Lindsay Roberts is the owner and director of Lexington Dance Factory. Dance has been her life since the age of 3. When she was 7, she asked Santa for a piece of land to build a dane studio on. Santa didn’t come through that year, but this year she is excited to be celebrating her 23rd year of teaching and her 14th year of living her dream and owning LDF! Ms. Lindsay is certified through Dance Masters of America and is an active member of our local chapter. She is married to Brad and they have two children- Sylvie and Silas. Ms. Lindsay is so thankful for her LDF dance family!

Ms. Nancy began her dance career in Frankfort, KY; dancing for 13 years at Capital City Dance Studio.  While at CCDS Nancy was chosen to assist with the younger classes.  While she would have loved to have returned there to teach as an adult; life took her to Lexington, KY where she resides and has found her new dance home at LDF!  Nancy is in year nine at LDF teaching ballet, tap, jazz and acro.  She is certified in Ballet and Jazz through Dance Masters of America and is an active member of our local chapter. She loves seeing her tiny dancers fall in love with dance for the first time! Nancy is married to Clay and has two sons Cody and Drake, and a daughter Victoria who dances on one of our LDF competition teams. Family keeps her busy but in her free time she loves pool time, Disney and all things UK!  Nancy loves her LDF family and is grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of all these sweet dancers.

Danielle Dunmire, a California native, started her formal dance training as a student in the prestigious Ballet San Jose School under the direction of Donna Delsini and Lise La Cour.  Dani’s love for ballet continued to grow through watching and performing with Ballet San Jose's professional ballet company as well as attending summer intensives around the US including the American Academy of Ballet, Princeton Dance Theater (under the direction of Susan Jaffe), and Alonzo King's Lines Ballet. After performing as the lead in Ballet San Jose School’s production of The Little Mermaid when she was sixteen, Dani became a trainee with the professional company, Ballet San Jose, under the direction of Dennis Nahat.  While there, Ms. Dunmire had the opportunity to perform corps roles in the Nutcracker, Giselle, Firebird, Swan Lake, A Mid Summer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet. After graduating from high school, Ms. Dunmire attended The University of California - Irvine where her passion for performing, teaching and entertaining grew. She graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a minor in Business Management. Following her diploma, Danielle Dunmire was a guest artist and teacher at many dance studios throughout the San Francisco Bay Area before becoming a dancer on Celebrity Cruises where she performed in production shows, was a magician’s assistant, and led weekly ballroom classes. After her time working on the ship, Dunmire toured with the Utah Ballroom Dance Company as the dance captain where she performed and taught across the United States. Dunmire ventured into the competitive ballroom scene, winning many competitions in the Theater Arts/Cabaret ballroom category. Danielle Dunmire now lives in Lexington, Kentucky where she continues to dance, perform and teach within the commercial and concert dance world as well as owns First Dance Lexington.   You can also find Danielle Dunmire coaching the Frederick Douglass High School as well as teaching group fitness classes around Lexington, KY.

Grace Lyon is a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky recieving a Bachelor’s degree in Dance and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. A native of Georgetown, Kentucky, Lyon has danced at various dance institutions throughout the United States since the age of 2. Previous credits include: Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center NYC on scholarship, Dancewerks Chicago, Dance Masters of America Summer Programs, BASE Dance Studio London, The Michael Thomas Dance Center, United Talent Dance, and Barbara Ann’s School of Dance. Lyon has apprenticed with Platinum Dance Convention, led Dancewerks as their Chicago National Student of Distinction, and was admitted into the Steps on Broadway Conservatory Program and the Commercial School of Dance. In 2017, Lyon won the state title and represented Kentucky as Miss Dance of the Bluegrass. Through this, she competed at the Dance Masters of America Competition in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lyon has also been featured in Dance Spirit Magazines for her work and training in musical theatre performance.
Lyon has consistently trained in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, musical theatre, lyrical, and hip-hop. Her collegiate studies have focused on modern pursuits with additional technique, history, creative theory, performance, and elective credits.
As an individual with an authentic passion for service, Lyon has volunteered for 10 years with the Central Kentucky non-profit, A Chance to Dance. Founded by her sister, Jenna Lyon Ward, A Chance to Dance offers dance classes to students of all ages with varying special needs and has reached more than 50 students since its founding. Lyon is now a full-time teacher at A Chance to Dance, in addition to teaching and choreographing at Lexington Dance Factory in Lexington, KY.
Lyon attended John Cabot University in Rome, Italy during the Spring of 2022 to study Art History and Business Administration. She hopes to explore dance study opportunities abroad in the future.

