Ashley Maher-Koren was born in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, and discovered her passion for dance at the age of four. She spent her formative years immersed in jazz, tap, ballet, and musical theater, competing nationwide and cultivating a love for performance and discipline. By age eleven, her path turned toward classical ballet, and she began intensive training at the prestigious Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Her dedication led to invitations to elite summer programs with Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and the School of American Ballet (SAB), where she was later accepted into the year-round program in New York City. While at SAB, Ashley completed her high school education and performed on world-renowned stages including the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center's State Theater, and the Guggenheim Museum.

At eighteen, Ashley joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet, where she danced in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, and other seminal choreographers. Notable performances include Serenade, Jewels, Coppélia, Company B, and Arden Court. Her career took her on international tours to Italy, Venezuela, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

She later performed with Pennsylvania Ballet and joined Los Angeles Ballet’s international production of Casablanca in Beijing. After an enriching stage career, Ashley transitioned into the world of movement education, becoming a Pilates instructor, fitness trainer, and neuromovement coach.

Now based in Ojai, California, with her husband and children, Ashley is the founder of Movewell Kids—a dance and wellness program designed to inspire healthy movement and confidence in young people.

This production of Hadestown marks her debut as lead choreographer for a musical theater production, a role she has embraced with heart and joy. She is deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a passionate cast of young performers and the creative team who brought this project to life.