Kelly Michaud began her dance education at the age of four with Jennifer Beauvais Rienert in her hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire.  She continued to dance with Jennifer at New Hampshire School of Ballet for fourteen years.  During this period she studied ballet, pointe, jazz, and lyrical.  At the age of eleven, Kelly began participating in NHSB’s annual Nutcracker performance and became a member of the studio’s first competition team.  Her proudest individual accomplishments include high score awards for her ballet, pointe, jazz, and lyrical solos.  She was also named the region’s Teen Miss Headliner 2000, as well as American Dance Awards’ regional Dancer of the Year 2002, and has competed in several national competitions in Atlantic City, Boston, and New York City. 

              Prior to pursuing a higher education, Kelly entered the 2003 New Hampshire Junior Miss Scholarship Pageant and was awarded the top score in the fitness category as well as 2^nd runner up.  She also participated in several local Miss America pageants, placing as 2^nd runner up and the talent portion winner in the 2003 Miss Lakes Region contest.  Shortly after, Kelly began studying at the University of New Hampshire, where she continued her dance education primarily with C. Lawrence Robertson, studying ballet, pointe, and dance pedagogy.  She also studied aerial dance with Gay Nardone, and lyrical with Mary Beth Marino.  Kelly became a member of the UNH Ballet Company during her freshman year, and was re-selected for casting the following year.  

After two years as a dancer in the Ballet Company, she made the difficult decision to focus more time on her major.  Still wanting to be involved, Kelly became the rehearsal assistant to the choreographer, C. Lawrence Robertson, for the 2005-2006 school year.  During this period, she completed two independent studies for the UNH Theatre and Dance Department and was fortunate enough to attend rehearsals at the Boston Ballet.  The following year, Kelly was unable to participate in the dance program at UNH due to her decision to study abroad in Budapest, Hungary, where she focused on earning a Justice Studies minor.  For her last full year at the university, she was able to return as a 2007-2008 UNH Ballet Company member.

            Kelly has earned minors in Dance, Justice Studies, and Philosophy, and just complete her major in Political Science this May 2009!!  Congratulations Kelly!