Meet Our Dance Instructors
Kaitlyn Emerine
Kaitlyn Emerine-Orians is the current owner and director of Becky’s School of Dance, Home of the Findlay Academy of Ballet.
Kaitlyn made her first appearance on stage when she was just 2 ½ years old. Although she loved performing she made her last appearance onstage in 2019.
Kaitlyn has had many dance experiences including traveling around the country and to New York City to study with many dance professionals at Broadway Dance Center, Maestro Studios, Steps on Broadway and even with a Rockette! She has danced at 3 different Cleveland Caviler’s games and has danced on 2 different cruise ships with her friends at Becky’s. She has danced at the Grand Ole Opry with her sisters and her friends and had a “boot scootin’ good time!”
Kaitlyn has also been to many different dance Intensives including Shock Reloaded, The Edge and Jazz on Tap on Tour where she was asked to be an “On Tour Dancer” and demonstrate for the intensive instructors as they toured the country with the intensive.
Outside of dance Kaitlyn enjoys snowboarding, jet skiing and cheering on her favorite football team (GO BUCKS!). Kaitlyn also enjoys time with her husband, daughter, friends, family and her dogs Miley (Chi Chi) & Duncan.
Kaitlyn looks forward to continuing to teach the youth of our community to dance for many years to come..
Dana Orians
Dana has been a part of Becky’s since 1968 when she started taking dance lessons. She took tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and acrobat over the years and loved every minute of it! She was given the opportunity to start teaching for Becky in 1979 and has had the pleasure of working with many wonderful dancers over the years including some whom are second generational students. She loves watching her students grow and develop as dancers and has maintained friendships with many former students. She plans to continue to teach as long as she is needed until the time is right for retirement! However, she will always be there to help out at Becky’s whenever she can. Becky’s has been her home away from home and she loves and respects both Miss Becky and Miss Meghan and will always consider them family. Dana and her husband Tim have had the privilege of raising two great children Brennan, an OSU graduate who lives in Columbus and Kaili, an OSU student and former dancer at Becky’s School of Dance.
Kara Ward
Kara is just a small-town girl, taking that midnight train going anywhere. She began her dance career at a young age and thirty some odd years later, we can’t seem to get her off that stage! After 14 years, Kara branched her dance career out into the big city, continuing her dance education at The Ohio State University and various capital area studios. Kara returned to our studio in 2009 and teaches tap, jazz, and lyrical and is celebrating her big 20th anniversary with Becky’s this year. Whether she’s teaching, dancing, or generally loitering in the office, on any given night you can find Kara earning her keep around the studio. Kara loves instilling the joy of performance in her students and stresses the importance of strong feet and bodies in her work. Her big, crazy, sometimes dysfunctional extended dance family is what keeps her going and makes her smile brighter on the daily.
Judy Reading
Judy Reading danced professionally with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Germany ), Boston Ballet, Ohio Ballet and freelanced in festivals throughout Europe, Latin America and the U.S.A. Since her retirement from dancing she has taught at the University of Akron, University of Toledo, Heidelberg University and for the past eight years as the resident professional at the Findlay Academy of Ballet.
Nalin Smith
Nalin started dancing at Becky’s School of Dance when she was 2.5 years old and has danced with us for 15 years. When her daughter was old enough to dance she, of course, signed her up at Becky’s. After watching her daughter dance, she realized how much she missed dancing. After some nudging from her daughter and husband she came back to dance with us! She loves every minute of it, getting to teach little ones and instilling the love for dance she herself has. She has two daughters and a son with her husband, and their love of dance continues.