Katie Cavenagh has over 40 years of dance experience, with a specialized focus on Tap. She’s been teaching for 30 years and has trained primarily at the American Tap Dance Foundation in NYC. Her mentors include Barbara Duffy, Brenda Bufalino, and the legacy of the Masters. She’s performed at Tap City and The Big Apple Tap Festival in NYC,  with #Taplife, and The Boston Tap Company. A former coach of the UConn Tap Team for 7 seasons,  Katie is the Founder/Artistic Director of The CT Tap Collaborative, which has been operating since 2016. The company focuses on history, improvisation, and creating new work, with a goal to bring tap dance to all who want to learn. Katie currently teaches at The CT Dance Academy, The Hartford Dance Collective, and has introduced Tap to the team sports program at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford. 

Kayleigh began dancing at the age of five, studying ballet at The Connecticut Academy of Performing Arts in Waterbury. It would be another eight years before she put on her first pair of tap shoes, and she’s been smitten ever since! She went on to major in dance at Skidmore College, where she also performed and choreographed with their student-led tap group - Stompin’ Soles. Kayleigh continued to teach dance in New York, South Carolina, and Connecticut through 2016 before shifting her focus to finding the rhythm of being a mom of two. Shortly after, Katie and the CT Tap Collaborative came into her life, bringing opportunities to learn and grow as a tap dancer beyond what she could have ever imagined! Kayleigh is currently working as an elementary special education teacher and loves every chance she gets to dance.

Nicole began her love of dance, especially tap, at Center Stage Dance Studio in Stamford, CT. A performer, choreographer, and educator across CT and MA, Nicole is a proud company member of the Connecticut Tap Collaborative since 2025. She holds a B.A. in Dance, B.S. in Psychology, and M.Ed. in School Adjustment Counseling from Springfield College. Nicole’s choreographic passion ranges from award-winning musical theater productions, including UMass Amherst and Kingswood Oxford School, to presenting concert dance in tap and contemporary dance across local festivals. As a performer, she has worked with renowned artists in a diverse range of dance styles, with a large thanks to Sarah Zehnder. As a performer, choreographer, dance educator, and elementary school counselor, Nicole is passionate about using movement to create connection, confidence, and joy. nicolekhenkel.com

Mary started dancing in 1999 at the Children’s Dance Workshop in Watertown, Connecticut. Tap and Highland have been her favorite dance styles from a very early age. She has continued dancing through the years with CDW, was a member of the UConn Tap Team while in college, and first performed with the CT Tap Collaborative in 2017. 

Now a full-time environmental scientist, Mary is thrilled to continue growing her passion as a dancer and learning about the rich history and cultural significance of Tap with CTC.

Kaitlyn Maurais has over 25 years of dance experience, with a particular love for tap. She trained in all dance genres at Backstage Dance Center and was honored to receive four DMA CT regional titles with her tap solos. Kaitlyn continued her tap training and choreography with Skidmore College’s Stompin’ Soles and Yale University’s Taps at Yale. Currently, she continues to choreograph tap pieces, teach at Backstage Dance Center, and perform as part of the CTC company. 

Bella Rose has been dancing since the age of 2 and dancing competitively since the age of 5. She also attended the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts half-day program where she trained in the dance program. Her training will continue as a part of the dance program at Sacred Heart University in the fall. Tap is her favorite style and she cannot wait to grow as a dancer with the company!

Michelle Wirkus started her dance training at Gloria Jean’s Studio of Dance studying diverse genres of dance throughout her youth. She graduated from Bucknell University with a BS in Biochemistry and a minor in Dance, while performing and choreographing for the Bucknell Dance Company. She had the special honor of performing in Beijing, China her senior year with the company showcasing American tap and jazz dance styles for an international arts festival. After graduating she taught at a local dance studio in Cheshire for 5 years. In 2009 she reconnected with her college dance professor and mentor, performing with Matter Dance Company while studying at various studios throughout Chicago. Professionally Michelle went on to pursue her BSN from UCONN and has been practicing as a Critical Care RN for the past decade. Recently Michelle has rekindled her passion for dance taking adult classes around the Hartford area and reconnecting with what inspires her to move and perform. Most recently she has performed with Immix Dance Project, CT Tap Collaborative and with Darlene Zoller in productions of Mama D’s Outrageous Romp & at annual “PoP Encore!” performances. 

Samantha began dancing at a young age and has trained in multiple genres of dance. She studied ballet at the Hartt School Community Division Dance Department in Connecticut during her early training and later at The School at Steps in New York. She also trained and competed in tap, jazz, and contemporary at New England Dance & Gymnastics Center in Massachusetts. She later earned a bachelor’s degree with a minor in Dance and a master’s degree from the University of Hartford. She most recently performed “Chameleon” with the CT Tap Collaborative. Tap has always been her first love and she is excited to continue performing with the company!

Bio coming soon!

Marie has been dancing since she was 3 years old, training in Cecchetti ballet, musical theater tap, jazz, and modern at Cheshire Dance Centre from childhood through high school, and discovering rhythm tap, contemporary, and hip hop in college. She earned her degree from Emerson College where she majored in Writing & Publishing with a minor in Dance, and was an active member of Emerson Dance Company as a dancer and choreographer. After a many-years hiatus from dance, Marie is thrilled to be reunited with her first and greatest love, tap dance, officially joining the CT Tap Collaborative in 2026 performing Katie Cavenagh's "Chameleon" at the Hartford Dance Festival. Out of the studio, Marie is a full-time communications professional working in academic medicine, and a part-time amateur nerd who occasionally dons a superhero suit for charity.