Ms. Kiara has been dancing since the age of 3. She went to SCAPA as a contemporary dance major, was on the Lafayette High School dance team, was a company member at LDF, and was a captain of the EKU dance team. She has been teaching dance at LDF for 11 years. Ms. Kiara received her Bachelors and Master of Arts in Education from Eastern Kentucky University. Currently, she is one of the head coaches of the EKU dance team and is a school counselor at a local elementary school. She loves spending time with her friends and family, binge watching old movies and tv series, and cheering on the EKU colonels at football and basketball games. She loves working at LDF and sharing her passion for dance with her students. 

Ms. Taylor was born and raised in Richmond, Kentucky, where she discovered her love for dance through competitive studio training and school dance team. At her home studio, she trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and acro. By age 14, she was assisting with younger dancers’ classes and choreographing routines, which soon grew into a passion for teaching.

Her teaching journey expanded beyond the studio when she began choreographing for local school dance teams and later accepted the coaching position at Clark Moores Middle School, where she coached and choreographed for eight years. During that time, she attended the University of Kentucky and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Level Education.

Now residing in Lexington, KY, Ms. Taylor is a 6th grade teacher and the head dance team coach at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School. Over her 12 years of coaching middle school dance, she has led her teams to 11 state championships, multiple top-five finishes at the UDA National Dance Team Championship, and numerous choreography awards. Ms. Taylor has been at LDF for 4 years and is so excited to continue working with our competition teams.

Beginning at an early age, Ms. Cassidy has had the pleasure of attending and competing in various dance competitions and conventions. Cassidy started her dance career in Pittsburgh, PA, where she had the privilege to train in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and acrobatics at Studio 19 Dance Complex. Upon moving to Maryland at 10 years old, Cassidy continued her dance training and began her journey in choreographing.

Ms. Cassidy is currently studying at Eastern Kentucky University with a major in Sport Management and a minor is Business. She is a former captain and alum of the Eastern Kentucky University Dance Team. In addition to working at LDF, Ms. Cassidy is also a Head Instructor for the Universal Dance Association leading dance camps and events across the country; as well as technique coaching, choreographing, and cleaning for high school dance teams in the area. She is also an Acrobatic Arts certified instructor. Ms. Cassidy is excited to continue to share her love and passion for dance and acrobatics with our amazing LDF family!

Ms. Lauren has been a dance teacher at Lexington Dance Factory since 2017. She is from Lexington and got her Bachelor of Science degree in 2020 from the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences with a minor in Dance. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Kentucky in 2024. Lauren began dancing at age 3 and danced with LDF all the way through high school. Her favorite role she performed was as Clara in LDF’s first production of the Nutcracker. She became a certified teacher in Ballet and Jazz through Dance Masters of America in 2020. She is looking forward to staying in Lexington to work as a pediatric physical therapist and still being part of the LDF family.

Mara Farris Babb, a Lexington, Kentucky native, began her dance training at the age of 3 and never looked back. She graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a minor in Performing Arts Administration. While at Western Mara performed extensively with the WKU Dance Company; regionally at Jazz Dance World Congress and American College Dance Festival and internationally in Istanbul, Turkey and Civitavecchia and Tolfa, Italy. Upon graduation she was accepted into the Master of Fine Arts Program at Oklahoma City University. While in Oklahoma, she taught at the Community Dance Center, as well as, taught and judged for Dance Masters of Oklahoma. Mara moved back to her Old Kentucky Home in 2011 and became a company member with Movement Continuum for eight seasons, was a teacher, choreographer, and the assistant dance company manager at Town and Village School of Dance for eleven years and was a part-time dance instructor for the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance from 2014-2016. She remains an avid volunteer for The Lexington Theatre Company and Distinguished Young Women of Kentucky. Mara currently resides in Lexington, KY where she works at UK HealthCare. Yet her biggest accomplishments are her son and daughter, Colton, and Jessa. She is excited to join the LDF family.

