Each member of our staff at Rhythms has been hand picked for her expertise, positive attitude, and love of children.  They are all incredibly dedicated and love their jobs!

Kate Kenyon, Owner and Instructor

Kate has been dancing for 22 years and has been teaching dance and choreographing throughout California for over 8 years.  A graduate of Chapman University, she earned her bachelor’s degree in both dance and primary education.  Kate also performed for several years with the Young Americans, a professional non-profit show choir.  She has traveled the world, visiting over 15 countries on 5 different continents, and has experiences dance in all of those cultures.  Kate also loves Broadway and finds there is nothing more gratifying then belting out a great musical tune in her car!  She loves her job at Rhythms; each student holds a special place in her heart, and she looks forward to going to work everyday! 

Debbie Ogden, Owner and Instructor

Debbie Ogden has been dancing for over 25 years and has been teaching locally here in Novato for 13 years.  She has been invited to be a guest artist at the Next Step Dance Convention and over the past 18 years she has attended over 60 dance conventions throughout California and Nevada.  She has studied under some of the country’s top choreographers such has Jackie Sleight, Brian Friedman and Tyce Diorio.  Debbie has choreographed many musicals for San Marin High School including Crazy for You, The Music Man, and A Chorus Line.  She also serves as director of the award winning competition team RDC Extreme! 

Ashley Terra, Ballet Instructor

Ashley received her initial ballet training at Marin Ballet and Marin Dance Theatre where she had the privilege to work under such artists as Joanna Berman, Sean Kelly, and Christopher Stowell.  In 2009, she received her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from California Institute of the Arts (recipient of the Lew & Eddie Wasserman Merit Scholarship), where she trained extensively in the techniques of Limon, Horton, and Taylor.  Ashley was a member of the Next Dance Company in Los Angeles, where she performed and had her own choreographic work commissioned at RedCat Theater.  She has studied on merit scholarship with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, in Vocal Studies, and most recently lent her voice to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s production of Lemony Snicket’s “The Composer is Dead”, directed by Tony Taccone.

Megan Fountain,

Office Manager and Receptionist 

Megan has been dancing in Novato since she was just a little girl.  As she grew older she kept her dancing alive by becoming a member of the award winning Show Choir at San Marin High School and performing in various musicals such as Anything Goes, West Side Story, Pajama Game, Kiss Me Kate, Once on this Island, Singin' in the Rain, Lucky Stiff, and Seussical.  Megan was awarded the Outstanding Dancer Award at her high school before going on to Santa Rosa Junior College where she is furthering her dance and business education.  Currently, she is studying to become a Certified Nurse Assistant in the Medical Industry to follow her true passion of helping people and truly touching their lives.

Shannon Ainsworth,

Elementary Instructor

Shannon has been dancing ever since she learned to walk.  After beginning with tap, ballet, and jazz, Shannon began to take latin classes at Dance Arts Studios in San Rafael in 8th grade.  She competed in international style cha cha, rumba, samba, and jive for 3 years.  Shannon is now a senior at San Marin High School this year where she has been a leader in the dance program, show choir, and musical theater.  Although she has been dancing all her life, her real passion is in choreography.  She has helped choreograph numerous shows including Chicago, Little Women, and Oklahoma! and now looks forward to pursuing choreography in college.  Shannon started dancing at Rhythms at the the age of fourteen and loved it ever since.  She is so excited to teach this year and she can’t wait for the recitals!

Corrin Dove,

Elementary Instructor 

Corrin began dancing at the age of three.  She has been a member of the RDC Extreme Team for three years and was named Rhythms Dancer of the Year last spring.  She has been an assistant dance instructor at Rhythms and has assisted with choreography for the dance team and San Marin musicals including Fiddler on the Roof and Oklahoma!  She has danced in various San Marin musicals and most recently in Marin Summer Theater’s West Side Story.  Currently a senior at San Marin High, she is looking forward to an exciting last year at Rhythms.  Corrin is very excited to share her love for dance with fellow Rhythms Dance Center students. 

Natalie Oga,

Elementary Instructor

Natalie, a former competitive gymnast, dove into dance at the age of 11.  For the past six years she has been part of the Rhythms Family.  Her ballet training earned her featured roles in all three ballet productions.  Natalie also assists in dance classes and has been a member of RDC Extreme team throughout high school.  She attends San Marin High School where she dances and choreographs for the dance class and show choir.  Her dancing has been showcased in the musicals and most recently in “Oklahoma!”  She enjoys all styles of dance and values the training and technique from ballet.  She is looking forward to teaching Ballet 1 so she can share her knowledge with the younger dancers, the future of Rhythms.