MEET OUR TEAM
STUDIO LEADERSHIP
Barbara Denny & Suzi Hayes, Owners & Executive Directors
Erin Sullivan, Studio Director
Jaela Matthews, Faculty Director
FACULTY & CHOREOGRAPHERS
Karah Anderson • Emily Bissett • Sara Bucci • Sam Burning • Callie Collier • Barbara Denny • Abby Gammel • Suzi Hayes • Mike Hitzel • Bailey Matthews • Jaela Matthews • Briana Scanzuso-Paolini • Holli Simme • Amelia Stack • Kelsey Stempien-Quinn • Erin Sullivan
ASSISTANT FACULTY
Jillian Anderson • Brenna Collier • Grace Haen
STUDIO OPERATIONS
Katie Anderson • Krista Hitzel • Suzi Hayes • Erin Sullivan
Meet the Executive Directors
For more than four decades, Barbara Denny and Suzi Hayes have dedicated their careers to sharing their love of dance with generations of students. As Owners and Executive Directors of Barb Denny’s, they have built a studio known for quality dance education, strong values, and a welcoming environment where every dancer is encouraged to grow both on and off the stage.
In addition to teaching at the studio, Barb and Suzi are active members of the Dance Masters of America and have served on the faculty for national conventions, sharing their knowledge and experience with dancers and educators from across the country. Their commitment to age-appropriate training, student development, and creating meaningful opportunities for young dancers continues to guide the studio today. Through their leadership, Barb Denny’s has become a place where generations of families have developed a lifelong love of dance.
A Studio Community That Feels Like Family
At Barb Denny’s, dance is about more than learning steps and performing on stage—it’s about building meaningful relationships and creating a sense of belonging. Our faculty brings decades of experience working with children, including several instructors with backgrounds in education, and is committed to creating an environment where dancers feel supported, encouraged, and valued.
We believe that strong studio communities are built through shared experiences. Throughout the season, we host a variety of family-oriented events and activities that bring dancers, families, and staff together both inside and outside the classroom. These traditions help create friendships, lasting memories, and connections that extend far beyond dance.
The relationships formed at Barb Denny’s often span generations. Many of our alumni return as adult students, parents, assistants, and instructors, continuing the traditions and values that have shaped our studio since 1980. It is these lifelong connections that make Barb Denny’s more than a dance studio—it’s a community, a tradition, and a place families proudly call home.
