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Our Faculty and Staff
Hillary Howard
Owner/Director
Hillary was born and raised in Lindon, Utah where she has been dancing since the age of 3. Her main focus while young was on ballet, taking from Utah Regional ballet for several years before switching to a more competitive studio and expanding to all genres of dance. Here she competed nationally in New York, Florida, Las Vegas, California and many other places throughout junior high and high school. She then attended Utah State University in Logan, UT where she danced on the contemporary company, Full Circle, and later became the assistant director. While there she also danced on and choreographed for the ambassadors of the LDS institute, and had many fun performing opportunities through out the state.
After college she continued to teach in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and tumbling at multiple studios through out Utah. In 2013 she started her own studio previously called Born 2 Dance, which is now the Ultimate Dance Experience. She has been teaching for over 15 years and loves being a part of building technique, confidence, and self-discipline in young dancers.
Hillary also has a background in early childhood education and and several years experience running commercial day cares and teaching preschool. She believes that everyone who walks through the door is important and valued.
Because of this, she strives to make her studio a place where students not only improve their talents but also develop a great self esteem, a love for their body and motion, and become well-rounded, great people.
Rose Walker
Instructor
Rose Walker is originally from Orem, Utah. Her love for dance started from the first day she could walk, from dancing in her bedroom to putting on big performances for her family in the living room. At the age of 3 she was finally old enough to be enrolled in classes. There she trained and competed for 15 years in Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap, Contemporary, lyrical and more.
Dancing and Traveling have always been the 2 biggest dreams for Rose. She thought, what would be better than to be able to do both at the same time? Once Rose graduated, she pushed forward and went on to dance for Carnival Cruise lines for 3 years. Just like that she was dancing for thousands of people and traveling all over the world.
After her years with Carnival Cruise Lines her eyes opened, she wanted to explore even more. She went on to live and work as a dance teacher in different countries including South Africa and Italy. She was able to learn to speak fluent Italian and grow as a teacher in other dance cultures. She was so inspired that she then decided to move to Los Angeles. There she was able to perform and train with major dance choreographers and dancers in other dance styles including heels, Jazz Funk and Hip-Hop.
Rose is a well-rounded and dedicated dancer, choreographer and instructor eager to share her love and knowledge with others through teaching. Her #1 goal is creating a safe and loving environment for others to learn and grow!
Julie Staheli
Instructor
Julie Staheli began dancing at the age of 4 and soon knew that ballet was her love. She was R.A.D. and Cecchetti trained at Colorado School of Ballet and Vaganova trained at The Academy of the Colorado Ballet. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in Dance with a Ballet Emphasis where she performed and toured with the Ballet Showcase Company. While attending BYU, Julie received dance and academic scholarships and enjoyed student teaching opportunities. She has danced professionally and has taught at various studios in Utah County, as well as American Leadership Academy, where she directed their Dance Company.Â
Julie is grateful for the opportunities and experiences that dance has provided. She has been a dance double in a film, she was a featured dancer in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics Opening Ceremonies, she received a full tuition scholarship from the Burklyn Ballet Theatre and was offered a position dancing at Tokyo Disney. Julie lives in Cedar Hills and has 4 children. She loves the ability dance has to inspire and build confidence. Teaching ballet is her passion!
Brooke Sanderson
Instructor
Brooke is from Huntington Beach, California. She grew up dancing starting at the young age of three, and trained under the direction of Anthony and Terri Sellars. She started in ballet and tap but spread her skills to contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. She continued with ballet, jazz and contemporary all the way until she graduated high school. She competed in many styles until she was 17. She was accepted into BYU and joined BYU Theatre Ballet in 2014. She's performed in many shows with this company and toured to many places throughout the United States. Some roles include the principal role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland in 2016 and the principal role in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations in 2017. She continued to dance with Theatre Ballet for 3 years. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Athletic Training in December 2018. She plans to continue teaching ballet with her background in athletic training and help the students understand the human body. She has been teaching ballet since 2015 and found her passion and love for teaching ballet through these experiences.
Nolan Richter
Instructor/Acro Director
Hi! My name is Nolan Richter and I am 22 years old. I began dancing informally through my after school program at my elementary school and I have been in love with it ever since! I began dancing at Colette's Dancing School, now known as Gravity Dance Center, training in ballet, modern, tumbling/acro, jazz technique, and hip hop. When I was 16 I moved studios and trained at Synergy Dance Academy where I deepened my knowledge and understanding of ballet, technique, and began training in tap. I was on dance company all four years of high school at Cottonwood High, and I served as the team's president my senior year. I was also selected as our school's sterling scholar for dance where I made it to state semi-finals and was later awarded a dance scholarship at the University of Utah. I attended the U of U studying in Psychology and Dance, and was in the modern dance program from 2017-2019. I recently graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology with an emphasis on eating disorders, and a minor in modern dance. Currently I spend my time as the assistant coach for Cottonwood High Dance Company, training on Underground Crew, and helping with various drill teams across the state.
