Tara O’Brien Artistic Director & Instructor
Tara has been dancing since 1990 and teaching since 1999. She has won many awards both locally and nationally in dance, and has taken master dance classes from some of the most renowned teachers and choreographers in the dance industry. Tara opened Turning Pointe in September 2009 and started the Turning Pointe competition team in September 2010. The competition team has one many overall, entertainment and choreography awards already in the short time they have been around. Most recently Tara has studied at The Pulse Dance Intensive taking classes from choreographers such as Desmond Richardson, Wade Robson, Chris Judd, and Brooke Lipton, among many others. She has a bachelors degree in child psychology from Alvernia College. She is the director of Turning Pointe Dance Center, and looking forward to another enjoyable year of dance!
Rose O’Brien Assistant Director & Instructor
Rose has been involved in the dance industry for over 20 years. She started dancing at the age of 10 and continued her love for Ballet as a teenager. In 1993 she resumed dancing. Along with Ballet, she also studied Pointe, Jazz and Tap. She started teaching in 1997. As a dancer and teacher she has taken master classes from different choreographers and has participated in dance teacher seminars.
Megan Grabowski Instructor
Megan started dancing at the age of 6 at The Studio For Dance in Blue Ash, Ohio where she studied Clogging, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Lyrical. Soon after starting, Megan joined The Studio Company and began competing in regional and national dance competitions and taking extensive ballet training at CCM (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music) and with The Cincinnati Ballet. Megan holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Kent State University and was a member of the Kent State Dance Ensemble and the KSU Dance Team. After graduation, her training in Modern continued in NYC at Dance Space and in Boston at Green Street Studios. She has had the honor of performing with the Cincinnati Ballet, modern companies Bryce Dance and Kelley Donovan and Dancers, on NBC’s “Today Show”, and NYC’s world famous Carnegie Hall with Eric Kunzel and The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Megan is very excited to share her passion for dance with the students at TPDC and helping them grow as artists.
Meghan O'Toole Instructor
Meghan is very passionate about dance and she loves to share that passion with others! Meghan graduated from Dean College with a degree in dance with honors. One year after graduating, she opened her own studio, which she operated for 5 years. She closed the studio to focus on her growing family and return to school. Meghan is currently a graduate student at Sage Graduate School, studying for her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Her dance background includes various techniques in tap, ballet, modern and jazz and has had the opportunity to take classes from various members of the Alvin Aliey Dance company, Luigi, Members of the Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company, Brad Musgrove (Dance Captain of Fosse The Musical), and Dianne Walker, among others. Meghan had the pleasure of performing with Gregory Hines. She was the dance team director and choreographer for the Albany Attack Dance Team, and has worked at the National Museum of Dance. Meghan has taught dance for over 10 years to students ranging in age from 18months- 88years, including classes dedicated to individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities!
Meghan's teaching philosophy focuses on proper technique including terminology and basic muscle anatomy in a safe and nurturing environment. She is focused on what is correct alignment for each individual. Because body types vary, Meghan's extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, body structures, and movement patterns ensure that each dancer is taught appropriately for their individual level and body type. For the young dancer, this is done through games and activities, sometimes with props! For the older dancer, this can include demonstrations using props, hand on correction, visualization, diagrams/pictures, and verbal cues. An of course for all dancers-LOTS of praise!!! Meghan's goal of each class is for each dancer leaving happy and feeling good about themselves and the work they did!
