Founder
Kathy Marfin Gray - Founder, began studying Tap, Ballet and Tumbling at age 5. At age 8, Ms. Marfin Gray was referred to Rosita Samelson, formerly of the Alicia Alonso Ballet of Cuba, Ballet Dancer and Instructor. She studied Ballet with Mrs. Samelson, mostly privately, until her high school graduation. Kathy continued to broaden her education in all styles of Dance, Musical Theatre and Voice at TCU, IWC, the Atlanta Ballet School, The American Dance Camp in NY, and many Master classes throughout her career in Dance. Professionally, Kathy choreographed, performed and taught Ballet and Jazz Dance since age 16 to many schools, dance teams, theatres and individual artists. Her credits include: Assistant Director and Dancer of the Contemporary Dance Co. of San Antonio, Dancer and Instructor of 30 local artists under a CETA grant under the direction of Jo Long for Carver Contemporary in which they hosted the first San Antonio Jazz Music Festival, Dancer and Choreographer for Musicals at Alamo Heights High School for 8 years, Dance Instructor and Choreographer of the Texas Military Institute Junior High Dance Team, Choreographer for the Sweet Adelines Mission Belles, Dancer, Actress and Dance Instructor for the San Antonio Children's Fine Arts Center, Choreographer for a Musical for the University of Incarnate Word Drama Department, Instructor for St. Mary's Hall Fine Arts Program, two years, Instructor of the Upper School Honors Dancers, three years and later served as Dance Instructor of the St. Mary's Hall Upper School Dance Department, in addition to choreographing for numerous dancers, dance teams, gymnastics, and pageant contestants.
Kathy opened Kathy Marfin’s Dance School in 1979 at age 23, teaching and choreographing Ballet and Jazz to ages 3 through adults. Throughout the years her School attendance rose to approximately 400 students. She created the Assistant Dance Teachers program, the Pre-School Curriculum and the Competition Team. Her Recitals became well known for the beautiful sets, costumes and theatrics. Kathy retired in 2009 after 30 years of ownership.
Kathy opened Kathy Marfin’s Dance School in 1979 at age 23, teaching and choreographing Ballet and Jazz to ages 3 through adults. Throughout the years her School attendance rose to approximately 400 students. She created the Assistant Dance Teachers program, the Pre-School Curriculum and the Competition Team. Her Recitals became well known for the beautiful sets, costumes and theatrics. Kathy retired in 2009 after 30 years of ownership.
Director
Tiffany Harmon - Owner/Director/Instructor - Jazz, Tumbling, Tap, Musical Theater, and LEDC Choreographer, grew up at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School, looking up to her step-mother Kathy who was a great inspiration and wonderful dance teacher. She took dancing for most of her childhood, studying Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Drill and Hip-hop, as well as being a competitive gymnast and cheerleader. Tiffany was a gymnast for five years with Alamo City Gymnastics and Harris Unlimited Gymnastics competing in all events and excelling at floor and bars. She was also a cheerleader for CHEERS for two years, attending and demonstrating for two of their summer camps. Tiffany worked throughout high school and college for Kathy Marfin’s Dance School, including management, teaching, running the front office, sales and backstage assistance at each recital. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Marketing from Southwest Texas State University in 2000. She also has over 10 years of management, finance and marketing experience and has several financial licenses in Insurance, Stocks & Bonds. After a foray into the financial world, Tiffany discovered her true passion was the world of dance.
Tiffany took on the Director position of Kathy Marfin’s Dance School in 2001, and took over as Owner in 2009 when Kathy retired. Tiffany is also the Director of The Leading Edge Dance Company, a pre-professional performance and competition team formed from the students at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School. Her choreography and routines have won numerous distinguished awards including IDE Outstanding Performance “Best in Tap”, two Al Gilbert awards, Video of the Year Finalist, SDA Regional Champion, “Better than Broadway” award, 5 times Golden Ticket Highest Scoring routine, Tap Excellence award, three Choreography awards, and three Technique awards. Tiffany is active in all areas of dance and tumbling; a member of International Tap association, a two year Co. Dance Teachers Program certified teacher, a certified instructor through USA Gymnastics, a member of National Dance Education Organization, and is certified instructor through Texas Association Teachers of Dancing.
