Studio M Staff – Season 4
Dance. Excel. Perform.
Meagen Hensley-Shapiro
Owner/DirectorMeagen Hensley-Shapiro is a native Montanan who retired from a professional career to return to her roots and share her love of dance. Her diverse professional career consisted of productions including, 'The Siegfried and Roy Show', 'Sirens of TI', and 'Show in the Sky'. She was the lead aerialist at Studio 54 and in three performances on Broadway. Her modeling experience consists of print campaigns for The Orleans, Treasure Island & Sports Illustrated. She appeared on Hawaii 5-O as Jaycee and has performed in numerous industrials across the country. Meagen was the Entertainment Director for a theater & nightclub in Honolulu, HI. She choreographed and directed 'Burn'n Love' at the Lahaina Theater on Maui, and she was the assistant director and choreographer for multiple fashion shows. She is an alumna of the University of Montana and is also a former cheerleader and dance team coach. Meagen began her teaching career at the age of 15 & has taught in numerous studios throughout the country. She was an instructor as well as the director of On Center Performing Arts for 5 years before branching out and opening Studio M. Studio M is Meagen’s heart & soul. She loves teaching her students, creating relationships with their families & partnering with the best instructors in the state. Here’s to another amazing season!!
Tavja Zevkovich
Studio ManagerTavja Zevkovich was born and raised in Butte, MT where she started dance at the age of three under the instruction of Dixie Harrington of Dixies School of Dance. This is where she met Meagen Hensley. Aside from taking Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Tumbling she was also a part of the Competition Team for 2 years. After graduating from Butte High School, Tavja moved to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, graduating with a Business Degree in Sales and Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Tavja has always had a huge love for children, so much that she worked at Honeybear Daycare while attending College and then moved to Wisconsin to become the nanny for a family she met while working at Honeybear. Tavja decided it was time to move back to Montana to be closer to family & was eventually reconnected with Meagen. Since then, she has been part of the Missoula dance community with Meagen, as a team, for the past 6 years. Not only does she manage Studio M, but she also works full time as a Buyer & Merchandiser for Resort Gift Stores. Tavja loves Studio M & cannot wait for a 4th season with the Studio M family!
Tara McFarland
Ballet/ContemporaryTara McFarland attended Mills College, Arizona State University, and graduated with a BSc in Dance from the University of Idaho and holds an MSc Dance Science from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance (City University of London). She has danced professionally with Evolving Doors Dance (CO), Louder than Words Dancetheatre (CO), guested with 3rd Law Dance/Theatre (CO), Relay Dance Collective (WA), Converge Dance Festival (WA), and currently dances with Bare Bait Dance. She has taught Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz, and Hip-Hop styles for Kinetic Arts (CO), Westwoods Center of Performing Arts (CO), Fusion Dance & Theatre Company (CO), and currently teaches at Studio M and Ballet Arts Academy. Tara worked as a dance screening research assistant with Trinity Laban Health (London) and Seattle Dance & Performing Arts Medicine (Seattle, WA). She has sat on a steering committee for the Healthy Dancer Network with Dance Wire (Portland, OR) and presented research, Injuries in Dance, at the 2018 Idaho Dance Educators Conference. As a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Tara strives to integrate dance science and safe dance practice with performance and pedagogy. Strongly invested in the Montana dance scene, Tara has been faculty/choreographer for Garden City Ballet, Dance the Divide, MT Dance Arts Association, Downtown Dance Collective, served as Ballet Director at On Center Performing Arts, and teaches Dance & Physical Theatre at Big Sky High School, Sentinel High School, and Willard Alternative School through Bare Bait's Model Dance Educator residencies. She is inspirited to be joining the Theatre and Dance Department and U of M as an adjunct associate professor this fall.
Jaiden Hettick
Combo/Sub/AssistantJaiden Hettick has been a member of the dance community since 2017 and has loved every minute of it. She was a member of the Studio M Performance and Competition teams and Sentinel Dance Team. Jaiden has trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, voice, and acting. For dance, she has traveled to Seattle, Billings, and Coeur D'Alene. Jaiden is attending the University of Montana, where she is studying business and dance. She is also currently the assistant coach of the Sentinel Dance Team. Jaiden is so excited to teach at her first summer intensive!
Lindsey Schwickert
BalletMs. Schwickert began her training in Whitefish, Montana at the age of four. Soon traveling to Kalispell, MT, she became a passionate member of the Northwest Ballet Company. Performing in several Nutcracker productions, Spring Showcases, and also a guest artist for Azure Vision Dance Company, her desire to constantly dance landed her at the University of Montana where she earned a BA. Ms. Schwickert has danced with Headwaters Dance Co. and Bare Bait Dance. Lindsey is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Lindsey traveled to Paris and trained with the Paris Opera Ballet through the Cross Threads Program. This program taught musicians and dance instructors from around the world. She also recently graduated from the University of Montana with her MBA and is a board member serving Montana dance on the Montana Arts Association committee.