Studio 1 Faculty
Kim Haight (Owner/Director)
Kim Haight began teaching dance in 1984 for the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association. In 1986 she joined Gilmer Arts Council and Towns County Recreation Department and began teaching classes in Blairsville and Hiawassee as well as Blue Ridge and Ellijay. By 1991, enrollment in all 4 locations was too big for one person to do so all were consolidated into one location in Blue Ridge and became known as "Studio 1".
In 1992-93 she auditioned with over 500 dancers for the NBA Atlanta Hawks Dance Team and became one of only 9 new dancers chosen that year. That same year , she took 2 of her students to audition for the wildly popular National television show " Star Search" and they were chosen to appear on the show. Appearing on that television show led to many other performance opportunities including performing at President Bush's Campaign Rally in Atlanta, the 1996 Summer Olympic Opening Ceremonies, Georgia Dance Stars which performed at the Paralympics with Latoya Jackson, television news coverage and more. Kim's dancers have also performed for halftime and pregame shows for the Atlanta Hawks since 1989. They were invited to perform as special entertainment for additional Atlanta Hawks events like "Harry the Hawk's Birthday Party" and more. Over the years her Studio 1 Dancers have performed for Disney World, Six Flags, Carnival Cruiseline, Royal Caribbean Cruiseline, The Big Red Boat Cruiseline, Georgia Festival of Trees, Jazz on Tap Festival, BalletFest, Mrs Georgia Pageant, National Competitions in New York, Myrtle Beach, Panama City Beach and Pigeon Forge, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade, The Orange Bowl in Miami, all this just to name a few.
Kim is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and competition judge. She was the State Choreographer for Georgia's Most Distinguished Young Women (formerly America's Junior Miss Program), Guest Choreographer for multiple studios and competition teams in the southeast. Ms. Kim was also VIP Coordinator in charge of Dance Olympus Tour Dancers for 1993 Summer US Tour, and was featured in 3 issues in Dance Teacher Now Magazine.
As Owner and Director of Studio 1 for 41 years, she has made the studio a place for students who want to learn the art of dance for recreation as well as a school for those students who want pre-professional training. She credits the success of the studio to her philosophy of always providing the best training to dance students in ALL forms of dance, giving them the opportunities to take master classes at the world's best dance schools and institutions and the most opportunities possible to perform. As a result of this, many of her students have gone on to dance in college and professionally as well as becoming teachers and studio owners themselves.
Kennedi Head (Co-Director)
Kennedi Head began dance training at her Mom's studio, Studio 1 Performing Arts School in Blue Ridge, GA at the young age of 2. She grew up training in all dance styles with Studio 1 as well as summers spent training with Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and Gotta Dance Atlanta. She has also taken masterclasses and attended dance conventions with many well known and prestigious dancers and choreographers. Kennedi competed in dance for 14 years earning multiple top awards and placements regionally and nationally. In 2018, Kennedi joined Valdosta State University’s Red Hots dance team and was a part of the 2019 NDA DII Jazz National Championship winning team. The following year she moved to Tallahassee, FL and began working with Dance Fusion Studios under the Direction of Wendy Crawford. She spent the next 3 years teaching and choreographing for DFS as well other competitive studios in Georgia and Florida. She choreographed a production of "Moana Jr." for Holy Comforter Episocpal School in Tallahassee, FL and “The Addams Family” for the Blue Ridge Theatre in Blue Ridge, GA.
Kennedi has extensive performance experience in addition to being a competitive dancer growing up. She was an Atlanta Falcons Jr Cheerleader performing at NFL games in Atlanta, Ga as well as multiple pregame and halftime shows for the Atlanta Hawks at NBA Games in Atlanta. Other performances include music videos, NYE performance at Underground Atlanta, studio shows at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival Cruises, and Georgia Festival of Trees.
Currently, Kennedi co-directs Studio 1 with her mom and leads the competition team. In addition to her role at Studio 1, Kennedi is also an official competition judge for Empire and Inspire National Dance Competition and has been the Pom choreographer for Gilmer County High School’s dance team. Throughout her career as a dance teacher and choreographer, her students have earned several top placements at dance competitions, she has been recognized several times for her choreography, and has been able to lead dancers into furthering their training collegiately. She is very passionate about mentoring, encouraging, and uplifting the next generation of aspiring dancers in the art that she has grown to love. Her current goal is to continue furthering her mom’s 40+ year legacy of directing Studio 1.
