Lyn Mulcahy
Studio Owner and Director/Dance Instructor
Lyn Mulcahy began her early dance training at Barbara Lynnes School of Dance in Elida. She went on to further her education by receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education and minor in Physical Education from Bowling Green State University. She also twice attended the Harvard Summer Dance Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While at Bowling Green she was a four year company member of the University Performing Dancers, an instructor for Bowling Green State University in the children’s programs, and director of dance for the Bowling Green City Parks.
Miss Lyn has choreographed for many local events including Allen County Junior Miss Program and local theatre productions, and has been the rehearsal director and instructor for the Great Russian Nutcracker, Dayton Ballet Nutcracker, and the Broadway touring performance of The Wizard of Oz. She is also one of the founders of Dance Prodigy Competition, the first local dance competition in Lima.
Miss Lyn has worked with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Youth Dance Program at North Middle School, which is a national project designed to educate students about drug prevention and healthy coping skills through dance, and also currently works as Artist in Residence at Marimor School through the Art Possible Ohio program.
Miss Lyn is very excited for the 30th dance season of Lyn’s Academy of Dance, and for another year of bringing the arts to local dancers and our community as a whole!
Liz Howard
Studio Director of Instruction/Dance Instructor
Liz Howard is celebrating her 24th year with Lyn’s Academy of Dance.
Miss Liz attended and graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelors degree in dance performance. While at Wright State University she also trained with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and numerous faculty from Dayton’s major dance companies. After she began her teaching career at Lyn’s Academy of Dance and with Dayton Ballet’s professional school. Miss Liz is also a graduate of Saint Mary’s College with her Master of Fine Arts in Dance.
For eight years Liz was the director of dance at Lake Bryn Mawr Camp, America’s premier sleep away camp for girls.
Miss Liz is also Director of the Dance program at Ohio Northern University.
Miss Liz’s choreography has won the highest awards at dance competitions and has been recognized at dance festivals, including the annual OhioDance festival. We are very lucky to have Miss Liz on our teaching staff!
Meghan Mulcahy
Studio Business Assistant/Dance Instructor
Meghan Mulcahy began her dance training at Lyn’s Academy of Dance. She took classes in a variety of different styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, and clogging, for 17 years. She developed a strong sense of artistry through performance experiences with Lyn’s Academy of Dance which included annual Nutcracker and spring recitals, the Dayton Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” Moscow Ballet’s “The Great Russian Nutcracker,” and “The Wizard of Oz” Broadway tour. She also traveled and danced competitively for 9 years, frequently performing on the competition stage and receiving several awards and winning titles. Miss Meghan was also an assistant teacher at Lyn’s Academy of Dance throughout high school.
Miss Meghan is a 2022 graduate of The Ohio State University’s Department of Dance, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with concentrations in Education, Administration, and Community Engagement. During her time at OSU she was also a student intern at OhioDance. Miss Meghan is very passionate about dance education and building communities through the arts.
Miss Meghan works at the studio as a dance instructor and business assistant to her mother, Miss Lyn Mulcahy. She also works under Miss Lyn and Miss Gillian as one of the directors of Dance Prodigy Competition. In addition, she will be embarking on her 2nd year as the full-time Kindergarten-4th grade Dance teacher with the Lima City Schools Liberty Arts Magnet this 2023-2024 school year. We are so excited for her, and proud of her for chasing her dreams!
To visit Miss Meghan’s artist website: https://megsmulcahy.wixsite.com/eportfolio
Gillian Cox
Dance Instructor
Gillian Cox is a former life-time Lyn’s Academy of Dance dance student and a year fourteen member of our teaching staff. She is also an Acrobatic Arts certified teacher – in July 2016 she completed her training and certification in this program which is designed to teach dance educators how to safely and effectively instruct AcroDance in the dance studio.
Gillian teaches a variety of classes of different styles for students of all ages, including tumbling as well as recreational and competitive dance classes. Her choreography for our competition teams has won high awards this competition season for exceptional choreography and performance. Miss Gillian’s vast knowledge and experiences with dance and acrobatics as well as her passion for our studio and her students make her excellent dance instructor!
Miss Gillian is also a founding member of Dance Prodigy Competition, a local dance competition making its 9th season at the Veterans Memorial Civic Center. Her dedication to the arts, especially in our local community, is invaluable.
Colleen Kesner
Dance Instructor
Colleen began her dance training at Lyn’s Academy of Dance in Elida and The Dance Centre’ in Wapakoneta.
Colleen holds a Bachelors degree in dance performance/choreography from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She has danced with Michigan’s only tap and jazz company, InSync’ Dance Theater with whom she performed in Chicago Tap Theater’s “Tidings of Tap” as a guest artist.
