Meet Our Instructors
Julie Garswood
Julie Garswood is the Owner and Director of Ascend Dance Complex. With more than 25 years of dance, teaching, choreography, and competition experience, she is passionate about providing exceptional dance education in a positive, encouraging environment where every dancer has the opportunity to grow.
Julie is trained in jazz, tap, hip hop, and contemporary, and has earned numerous awards throughout her competitive dance career, including a Special Stage Presence Award. She also has experience in cheerleading and theater, bringing a well-rounded approach to performance and artistic development. Throughout her teaching career, she has coached award-winning competition hip hop teams, won choreography awards, and trained numerous tap soloists and dancers who have received top honors at regional competitions.
Julie graduated Cum Laude from The Ohio State University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and minors in Dance, Spanish, and Economics. She later earned her Juris Doctor, graduating Cum Laude from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2014. She now works as an attorney with the Department of Justice. She resides in Fairview Park, Ohio with her husband, two children, and fur baby.
For more than 17 years, Julie has dedicated herself to inspiring dancers of all ages through quality instruction, meaningful mentorship, and a genuine love for the art of dance. Opening Ascend Dance Complex is the realization of a lifelong dream—to create a studio where dancers feel challenged, supported, and empowered to become confident performers and compassionate individuals. She is honored to share her passion with every student and family who walks through the doors of Ascend Dance Complex.
Director, ADC Company coordinator
Hannie Mills
Hannie Mills began her dance training at the age of three at the Cassandra School of Ballet in
Toledo, Ohio, where she trained in ballet, pointe and jazz. She performed various pieces with
the Cassandra School of Ballet, including Kitri’s Grand Pas variation from Don Quixote and the
Dew Drop Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite. She also performed works choreographed by Cassandra Macino, Stephanie Wingard, and Frank Ohman.
After graduating, Hannie attended Eastern University and pursued a degree in dance with a minor in accounting. While in college,in addition to continuing her ballet and jazz training, Hannie also studied Graham-based modern dance, contemporary, and Umfundalai African Dance. Hannie was a member of Opus 1
Contemporary Dance Company for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons and an apprentice dancer with 180 Dance Company for the 2012-2013 season. During her senior year, Hannie taught ballet for ages ranging from four to eighteen at Kristina Pulcini Ballet Academy. While with Kristina Pulcini Ballet Academy, she had the opportunity to be a guest dancer in the Nutcracker Suite, performing roles in Snow Corps, Marzipan, Chinese, and Flowers Corps.
After graduating Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Dance in 2013, Hannie moved
to Lynchburg, VA to attend graduate school and completed her Master of Arts in Management
and Leadership in 2014 from Liberty University. During this time, she pursued her love of dance
by attending classes and teaching classes for ages four to ten at Central Virginia Ballet.
Hannie and her husband moved to the Cleveland area in January of 2016. Hannie began taking classes with JAM Dance Academy in the fall of 2016 and was honored to perform in their first
Nutcracker Suite in 2016, in addition to their subsequent performances in 2017 and 2018,
dancing in the roles of the Gypsy Doll, Snow Corps, Palace Princess, Spanish Lead, Russian, and
Flowers Corps. While a teacher at JAM Dance Academy, Hannie taught ballet classes for ages
ranging from three to eighteen. Hannie currently resides in North Ridgeville with her husband
and her two children. Hannie is looking forward to this new chapter with Ascend Dance
Complex and excited to share her love of ballet with the next generation.
instructor, ballet program coordinator
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Audrey Lang
Audrey Lang, born in Cleveland, Ohio, has 18 years of dance experience under her belt ranging from studio and competitive dance to collegiate spirit dance. Audrey began dancing at the age of 6 years old growing to train in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater, hip hop, and acrobatics.
Audrey danced from 2021-2025 at basketball games and campus events with the Cleveland State University Dance Team performing jazz, pom, and hip hop. While on the dance team she choreographed performances and took the total of the team's "Captain" for a year. Her team attended and danced at the Horizon League Championship in Indianapolis 2 years in a row.
Here at Ascend Dance Complex, Audrey teaches acrobatics and hip Hop to all ages, training flexibility, strength, technique, and musicality.
instructor
Sam stakolich
With over 20 years of dance experience, Sam brings passion, energy, and a deep love for the art of dance to Ascend Dance Complex. While she enjoys exploring all styles of dance, her true specialty is tap, where her enthusiasm and expertise shine both in the classroom and on stage. Sam’s favorite part of teaching is helping young dancers discover their confidence and develop a lifelong love of dance. She believes every child has the potential to grow, learn, and shine in a supportive environment. When she’s not at the studio, Sam enjoys spending time with her fiancé, Vince, and their dog, Piper. Sam is very excited to join the team at ADC!
instructor
raquel cairns
instructor
Raquel is from Cleveland, Ohio and has been dancing for 23 years. She started at a studio in her youth then continued her studies at Bard High School Early College Cleveland under Jennifer Eccher. Upon graduation she also received an Associates of Arts from Bard College. She then went on to major in Dance at Cleveland State University, graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in May of 2025. She has taught a variety of ages & styles during her time with Rainey Institute, DANCECleveland’s Read to Learn, Dance to Move programming, as well as her work as an assistant & teaching artist at her Alma mater BHSEC Cleveland. She is trained in a variety of styles but feels most at-home in Contemporary & Tap. When not working or dancing, Raquel spends her time with her fiancé Frankie and their daughter, Melody. Raquel is excited to work at Ascend Dance Complex and do her part in teaching the next generation of dancers.
katlyn may
instructor
Katlyn began her dance training at the age of three, with a primary focus in tap and jazz. She had the pleasure of being a tap student of Julie’s for a few years!.Katlyn has taught at two local dance studios and loves helping students grow in both confidence and technique while fostering a fun, encouraging environment. Outside of dance, she is pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Biblical Counseling at Liberty University with plans to graduate in the spring of 2027. Katlyn is married with two young daughters, and loves spending time as a family exploring new spots around Cleveland. Katlyn is thrilled to be joining the Ascend team and looks forward to sharing her love of dance with her students!
Annie Collins
instructor
Annie Collins has always had a passion for movement. Growing up dancing, she discovered early on the joy, energy, and confidence that movement can bring. In college, that passion evolved into a love of fitness, and Annie began teaching group fitness classes at her campus recreation center.
Now, with 18 years of experience teaching a variety of group fitness formats, Annie brings a wealth of experience, energy, and knowledge to every class. She holds a 200-hour Yoga certification, a Yoga Sculpt certification, and an ACE Group Fitness certification. She has taught strength and resistance training, cardio interval classes, yoga, yoga sculpt, and pilates amped at studios throughout Chicago, Cleveland, and Columbus. She has also led several teacher training programs.
Annie believes that a little movement every day can make a big difference in how you feel — both physically and mentally. Her classes are thoughtfully programmed to challenge and energize, with an emphasis on intentional movement, proper form, and specific cueing. She wants you to feel strong and accomplished while you're in class, and to leave feeling that perfect balance of energy and calm.
Outside the studio, Annie holds an undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management from Miami University and an MBA from Cleveland State University. She currently works as an Account Director at a promotional marketing agency. When she's not working or teaching, you'll most likely find her keeping up with her three young boys, Jack, Jamie, and Nico.