Staff Headshots

Miss Cathy's love of dance began as a preschooler, and she has been teaching since her college years. Her primary teacher was always her mom, "Miss Janet", but she also studied with numerous world-renowned dancers such as Luigi, Frank Hatchett, Gus Giordano, Joe Tremaine, Lea Darwin, Roni Mahler, and Melissa Hayden. She also trained with Louisiana State University's gymnastics coach D.D. Breaux.

When the Hays family moved to Pittsburgh, Miss Janet worked with the Upper St. Clair High School to initiate an early-release program to take advantage of the educational dance opportunities available in Pittsburgh. As a result, Miss Cathy and her sister Jana were the first students to be able to attend high school in the mornings and classes with the dance majors at Point Park College in the afternoons. (Over the past 40 years, many other students have been able to participate in this "early release" program -- including the two younger Hays sisters: Terri and Jacki -- thank you, Miss Janet!) Of course, the Hays sisters would always return home to dance at the studio in the evenings!

This Hays family love of and dedication to dance continues! Jana has several studios in New Jersey, which Terri helps her to run; Jacki has a studio in Orlando; and all of Miss Janet's granddaughters "live, breathe, and sleep" dance, including Miss Cathy’s daughters, Christine and Michele, who danced at the studio for 16 years, then continued dancing through college and are now teachers at the studio themselves.

Miss Cathy has been certified in Performing Arts Instruction by the Dance Educators of America and holds a B.S. in Industrial Management (Business Administration) from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.B.A. from Duquesne University. She has also been recognized countless times at competition for having the studio with the “Best Overall Presentation,” that is the “Most Entertaining,” and has the “Best Technique” and “Best Choreography.”

Jillian began dancing with Janet Hays and Co. when she was in preschool, with Miss Cathy as her first teacher. She was a Show Biz Kid for 13 years, training in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, pointe, and gymnastics; she added private tumbling instruction to her lessons during high school; and she was a 4-time Captain of the Bethel Park Varsity Cheerleaders.

As a Show Biz Kid, Jillian was able to compete in dance competitions throughout the western PA and Ohio areas, as well as in Las Vegas, Boston, and Orlando. She has always had a strong love for performing and had opportunities to perform on the KDKA News Morning Show, in Kennywood, and twice at Disney World.

Jillian attended Allegheny College and was a double major in Economics and Spanish, and continued her dance education by taking ballet, jazz, and yoga classes offered through the college curriculum. While at Allegheny, Jillian performed with the college’s jazz dance ensemble, JaDE, and was a member of the hip hop dance team. She was a choreographer and dancer in Allegheny’s largest student run dance organization, the Orchesis Dance Company, performing lyrical, jazz, contemporary, and musical theater pieces, and serving as President her senior year.

Miss Jillian says dance is important to her because it is a form of self-care that is fun and accessible to all, while creating opportunities for people to learn discipline and teamwork. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to assist and teach young dancers as they create and achieve their goals!

Kathleen (“Katie”) Dombeck began her dance training in Erie, Pennsylvania at Marguerite’s Academy of Dance and graduated from Mercyhurst Preparatory High School at the master level within the dance program.

She continued her dance training at Seton Hill University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Pedagogy and Spanish. She performed as a soloist for university faculty pieces and guest artists, including Kenneth Nickel, Gerard Holt, Attack Theatre, and Spilling Ink, a Classical Indian Dance Company. She was also a member of and choreographer for the Seton Hill University Dance Team.  In addition, she set choreography for the Seton Hill University Musical Theatre Workshop course, where she served as lead choreographer.  Katie was a student instructor for several years for Seton Hill’s Exceptional Needs dance class where she worked with children with Autism and Down Syndrome, something she loved doing each week.

Katie has performed at the Historic Mazur Theatre in New York City, along with the Erie Festival of Dance at Mercyhurst University and the Baltimore Dance Invitational.  Also, traveling to Montreal, Canada, Katie performed professionally alongside principal dancers in “The Nutcracker” with the Eddy Touissant Ballet Company.  Katie continued her dance career teaching and working on occasional projects with the Mid-Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Company under the direction of Gerard Holt.

Katie is excited to share her passion for dance with all of her students and to help them become the best dancers they can be!

Taryn, who has taught at Janet Hays and Co. since 2001, holds a B.A. in Performing Arts/Dance from LaRoche College, as well as a degree in Theatre.  She spent her early years studying dance in the Pittsburgh area, taking ballet and modern classes from world renowned artists such as Tamar Rachelle, Ernest Tlentino, Anastasia Bedard, Gelsey Kirkland, Patrick Hinson, Ib Anderson, and Stephen Mills.

