Meet the Directors
Director - Caitlyn Dougherty
Caitlyn was born in Natick, Massachusetts and grew up in Plano, Texas. She graduated from Plano Senior High School in 2011, and is a former Planoette under the direction of Meredith Walraven.
Caitlyn graduated with honors in 2015 from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance and a General Business minor, magna cum laude. She represented the dance program as a Dance and Theatre Ambassador for two years; was the President of the Dance Honors Society, Chi Tau Epsilon; and was awarded Outstanding Student in the Honors College Ceremony.
Caitlyn started dance at the age of three, expanding her training in hip-hop, ballet, modern, contemporary, tap, jazz, improvisation, and partnering, as well as studying the artistry of creating choreography. During college, she started teaching dance and has continued for twelve years now. She created Groove Crew, a special needs dance team, at Fenton’s Dance Factory in 2011 and has directed the company for 11 years. In 2015, Caitlyn began working at My Possibilities, a day program for adults with disabilities – teaching dance, health, Special Olympics, and various other classes. In 2020, Caitlyn transitioned into the school district, starting in Richardson ISD, and now Plano ISD.
She has trained with Doug Varone and Dancers in New York, Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company in California, and Garth Fagan and Danny Buraczeski in Texas. In 2012, Caitlyn began performing with Cholorock, a Latino-jazz and folkloric company. She later auditioned for a hip-hop company, Renegades Elite Company, and Pedestrian Dance Movement. Starting in 2018, Caitlyn started performing with Rev Crew through Dance Revolution, traveling to Orlando, Winston-Salem, and Chicago. She continues performing with them today.
Caitlyn is honored to be the Assistant Director of the Planoettes, continuing the love she has for dance, Plano Senior High, and working with amazing dancers! She is thrilled for the years to come and is ready to continue the tradition of excellence – Once a Planoette, Always a Planoette!
Assistant Director - Maya Ramirez
Born and raised Texan, Maya Ramirez has been performing since the age of four all over the DFW Metroplex. She has trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, and her favorite style, hip hop. She started her dance training at Rhythm Nation Studios in Bedford TX. Throughout high school, she danced on the Colleyville Heritage Panteras varsity drill team as a Jr. and Sr. Lieutaunt and danced competitively with Majestic Dance Academy in Southlake, TX.
She went to college at Oklahoma State University with hopes of becoming an early childhood teacher and found herself teaching at Thriller Dance Studio in Stillwater, OK, because she could not stay away from her favorite activity. Recently, Maya was a first-grade teacher at McCall Elementary in Plano ISD for 4 years while teaching different styles of dance at Edge Dance and Performing Arts Center in Plano, TX, afterschool. She loves to train in all styles even as an adult and was a part of U.N.I.T.Y dance crew/training program under the direction of Jessica Brown.
I am so pumped to have this opportunity where I can combine my two loves: teaching and dancing! I am grateful to join the Wildcat and Planoette family, and meet you all. Let’s dance, y’all! - Maya Ramirez
