Faculty

Founder & Director

Amy Markgraf

UVU Professor · Dance Education Program Coordinator

Amy Markgraf began her dance journey with BYU Young DanceMakers — an early experience that ignited a lifelong passion for creativity, exploration, and learning. She holds a B.S. in Dance Education/Biology from Utah State University, an M.A. from Brigham Young University, and an MFA from the University of Utah.

She is a tenured Professor of Dance and Dance Education Program Coordinator at Utah Valley University, where she teaches modern and contemporary technique, dance pedagogy, and kinesiology. She has previously directed two of UVU's performing companies — the Contemporary Dance Ensemble and Synergy Dance Company.

Choreography is at the center of Amy's artistic life. Her work has been performed, commissioned, and recognized nationally and internationally — including multiple American College Dance Association Gala Concerts, Breaking Ground: Choreographers Showcase, Metropolitan Ballet's Choreography Design Project, the Center for Latter-Day Saint Arts, and festivals across the U.S. Her choreography has reached international audiences, with performances in Denmark, England, Scotland, Ireland, the Philippines, and South America. Her contributions to the Utah Metropolitan Ballet, ACDA Gala Performances, National High School festivals, BYU, USU, UVU, BYUI, and the University of Utah's Children's Dance Theater have established her as a respected figure in the global dance community.

Amy is a dance scholar who has presented at national and international conferences including NDEO, IADMS, UDEO, and daCi — alongside her MDC colleague Angela Banchero-Kelleher. She served nine years on the daCi USA board, trained directly with Anne Green Gilbert, and holds a Harvard Pedagogy of Play certification. She is co-creator of Body and Brain (B2), a dance-specific conditioning program developed with colleague Kate Monson (Associate Professor, BYU) — learn more at b2conditioning.com.

UVU has recognized Amy's contributions with two honors: the Dean's Recognition Award for Scholarly and Creative Work and the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.

More than 60 of her former students are out in the world performing — in professional companies, local and regional theater, and yes, Broadway. Two have attended Juilliard. They are teaching in studios, K–12 schools, and universities. They are choreographing, creating, and dancing in their own homes and communities. They are living full creative lives.

In her spare time, Amy walks her dogs, spends time with her family, hikes, goes boating, and watches movies. Now she's teaching in Mapleton — in a studio she designed and built.

Instructor

Holly Markgraf-Mayne

Beverly Taylor Arts Specialist · Anne Green Gilbert Certified

Holly grew up in BYU's Children's Dance Program alongside Amy. She holds a BA in Dance from USU (music scholarship) and is Anne Green Gilbert certified — the gold standard in children's creative dance education.

She spent 15 years as a Beverly Taylor Arts Specialist in Granite and Nebo School Districts and is the choir director at Mapleton Middle School. She brings a warmth and playfulness to the youngest classes that sets the tone for a lifetime of loving dance.

The three-year-olds adore her. So do their parents.