She has danced Balanchine ballets such as Serenade, Who Cares?, and Concerto Barocco, and she has choreographed sections of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Le Train Blu, the Nutcracker, and original works of The Little Mermaid, The Frog Prince, and Snow White and the Seven Merry Maids.  

The past Assistant Artistic Director of Oil Region Ballet, Taryn’s original choreography has received many acknowledgements, such as “Attention Grabbing” and “Clean Lines and Proper Technique.”   She also expanded her dance experience by teaching a ballroom program to at-risk youth, to help children make better life choices through dance.

Miss Taryn has had a successful career at Janet Hays and Co. with many of her groups receiving the highest overall score at dance competition, including her daughter and Show Biz Kid Brylin, along with numerous special awards. 

She loves being a part of Janet Hays and Co. and looks forward to continuing to share her dance experience with our students, motivating them with upbeat, fun-loving humor, mixed with the traditional discipline of dance class.

Paige joined the Janet Hays and Co. family at the age of 3 as a preschool dancer. She was invited into Show Biz Kids in elementary school where she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, and gymnastics.

During her time as a Show Biz Kid, Paige performed twice in Disney World with the studio and competed in numerous regional and national competitions, consistently winning platinum awards with her specialty and group dances. While attending Mt. Lebanon High School, Paige worked as and office assistant at the front desk and as an in-class student assistant. Outside of the studio, Paige worked behind the scenes as part of the Mt. Lebanon High School’s Technical Theatre Company.

After high school, Paige worked as a co-teacher at the studio, while working toward her degree in psychology. Paige continues to share her love of dance with the studio as a full teacher. She is studying for the Dance Educators of America teacher certification and is expected to receive it in summer 2025.

We were fortunate to have Colleen Ignatz rejoin our team of teachers as a substitute last year and are excited to have her return to teaching on a regular basis this year!  Colleen took a break from dancing and teaching to start a family after 25 years with Janet Hays and Company.  Her knowledge and training along with her gentle nature have won the hearts of her students over the years.

Colleen spent numerous years dancing at Janet Hays and Co., starting at the age of three in the preschool combination classes.  She was a Show Biz Kid for thirteen years and trained in ballet, gymnastics, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, and tap. She attended dance sessions with instructors and performers from the Martha Graham Studio Theater in New York and spent time modeling dance costumes for Wolff Fording and Company.  In addition to her regular time at the studio, Colleen attended gymnastics classes and private lessons and was a 4-year member of the Upper St. Clair cheerleading squad.

While dancing as a Show Biz Kid, Colleen competed in Boston, New York, Ohio, Orlando, and Pennsylvania and performed at various theme parks, including Disney World, Idlewild, and Kennywood parks. Her solos and group performances earned top scores at both regional and national competitions, and she commonly received special awards such as “Fancy Footwork”, “On Pointe”, and “Technical Execution.”

Colleen attended the University of Pittsburgh earning her B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics, and she taught dance and gymnastics classes as a part-time instructor while earning her degree. She continued to take dance, gymnastics, and yoga classes to ensure she was providing her students with up-to-date instruction. Her choreography for both group and specialty dances at Janet Hays and Co. continues to earn top scores and special awards at dance competitions across the nation. Miss Colleen has always loved dance, and she is thrilled by the opportunity to share her love with others again. She is a mom of three lovely girls herself and loves that they are following in her footsteps as Janet Hays and Co. dancers!

Michele started dancing at Janet Hays and Co. when she was 2 years old, and dance has been a part of her entire life! Her mom Miss Cathy is the owner, and her grandmother Miss Janet is the founder of the studio.

Beginning in kindergarten, Michele competed and performed at a variety of venues. She performed on Carnival Cruise Lines, was invited to audition for the TV Show Star Search, danced for the “Miss Pittsburgh Pageant” and on the KDKA News Morning Show, was cast in the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker, was featured in the TV Dance Spectacular aired on ESPN, was cast as a dance team member in Matt Damon’s movie Promised Land, and was on both the Upper St. Clair High School Hip Hop Team and the Dance Team where she was the dance team captain for two years. In high school, she was also valedictorian and was elected student council president all four years.

Michele then graduated summa cum laude from Seton Hill University with a B.A. in psychology and minors in dance and business and was the captain of Seton Hill’s Griffin Dance Team, cast in dance productions, and attended dance conferences. She then earned her J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law where she continued to dance with Duquesne’s Dance Theatre.

Competitively, Michele won the highest scoring solo five times at Nationals, including the title of “Miss International Dance Challenge.” Along with her high score awards, Michele’s solo recognitions included “Best Musicality,” “Most Entertaining Dancer,” “Best Technique,” and more. Now, as a teacher and choreographer, her dancers have won many high scoring awards at the regional and national levels. Michele enjoys sharing her knowledge of dance with other students and making them fall in love with the art the same way she has.

