Team MemberSpotlight features Feel the Beat instructor, Marlena Fraune. Marlena (they/them) has been dancing since 2009, starting with jitterbug as a leader. Since then, they learned a variety of partner dance styles as a leader, follower, and switch dancer. They have won ballroom dance competitions in Colorado, New Mexico, and St Louis. Marlena has completed teacher training in 9 dances, taught in more, and learned and danced around the world. They modify dance to meet their own, and their students’, needs. This can include dancing standing, seated, and on the floor. Now, their favorite style of dance is “fusion,” in which they get to use skills and techniques from everything they’ve learned so far.

Team MemberSpotlight features Feel the Beat instructor, Heather Hapke. Heather is a Colorado Native who was raised in the Deaf community, and used sign language to communicate with her family because her father, sister, aunt, uncle and cousins are all deaf. She was the Middle and High School Transition Teacher at Rocky Mountain Deaf School from 2017-2024 and currently works as the Learning Specialist at the same small private school her kids attend.

Team MemberSpotlight features Feel the Beat instructor, Corbin Hall. Corbin started dancing when she was five and quickly fell in love with hip hop. She actually didn't take dance again though till 4th grade where she started taking dance classes in multiple genres. Corbin started teaching dance as a sophomore in high school and has been teaching hip hop ever since. Breakdancing is her favorite thing to learn as well as teach. Corbin’s favorite break dancing move is called baby swipes. She also loves to improv with hip hop especially, when her students have dance battles.

Dance is a universal language, transcending spoken words and connecting people through movement. At Feel the Beat, we are committed to making dance accessible for all, including the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. By integrating sign language into our adaptive dance programs, we create an environment where movement and language blend seamlessly.

Our next Team MemberSpotlight features Feel the Beat instructor, Chanel Montoya. Dance has been her foundation since the age of two—from high school teams to performing as a Lady Reapers alumna in 2019 and 2021. Today, that same passion for expression fuels her commitment to the disability community.

In today’s world, technology plays a crucial role in breaking down barriers and promoting accessibility. Assistive and accessible technologies are more than just tools—they are enablers of independence, communication, and connection. These innovations empower individuals with disabilities to participate in activities they were not previously able to, enhancing their quality of life and providing opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. In this Feel the Beat blog feature, we’re highlighting 5 technologies that we think represent some of the most impactful solutions available today.

Our next Team MemberSpotlight features Feel the Beat instructor, Brooklyn Gueller. Brooklyn grew up dancing and it has always been her favorite way to have fun, express herself, and exercise. As she grew up, Brooklyn learned that she loved connecting with people of all different abilities. In college she was part of a group similar to Feel the Beat, and it lit a fire in her soul to keep dancing in inclusive spaces. Brooklyn loves being able to dance together and make new friends.

As humans, we are defined by our urge to communicate with others - communicating is the recipe for understanding the world around us. Should we prohibit people from conversations only because they use different channels to share and spread their thoughts? The answer is unquestionable: no.

For the first Dance Instructor Spotlight in our series, we are featuring one of our newest dance instructors at Feel the Beat, Adrienne Smyth. Adrienne has been dancing since she was little. She trained in a variety of styles, later focusing on jazz, tap, and contemporary. She was a part of her high school Poms team all four years. Currently, Adrienne attends MSU Denver where she is studying dance. She is also a member of Rocky Mountain Rhythm, a local tap company.

Today, we’re highlighting Feel the Beat dance instructor Sarah Thomas and her inspiring journey as a dancer and teacher living with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Sarah shares how her diagnosis reshaped her relationship with movement, why adaptive dance matters, and how she helps create inclusive spaces through Feel the Beat.

For the current Team Member Spotlight in our series featuring our amazing staff and dance instructors at Feel the Beat, we are featuring dance instructor, Kelli Dotts.

For the current Team Member Spotlight in our series featuring our amazing staff and dance instructors at Feel the Beat, we are featuring our Lead Teacher & Training and Development Manager, Mary Jo Lasky.

For the current Team Member Spotlight in our series featuring our amazing staff and dance instructors at Feel the Beat, we are featuring one of our newest dance instructors, Sarah Thomas. Sarah started dance at two years old and continued dancing for 12 years. She especially enjoyed ballet, lyrical, and tap. Later, Sarah decided to switch to cheerleading and was on her high school’s varsity team for all four years. Currently, Sarah is cheering for the University of Colorado.

For our fourth Team Member Spotlight in our series featuring our amazing staff and dance instructors at Feel the Beat, we are featuring one of our newest dance instructors, Kristen Krak. Kristen's parents decided to put her in ballet at the age of 4, and she realized quickly just how much she loved performing. She studied at a ballet and modern focused academy for 9 years in Ohio, and then transitioned her focus to theater. She fell in love with dance again in college where she studied modern and contemporary, and then went on to pursue a career as an actor and musician in New York City. There she continued her dance education, incorporating musical theater.