OUR TEAM
Maia Wirth
Artistic Director
Company Co-Director
Brave Fearless Friends Co-Creator
Dance Instructor
Maia has been teaching music and dance for more than fifteen years as both a private dance and music instructor and a public school educator, and was a semi-finalist for the Wake County Public School System's Teacher of the Year Award in 2011. Maia earned her B.A. in Dance and B.S. in Music Education from Elon University where she studied as a N.C. Teaching Fellow and Presser Music Scholar. She is fully trained in Facilitative Leadership and Positive Behavior Intervention & Support and is always working to learn more about how to effectively manage her classroom and business for the success of all involved. Maia has also trained extensively in the A+ Schools Program, an arts-integration and multiple intelligences based approach to teaching, learning, and school reform.
A dedicated yoga practitioner in her own life, Maia completed her Children’s Yoga Instructor Certification at the Asheville Yoga Center in 2013. She has performed as a vocalist and dancer throughout Europe and the United States and has shared the stage with the N.C. Symphony, Ben Folds, David Dorfman, Springs Dance Company, elan Vocal Jazz, and many more. When she is not teaching, dancing, or bending, Maia serves as a board member for Pawfect Match Rescue & Rehabilitation, and served on the leadership team for the Morrisville Innovation Foundation’s East Meets West Festival from 2014-2020. She has a passion for service and giving back to the community and loves sharing this passion, along with her love for teaching and the arts, with her students and the Morrisville community.
Maia's most favorite role in life is being "Mama" to her son, Gunnar, who you'll often see hanging out at the studio! He loves to help clean the floors. check the mail, reorganize the props, and interrupt ALL of her phone conversations.
Caitlyn Van Houten
Assistant Director
Company Co-Director
Dance Instructor
Caitlyn began her dance journey at the age of 2, studying under several talented instructors including Open Arts’ very own Ms. Maia. As a student she dreamed of teaching and choreographing for students of her own one day. That dream came true when she became a part of the Open Arts Instructor Family in 2016.
Caitlyn has worked with many different age groups since becoming a dance teacher, offering classes in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and acro dance . She has extensive training in Early Childhood Dance Education and holds certifications as an Acrobatic Arts Instructor, Once Upon A Ballet Instructor and as an Intellidance Method Instructor. She strives to maintain a positive and encouraging atmosphere in all of her classes where students feel confident in their individual power to succeed. Her main goal as a dance educator is to meet each student where they are and teach her students about the power of movement and how it impacts the world around them.
With a passion to dance and perform herself, Caitlyn has studied alongside So You Think You Can Dance finalist, Katheryn McCormick, and some of Walt Disney’s master choreographers and performers.
If you find Caitlyn outside of the studio, she will most likely be just that: outside! She enjoys being outdoors on a hike or walk and loves spending time with her sweet fur babies Leo and Mowgli. She also enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and on the art canvas.
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Jenica Davidson
Director of Customer Delight
Jenni has a background in education and counseling and a lifelong passion for the arts that probably started with spending sick days as a kid watching hours of musical theater VHS tapes. After being a dance mom at Open Arts for a few years (to her two girls Emme & Juliet), joining the team in a support role just felt natural. She also works from home as an academic editor for graduate students and faculty, loves to paint with watercolors and modern calligraphy, and is always reading at least two fiction books at a time.
Morgan Arcoraci
Dance Instructor
Morgan was born and raised in Raleigh NC and has been dancing in the Triangle since she was 2 years old. Morgan graduated from Ohio University with her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography in 2022. During her time in college, Morgan taught, choreographed and performed for many organizations on campus, as well as professional companies in her summers off of school like David Dorfman, Benny Simon, and Brian Brooks. Her studies were focused in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, African, Pointe, and Improvisation. She also obtained her Pilates Mat Certification and likes to practice in her free time.
Outside of the dance studio, you could find Ms. Morgan gaming on her PC or catching concerts downtown. Morgan is so excited to start teaching again post- grad and can’t wait to meet the movers of Open Arts!
Layla Ballinger
Dance Instructor
Layla is an Open Arts alum and so excited to be returning as a teacher! She joined Open Arts in 2015 and was an OAPC member for 7 years, a Disney choreography captain in 2022, and an ET for middle school modern in the 2022-2023 season. She loves modern and jazz but will always be a ballet girl at heart! She is a big fan of improv and loves getting to know her students as dancers and people. Outside of teaching, she works as a CNA and is a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill pursing a nursing degree. In her free time, she loves to crochet, take naps, and make Spotify playlists.