Jen is a familiar face to many at the studio. Before moving to Florida, Miss Jen taught for twenty years at Janet Hays and Co.! She grew up dancing at a studio in Finleyville, PA, and competed in a variety of subjects, including baton with which she attended Worlds. She performed in various contemporary ballets at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and in The Nutcracker.

Jen is a graduate of Point Park College where she received her B.A. in Dance. After earning her degree, Jen began teaching students at the studio in ballet, baton, gymnastics, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, and tap. Her students competed and earned countless awards in these subjects at local and national competitions both as specialty and group dancers. Some of these awards include Best Choreography, Best Technique, Most Entertaining, and Highest Score Overall.

Miss Jen enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of dance with Janet Hays and Co. students of all levels. With her wide range of dance experience, her students have fun in class while gaining a first-rate education.

Miss Ellen grew up dancing and has loved it ever since!  She attended Mt. Lebanon High School where she was a cheerleader, performed in the high school’s dance company, and was cast in multiple musicals, including Oklahoma! with Joe Manganiello.  She was also invited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade based on her high scores at dance competition.  During her senior year, she had a dance apprenticeship with a professional dance company and took classes with Alvin Ailey. 

After high school, Ellen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance pedagogy, magna cum laude, from Point Park University as one of the first graduates of the program at the time.  There, she also performed in multiple showcases at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

After college, Miss Ellen joined Janet Hays and Co., teaching students of all levels, and her pieces went on to win high score awards at competition.  She also was the Peters Township Dance Team Coach.

Miss Ellen also went on to attend the University of Pittsburgh where she completed post baccalaureate work in English and earned her Master of Arts in Teaching.  Now, in addition to teaching at the studio, she is a high school English teacher!  She also appeared on an episode of Wheel of Fortune with her husband. 

Miss Ellen loves seeing the joy on dancers’ faces while they exercise, create, practice discipline, and achieve goals in the classroom and on the stage.  As a mom of two Janet Hays and Co. dancers – Alana and Norah – one of her favorite things is watching them share her love of dance, too.

Michele Utzig Philage grew up dancing in Buffalo, NY, where she competed and performed with a studio very similar to Janet Hays and Co., winning a variety of awards and scholarships, including a student scholarship to Steps on Broadway in New York City. She attended high school at Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, earning the Kodak Achievement Scholarship and the title of Salutatorian of her class.

Michele earned a B.A. in Dance Performance with a minor in Musical Theater from the University at Buffalo. She was a member of the Zodiaque Dance Company, Young Choreographer’s Showcase, and Dancers’ Workshop and performed in the university’s renditions of, Oklahoma!, Sweet Charity, The Who’s Tommy, Cabaret, Chicago, Working, Carmen, and Straszny Dwor. She continued her training in NYC at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Ctr., and Luigi’s Jazz Center.

Professionally, she has toured in national performances of Crazy for You, Peter Pan, and Barry Manilow’s Copacabana (where she met her husband, Brian). Regionally, she has performed in 42nd Street, Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, No, No Nannette, Will Rogers’ Follies, and Funny Girl. A proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG/AFTRA, Michele has danced at Carnegie Hall with Elaine Stritch and was a dancer/hair model for L’Oreal Professionnel. You can see her dancing next to Matthew Broderick in The Producers. Also an adjudicator judge for dance competitions in NY, NJ, VA, and PA, Michele is a master class workshop teacher, opening number choreographer, and special awards judge.

Michele began teaching at Janet Hays and Co. in 2014 where her routines have won awards for best choreography, most entertaining, first place in title competitions, and highest overall score at dance competitions. However, Michele’s greatest achievement is being Riley and Reese’s mom!

Miss Jessica holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Clarion University. While attending Clarion, she was a member of the Clarion University Dance Team as well as a sister of Zeta Tau Alpha and a member of the honors education fraternity, Kappa Delta Pi.

She believes that dance is an art in which all individuals can participate, and she loves to watch the dancers learn and grow throughout their time at the studio. For her, dance has always been a healthy outlet, and she appreciates getting to return to the studio and share it with the students of Janet Hays and Co.

Jessica started dancing at Janet Hays and Co. as a preschooler and then continued as a Show Biz Kid for 13 years. During her time at the studio, she trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, pointe, and gymnastics. She competed in regional dance competitions throughout western Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as at national competitions in Las Vegas, Boston, and Orlando.

Competing at the national dance competitions and performing at Disneyworld are some of her favorite memories from growing up at Janet Hays and Company. She also loved getting to make new friends and to dance alongside her sisters in SBK - one of whom is “Miss Jillian”!

