Core Dancers
Amy Boles
Bio coming soon!
Aspen Bell
Aspen is from Auburn, Indiana, and began dancing at age three at the Auer Academy of Fort Wayne Ballet. There, she primarily studied ballet, but also trained in modern, jazz, character, and musical theater, and had the opportunity to perform in many mainstage and community outreach productions. After spending two years in the pre-professional level of the school, Aspen graduated from the program in 2017. She went on to study Astrophysics and Biology at the University of Oklahoma, while taking elective dance classes in ballet and jazz. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2021 and came to Knoxville in August 2023 to serve with CAC AmeriCorps. Aspen began dancing with Circle shortly after moving to Knoxville and became a Core member following the December 2023 Primitive Light performance. She is thrilled to have found Circle Modern Dance and to have the opportunity to perform once again!
Darby O’Connor-Lanigan
Darby is originally from Knoxville, TN, and began her dance training at a young age at Studio Arts for Dancers. During her time at Studio Arts, she attended numerous master classes with Helen Starr, former director of the Louisville Ballet, and David and Anna Marie Holmes. Darby now teaches Modern Dance classes at Studio Arts. She completed her third year on faculty in 2015. Darby is a founding member of GO! Contemporary Dance Works and continues to work with the company as a guest artist. During her time with GO!, Darby performed with Circle Modern Dance in their annual production, Modern Dance Primitive Light. Currently Darby is back in Knoxville after completing undergraduate education in dance from both the University of Alabama and Middle Tennessee State University. While studying with the MTSU dance program, Darby had the opportunity to work with Laurie Merriman and Teena Marie Custer as a student and performer. She has also attended master classes from Stephanie Batten Bland, E.E. Balcos, T. Lang and Alberto del Saz. She was an active member of MTSU Dance Theatre for three semesters and attended the American College Dance Festival in 2010 and 2011. Darby was privileged to represent MTSU in the ACDFA informal concert, performing Laurie Merriman’s work Family Portrait. Also while at MTSU, she studied under Erin Rehberg, artistic director of Core Project Chicago. Darby joined Core Project in January of 2011 and is still an apprentice with this professional dance company. In the summer of 2011, Darby toured with Core Project Chicago at Kansas City, Minneapolis, Boulder and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Darby became a Core member of Circle Modern Dance in March 2013.
Haley Myers
Haley Myers possesses an untamable passion for dance and music. A native of the Great Smoky Mountains, she returned to her hometown of Pigeon Forge in 2015 after pursuing her dreams of attaining her Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from Kennesaw State University. Some of her favorite past performing moments include performances with the KSU Dance Company, GloAtl, Memories Theater, Showplace Theater, and the Appalachian Ballet Company as well as collaborations with many other artists for both dance and piano. As a young artist, she established a free dance ministry for underprivileged children of the community and has desired to continue her passion for sharing her love of the arts since that experience. Her love of dance and piano encouraged her to establish her piano studio in 2012 and run the Fine Arts Academy at Walters State in 2015. Haley plans to continue allowing her love of the arts to blossom by unleashing her creativity through future choreography and compositions. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, play with her cat and dogs, and enjoy the outdoors. Haley feels blessed by the opportunity to touch the lives of the community through teaching, artistry, and performance. Haley is extremely thankful to have the opportunity to dance with the wonderful community of dancers in Circle since 2022.
Heather Coker Hawkins
Heather’s passion for dance began at the age of two. Growing up in the Midwest, she trained in classical ballet before expanding into tap and jazz. Her artistic journey deepened with modern and post-modern dance, leading her to minor in Dance at Missouri State University. As a member of MSU’s Inertia Dance Company, she had the honor of performing at the National College Dance Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
After graduating, Heather moved to New York City, where she trained in Cunningham technique and danced with Skip Costa’s CORE Movement Dance Company. Drawn to the intersection of movement and media, she later relocated to the West Coast to pursue a career in filmmaking while continuing her dance training with Sean Greene (Lewitzky Dance Company), Perry Brown (ballet master), and Simone Forti (improvisation).
In Los Angeles, Heather co-produced, choreographed, and performed in dance productions alongside Cristine Tatomer and danced with Beacon Street, Brockus Project, and CoLab Dance Companies. While earning her MFA in Dance from UCLA, she explored the integration of live performance and video projection, expanding her choreographic vision. She has taught ballet, modern dance, composition, and dance filmmaking to students of all levels.
Since moving to Knoxville in 2019, Heather has engaged with the local dance community, training with Circle Modern Dance and choreographing for MDPL in 2023. Her relationship with dance has evolved from a purely artistic expression into a powerful vehicle for healing and social change, using movement to cultivate community engagement, deeper connections, and a greater appreciation for the art form.
