The Leaders of our Curio Community
Guiding dancers with artistry, integrity, and heart.
Curio Dance is a family–owned and operated dance school rooted in passion, artistry, and community. Founded in 2016, our studio was built on a shared vision to create a welcoming space where dancers of all ages can learn, grow, and feel at home. Together, our family leads with heart, humility, and a deep belief that dance has the power to shape confident, compassionate, and creative humans.
Meet the four owners who bring Curio Dance to life each day:
Dario Mejia
Co-Founder, Artistic Director
Choreographer, instructor, dancer, Dario Mejia brings a lifetime of dance experiences to Curio Dance.
His performance list includes: iLuminate in world tours; Drop The Mic! series in Minneapolis; off-Broadway production of Artists Of Light; Radio City Music Hall, Six Flags; Disney; Crystal Cruises; and the Minnesota Dance Theater. He also performed the principal role of Drosselmeyer in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy from 2011 to now.
Dario’s creativity has also been seen in television appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Ellen, Telemundo, and America’s Got Talent. In addition to performing, in 2015 Dario also served as the Ambassador of Dance for the U.S. Embassy as a choreographer, rehearsal director and spokesman for the United States Government on dance for Asia.
Before founding the Curio Dance School, Dario taught at The Main Street School Of Performing Arts, the Minnesota Dance Theater, the Stamford School Of Ballet, Minnesota State University Mankato, and numerous Minnesota studios. Dario received a full tuition scholarship to train at the The Juilliard School in New York, studying under directors Lawrence Rhodes and Benjamin Harkarvy
Giselle Mejia
Co-Founder, Artistic Director
Giselle’s performance and choreography experiences on the stage have drawn a wide-ranging map around the world.
Her travels have included stops in St. Paul for roles at the Ordway Center for Performing arts in In The Heights and West Side Story, Nachito Herrera and His Cuban Orchestra, Artist of Light on Broadway, performing and choreographing with iLuminate internationally, Drop The Mic!, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Hong Kong Dance Festival, JFK Center For Performing Arts in Washington, and Teatro Principal Burgos in Spain.
On television, Giselle has been featured on the Today Show, Ellen, America’s Got Talent and Telemundo.
Ever-curious and excited to share what she’s learned, Giselle has taught at Gustavus Adolphus College, Minnesota State University Mankato, Concordia University St. Paul, The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, Latin Social Dances, Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts, P.L.A.C. Parents of Latin American Children, La Semana Culture Camp, Main Street School of Performing Arts and Conservatorio Municipal en Ecuador.
Giselle graduated Cum Laude from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance in New York with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and a Certificate in Arts Management. She earned her MFA in Dance Performance from the Peck School Of The Arts, University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Caitlin Mejia
Co-Founder, Executive Director
From the age of 3, Caitlin knew she was a dancer — and built her life around the practice and performance of her first love, ballet.
She has performed in iLuminate on the New World Stages Off Broadway, Radio City Music Hall, Broadway in the Park and on television for America’s Got Talent. Her local performances include: “Concrete Abstraction” Dwight Rhoden, “A Stair Dance” Eliot Feld, “Mythical Hunters” Glen Tetley, “Nutcracker Fantasy” Loyce Houlton, “Carmina Burana” Loyce Houlton, “Upturned Jewel” Wynn Fricke, “Serenade, Divertimento No. 15” Balanchine, “Swan Lake” Petipa, “A Piece A Chord, 12 Dancing Princesses” Lise Houlton, “Figure Ground” Wynn Fricke, and “Bred in the Bone” Lise Houlton.
Caitlin has taught at the Dance Institute under the direction of Gloria Govrin and at Corazon Latino. She has been the ballet program director at Premiere Dance Academy, Jete Dance Centre and Heartbeat Studios.
Caitlin holds a BFA in Biology from the University of Minnesota and has studied dance extensively with the School of the American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West and the Minnesota Dance Theatre.
Patricia Schaber, PhD
Co-Founder, Director Emerita
Patricia will be the first to tell you of her lifelong love and appreciation of dance as a form of artistic expression. She danced while a college student, and as a parent recognized an even stronger love of and talent for dance in her children. It became her mission to connect them with every opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive as dancers.
A single parent, Patricia quickly learned the challenges of this mission — fortunately, she was not alone nor without help. Her mother, Viola, became an unwavering supporter for her grandchildren, demonstrating for Patricia the significance of helping those you love unlock the access to living their dreams. Patricia continues this exemplary practice in her work at Curio Dance, overseeing the development and management of the Curio Dance Sponsorship Fund. Thanks to her work, Curio can assure its students that cost does not have to be a barrier for anyone who wants to learn to dance.
It is also thanks to the dedication of Patricia that the UpDown Funk dance troupe continues to grow and thrive. Her tireless efforts in the behind-the-scenes work to give these talented dancers the spotlight they have earned is Curio Dance’s values in action.
Patricia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Minnesota. She received a Masters in Pastoral Studies (social justice) from the University of St.Thomas, and a PhD in Family Social Science (Gerontological Research) from the University of Minnesota.
Our Supporters
Major support for Curio Dance is generously provided by: 