Tiffany also provides performing arts to San Antonio Independent School District through The Generation Next Education Initiative through The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and is an artist with Wolf Trap, teaching arts integration to teachers of young children.
This is Tiffany's 7th year teaching within SAISD, her 24th year teaching at KMDS, and her 17th year of ownership.
Tiffany took on the Director position of Kathy Marfin’s Dance School in 2001, and took over as Owner in 2009 when Kathy retired. Tiffany is also the Director of The Leading Edge Dance Company, a pre-professional performance and competition team formed from the students at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School. Her choreography and routines have won numerous distinguished awards including IDE Outstanding Performance “Best in Tap”, two Al Gilbert awards, Video of the Year Finalist, SDA Regional Champion, “Better than Broadway” award, 5 times Golden Ticket Highest Scoring routine, Tap Excellence award, three Choreography awards, and three Technique awards. Tiffany is active in all areas of dance and tumbling; a member of International Tap association, a two year Co. Dance Teachers Program certified teacher, a certified instructor through USA Gymnastics, a member of National Dance Education Organization, and is certified instructor through Texas Association Teachers of Dancing.
Tiffany also provides performing arts to San Antonio Independent School District through The Generation Next Education Initiative through The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and is an artist with Wolf Trap, teaching arts integration to teachers of young children.
This is Tiffany's 7th year teaching within SAISD, her 24th year teaching at KMDS, and her 17th year of ownership.
Instructors
Gretel Campbell – Dance Instructor – 4-6 Years Ballet/Tap/Jazz, Musical Theater, and LEDC Choreographer/Costume Designer, Director of Baby Program, brings to Kathy Marfin's Dance School many years of Dance and Theatre education and performance. She has studied various styles of dance including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop and Irish Step. She is Certified to teach Toddler and Preschool Dance trough OUB. Gretel was a dancer and character performer for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Universal Studios-Orlando and The Orlando Magic Talent Network as well as a Character Performer for Design Imagery in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She has preformed with and designed costumes for many Summer Stock shows including Mary Poppins and Sleeping Beauty. Gretel has preformed, costume designed, and choreographed for San Pedro Playhouse; directed and performed for The Woodlawn theatre. She has also workied with the youth programs at The Josephine, The Harlequin, San Pedro Playhouse and The Woodlawn. Gretel has designed and made costumes for both LEDC and KMDS, including Dorothy for The Wizard of OZ and all of the Alice characters for Alice in Wonderland for KMDS recitals. Her costumes for LEDC have won several Costume Awards from competitions the last four seasons as well as an international costume award at The Harlequin from the US Army Festival of the Arts Competition. This is Gretel's eleventh year as an Instructor with Kathy Marfin's Dance School and seventh as a choreography for LEDC, six of those year working with Minis Team for LEDC.
Mikayla Ohms - Dance Instructor - Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Jazz and LEDC Choreographer, studied dance for 12 years and has been teaching for the last 3 years. She competed in dance competitions for 9 years, spending her last 5 years of competitive dance with The Leading Edge Dance Company. Throughout her years as a competitive dancer, Mikayla has won many awards and scholarships for her solos, duets, and group dances and competed in jazz, musical theatre, ballet, pointe, modern, and contemporary. Mikayla was invited to Body Traffic in Los Angeles by Celebrity Dance in 2022. Mikayla also competed at the Youth American Grand Prix in 2022. She has dedicated her dance studies to Jazz, musical theatr, tap, modern, tumbling, and ballet. Mikayla was awarded Outstanding ballet student in 2019 and Student of the Year in 2022 from Kathy Marfin's Dance School. After graduating, she studied for 2 years under former Principal dancers Lindsi Dec and Karel Cruz at Decruz Ballet in the Professional Training Division to further her dance studies in classical ballet, where she studied the Vaganova, Balanchine, and Cuban methods of ballet as well as contemporary/modern dance. During her time with Decruz Ballet, she had many opportunities to perform and guest in many dance shows, as well as compete at the American Dance Competition Youth International Ballet Competition in 2024. Mikayla has loved being able to teach these past few years, and being able to share her love for dance with all the students at Kathy Marfin's Dance School and watch them all grow as dancers.