Kelly Arsenault
Kelly was born and raised in Knoxville, and her life of dance began at Dancer’s Studio when she was 7 years old. At age 11, Kelly joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Dorothy Floyd. She was a member for 6 years, during which time she performed nationally and internationally including Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Kelly was a member of UT Dance Company from 1997-2001, where she had the opportunity to perform Melinda Brown Rapp’s piece at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. At that time she was also a proud member and choreographer for Circle Modern Dance. In 2003, Kelly moved to New York City where she continued her modern dance career performing with Rachel Thorne Germond, Von Ussar Danceworks, and MAD About Dance. It was also in New York that she discovered her love of swing dancing, particularly Balboa, and she began a career of teaching, competing, and performing. Along with her dance partner Mickey Fortanasce, they hold world titles in Balboa, and they’ve taught around the world including Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Argentina, Korea, and Australia. After traveling for years, Kelly is thrilled to be back in Knoxville and working with CMD again!
Lisa Duffin
Lisa Duffin began dancing at age 2 with Tanner Dance studio and was a member of their Children’s Dance Theater company for 8 years. During her time at Tanner Dance she had opportunities to perform in her hometown of Salt Lake City, as well as nationally and internationally. She then majored in modern dance for a year at the University of Utah before going on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She began dancing with Circle in their 2021 Primitive Light performance. She has enjoyed the opportunity to return to performing and the amazing community of dancers she has found through Circle.
Louisa Rader
Louisa is from Northampton, Massachusetts, where she began dancing at the age of 5 and has maintained a passion for it ever since. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Astronomy from Mount Holyoke College in 2018 and then moved to Knoxville and received her Master of Science degree in Geology from the University of Tennessee in 2020. She first danced in Circle’s Primitive Light performance in 2019 and has enjoyed participating in Circle’s classes and various performances. She has been on the board since January 2023, and is the current President. She co-directed One Continuous Motion, Circle’s 32nd Anniversary Performance at the Bijou Theatre in 2022 and most-recently is co-directing Circle Modern Dance’s collaborative performance with the Knoxville Museum of Art in June 2025. She approaches dance as a way to combine physical movement with self-expression into a universal language. When not in rehearsal, Louisa is constantly taking dance classes or spending time with friends.
Lydia Alford
Lydia Alford began taking classes in interpretive dance and ballet at age 8 in Spokane, WA. She was taught and mentored by Judy Mandeville, a protegee of Margaret Fisk Taylor Doane, an early pioneer in the art of liturgical dance. She later trained in ballet with Kathy Peake, Joanne Jaynes, and Dodie Askegard. Lydia presented her first piece of group choreography at age 12 and continues to enjoy choreographing at every opportunity. Lydia received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Belhaven University in 2011 and has been teaching ballet and modern dance classes to students ages 6-18 since graduating. She has taught for Julies Competitive Edge Dance Academy, Ballet Mississippi, Xpress Dance, and Premiere Dance Studio, and particularly enjoyed teaching grant-sponsored after-school ballet classes in the Mississippi public schools. She participated in the Dance Ministry Ensemble while attending Belhaven, and danced with Intersect Dance Collective in Jackson, MS. Since moving to TN in 2014, Lydia has enjoyed taking classes with Circle Modern Dance and teaching adult ballet classes for them in the last several years. Along with dancing, Lydia enjoys reading, hiking, board games, and spending time with her husband Arthur, cat Pippin, and daughter Allison Ceilidh.
Sarah Patchen
Wendy Bach
Wendy Bach has studied ballet and modern dance, on and off, since she first stepped into a ballet studio at the age of 6. She studied and performed through various studios as a child and young adult. She returned to dance shortly after starting her career as a lawyer, studying at Dance New Amsterdam (formerly Dancespace Inc.) for six years, where she trained in the Simonson Technique with Laurie DeVito and Diana McCarthy. After a twenty-year break, she returned two years ago and is thrilled to be studying and dancing with Circle Modern Dance.
Winter Cayman
Winter Cayman was born and raised in Sevier County, Tennessee. Growing up at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Winter was inspired by the surrounding natural beauty of the area. Winter has an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Walters State Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University. Pictured is Winter performing in the Queer in Sevier Variety show, which they directed and performed in from 2021-2024.
Winter began dancing in elementary and middle school, taking classes at Elizabeth William’s School of Dance, and joined the Gatlinburg Pittman High School Dance Team their Junior and Senior year. Winter came to Circle Modern Dance in the Spring of 2022, and performed for the first time with Circle at the Rossini Festival, downtown Knoxville on the Market Square stage. In the Summer of 2022 Winter performed at the 32nd anniversary show at the Bijou, “One Continuous Motion”. Winter went on to choreograph and perform at the 2023 and 2024 Modern Dance Primitive Light show.