Rebecca Frazier has been dancing in Lexington since she was 4 years old.  She began performing as a tap soloist at 7 and competed in other dance styles in small and large groups through high school.  Rebecca began teaching tap and jazz for her home studio during her senior year in high school and taught there for 28 years, until taking a break in 2020.  Over the years, she has performed in local theatre; choreographed tap and jazz pieces for competition soloists and groups; choreographed for local high school musical productions, and taught students that have gone on to dance professionally and on Broadway.  In the past fifteen years, Rebecca has concentrated mostly on tap dance, her favorite style.  Outside of dance, she is a Certified Public Accountant and owner at a local CPA firm in Lexington.  Rebecca has been married to Brad since 2000, and they have two daughters, Ashley and Sydney.

Ms. Claire Howell is so excited to be in the LDF family! She is a Mom of 2 and has been dancing since she could walk. When she reached high school she decided to join color guard and pursued that for the next 7 years. She spent 2018-2020 with Lexis Winterguard. While she was a student at the University of Kentucky, she was teaching dance classes a few times a week as well as being the Head Director of West Jessamine High School Color Guard. She looks forward to the opportunity to teach your littles and is going to have so much fun this year!

Ms. Holly started gymnastics when she was 3 years old. She was a member of the University of Kentucky gymnastics team from 2010-2014. She graduated with her bachelors degree of communications in 2014. Holly began teaching acro at LDF in 2013. She has loved working with kids and teaching them the fun of acro since she started at LDF! She now has 3 kids of her own that I’m sure you will see running around the studio! She is grateful to work with such awesome and talented dancers/tumblers! 

Ms. Melanie Biggs was born and raised in Northeastern Kentucky and now resides in Lexington, KY. She has a BA in Communications and Psychology with a minor in Elementary Education from George Mason University. She has been dancing since age 4 and studied at Tammy Jo’s Studio, in Greenup, Ky, under the teaching of Ms. Leah Copley Summers & Tammy Jo Edge. Melanie is a former competitive and

performing dancer with a variety of experiences, including both individual and team exposures. Her High School Dance Team – Greenup Co. – won the Nationals Dance Team Title in 1992. Ms. Melanie previously taught at LDF and sadly, due to health concerns, was unable to continue teaching full time as

of 2017. In 2019 and 2020, she taught dance at a local homeschool coop to a smaller group of students. Melanie is a mom of 3 – Isaac, Eric and Lauren. Ms. Melanie is the director of Stretch, Strengthen & Plie – SS&P – virtual and in person conditioning for dancers to help increase and maintain flexibility and strength, refine technique and skills, and build

confidence in young dancers. SS&P also hosts an annual spring Dance Festival & Competition in Lexington, KY. Ms. Melanie is elated to be back at LDF teaching ballet!

Ms. Abby is a recent Graduate from the University of Kentucky. She received her bachelor’s in Social Work and is working toward her Master’s in Social Work. Ms Abby has been dancing since she was 4 years old and has been a dancer at LDF since it opened. She danced on a competition team at LDF for 8 years and had the honor to compete in many regional and national competitions through LDF’s competition team. Notably, she competed in the Dance Masters of America solo title competition and won the title of Miss Dance of the Bluegrass 2019. She has also danced many roles in LDF’s ballet academy performances like: Clara, Dew Drop, Snow Queen, and two years as the Sugarplum Fairy. This will be Ms Abby’s 5th year teaching at LDF and she is so excited to share her love for dance with her students.

Ms. Katelin has been dancing since she was 2 years old. She started dancing for a competitive team at the age of 7. She went to SCAPA as a ballet major until 8th grade and continued dancing through high school at her home dance studio. She attended Western Kentucky University where she got her bachelor's degree in elementary education. Ms. Katelin is the dance team coach at Frederick Douglass High School and loves seeing some of her dancers at the studio. This is her 3rd year teaching dance at LDF, and she is so excited to share her love for dance with her preschool classes. 

