Keri L. McLean

 State Of The Arts Studio for Dance and the Performing Arts was founded by its director, Keri L. McLean, in 1997. Ms. McLean has enjoyed a career in dance and the performing arts for over 30 years. During which time she has trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip Hop, Precision, Pep Arts, Ballroom, Swing, Latin and Country Dance. Keri has traveled across the country in order to perform, teach, and train with top national and international instructors. Ms. McLean is trained in the Russian, French and Cecchetti methods of classical ballet and is certified to teach the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) method. Ms. McLean has trained extensively in the Luigi style of Jazz, and continues to pass on his method as well as incorporating new, popular, and stylized techniques when teaching Lyrical, Hip Hop and Pep Arts (Pom & Cheer). The style of Tap Keri instructs is a blend from different artists. She calls upon theatrical styling such as those used by Fred Astair and Gene Kelly, and also the natural rhythm of the “Hoofers” such as those she learned from with Henry Le Tang, as well as those used by Gregory Hines, and Savion Glover. Ms. McLean has trained in Smooth Ballroom, Swing, Latin, and Country Social Dance styles with such masters as Pierre Allaire & Mireille Veilleux, Melanie La Patin & Tony Meredith, Jim & Janelle Maranto, Buddy Schwimmer, Ron Montez, Jo Thompson, Ramiro Gonzales, Mario Robau Jr, Angel & Debbie Figueroa, Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollmann, Kyle Redd & Sarah Vann Drake, Parker Dearborn & Jessica Cox, Michael Kielbasa & Jennifer De Luca, Kelly Casanova, and Sylvia Sykes. She has performed, choreographed, taught and judged throughout the United States for such organizations and events as Children’s Hospital, the National Kidney Foundation, Girl Scouts of America, Marlboro Country Nights Dance Showdown, the Nation’s Capitol Professional Cheerleader’s Association, Colorado Women in Sports Conference and many others.

Keri began her Pep Arts and Precision experience within the National Cheerleading Association (NCA). During her first year with the NCA, she was a member of the squad that took first place in the Body Rock and High Kick divisions at the National Championships in Anaheim, California. She continued her performance experience further by becoming a Professional NFL Cheerleader with the Nation’s Capital Professional Cheerleaders. She was a member of the Redskinettes, the professional squad cheering for the Washington Redskins in Washington D.C. While on the Squad she performed as a soloist and served as a choreographer for the Redskinette “Show Troupe” performing USO variety shows both nationally and internationally. She keeps up her Pep Arts certifications through the Universal Dance and Cheer Associations (UDA & UCA) and continues to pass on her knowledge by coaching, choreographing and training local 4A & 5A High School Varsity Pom Squads.

Continuing her long time association with the public school systems and institutions for higher education, Keri currently serves as a guest instructor and performer with her professional dance partner, Jared Oz, for Arapahoe/Denver/Douglas/Jefferson Counties, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the School of Mines. She is also a guest choreographer for local theatre groups such as the Evergreen Players and the Ascot Theater. Keri is proud to have State Of The Arts Instructors run the Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Ballet & Swing programs for Red Rocks Community College Credit Courses and to supply Arapahoe Community College with Instructors for their Community Education program in Dance. She is also pleased to have installed the Studio’s Social Dance Program of Ballroom, Latin & Swing at the Lone Tree Recreation Center (South Suburban Parks/Rec.) in Centennial, as well as offer Hip Hop, Lyrical & Modern classes at both the Lone Tree & Buck Centers in Centennial & Littleton. And we are very happy to continue our sister studio relationship, for a third year, with Evergreen Dance Center where we teach Ballet/Point, Lyrical, Ballroom, Latin & Swing.

Ms. McLean currently travels all over the country to compete on the national Swing dance circuit. Several of the events at which she competes belong to the National Association of Swing Dance Event circuit (NASDE) sanctioned by the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC), and has earned many championship awards in several divisions and currently competes as an Advanced dancer. She is also a former award winning dancer on the United Country Western Dance Council circuit (UCWDC). Keri was recently hired as Choreographer and Lead Dancer for the “Coyote Ugly” Hip Hop tour performing in India and the Far East. She & Jared are honored to have been invited back year after year to the “Buckaroo Ball”, a benefit fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital, where they are featured performers dancing live with blockbuster country music musicians such as Clint Black and Diamond Rio. Keri also fills her time by being a commercial and film actress, a regional and national spokes person as well as a runway and print model.

Because Keri travels the United States as a guest instructor, competitor and performer she has acquired a following of students at a national level. However, Ms. McLean has chosen to return to the Denver area in order to provide a unique educational and performance environment, to share with her students her passion for the arts, and to establish State Of The Arts as a leading studio in the performing arts arena.