Staff

All About “Dance Illusion” and our Talented Staff!

“For Professional and Quality Instruction”

The Dance Illusion LLC has been in business since 2008 in beautiful Cache Valley. Our goal as a studio is to strongly improve the technique and knowledge of everyone of our students in a structured and positive environment. We pride ourselves in giving constant “personal attention” to all of our students, and we keep our class sizes appropriate to do so.

Our staff is very experienced with large bios to back up their knowledge and expertise. We LOVE to challenge our students and share our excitement for dance with them daily!

(See bios listed below)

We have 6 different studios for our students to take class in. We offer regular weekly classes, at a moderate rate, as well as multiple competitive company teams. We will perform at community events, competitions, as well as have 2 recitals throughout the year.

Bios of Instructors:

	Lisa Preece Grew up in the Ogden area and has over 30 years of dance experience, in over 12 styles of dance.  She is the proud mother of 2 beautiful children and has lived in Cache Valley for the past 17 years.  She is a former Utah State Aggiette, and former coach of the Logan Hi-Lo’s Drill Team.  While coaching them for 6 years they won numerous National, State, and Region Championship titles. For 11 years she worked for the Universal Dance Association (largest instructional dance company in the U.S.) and has taught camps and conventions as a Head Instructor in over 20 states.   She is a Nationally acclaimed judge who has judged UDA Nationals (featured on ESPN), in Orlando, Florida, USA Nationals in California, West Coast Championships, over 10 State Championships, and numerous other National and Local Invitationals.  She was the Secretary for the Utah Dance and Drill Association and was voted the State Drill Team 2007 Coach of the Year Award. She is a certified Utah Dance & Drill Team Judge, has served on numerous committee boards for UDA, and was a UDA State Director for 5 years.  Lisa has choreographed for the London New Year’s Day Parade, Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade, UDA College & High School National Champion Teams, Studios, All-Star Cheer Teams, and many Musical Theatre Productions.  Lisa also has a huge love for Musical Theater and has performed in over 50 different musicals.  She loves to continue her education as a dance teacher and owner and yearly attended Dance Teacher conferences like Rhee Gold’s Teacher Conference, Dance Teacher Web, Tremaine, and many more! She is now very excited to start her 9th year of Dance Illusion!
	Fiona Katrine from small town Ballet Schools, to The School of Oregon Ballet Theater, and through earning her BFA in dance at The Juilliard School, she has gained a momentum of body and language articulation that rivals her insatiable desire for total communication via movement. She debuted her professional dance career at the Metropolitan Opera House, with choreographer Itzik Galili, and then with Jessie Jeanne of Jessie Jeanne and Dancers. Fiona has taught in WA, OR, UT and NY, and while at Juilliard, she created group and solo dances and collaborated with various musicians and composers as a dancer and as a choreographer. Over the years, when  1qshe wasn’t making her own art, Fiona was dancing in new pieces made by Andrea Miller, Raewyn Hill, Pam Tanowitz, Jarek Cemerek, Alysa Pires, Alice Klock and in repertoire by Jose Limon, Bronislava Najinska, Merce Cunningham and William Forsythe. Fiona has also been blessed to learn in classes and workshops from Alexandra Wells, Sidra Bell, Andrew Cowan, Gabriel Forestieri, Shamel Pitts, Shannon Gillen, Loni Landon, Aszure Barton, Johannes Wieland, Jonah Bokaer, Lar Lubovitch, Sarah Slipper + Northwest Dance Project, Lucas Crandall, Wen Wei Wang, Olivier Wevers, and many other artists. Fiona moved to Logan from New York City in fall of 2014. The next summer she worked with Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater in Carousel as Louise, and ensemble, in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying as ensemble, and Slaughter on 10th Ave as lead female dancer. Fiona is currently teaching at Dance Illusion, Utah State University as adjunct faculty, guest choreographer and teacher for the USU Dance Company, is on staff at Cache Valley Civic Ballet, and has other teaching and performing projects across the valley. Fiona is the most excited this year to be Artistic Director and main choreographer for Studio Artists, Dance Illusion's new Artistic Company!
	Jodie Lamb has been professionally trained in Ballet, Jazz, Hip-hop, Contemporary and Modern. She started teaching dance when she was in the 9th grade and realized then it was her calling!  After dancing through high school she received a Ballet Scholarship for College and also became a College Cheerleader to try something different. She opened a Dance Studio with her sister when she was 19 and shortly after, started coaching high school Drill Team. After ten years of building a successful studio she was also trying to build a successful family and sold the studio to continue teaching in public schools. She coached 19 years of successful Drill Teams, 3 years of competitive High School Cheer Squads and loved every minute of it. During these years she has been Judging, Choreographing, Teaching Technique, Tumbling and various other styles of dance for studios and teams across the state. She moved to Cache Valley ten years ago and feels so lucky to call this beautiful place home! She recently retired from full time coaching to keep up with her six kids and her growing dance wear business. She loves teaching at Dance Illusion and feels blessed that she can share her knowledge and passion for dance with such talented, dedicated dancers.
	Ashley Smith grew up in the Cache Valley area and has over 25 years of dance experience. She has been trained in many styles of dance including but not limited to Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Pom, Cheer, Lyrical, Drill, and Modern. She has taught and choreographed for numerous dance teams, studios, drill teams, and cheerleading squads around the state and country.  Her choreography has won numerous local and national titles for dancers of all ages. Ashley was an undefeated soloist winning a variety of high point and overall soloist titles. She was involved with drill team and cheerleading throughout high school and was a Dance Sterling Scholar receiving a dance scholarship to college. She has trained with numerous world famous choreographers and still continues her education by attending workshops and conventions. Ashley is a current choreographer and former head instructor for the largest instructional dance company in the United States, which is the Universal Dance Association (UDA). Ashley was a member and served on the Varsity, UDA planning committee board, and was one of five featured core staff members representing the entire United States. She has worked ESPN events such as UDA high school, college, and world championships. Ashley is also a certified judge with over 15 years in judging experience. She has experience judging a variety of dance, drill and cheer styles. She has judged local, regional and state competitions in over five different states. Ashley is a certified Utah dance and drill team judge and is a current member of the Utah State Drill Association Certified Judging program. Ashley is currently an active judge, choreographer and instructor and enjoys sharing her passion of dance with others.