Amy Boles
Bio coming soon!
Aspen Bell
Aspen is from Auburn, Indiana, and began dancing at age three at the Auer Academy of Fort Wayne Ballet. There, she primarily studied ballet, but also trained in modern, jazz, character, and musical theater, and had the opportunity to perform in many mainstage and community outreach productions. After spending two years in the pre-professional level of the school, Aspen graduated from the program in 2017. She went on to study Astrophysics and Biology at the University of Oklahoma, while taking elective dance classes in ballet and jazz. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2021, and came to Knoxville in August 2023 to serve with CAC AmeriCorps. Aspen began dancing with Circle shortly after moving to Knoxville, and became a Core member following the December 2023 Primitive Light performance. She is thrilled to have found Circle Modern Dance and to have the opportunity to perform once again!
Darby O’Connor
Darby is originally from Knoxville, TN, and began her dance training at a young age at Studio Arts for Dancers. During her time at Studio Arts, she attended numerous master classes with Helen Starr, former director of the Louisville Ballet, and David and Anna Marie Holmes. Darby now teaches Modern Dance classes at Studio Arts. She completed her third year on faculty in 2015. Darby is a founding member of GO! Contemporary Dance Works and continues to work with the company as a guest artist. During her time with GO!, Darby performed with Circle Modern Dance in their annual production, Modern Dance Primitive Light. Currently Darby is back in Knoxville after completing undergraduate education in dance from both the University of Alabama and Middle Tennessee State University. While studying with the MTSU dance program, Darby had the opportunity to work with Laurie Merriman and Teena Marie Custer as a student and performer. She has also attended master classes from Stephanie Batten Bland, E.E. Balcos, T. Lang and Alberto del Saz. She was an active member of MTSU Dance Theatre for three semesters and attended the American College Dance Festival in 2010 and 2011. Darby was privileged to represent MTSU in the ACDFA informal concert, performing Laurie Merriman’s work Family Portrait. Also while at MTSU, she studied under Erin Rehberg, artistic director of Core Project Chicago. Darby joined Core Project in January of 2011 and is still an apprentice with this professional dance company. In the summer of 2011, Darby toured with Core Project Chicago at Kansas City, Minneapolis, Boulder and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Darby became a Core member of Circle Modern Dance in March 2013.
Haley Myers
Haley Myers possesses an untamable passion for dance and music. A native of the Great Smoky Mountains, she returned to her hometown of Pigeon Forge in 2015 after pursuing her dreams of attaining her Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from Kennesaw State University. Some of her favorite past performing moments include performances with the KSU Dance Company, GloAtl, Memories Theater, Showplace Theater, and the Appalachian Ballet Company as well as collaborations with many other artists for both dance and piano. As a young artist, she established a free dance ministry for underprivileged children of the community and has desired to continue her passion for sharing her love of the arts since that experience. Her love of dance and piano encouraged her to establish her piano studio in 2012 and run the Fine Arts Academy at Walters State in 2015. Haley plans to continue allowing her love of the arts to blossom by unleashing her creativity through future choreography and compositions. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, play with her cat and dogs, and enjoy the outdoors. Haley feels blessed by the opportunity to touch the lives of the community through teaching, artistry, and performance. Haley is extremely thankful to have the opportunity to dance with the wonderful community of dancers in Circle since 2022.
Heather Coker Hawkins
Heather’s passion for dance began at the age of two. Growing up in the Midwest, she trained in classical ballet before expanding into tap and jazz. Her artistic journey deepened with modern and post-modern dance, leading her to minor in Dance at Missouri State University. As a member of MSU’s Inertia Dance Company, she had the honor of performing at the National College Dance Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
After graduating, Heather moved to New York City, where she trained in Cunningham technique and danced with Skip Costa’s CORE Movement Dance Company. Drawn to the intersection of movement and media, she later relocated to the West Coast to pursue a career in filmmaking while continuing her dance training with Sean Greene (Lewitzky Dance Company), Perry Brown (ballet master), and Simone Forti (improvisation).
In Los Angeles, Heather co-produced, choreographed, and performed in dance productions alongside Cristine Tatomer and danced with Beacon Street, Brockus Project, and CoLab Dance Companies. While earning her MFA in Dance from UCLA, she explored the integration of live performance and video projection, expanding her choreographic vision. She has taught ballet, modern dance, composition, and dance filmmaking to students of all levels.
Since moving to Knoxville in 2019, Heather has engaged with the local dance community, training with Circle Modern Dance and choreographing for MDPL in 2023. Her relationship with dance has evolved from a purely artistic expression into a powerful vehicle for healing and social change, using movement to cultivate community engagement, deeper connections, and a greater appreciation for the art form.