Christina Rodriguez - Dance Instructor - Hip-Hop, Jazz and LEDC Choreographer, born and raised in Connecticut , Christina moved down to San Antonio with her husband and daughter to be closer to family. Christina has danced herself for 20+ years. Studying in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Tumbling, and Hip-Hop. Her dance career began with Dale Dance Studio at the age of 5 and further progressed when she reached age 13 at The Dance Connection Studio in East Haven, CT. There Christina worked hard and received training from the owners Linda and Sandee Juliano, Julie Reed-Russo, Janice Barringer, Bryan Lewis and Sara Conlon. Christina had done many dance preformances from recitals to talent shows. In 2003, she was featured in her town’s newspaper as “The Person of the Week" where they interviewed her on her passion for dance. She has also competed regionally up North and across the country, Las Vegas, Florida and New York to name a few. In her competition career, Christina has won many special awards, dance titles and overalls individually and in groups. She has also attended many dance conventions and workshops. Christina began teaching in 2006 at Dance Connection Studio, with a focus on her favorite style of Hip-Hop, and she's been teaching ever since. Not only did Christina teach and choreograph for her home studio,but she was also teaching at her former teacher Julie Reed-Russo's own studio, Westbrook Dance Academy. She has also choreographed for school plays, quinceañeras and weddings. In addition to KMDS and LEDC, Christina is also the Fine Arts Dance Instructor at Harmony Science Academy for 1st to 3rd graders. She enjoys bringing dance to others that may not have the opportunity and sparking an interest in dance in young students. Christina is honored and blessed to be a member of the KMDS staff, just completing her third year. KMDS and LEDC is her dance family, with her daughter Isabella Rodriguez also completing her third year, as well.
Grace Stephen - Dance Instructor - Tap and 18 month - 6 years, has been a student at Kathy Marfin‘s Dance School for the past six years and a member of The Leading Edge Dance Company for the same amount of time. However, she has been dancing for 16 years, starting off at Vergine‘s School of Dance in Soldotna, Alaska. Grace graduated early with honors and is looking forward to going Lakeview community college to get her degree in history and general education to become a teacher. She has adored teaching these past two years and is looking forward to many more! Grace has studied in various styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, contemporary, musical theatre, and pointe as well as competing them with LEDC. Tap had been her favorite style for many years and she had competed in it for just As long with getting many high point awards, numerous overall awards and many “Excellence in Tap” awards. In past competition seasons she received a judges award for “Broadway bound” as well as “Most Entertaining”. She has found a love for choreographing in these past two years. In 2021 Grace was awarded “Awesome Attitude” From Kathy Marfin’s Dance School, in 2024 she received “Outstanding Jazz Student” and in 2025 was voted "Student of the Year". She also preforms numerous plays and musicals at the Wonder Theatre (formally known as the Woodlawn Theatre) and New Works SA, some of her credits include at Wonder theatre [“The Little Mermaid Jr” - The Pilot], [“Broadway Junior revue” - Bert], [“Newsies” - Darcy], and at New Works SA [“Six” - Anne Boleyn]. She also was given the opportunity to be “Mother Finkle” in KMDS’s production of Nightmare Before Nutcracker in 2023 along side her talented classmates. Grace just finished her senior year of dance at KMDS, but is so excited to continue teaching!