Mariah Plitt
Instructor
This year is Mariah’s 4th year of teaching at Ultimate Dance! She is absolutely loving teaching the preschool students jazz and musical theatre. Mariah has her degree in Musical Theatre and is passionate about instilling the love of music and movement into her students! After spending her childhood sitting at the piano and in rehearsals with her dad, Mariah fell in love with music, dance, and theatre. She went on to graduate with a degree in theatre performance with an emphasis in dance from BYU-Idaho and has been performing and pursuing an acting career in the Utah area for the last few years. In addition to her knowledge of musical theatre, Mariah loves to teach kids and has worked with kids in multiple theatre organizations. Mariah’s favorite dance styles (aside from musical theatre) are ballet and tap. When she’s not in the studio or the theatre, she loves to be outside, adventuring, and spending time with her sweet husband and two adorable kids. Mariah believes wholeheartedly in life-long learning and leading kids to have a passion for the arts that will last for their entire lifetime!
Misty Anderson
Competition Director/Instructor
Misty Anderson was born and raised in Kearns Utah where she participated on the Kearns High school Drill Team and Dance Company. After Graduating Misty received a dance scholarship to Snow College for dance and participated in the Dance Major/minor program. Misty was also a 2 year member of the Snow College Badgerettes where she served as Vice President. While at Snow College Misty met the love of her life and was Married to Rich Anderson in January 1999. After graduating Snow College Misty further pursued her schooling at Southern Utah University where she was a member of the SUU Wakyeenans Drill Team and also participated in the Dance Major/Minor Dance Program.
In 2000 Rich and Misty moved to Las Vegas Nevada where Misty taught at Bunker Dancer Center. Misty then moved to Pocatello Idaho where she started up a local recreational Dance and Tumbling Program before moving back to Utah to do the same thing. In 2002 Rich and Misty built a home in Saratoga Springs , Utah and fulfilled her Dream of Opening up a Dance Studio. Misty owned and directed Ultimate Dance for 16 years.
Misty has won multiple Director of the year, Best overall Studio, and Best choreography awards. Under her direction Ultimate Dance won multiple sweepstakes, overall High point, best Technique and showmanship awards. They performed at many places around Utah including stadium of fire and has performed at Disneyland multiple times.
Misty sold Ultimate Dance in 2018 to focus on her passions which are teaching, Choreography, Competition, judging, traveling and of course her husband, two sons, and little princess daughter. When she is not at the studio you can find her choreographing for different school Musicals, or watching her kids play sports!
Michelle Smith
Ballet/Jazz Instructor
Michelle has been teaching dance for 21 years. Her focus in teaching has been on proper technique, body alignment, and balancing strength and flexibility for injury prevention. Michelle has been teaching at Ultimate Dance since 2007. She enjoys seeing her students grow as they learn dance and life skills.
Michelle started dancing at the age of 3. She has been trained in classical ballet (16 years), jazz dance (18 years), pointe (11 years), contemporary (10 years), lyrical (18 years), Tap (12 years), Irish hard toe (4 years), ballroom (2 years), and modern dance (13 years). She was a founding member of the Wasatch Youth Ballet Company where she had the opportunity to dance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She also had the chance to dance with the Utah Opera in two annual productions. Michelle has had the privilege of taking master classes with world class and professional dancers and teachers around the country.
In college Michelle studied dance performance and dance education. She was awarded the Presidential Dance Scholarship at Utah State Eastern. She was a member of the Ballet Repertory Ensemble at Utah State Eastern and Orchesis Dance Theatre at Weber State University. She was able to perform many classical dance pieces from George Balancine, Twyla Tharp, Bob Fosse, Agnes de Mille, Jerome Robbins, and more. Michelle has been teaching at Ultimate Dance for over 11 years!
Kendra Rangel
Instructor
Kendra Rangel found her love and passion for dancing at the age of 3 and has continued this passion throughout her life. Kendra has had intensive training in ballet and jazz as well as tap, modern, and contemporary. She has also participated in hip hop, country swing dance, and other social dance classes. Kendra began her intensive study of dance at Life House Performing Arts Academy where she trained for 14 years eventually becoming the President of her Ballet and Jazz companies.