Colleen has worked with American Dance Training Camps in Chicago and Wisconsin as a contemporary instructor and assistant director. She has experience teaching with several dance studios in Ohio including Lyn’s Academy of Dance, Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks and of course, Seven Dance Academy. She worked as the director of Lima Senior High school’s dance program before moving to the Columbus area in the fall of 2012. Colleen has also taught with Very Special Arts Ohio, a grant program that brings dance into schools for the developmentally disabled. Colleen enjoys working with students of all ages and levels.
Colleen has a vast background in competition choreography and judging. She has judged for 3 years with OnPoint National Talent Competition, “America’s Ultimate Competition”.
In 2010 Colleen assisted in the founding of Seven Dance Company.
We are so happy to welcome Miss Colleen back to Lyn’s Academy of Dance!
Grace Zickafoose
Dance Instructor
Lyn’s Academy of Dance welcomes our studio alumni Grace Zickafoose to our teaching staff.
Miss Grace studied dance at Lyn’s Academy of Dance for 16 years, training in a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, and clogging. She was a stellar student and dance artist, and a lovely performer who showcased her talent in annual Nutcracker performances and spring recitals, the Dayton Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” Moscow Ballet’s “The Great Russian Nutcracker,” and “The Wizard of Oz” Broadway tour with Lyn’s Academy of Dance. She also danced competitively for several years, frequently performing on the competition stage and receiving several awards and winning titles.
Miss Grace is a 2023 graduate of Bluffton University. This 2023-2024 school year she will be a Mathematics teacher at Elida High School as well as a dance instructor at the studio. She has an undeniable love for teaching and Dance, and we can’t wait to see what her future in Education holds! .
Shelby Hawkins
Dance Instructor
Shelby Hawkins graduated from Lima Central Catholic High School in 2018 and is a 2022 graduate of The Ohio State University, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Dance.
Shelby began her dance training at The Dance Centré in Wapakoneta and danced competitively for 9 years, receiving several awards and winning titles with her competition dance team while attending dance conventions, workshops, competitions, and other events throughout Ohio. She has experience learning choreography and training under successful dancers such as Kent Boyd, Gregg Russell, Matt Steffanina, and The Mihacevich Sisters. Shelby also made an appearance in Moscow Ballet’s “The Great Russian Nutcracker”.
Shelby is thrilled to continue her passion of dance at Lyn Academy of Dance and is excited to work with and teach all of our fabulous students. In addition to being a wonderful dance instructor, she will also be a 4th grade teacher at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Lima, Ohio this 2023-2024 school year. She has an undeniable love for teaching and Dance, and we can’t wait to see what her future in Education holds! .
Abby Buchanan
Resident Guest Artist/Dance Instructor
Abby Buchanan’s dance training began at the age of 3 years old in her hometown of Newark, Ohio. She has had the opportunity to train in a variety of dance styles under the direction of many talented dance educators, including those at the Joffrey Ballet school, Point Park University, and Steps off Broadway. She has also trained with the Radio City Rockettes in their Rockette Summer Intensive Program, at the Conservatoire National Supêrieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in Paris, France, and among various academies in the country of Denmark.
In May 2023 Abby graduated from The Ohio Dtate University with a degree in Dance. She is currently finishing up the Exercise Science (Pre-Physical Therapy) portion of her Dual Degree. During her time as an undergraduate she has worked with many accredited choreographers such as Valarie Williams, Daniel Roberts, Paul Boos, and the Ballet Met Dance company. She has performed works in Paris, France, Copenhagen Denmark, and New York City.
Abby is also a member of the Ohio State University Club Dance Team, which is a competitive team that has ranked in the top 5 at the NDA College Dance National competition.
She is an extremely talented dancer, receiving the highest accolades for her performance and artistry. She is also an experienced teacher and choreographer, winning many awards for her works on the stage. Abby also recently joined WhirlWind Dance Company as a Community Artist.
Ashley Rosebrock
Director of Graphic Design/Marketing Consultant
Ashley Rosebrock received her Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Technology from Bowling Green State University in 2005. Since she has worked in Graphic Design and Art Supervision, Customer Service and Sales, and Communication and Logistics all while refining and developing her skills in advertising, marketing, concept development, design, creativity, strategy, and communication and logistics.
Ashley has been the creative and organizational force behind all of Lyn’s Academy of Dance’s and Dance Prodigy Competition’s logos, spirit wear designs, performance programs, sponsorship flyers and slideshows, registration papers and pamphlets, and all other notable promotional materials for several years. We are in awe of the quality work Ashley does as well as her creativity, organization, ingenuity, and dedication to the success of Lyn’s Academy of Dance and Dance Prodigy Competition!
Fun fact: Ashley has a daughter, Delaney, who is a Lyn’s Academy of Dance student! She is a 10 year dancer.