Kelly Arsenault
Kelly was born and raised in Knoxville, and her life of dance began at Dancer’s Studio when she was 7 years old. At age 11, Kelly joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Dorothy Floyd. She was a member for 6 years, during which time she performed nationally and internationally including Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Kelly was a member of UT Dance Company from 1997-2001, where she had the opportunity to perform Melinda Brown Rapp’s piece at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. At that time she was also a proud member and choreographer for Circle Modern Dance. In 2003, Kelly moved to New York City where she continued her modern dance career performing with Rachel Thorne Germond, Von Ussar Danceworks, and MAD About Dance. It was also in New York that she discovered her love of swing dancing, particularly Balboa, and she began a career of teaching, competing, and performing. Along with her dance partner Mickey Fortanasce, they hold world titles in Balboa, and they’ve taught around the world including Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Argentina, Korea, and Australia. After traveling for years, Kelly is thrilled to be back in Knoxville and working with CMD again!
Lisa Duffin
Lisa Duffin began dancing at age 2 with Tanner Dance studio and was a member of their Children’s Dance Theater company for 8 years. During her time at Tanner Dance she had opportunities to perform in her hometown of Salt Lake City, as well as nationally and internationally. She then majored in modern dance for a year at the University of Utah before going on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She began dancing with Circle in their 2021 Primitive Light performance. She has enjoyed the opportunity to return to performing and the amazing community of dancers she has found through Circle.
Louisa Rader
Louisa is from Northampton, Massachusetts, where she began dancing at the age of 5 and has maintained a passion for it ever since. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Astronomy from Mount Holyoke College in 2018 and then moved to Knoxville and received her Master of Science degree in Geology from the University of Tennessee in 2020. She first danced in Circle’s Primitive Light performance in 2019 and has enjoyed participating in Circle’s classes and various performances. She has been on the board since January 2023, and is the current President. She co-directed One Continuous Motion, Circle’s 32nd Anniversary Performance at the Bijou Theatre in 2022 and most-recently is co-directing Circle Modern Dance’s collaborative performance with the Knoxville Museum of Art in June 2025. She approaches dance as a way to combine physical movement with self-expression into a universal language. When not in rehearsal, Louisa is constantly taking dance classes or spending time with friends.
Lydia Alford
Lydia Alford began taking classes in interpretive dance and ballet at age 8 in Spokane, WA. She was taught and mentored by Judy Mandeville, a protegee of Margaret Fisk Taylor Doane, an early pioneer in the art of liturgical dance. She later trained in ballet with Kathy Peake, Joanne Jaynes, and Dodie Askegard. Lydia presented her first piece of group choreography at age 12 and continues to enjoy choreographing at every opportunity. Lydia received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Belhaven University in 2011 and has been teaching ballet and modern dance classes to students ages 6-18 since graduating. She has taught for Julies Competitive Edge Dance Academy, Ballet Mississippi, Xpress Dance, and Premiere Dance Studio, and particularly enjoyed teaching grant-sponsored after-school ballet classes in the Mississippi public schools. She participated in the Dance Ministry Ensemble while attending Belhaven, and danced with Intersect Dance Collective in Jackson, MS. Since moving to TN in 2014, Lydia has enjoyed taking classes with Circle Modern Dance and teaching adult ballet classes for them in the last several years. Along with dancing, Lydia enjoys reading, hiking, board games, and spending time with her husband Arthur, cat Pippin, and daughter Allison Ceilidh.
Sarah Patchen
Winter Cayman
Winter Cayman was born and raised in Sevier County, Tennessee. Growing up at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Winter was inspired by the surrounding natural beauty of the area. Winter has an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Walters State Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University. Pictured is Winter performing in the Queer in Sevier Variety show, which they directed and performed in from 2021-2024.
Winter began dancing in elementary and middle school, taking classes at Elizabeth William’s School of Dance, and joined the Gatlinburg Pittman High School Dance Team their Junior and Senior year. Winter came to Circle Modern Dance in the Spring of 2022, and performed for the first time with Circle at the Rossini Festival, downtown Knoxville on the Market Square stage. In the Summer of 2022 Winter performed at the 32nd anniversary show at the Bijou, “One Continuous Motion”. Winter went on to choreograph and perform at the 2023 and 2024 Modern Dance Primitive Light show.
Wendy Bach
Wendy Bach has studied ballet and modern dance, on and off, since she first stepped into a ballet studio at the age of 6. She studied and performed through various studios as a child and young adult. She returned to dance shortly after starting her career as a lawyer, studying at Dance New Amsterdam (formerly Dancespace Inc.) for six years, where she trained in the Simonson Technique with Laurie DeVito and Diana McCarthy. After a twenty-year break, she returned two years ago and is thrilled to be studying and dancing with Circle Modern Dance.