Kendra also joined her high school dance company where she was voted captain. She was able to lead a company and have many choreographic opportunities while serving in this capacity. She grew in her technical and artistic abilities as she continued her career in dance at Utah Valley University. Kendra is actively perusing a Dance Degree with an Emphasis in Ballet. She has also had the opportunity to perform on the Universities Pre-Professional Ballet Company, Repertory Ballet Ensemble and is planning on continuing her membership with this company throughout her years at UVU. Kendra loves teaching and is excited to continue passing on her passion of dance to her students.
Mollie Smith
Instructor
Mollie grew up competing in dance and cheer. After graduating from a performing arts high school, she decided to major in dance education at UVU. During that time she was apart of UVUs hip hop crew MOSAIC. She has also been part of Walt Disney’s Co. as an actress and dancer. After her time with Disney, she decided to take a break and move back to Utah. Since then she has been teaching all forms of dance, along with fitness and yoga, ranging from children to adults. She teaches so she can give her students hope, confidence, and maybe even spark something like what she felt when she was growing up. Teaching rarely feels like work for her and she always looks forwarded to the next day with her students. Aside from teaching, Mollie enjoys hikes and short runs with her dog Stevie, long runs on her own, cooking, reading, celebrating anything, and family time. She is engaged to the love of her life, Kade Markle, and will be getting married in November!
Malerie Bourne
Instructor
Malerie started dancing at the age of 3 and quickly learned that it
was a true passion of hers. She trained at Royal School of Dance, and
then Utah Dance Artists varying in styles from:Â Ballet, Jazz, Pointe,
Tap and Modern.
She was a member of her High School's Drill Team her Senior Year, the
Bingham Minerettes. After High School she spent two years at Utah
State University where she obtained her Associates Degree. From there
she married her sweetheart and transferred to Utah Valley University
where she obtained her BS in Integrated Studies with an emphasis in
Modern Dance and History.
As a family they spent 8 years living between Virginia and Chicago,
while enjoying the richness of the areas, Malerie continued to teach
dance. She feels blessed to have spent the last year back in Utah and
especially thankful for the year she has been able to spend with
Ultimate Dance already and is looking forward to the coming year!
Malerie and her husband, along with their 3 children (#4 which is
joining this coming Fall) have made their home in Alpine. She loves
sharing her passion and knowledge of dance with those around her and
is excited to help other dancers feel the same love for dance.
Amylee Hubert
Instructor
McKenna Mrolza
Instructor
McKenna Mrozla grew up in Eagle Mountain, Utah. She has been dancing since the age of 2 and has trained in numerous styles such as Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop, Modern, Acro, Musical Theater, Pom, Side Line, Tumbling, Character, Kick, Tap, and Ballroom. She grew up dancing at multiple dance studios including our very own Ultimate Dance for 10 years. Throughout high school she was a part of the Westlake Drill Team for 2 years and then served as The Cedar Valley Drill Teams President and Head Dance Captain for 2 years as well. During her drill career she won many titles and awards including the 2020 Utah 4A Drill Down State Champion, 4A Allstate Drill Team 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, and Cedar Valley High Schools Dance Sterling Scholar.
McKenna has done choreography around the state of Utah for many groups and individual dancers. She is a part of the Dance America Staff and Summer Slam Dance Camp Staff which has given her many opportunities to dance and teach with people from all across the country. She is starting her freshman year at Utah Valley University and is a team member of the Utah Valley Dance Team which has been a lifelong goal of hers. Here she will be studying Dance Education in hopes of one day opening a studio of her own.
She is super excited to be teaching at the studio where she grew up dancing because this is where she found her love for dance and she hopes to help our students find that passion as well!
Autumn Kahle
Instructor
Autumn Schoemig is a dance instructor based in Pleasant Grove, Utah. She started dancing when she was six years old and was trained in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern since that age. She went on to be apart of Mountain Ridge Junior High’s Dance Company and Lone Peak High School’s Dance Company. She was elected President of Lone Peak’s Dance Company her senior year. And she was able to go to the National High School Dance Festival with them. Autumn went to Snow College for a year, on scholarship, studying Modern dance. She got to attend the American Dance College Association Festival with them. Autumn is also a first degree black belt in Martial Arts. Autumn has also served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for 18 months in West Virginia/Virginia. She is married to Grayson Kahle, in August. Autumn’s dream since being a little girl has been to teach others the joy of dance and help them to build their confidence.
Shanni Jensen
Instructor
Shantel has been dancing since she was five years old. She began teaching small dance classes and choreographing from home at the age of 12, and has had a passion for teaching ever since! She is trained in contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, and hip hop. In addition to training and competing with Ultimate Dance, she was a member and VP of Lehi High School Dance Company. She was awarded the Sterling Scholar for Dance her senior year, and took the scholarship to UVU where she is currently a full time student. She loves sharing her passion through teaching, and witnessing her students develop passions of their own!