In addition to her dance background, Jessica took private gymnastics lessons throughout high school and she was a member of the Bethel Park High School Varsity Cheerleading squad.

Her love of teaching has brought her back to Janet Hays and Co. Dance Studio, and she looks forward to helping all of her students continue along their dance journey.

Tanieccia Rubenstein graduated from Point Park University where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a minor in Psychology, and she has trained, instructed, and performed across the northeast.

A native of Standish, Maine, Miss Tanieccia has danced at the renowned Bates Dance Festival and the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, both held in her home state. Tanieccia has also danced professionally, with such prestigious groups as The Pillow Project, Marissa Balzer’s rEvolve Dance Theatre, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, The Portland Ballet, and NSquared Contemporary Dance Company. She has also taught for Attack Theatre’s outreach programs and for Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.

Tanieccia began teaching with Janet Hays and Co. in 2007, and she loves seeing the dancers’ happy, smiling faces and their progress throughout the year, especially at the year-end Recital. For her, dance is a big part of who she is, and she loves to share it with others!

In addition to working at the studio, Tanieccia is a certified group fitness and yoga instructor, and she acts as the Activities Therapist for Southwood Psychiatric Hospital. She also deeply values furthering her own dance education, so she continues to take classes at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and the Shana Simmons Dance Company.

Tanieccia is thrilled to be a part of the team at Janet Hays and Co. Dance Studio, and she looks forward to continuing to share her dance experience with our students!

Tori grew up in Everett, Pennsylvania where she attended the Shery Foor Dance Studio.  In her summers, she participated in pre-professional intensives for competitive dancers through New England Summer Dance Camp. Tori attended Slippery Rock University where she received a B.F.A. in dance with concentrations in performance and choreography. She was cast in pieces by Jesse Factor, Helen Simoneau, Austin Shaffer, Sydney Forbes, and more as well as selected to be the soloist for works by Lindsay Viatori and Nathan Trice.

Tori has choreographed her own dance pieces with the Slippery Rock Faculty and WhirlWind Dance Company, and she worked with several high schools to choreograph their musicals, including Six, Seussical, and Descendants. While attending SRU, Tori earned her basic yoga teaching certification, and she was named as the recipient of the Thom Cobb Award for Excellence and Promise in the Field of Dance.

She loves teaching students at every age level, and she is excited to join the staff!

As Miss Cathy’s daughter, dance has been at the center of Christine’s life for as long as she can remember. In fact, she started dancing here at the age of 2 ½ and continued to dance through college where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in theology and philosophy, a minor in fine arts, and a Master’s in theology and religious studies.

Currently attending Dayton University to complete her doctorate in theology, Christine is always excited to return home and help with the family’s business.

As a Janet Hays and Co. Show Biz Kid dancer, Christine consistently won highest score of the day honors with her solo performances and was often recognized with special awards, such as “Most Entertaining” and “Best Technique.” Besides competing, Christine also performed on Carnival Cruise Lines, in the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker, with the Pittsburgh Power Sparks Dance Team, and at amusement parks from Kennywood to Disney.

In addition to performing with the studio, Christine was also the founder and captain of the Seton-La Salle High School Dance Team and the Wheeling Jesuit University Dance Team. Both teams had successful seasons under her leadership, consistently winning first place awards. As a student at John Carroll University, she performed on the JCU Dance Team and was the head coach for the Seton-La Salle High School Dance Team, which also won first place at competition. She now performs with the UD Dance Ensemble in partnership with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.

Christine truly enjoys being on stage – from dancing, to acting, to singing – and she has performed leading roles in her schools’ productions of Man of La Mancha, Copacabana, Leader of the Pack, Almost, Maine, The Good Doctor, and Pippin. Christine loves working with students of all ages, and her favorite moments are seeing the dancers light up on stage at the Recital.

Pam McCracken, Student Accounts

Wanda Reynolds, Front Desk Attendant

Rebecca Bryson, Student Assistant

Lavinya Budak, Student Assistant

Daphne Collins, Student Assistant

Penelope Collins, Student Assistant

Alexa Galbraith, Student Assistant

Jordyn Green, Student Assistant

Isabella Helbling, Student Assistant

Makayla Helbling, Student Assistant

Madeline Ignatz, Student Assistant

Melanie Ignatz, Student Assistant

Anna Marciak, Student Assistant

Stella McBride, Student Assistant

Brylin Misner, Student Assistant

Norah Morse, Student Assistant

Ella Nichols, Student Assistant

Reese Philage, Student Assistant

Madeline Policarpio, Student Assistant

Gigi Spina, Student Assistant

Mya Thimons, Student Assistant

Noel Thimons, Student Assistant