Grace Renner
(Ballet Instructor)
Grace Renner grew up in the Jacksonville, FL area, mentored as a youth by Megan Knickerbocker, a former company artist with American Ballet Theatre. She then ventured into the competition world with instruction from Javier Fernandez, traveling and competing for several years, gaining many awards and scholarships. Grace’s primary source of training was with The Florida Ballet, under the leadership of Laurie Picinich-Byrd and Linda Jenkins. During her years there, she had many performance opportunities and participated in annual ABT exams, becoming certified on several levels. She also performed with Coy Ballet, a ministry company based in Middleburg, FL. Grace broadened her dance education with summer intensives at notable schools such as Joffrey Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Perla Ballet and Ballet Magnificat. In 2017 Grace moved to Blue Ridge, GA with her family and began teaching and competing with Studio 1 Performing Arts, under direction of Kim Haight. Grace is a former principal dancer with the ministry company, Unity Dance Troupe in Cleveland, TN and continues to teach and choreograph there. She is also on staff at Woodstock School of Ballet. Currently, she is a company dancer with The Georgia Ballet in Marrietta, GA.
Beth Leopard (Tumble/Acro Instructor)
Beth Leopard began teaching her own dance classes at the age of 16. After high school, Beth attended Berry College, where she took classes in classical ballet and modern dance. Later, she continued her education at Brenau College where she participated in local theatre, wrote and produced voice-overs for radio, and choreographed for high school musical productions. After graduating from Brenau with a B.A. in Journalism and Broadcasting, Beth pursued further dance training with Ruth Mitchell, the Atlanta Ballet, and Rotaru Ballet. She won the title of “Miss Dance” for Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee and earned scholarships to New York through Dance Masters and Dance Educators of America. Mrs. Leopard was tested in ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatics and became a certified member of Dance Masters of America, Carolina Dance Masters, and Dance Educators of America and has taught master classes and judged for dance organizations and competitions throughout the southeast. Her skills put her on the team of the Atlanta Workshop Players as a choreographer and camp instructor. Beth’s love for acrobatics drew her to study the art of contortion. She formed a troupe, “Dancers with a Twist,” which competed and toured professionally. They appeared as featured guests on “Noonday T.V. “and performed for the athletes in the 1996 Olympic Village.
McKenzie Fink
(Tap Instructor)
McKenzie began dancing at the age of 5 while living in Naples, Florida. She danced at Backstage Dance Academy and Elite Dance Center in Southwest Florida where her love for dance took off. McKenzie has been competing since she was 10. She has performed in countless Christmas performances, dance competitions and conventions. McKenzie has taken multiple classes from Lacey Schwimmer, Tiffany Maher, Meghan Sanett, Marty Dew, Derrick Schrader and many more. She has trained in all styles of dance, but tap has always been one of her favorites. McKenzie has competed tap solos and duets, all taking home multiple awards. She has danced in the Miami City Ballet Nutcracker as one of the soldiers in 2013 and in Studio 1’s Nutcracker as the Dew Drop Fairy in 2018. McKenzie also studied the Cecchetti method of Ballet and participated in Cecchetti intensives for 6 years. In 2018, McKenzie moved to Georiga and began taking classes at Studio 1. She is excited to continue her journey in fulfilling her love for dance and being part of the Studio 1 family.
Brynna Mayfield
Brynna is has 15 years of dance experience and 10 years of competition dance under her belt. She has attended various summer intensives and workshop's including East Tennessee prep clinic, Georgia Southern prep clinics, Georgia Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and ADMIX project. She has also attended many dance conventions throughout her dance journey such as Fusion National Dance Competition, Titans of Dance, Jump Dance Competition, and more with well known choreographers like Autumn Miller, Guy Groove, Hayley Erbert Hough, Fik-Shun and Sophia Lucia. She was a member of the Gilmer Dance Team from its beginning for 3 years of her high school career, and competed at state all three years. She has received many awards such as platinum, high platinum, dancer of the year runner up, and special judges awards. Brynna is currently a sophomore student at University of North Georgia and plans to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is excited to train one final season as a competitive dancer on the Star South Dance Company at Studio 1 as well as teach classes at the studio!