Ella Bellis
Instructor
Ella was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and has been dancing since she was 11 years old. She has trained in multiple different styles of dance including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, tap and more. She has trained with amazing instructors and choreographers that have inspired her to also teach and choreograph. Ella loves to choreograph and see her visions come to life. She has been awarded multiple scholarships and multiple choreography awards for solos, duos and group routines.
During highschool, Ella continued to train at a studio and was also part of the Corner Canyon Dance Team. She held two leadership positions as a Choreographer and an Officer. She was awarded Sterling Scholar for Dance and Graduated with an Advanced Diploma. Ella has won collegiate scholarships in dance including two scholarships to AMDA and to SUU. She decided to stay in her roots and is currently studying at Utah Valley University where she was a member of the Utah Valley Dance Team.
Ella is currently the assistant coach at Corner Canyon High School for the Dance Team and decided to focus her time on teaching dancers and helping them reach their goals. Ella has fallen in love with teaching and she hopes to inspire dancers like her instructors have inspired her.
Hannah Mclachlan
Instructor
Morgan Bradley
Instructor
Morgan Bradley fell in love with dancing at the age of 5 when she took her first ballet class. Originally from Kennewick WA, she trained in the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum through high school and performed with a local ballet company dancing in classical and contemporary ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, Copelia, and Beauty and the Beast. She went on to dance for Brigham Young University’s Ballet Showcase company where she enjoyed performing, traveling, and taking classes in pointe technique, pas de deux, and folk dance.Â
She loves to teach and hopes to inspire her students with a love for dance and all things ballet.Â
Madi Valgardson
Instructor
Madison Valgardson started dancing when she was 3 years old and hasn’t stopped. Throughout the years, Madi gained confidence and wanted to share her talents with others. At a young age she became a dance teacher and has since continued. She has had the opportunity to work alongside many world known choreographers, teach dance at multiple studios, and choreograph several solos and team dances which have won numerous dance awards.
A few highlights of Madi's dance career include performing at the Peaks Olympic Festival, Rekindle the Fire event in honor of the Olympics, perform with Odyssey Dance Theatre in an event for USANA, and also in Odyssey's annual shows Thriller and Redux Nutcracker, perform with the well known musical group Gentri, perform for the Governor of Utah at one of his special events, and train with the Radio City Rockettes.
Along with dance, she has performed and choreographed for many musical theatre productions around the state of Utah. A few highlights include performing in Newsies (Scera Shell) as well as choreograph the big ‘King of New York’ dance number, choreographing for Mamma Mia (Lehi Arts Council), choreographing Drowsy Chaperone, Anastasia, The Music Man, and Urinetown at a local high school, and she was last scene performing in Matilda (Scera Shell). Madi is desirous to help her students find their true identity and reach their true potential. She hopes to leave those better than she found them by spreading love and building self-worth through movement.
Hannah Boyer
Instructor
Born in American Fork, Utah, Hannah Boyer began her dance training at The Academy of Ballet in Orem, Utah under the direction of Lynne Thompson. At 7 years old she moved to Webster, New York and started taking classes at Deborah Mckay School of Dance under direction of Deborah Tiffany and eventually supplemented classes at Sandy Stromanine School of Dance under Sandy Stromanine. In 2017, she started pre-professional training at Draper Center for Dance Education under Jamey Leverett. In her training, she had several opportunities such as travelling to Trujillo, Peru for Ballet Festival de Internacional and competing in Youth American Grande Prix where she placed top 25 Classical. She has attended summer intensives such as American Ballet Theatre, Brigham Young University, and Joffrey Academy in Chicago which were big motivators in her pursuing a career in professional dance. Following her graduation from Draper Center in 2019, she joined Rochester City Ballet and was an apprentice there for two years until her recent departure to pursue an education. The productions she performed in included The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Jamey Leverett’s Push and Pull, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Robert Gardener’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and other various modern and neoclassical pieces. While in the company, she also taught community outreach programs through Rochester’s Boys and Girls Club and the Adlai E Stevenson School with the intention to bring classical ballet training to disadvantaged children in the community. Additionally, she taught consistently at Deborah Mckay School of Dance and substituted regularly at Draper Center for Dance Education, Spins Dance Study, La Danse Studio, and Dance Connections by Lisa to recreational and pre-professional students. She is so excited to be here and part of our Ultimate Dance Experience Family!
What We Believe
At Ultimate Dance Experience our mission is to provide students of all levels with an opportunity to grow both physically and mentally as a dancer, while cultivating an environment that promotes hard work, positive body image, and self confidence. Because of this, our classes are designed to be age appropriate, build a solid technical base, and help dancers excel in all aspects of life.Â