Hailey Striebeck – Dance Instructor - 2-3 years, Ballet, Modern and LEDC Choreographer, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance with a concentration in Performance and Choreography from Texas State University in 2018 where she was on the Dean’s List for four semesters. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and was chosen as the J. Ralph Harrel Scholar for her dedication to and involvement in the Dance Division. While attending Texas State University, she served as Artistic Director for Orchesis Dance Company, a student-run organization, as well as Rehearsal Director for CIM TEYA (Creation in Motion – Touring Ensemble for Young Audiences) under the direction of Kaysie Switzerland Brown. Hailey also preformed in two BFA Seniors Thesis concerts, including her own, and Opening Door Dance Theatre’s concert while at Texas State. After graduating, she performed in two more BFA Senior Thesis concerts as an alumna. Hailey danced with Kathy Marfin's Dance School for 15 years, studying Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Cheerleading and Tumbling. She was a six-year member of The Leading Edge Dance Company/KMDS Competition Team, winning many top awards including numerous 1st Place Overalls, Platinums, a "Great Chemistry" Judges Award, a National Championship and a Power Pak Finalist. While dancing with KMDS and LEDC, she danced at many performances including Luminaria in 2009 and 2010, Share the Beat in 2009, and Project Africa at UIW in 2010. Hailey was awarded from KMDS "Outstanding Cheer Student" in 2004, "Outstanding Jazz Student" in 2007, "Outstanding Modern Student" in 2008, "Outstanding Ballet Student" in 2011 and "Student of the Year" in 2012. Hailey continued her dance education outside of school by attending several American College Dance Association conferences and the Dance Teacher Summit NYC in 2014. She has been awarded several choreography, technique, and entertainment awards for her LEDC pieces throughout her 12 years as a competition choreographer. Hailey has several years of experience in stage management. In addition, she assists Ms. Carrie in co-directing the ballets that are put on by the studio and edits the recital videos. Hailey just completed her 13th year as an Instructor at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School.
Carrie Vicana - Dance Instructor - Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, Social Dance and LEDC Choreographer, Director of Ballet and Modern Programs, has a Bachelor of Science in Dance, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Resource Management from Southwest Texas State University, where she was honored for outstanding academic achievement by the Education Department. Carrie has 20+ years of training, specializing in Ballet, Modern, Social, and Kinesthetic awareness/injury Prevention. Carrie was a Dance Instructor at Northwest Vista College for 15 years where she instructed classes in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Ballroom, and Swing, as well as a coordinator and choreographer for NVC’s Repertory Dance Ensemble. Additionally, she has choreographed for Houston CommunityCollege. She is also a Co. Dance Teachers Program certified teacher, as well as a certified ballet teacher with Texas Association Teachers of Dancing. Carrie has been a member of and performed with San Antonio Modern Dancer's Co-Laboratory for many years, including the performance "Carving the Curve," a performance at the 5th Annual Sculptors Dominion International Outdoor Sculpture Invitational. She has also performed in Share the Beat in 2009, Project Africa with UIW in 2010, Luminaria and the Houston Fringe Festival with China Cart Productions in "Amazonia" in 2010, and with Erison Dancers in "Prototype" in 2011, "Reveloution" in 2012 and multiple performances for WIP and WIP Creme. Most recently she performed and choreographed for the Texas State "Welcome Back" alumni concert, celebrating 50 years of Dance, the 30th anniversary of Dirty Dancing for the San Antonio Library, as well as Share the Beat. She served on the San Antonio Board of Directors for 4 years. For four years, Carrie joined the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in their initiative to take the arts back to the underserved youth of the SAISD and taught at Hawthorne Academy, followed by two years teaching Middle School dance in NISD. She is joining NEISD this year, as the fine arts dance teacher at Lopez Middle School. This is Carrie’s 23rd year at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School.
Administrative Assistants
Yami Carpio - Administrative Assistant, has been a dance mom at Kathy Marfin‘s Dance School for 15 years. Her two daughters have been members of The Leading Edge Dance Company for 12 and 4 years. She is the secretary for the LEDC Booster Club and a member of the fundraising committee. Yami also works the KMDS front desk and holds a full-time job as a Program Manager for Booz Allen Hamilton supporting the US Army.
Megan Lux-Hall - Administrative Assistant and LEDC Manager,has been a dance mom at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School for 15 years. Her two daughters have been members of The Leading Edge Dance Company for 10 and 12 years. She is the Director of the LEDC management group and was previously President or Vice President of the LEDC Booster Club for 5 years and was a member of the fundraising committee the year before that. Megan also helps at the KMDS front desk and is the Administrative Assistant to the Principal at International School of the Americas.
