She also combines her love of dance and media by supporting dancers and the studio through video editing, portfolio development, and digital content creation.

Shelby grew up dancing and competing locally, developing a lifelong love for dance and movement. She graduated from San José State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology. Shelby is also a proud mom of two young daughters who dance at Studio650, making the studio community especially close to her heart. She is so excited to join the Studio650 team!

Lyndsey danced at Studio650 for 5 years and loved being part of the studio community. While in college, she would return to Studio650 during breaks to teach summer camps, where she developed a love for teaching and working with young dancers. Lyndsey recently graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Finance and is also a yoga sculpt instructor. She is excited to be back at Studio650 teaching jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and yoga sculpt classes. One of her favorite parts of teaching is creating a fun and encouraging environment where students can build confidence through movement!

Mimi began dancing competitively at age 10, earning titles and scholarships from institutions like the Joffrey Ballet, AMDA, and Alvin Ailey. With over 15 years of training in styles including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and more, she has trained internationally, assisted master classes, and competed at top levels. As an educator and choreographer, Mimi has taught across the Bay Area, coached award-winning teams, and served as Competition Team Director at Soo Dance Company. Her dynamic choreography and mentoring have helped students gain top competition honors and acceptance into elite programs like Juilliard and NYU. She also judges for major competitions and freelances in Japan, LA, and beyond.

Coach Lain is a mental performance coach and tumbling instructor dedicated to helping athletes build confidence, resilience, and lasting performance skills. With years of experience coaching athletes of all ages and ability levels, he combines technical tumbling instruction with evidence-based strategies that help students manage pressure, improve focus, and perform with greater consistency.

Nicole Kuhar grew up in the Bay Area and is a San Jose native. She started off dancing Filipino folk dance and ballet and then found her love in gymnastics. As an adult she rediscovered her love of dance by taking adult classes and choreographing gymnastics routines for her competitive teams. She studied Kinesiology at Cal State East Bay and graduated with a B.S. with the focus on nutrition, health, and wellness. She has over 14 years of teaching experience from preschool age to adults. Her passion for teaching shows with the energy and enthusiasm she brings to her classes.

Nikki is a freelance teaching artist from the Bay Area. She trained under Ballet mistress Jessica Woodman (ShadowOfADancer) who is informed by the National Training Curriculum, the Vaganova Method, and the GYROTONIC® method. She has also attended the former Lines Ballet Training Program and continued advanced studies in their school. She has since began attending GYROTONIC® teaching seminars at SFGT to deepen her understanding of the method. She is 23 and entered the field of teaching and somatic techniques at the age of 18.

Ikolo Griffin brings over twenty years of professional performing experience to Studio650, along with a deep love of classical ballet and the art of the turn. A former professional dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Joffrey Ballet, and Smuin Ballet, Ikolo is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Dance. He is the founder of Just Turns, a pirouette and turning method he has taught across seven countries and across the USA, and for the past ten years a returning guest teacher at Dolce Dance Studio in Fresno, where he has coached dancers from first pirouettes to national competitors like Riley Zeitler and Kennedy Paige. Known as much for his warmth as his high standards, Ikolo has a gift for making class fun while asking dancers to work hard and reach for excellence, and for building the strong classical technique that is the foundation of every style.

Leilani has been dancing since she was three years old. She danced competitively from ages 10 to 17 and continued her passion for dance at Stanford University, where she participated in and led student-run dance teams. Leilani graduated from Stanford with a B.A. in Human Biology, with a focus on Child Development and Mental Health and is currently applying to medical school. She is so excited to join the Studio650 team this season and share her love of dance with our dancers!