Melissa Shearer Goble was born and raised in Lexington Kentucky.  As a child she was a dancer, gymnast, and cheerleader.  After high school graduation she attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where she pursued a degree in dance (specializing in ballet).  When she left the University of the Arts she signed a contract with Charleston Ballet Theatre and moved to South Carolina to begin her professional career.  After some time with the ballet company, Melissa took a break from dance and returned to her home state where she got married and had children.  After a short hiatus, Mrs. Goble returned to the stage and danced briefly with Kentucky Ballet Theatre.  She also went back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University.  In the early 2000’s Melissa moved to South Florida with her husband and children.  There she continued her performance career and began teaching classes in dance studios and gymnastics gyms all over the area.  She danced with various modern dance, entertainment, and cirque companies throughout South Florida and danced in ‘Go Diego Go’, a Nickelodeon production at Miami Metrozoo with Advanced Productions and Entertainment.  Mrs. Goble has traveled throughout the U.S., Japan, and Brazil dancing with cirque companies from the Miami area.  In 2010, Melissa opened her own dance studio, Florida Artistic Ballet Academy, and dance entertainment company, Dance Mystique, where she served as the company’s primary choreographer and also worked as a dancer and aerialist.  She continued to dance professionally until 2013 and has worked teaching multiple disciplines of dance, gymnastics, acrobatics and aerial silks throughout various studios and gyms in Florida and Kentucky for over twenty years now. She has relocated back to Kentucky and is excited to be joining Lexington Dance Factory.  

We are so excited to have Ms. Natalie teaching our Hip Hop and Dance Team Prep classes. Born and raised in Tennessee, Ms. Natalie has been dancing since the age of two. She trained at Oak Ridge Academy of Dance through high school, where she studied a wide variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip hop, and acro. She was also a dedicated member of the studio’s competitive team, ORDTTA, earning an impressive eight UDA National Dance Team Championship titles in pom, jazz, and hip hop.

In addition to her studio accomplishments, Natalie was a member of the ORHS Dance Cats, her high school dance team, with whom she won a TSSAA state championship in the hip hop category.

Natalie currently attends the University of Kentucky, where she is studying to become a nurse. She is a retired member of the University of Kentucky Dance Team (UKDT). Today, she continues to share her passion for dance as a staff member with the Universal Dance Association (UDA), where she teaches summer camps and works competitions across the country.

Ms. Natalie is excited to be a part of the LDF family and looks forward to working with and sharing her love of dance with all the LDF dancers!

Kelly Dornan is a professional ballet dancer from central MD. Kelly attended the Washington School of Ballet’s Professional Training Program on scholarship for three years. While in this program, Kelly trained with esteemed teachers Kee Juan Han, Kristina Windom, and Vladimir Djouloukhadze; as a student, she performed with The Washington Ballet in Septime Webre's The Nutcracker and George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes. She continued her training at Texas Ballet Theater School on scholarship, performing roles in Ben Stevenson's Dracula, and Harald Lander's Etudes with the company. She has performed as a professional with Colorado Ballet's Studio Company, Georgia Dance Theatre, and Boulder Ballet. Her repertoire includes Christopher Wheeldon's This Bitter Earth, Michael Smiun's Bouquet, Paul Taylor's Airs, and Amy Siewert's The Devil Ties My Tongue. She has been the original cast in works by Andrea Schermoly, Amy Hall Garner, Caili Quan, and Sidra Bell and has performed at Vail Dance Festival alongside principal dancers from ABT and NYCB. Kelly has most recently started dancing for Lexington Ballet.

Kelly has taught ballet for numerous studios, including Boulder Ballet School, Georgia Academy of Dance, and Dance Arts Studio in Broomfield, CO.  She specializes in one-on-one coaching, pointe preparation, and refining technique for all ages. From 2021-23, Kelly ran the student performing company at Dance Arts Studio and was an integral teacher and choreographer for the pre-professional program. Her students have attended prestigious college dance programs, such as Point Park University and University of California, Irvine.