Kelly Hayes is originally from the Chicago area and holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa.  She currently collaborates with Carrie Ahern Dance and has performed, choreographed, and toured with several dance and theatre companies based in NYC and Chicago over the past 20 years.  She has been a part of two New York Innovative Theatre award winning teams, Outstanding Production with blessed unrest, and Outstanding Ensemble with Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant.  Kelly is also on faculty at Soundance Children’s Ballet, The Ailey School, and Kaplan Cooperative Preschool, and taught at Peridance for many years.  She loves working with young dancers who are discovering the joy in hard work and celebrating the “aha!” moments that come from disciplined and focused dance training. She is mom to an active son and enjoys the perspective being both a parent and a teacher brings into the dance studio.