Flat River Dance Company
5469 S. Greenville Rd.
Greenville, MI 48838
Flat River Dance Company
5469 S. Greenville Rd.
Greenville, MI 48838
Miranda Haywood - Executive Director & Dance Instructor
Ms. Miranda is a Choreographer, Ballet Mistress, Instructor, and Dancer for FRDC. Miranda is a native of Ada, MI, she received her dance training on scholarship with the Grand Rapids Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, WA. Miranda has also studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City, New York. As a senior in high school in 1999, she joined Grand Rapids Ballet as an apprentice in the company. She has performed professionally with the Grand Rapids Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Charlotte Total Theatre, Chautauqua Dance Company and the Moving Poets Theatre of Dance. She has also been a guest artist for Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey and Ablemarle Academy of Dance. While performing with professional companies throughout the country, she had the opportunity to dance Balanchine Works such as Western Symphony, Stars and Strips, Concerto Barocco, and Divertimento. In the summer of 2000 she joined Pacific Northwest Ballet's tour of A Midsummers Night Dream to Hong Kong, China & Istanbul,Turkey.
Ms. Miranda was the first dance team coach for Providence Day High School (Charlotte, NC) in 2003. From January 2011- 2015, Ms. Miranda Haywood was a professor of dance at Grand Valley State University. Since 1998, she has taught on the faculty for many of North Carolina and Michigan's finest ballet schools: the school of the North Carolina Dance Theatre, Charlotte School of Ballet, Community School of the Arts, Charlotte City Ballet, Miller Street Dance Academy, Weir Dancin', Las Americas, Turning Pointe School of Dance and Classic Pointe.
Most recently, Miranda has been a member of the Education Foundation of Greenville since 2019 as a Trustee. In just three years as the director and producer, along with her Dancing with the Locals Stars Entourage, they raised over $142,000 for mental health services and programs for the Greenville Public Schools. Pertaining to this acheivement, as of May 2024, Ms. Haywood is the recipient of the Womans Action Network Woman of the Year. She has two children Isadora and Cyrus and resides in Gowen, MI.
Joseph Curry - Artistic Director & Dance Instructor
Mr. Curry originally from Greensburg, PA, danced professionally for fifteen years. He also carries the title of Choreographer, Teacher, and Ballet Master. He obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree from North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. Curry spent five years with the North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet) followed by eight years with the Moving Poets Theatre of Dance. He also guest performed, choreographed and taught dance classes for West Michigan Youth Ballet Company, New York City Opera, Mia Ballet, Kunami Ballet, Augusta Ballet, Greenville Ballet, Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance, Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, Fairfax Ballet, Roanoke Ballet, and Charlotte Youth Ballet.
In March 2007, Mr. Curry directed and produced Artzilla, a Festival of the Arts in Charlotte, NC. This festival had an array of over 65 artists that included dancers, actors, storytellers, rappers, musicians, drummers, models and mimes. Joseph has also dedicated his life to working with children in dance by teaching and creating outreach programs for an number of schools which include North Carolina Dance Theatre, Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance, Roanoke Ballet, and Savannah Dance Theatre. He has choreographed full length ballets for Flat River Dance Company including the Nutcracker, 12 Dancing Princesses, Good Night Moon, Tribute, The Magical Doll Shoppe, Wizard of Oz and Bluegrass.
Alexandria Gilbertson - Dance Instructor
Alex is a dedicated and passionate dancer currently obtains a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance at Grand Valley State University as she graduated in December 2024. Alex has been dancing for 17 years (thanks mom and dad). Alex has honed their skills through rigorous training, notably with the renowned Flat River Dance Company.
As a multifaceted artist, Alex not only performs as a professional dancer, but is a choreographer and instructor within the Flat River Dance Company. Alex has had the pleasure to work with many companies and artists from across the country like KAOS LA and dancers on Broadway in New York City.
She was a pre ballet assistant from 2018 - 2021. She has performed in our regular productions and at Danish Festivals & Grand Rapids Festival of Arts. Alex is a 2020 graduate at the Greenville High School and was also a member of the National Honor Society. Ms. Alex is teaching Jazz, Hip Hop, Creative Movement, Elementary Ballet and Private Lessons for the 2023 - 2024 Season. Some of her featured roles include Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker and the Red Balloon in Good Night Moon.
Mary Beth Orr - Yoga Instructor & Music Teacher
As a professional, classically trained musician, Mary Beth was drawn to yoga for not only its stress relieving benefits and physical conditioning, but for the surprising mental and spiritual conditioning it began to provide as well. She began her journey with yoga in 2004 with her focus initially being in hatha yoga and gradually discovering the vast benefits of Ashtanga, and Vinyasa. Her training was through the traditional format of one on one guru to apprentice style, focusing specifically on enlightenment, alignment, and modification for all bodies and all abilities. In 2006 she received her yoga teaching certification totaling over 350 hours of training and 250 hours of supervised teaching from Flexible Health and Wellness specializing in Tri-Doshic yoga. This is a practice designed to balance the spiritual and physical needs of each class participant with the purpose of achieving balance between the three doshas we all possess. This practice would combine elements of ashtanga, vinyasa, pranayama, and guided meditation. She completed another 200 hr certification through Red Bloom with Kris Batzner in 2018 that has rekindled her passion in helping every student embrace their life journey through yoga. Furthering her studies and rehabilitation after a life altering auto accident, she completed the course work for another 300 hr RYT through MyVinyasaPractice in Austin.
She adamantly believes there is a style of yoga for everyone, and every BODY is a YOGA BODY. Her number one priority for every class she teaches is always the health and safety of every student! Yoga is empowering, healing, and most of all FUN, and Mary Beth strives to create an environment where this type of experience can flourish. She is currently 3rd Horn in the Grand Rapids Symphony while living on 10 wooded acres in Howard City with her husband and VERY energetic dogs.
Ms. Rylee Cortez - Dance Assistant
Ms. Rylee has been dancing at Flat River Dance Company for the past 10 years. She is a junior at the Greenville High School. Some of her featured roles include Arabian dancer in our 2021 Performance of the Nutcracker Suite - Clara's Magical Journey and Teeny Bunny in Good Night Moon.
Ms. Sara Larson - Dance Assistant
Ms. Sara has been dancing at Flat River Dance Company for the past 11 years. She is a senior at the Lakeview School. Her featured role most recent perforrmed was Clara in The Nutcracker for our 2021 production with the Rockford Civic Symphony and Tweeny Bunny in Good Night Moon.
Ms. Lisa Larson - Office Manager
Ms. Lisa will be in her third year as office manager Flat River Dance Company. Her daughter, Sara Larson has danced with Flat River Dance Company for the past 11 years.
Ms. Aayva Peacock - Dance Assistant
Ms. Aayva has been dancing at Flat River Dance Company for the past 10 years. She is a senior at the Greenville High School. She also plays the violin.