	Kaitlyn Shelley has always had a love for dance from the time she walk. She has been trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, Show Choir, & Character from different studios and schools around Utah including: The Dance Club, Center Stage, Brigham Young University, and Utah State University. Kaitlyn was a member of The Dance Club Senior Company from 2012-2014 & won many individual and team awards while dancing with them. She has been choreographing routines for soloists & teaching dance since the age of 15. Her most prized dance awards include: The Dance Club's Most Dedicated Dancer Of The Year (2013), Odyssey Dance's Best Overall Soloist (2014), and FAME's Most Outstanding Female Stage Presence (2015). On top of teaching dance, Kaitlyn owns her own business making and selling hand crafted leather, baby shoes online for her company Honey and Hide. She has a husband & two little boys who keep her even busier. Kaitlyn has been teaching at Dance Illusion since 2010 & is excited for another year at what she thinks is the best studio in Cache Valley.
	Jane Miller has loved to dance since she started at the age of 3! She is trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Contemporary, Acro and Tumbling. She competed with competition teams as well as small groups and solos and has won various awards. She was a member of her high school drill team, the Logan High Hi-Lo’s, and was coached by one of our Teachers here at Dance Illusion, Jodie Lamb. While on drill team she served as both Vice President and Drill Mistress. After high school, she danced for the Utah State University Dance Company. She works as an instructor for the Universal Dance Association and has the opportunity to travel and work with a lot of dance teams on the west coast. She was also the head coach for the Logan High School Hi-Lo’s for two years, leading them to a region championship, state military championship, and military national title. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing through Utah State University. Miss Jane loves to teach dance and can’t wait to be back for her sixth year!
	Karlee Tansock started dancing at a local studio at the age of ten and quickly fell in love with the sport. She competed on a high school drill team that won many state and national awards. Karlee has been teaching at Dance Illusion for the past 6 years now and has loved the experience of working with many different styles. She is currently trained in Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Ballet and Tap. Last year Karlee was able to coach for a local drill team, she loved the experience of starting a new program and can't wait to see what this new season has to bring. Karlee graduated from USU in 2017 with her Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science and wants to further her Education, in going towards a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. She loves teaching for Dance Illusion and can't wait to see what this year will bring!
	Ashley Griffin has taken dance since she was 5 years old and has studied Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tumbling, and Acro. She was a member of the Sky View drill team where she served as Drill Mistress her senior year. Since graduating she has enjoyed getting to learn more about the dance community by being a certified Judge for Drill Team Solo & Team Competitions, and also attending Camps and Workshops to further her Dance and Acro training. Ashley is currently a student at USU, she is pursuing a degree in the Social Work field. This will be Ashley's fourth year teaching at Dance Illusion and is looking forward to another great season!
	Rylee Hatch has been dancing for 15 years. She grew up in California and trained at the Northern California Dance Conservatory. She was trained in classical ballet under the direction of Theodore Constant. She also has a passion for modern dance and improvisation. She has danced in the Youth American Grand Prix as well as other competitions and performances. She has had the opportunity to learn from artists around the world such as; Francisco Gella, Clara Blanco, Lee Wei Chao, Iratxe Ansa, and many others. She participated in a choreography workshop and taught dance for a year during high school. She loves dance because the minute her body starts moving, her brain stops moving a million miles an hour and she is completely content. Rylee is currently attending Utah State University and is studying Elementary Education.
	Ginger Hislop is a Cache Valley native who received her training at Rhythm Connection under the direction of Jan Richins. As an incoming freshman, Ginger was one of two freshman girls to make her high school drill team, which she participated in throughout high school. Coached by our very own Lisa Preece, they went on to receive Region and State titles. After high school, she attended camps and workshops by some world renowned choreographers, making great connections, and learning valuable lessons. At the age of 21 she spent her second summer training in New York City as part of a program at the Broadway Dance Center where she got the opportunity to work very closely with top teachers and mentors. She was also able to show her own choreographic work. She has had the amazing opportunity to perform on live television at the 2014 Special Olympics. Today, Ginger is the Director of the USU Dance Company which she has been a part of for 8 seasons, as well as teaching classes on campus, and is in the process of starting her own artistic company.
	Sydney Johnson grew up in South Jordan and moved up here about a year ago. She was a competitive cheerleader at Macs Cheer for 16 years where she competed locally and out of state. She has competed at the cheerleading and dance worlds 9 times. I coached cheer and tumbling a couple years ago down in St. George to kids of all ages. I then moved up here to go to school and found myself teaching dance! I got to help with a few of the Acro tumbling classes and a few dance classes. I love little kids and especially teaching them to do things that I have a passion for!
	Brynndi Griffin started dancing at a young age doing Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Hip Hop. She was a member of the Sky View Vistauns for three years. She is now on the Green Canyon Cheer Team where she is serving as their first ever Dance Captain. This will be her second year teaching at Dance Illusion and she can't wait for another exciting season!