Keira Hart-Mendoza, Founder & Artistic Director

Keira Hart-Mendoza received her MFA from Arizona State University where she graduated summa cum laude. She received BA's in Dance and Media Arts and Design from James Madison University, where she also graduated with honrs. She has since worked as a professional educator and choreographer. She has taught dance at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville VA, Coppin State University in Baltimore MD, and at Montgomery College in MD.  Keira also teaches dance for professional artists in the DC Metro. In 2020 Keira was selected as an "Outstanding Individual Artist" by the MD State Arts Council. 

Keira has worked as a guest artist at James Madison University, Arizona State University, University of Virginia, Coppin State University, Dance and Co. in Harrisonburg, and at Collegiate School in Richmond VA. 

Keira also brings dance into unlikely settings and worked as the Resident Movement Artist at Georgetown University Hospital 2013-2018.  She has had the wonderful opportunity to teach doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital a variety of movement forms to help aide in hospital morale and to help care for caregivers.  Keira attended the Dance for Parkinson's training program at the Mark Morris Dance Center in NYC which has allowed her to expand her teaching pallet to work with patients with movement disorders.  She developed a "Movement for MS" program at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital with the neurology department.

Keira's choreography has been shown all across the DC-MD-VA area in venues such as Dance Place, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage, the Dance Exchange, at Montgomery College, at the Harman Center for the Arts, Atlas Performing Arts Center, the Jack Guidone Theater, the Greenberg Theater and much more.  Keira has received funding from the Montgomery County Arts & Humanities Council since 2012 and was awarded a grant for the "Wheaton MD Cultural Initiative" twice.  

In 2013, Keira is a comprehensive Pilates Instructor through Body Arts and Sciences International (BASI). Through her private Pathways Pilates practice, she currently teaches Pilates group classes and private sessions around the DC region. This new pairing of dance and Pilates has allowed Keira to deepen her connection and understanding of the human body as a tool for expression and articulation.