Mission
The mission of Curio Dance is to harness the power of learning to fuel and ignite the passion of artistic performance for dancers of all abilities.
Vision
Our vision is to be recognized globally for creating, celebrating, and nurturing a limitless love of dance.
Values
CURIOSITY: We encourage our artists, students, and dancers to remain curious in their dance; it is a gateway to discovery and creativity that helps them remain connected to what they want to express through movement.
UNITY: We find strength in our diversity, which in turn adds vibrancy to all we do. When we are united we unlock a heightened spirit of generosity and celebration.
RESPONSIBILITY: We hold a collective sense of responsibility to our dancers, our colleagues, and our natural world. We trust that they share their very best with us, and we in turn commit to being present as our very best selves.
INCLUSIVITY: As a family, we bring an appreciation for how we are better when we are together. The connectivity we extend to all of the Curio Dance family creates abundance and respect that ripples out beyond our studio to our dance family members’ own community connections.
OPENNESS: Practicing an open mind and attitude leads to new, innovative collaborative opportunities within our community.
Leadership
Dario Mejia, Giselle Mejia, and Caitlin Mejia provide quality dance training and share their passion for dance whether students are aiming for a career on stage or dancing for personal health. The dedication and attitude of our students reflect the positive values we believe in- that all dancers have a unique potential and all efforts are valued. A “curio” is “a unique artifact.” Curio Dance believes each dancer brings their own gifts to be explored and celebrated.
Dario, Giselle and Caitlin, professional dancers, have had rigorous training at highly demanding and elite University programs and have performed with national dance companies on stage, television and film. The choreography at Curio Dance is original, fresh, and evolving to reflect the music and movement of our era.
Meet Our Faculty
Dario Mejia
Director, Choreographer
Dario received a full tuition scholarship to train at the The Juilliard School in New York studying under directors Lawrence Rhodes and Benjamin Harkarvy.
Dario’s performance, choreography and directing background includes national and international work such as: 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 has performed in the principal role of Drosselmeyer in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy for the past 5 years.
Dario’s television appearances include The Today Show, Good Morning America, Ellen, Telemundo, and America’s Got Talent in which his group iLuminate placed 3rd overall.
Dario 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.
Dario’s teaching experience includes The Main Street School Of Performing Arts, the Minnesota Dance Theater, the Stamford School Of Ballet, the State University of Minnesota, Mankato, and numerous Minnesota studios.
Giselle Mejia
Director, Choreographer
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.
Giselle’s professional performance and choreography experience includes In The Heights for an Ordway Original production, dancing in the Ordway’s West Side Story, Nachito Herrera and His Cuban Orchestra, Artist of Light on Broadway, performing and choreographing with iLuminate internationally, Curio Dance’s Drop The Mic!, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Hong Kong Dance Festival, JFK Center For Performing Arts in Washington, and Teatro Principal Burgos in Spain.
Giselle has performed on television for the Today Show, Ellen, America’s Got Talent and Telemundo. She 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.
Caitlin Mejia
Director, Ballet Master
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.
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.
Alaina Berger
Instructor
Alaina Berger began her love of dance with the Holleman and Howard Dance studio in Fort Worth, Texas with training in theatrical styles of dance; blending jazz rhythms with tap, acrobatics, and ballet. Alaina’s love of tap soared under her mentor Larry Howard (a protégé of Bob Fosse) who was of the era of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., where Howard performed on Broadway and had acts at nightclubs such as the Copa Cabana. She instructed tap dance at the Holleman Howard Dance Studio bringing swing rhythms, hoofing, and Broadway styles to her teaching. She continued her ballet, modern and jazz training under dance faculty in the College of Fine Arts, Texas Christian University – with Susan Douglas Roberts - Professor, Classical & Contemporary Dance in the TCU Dept. of Ballet & Modern Dance; David Hochoy, while at Texas Christian University (now Artistic Director of Dance Kaleidoscope), Hochoy brought his experience at the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham schools to teach master classes in the Graham technique. Dian Clough West studied with Gus Giordano of Chicago, and is currently the jazz instructor in the TCU Department of Ballet and Modern Dance.
Finding a passion for performing on stage started as a youth and continued as she worked with many great actors, directors, and choreographers including Bud and Franny Franks, Ed Holleman - Casa Mañana Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas. Alaina also trained in acting at the Casa Manana Theatre and has performed in live industrials as well as in various productions such as Can-Can, South Pacific, King and I, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Hello Dolly, West Side Story, Gypsy, Oklahoma, Camelot, and Mame.
Jenna Foster
Instructor
Jenna’s love for dance started at a young age. She began her training at Janet Lang Dance Studio in her hometown of Rochester, MN. While there, she was also on her high school’s competitive dance team. Jenna continued her training at Winona State University where she obtained her Bachelors in Business Administration and Minor in Dance. Throughout her college years, Jenna had the opportunity of attending multiple American College Dance Festivals. In Jenna’s final year at Winona State University, she was chosen for residency work with Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theatre Company. This consisted of working directly with multiple company members in addition to being cast for the original work set and created by the company. Jenna was also a founding company member of Two Lakes Dance Project during her time in Winona. Post-college, Jenna has performed with multiple companies including Curio Dance and School Company, MSHE Productions, and Soul to Sole.
Our Supporters
Major support for Curio Dance is generously provided by: 