Sam Barefoot
Dance Instructor
Sam is an exercise and nutrition major with a certification in group fitness and Pound Fitness. She danced competitively until she was 15. Sam loves spreading the love of movement and music to everyone around her. She's been a part of our studio for the last 6 years cheering on all of our dancers and guest teaching classes. She is so excited to expand that role and begin to teach the love of dance to our youngest dancers at Open Arts. When she is not at the studio you can find her in the garden, cooking, or enjoying all the outdoor activities with her family.
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Connie Brooks
Dance Instructor
Connie was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she started dancing at the age of 3 years old. Growing up, she participated in numerous performances, conventions and competitions learning from well known choreographers, many from the show So You Think You Can Dance. She has trained and competed in a variety of styles, such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, tap, and modern. She assisted many classes to help the younger students while in high school and joined her high school dance team. Eventually, she moved to North Carolina for school where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Dance as well as Exercise Science at High Point University. At HPU, she was heavily involved in dance, leading as dance company president, a department ambassador, and choreographing a plethora of pieces to be performed on stage. She has presented work at the American College Dance Association and organized an entire production of dance pieces based on the concept of juggling dance and motherhood.Since graduating, Connie has been spending quality time with her family. She is super excited to be back for another season at Open Arts and can’t wait to see what the year will hold.
Alena Campbell
Dance Instructor
Alena grew up dancing in her hometown of Asheville, NC. She has taught dance for over 15 years, much of this time spent at her home studio in Asheville. She primarily teaches modern and ballet but has taught many other styles including contemporary, jazz, tap, and creative movement. Alena holds a B.A. in Dance from Elon University where back in the day she danced alongside Maia! In addition to teaching dance she has also worked many years as a pediatric Occupational Therapist. When not in the dance studio she is often hiking, camping, writing/reading poetry, researching all things interesting that day, or having long dinners and conversations with her family and friends. She loves building authentic relationships with her dance students and dance family and uncovering all the surprising ways movement connects us to ourselves, to others and to the world. Being in the dance studio and leading classes is a gift and one of her most favorite things to do. She takes her job of creating a space that feels safe, FUN, and empowering seriously and hopes you will hold her to this! She is so grateful to be part of Open Arts and looks forward to moving with you!
Laina Cleaton
Dance Instructor
Laina is a Junior Honor Student at Meredith College pursuing a double major in Dance and Mathematics. She is involved with several dance clubs at Meredith, including Meredith Dance Theatre and Meredith Jazz and Tap Company. She started dancing at four years old, and while she has studied a variety of styles over 13 years, ballet is her favorite. Laina auditioned and was accepted into the Carolina Ballet Summer Intensive for two years. During this time she had the pleasure of studying under New York City Ballet principal dancer Megan Fairchild, Carolina Ballet master Pablo Javier Perez, and Carolina Ballet principal dancers Jan Burkhard and Margaret Severin-Hansen. Laina called Open Arts home for seven wonderful years where she studied pointe, ballet, modern and some jazz. She was the recipient of the Hilda Sakaniwa Scholarship in 2018 and the Performance Company Member of the Year Award in 2019. Open Arts gave her the opportunity to perform at various local events and parades, on a NYC Broadway stage, in Times Square, and down Main Street USA in Disney World. Her many responsibilities at Open Arts included working the front desk, being a Teacher Assistant, Emerging Teacher, co-leader of Intensive Track Training, and a choreographer for the OAPC Gala. She loves being a part of the Open Arts family, and enjoyed celebrating ten years of Open Arts as a choreographer and performer in Hawaii. Laina is very excited for her second year at Open Arts as a ballet teacher. Ballet has been a great passion and light in her life, and she’s delighted to share, teach, and encourage that passion.
Madison Morgan
Dance Instructor
Madison began her dance journey at the age of 2 at Carolina Dance Center in Raleigh, NC, where she trained in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical for 12 years. She attended Millbrook High School, where she was a 2-year member of the dance team and a 4-year member of the cheerleading team, serving as Captain her senior year. Madison's love for teaching dance grew in her sophomore year of high school, and she has since taught guest classes at various Wake County high schools and small studios in Raleigh.
Madison's passion is teaching hip hop, and she hopes to share that love with her students. Her biggest personal goal is to become a backup dancer for Beyonce, who is her idol. As a dance educator, her goal is to make all her students feel appreciated and confident, molding them into the fantastic dancers she knows they can be!
Her classes are fast-paced and energetic, offering a challenging but fun atmosphere. Outside of Open Arts, Madison is the Head Coach/Director of the Millbrook High School Dance Team and the Assistant Coach of the Millbrook High School Cheerleading Team. She enjoys baking, catching up on true-crime documentaries, and spending time with her dogs, Oreo and Angel, and her nephew dog, Milo! Madison is beyond excited to continue teaching at Open Arts for her 3rd season!
Ollie Asselin
Emerging Teacher
Hi, I'm Ollie. I'm Junior in High School and this is my 5th year serving as a Teacher Assistant at Open Arts and my 12th year dancing here! Outside of dance I also coach gymnastics and I love teaching kids. I also love to crochet and skateboard! I can't wait to start this year!
Ashlyn Blanton
Emerging Teacher
Hi, I'm Ashlyn and I am super excited to be an emerging teacher at Open Arts again this year! I am a senior, this is my 10th year dancing at Open Arts, my 2nd year being an emerging teacher, and my 5th year being a teacher assistant. I am also the captain of my high school dance team, and this is my 3rd year competing with them. I love all styles of dance and experimenting with the art of movement! I enjoy applying everything I've learned in dance to teaching so that dancers can have the opportunity to grow in their own ways. Being an emerging teacher this past year was a wonderful experience for me and I really enjoyed working with my students throughout the year and choreographing their final showcase routine. I can't wait to help and encourage all the young dancers at Open Arts and witness their love for dance blossom!
Audrey Cheng
Emerging Teacher
Audrey is excited to be an Emerging Teacher at Open Arts! This will be her 9th year dancing at Open Arts and this will be her 3rd year as a TA. Audrey is also a part of the Open Arts Performance Company and Leadership Team. She loves all styles of dance, but her favorites are tap and modern. Audrey is a junior in high school, and outside of dance, she tends to spend her time with her dog, swimming, and participating in theater productions. Audrey cannot wait to share her love of dance with others!
Anna Higley
Emerging Teacher
Anna is thrilled to be continuing as an emerging teacher this year at Open Arts! She has been dancing for 15 years and this will be her 12th season dancing at Open Arts. She has been a teacher assistant for over 9 years, as well as a member of the Open Arts performance company and leadership team. She is currently a senior in high school and loves everything to do with dance, art, singing, and theatre. She loves every style of dance, especially musical theater and tap. Her favorite thing about teaching is seeing kids grow and develop new skills. She loves the positive and loving atmosphere that Open Arts provides for every student that not only helps them grow as dancers but as people too.
Charlotte Hague
Front Desk Staff
Charlotte is a junior in high school, and she loves reading and playing with her cats in her free time. She danced at Open Arts for eight years, and her favorite style was modern. She enjoys being at Open Arts because it’s more than just dance, you make new friends and family along the way. She is looking forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces in the lobby!
Laura Parker
Front Desk Staff
Laura has been an Open Arts Super Fan since 2014! Over the past 10 years, she has volunteered and staffed events such as Holiday Shows, Parades, and Showcases along with behind-the-scenes efforts like video production and costume inventory. She has assisted in the classroom with our younger dancers learning ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theater. At the front desk, Laura loves interacting with families and dancers to make sure their Open Arts experience is the best that it can be! Out of all of her roles at Open Arts, Laura's favorite has been as Dance Mom to her two daughters! With a background as a prosecutor of crimes against children, Laura is passionate about empowering children and youth to be kind and loving to themselves and others. She finds much joy and fulfillment at Open Arts and is grateful to be a part of this amazing studio! She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and snuggling with her two cats.
Gabby Fekete
Brave Fearless Friends Co-Creator & Director
Gabby is our resident "Love Your Body" Queen here at Open Arts although you may also find her wrangling baby dancers at Showcase, keeping us organized at Costume time, and building all the props that require a glue gun. She's also the Co-Creator and Director of our Brave Fearless Friends Program. She is passionate about helping young people grow up feeling good about their bodies and all they can accomplish after losing her beloved sister to an eating disorder. She is a low-key expert of all things Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction & she loves mentoring young people through the stickiest parts of life.
Gabby is the proud mom of former Open Arts Dancer Olive and her son Evan and everyone's favorite furry studio greeter, Ruby!