.png)
MEET THE STAFF
Kelsey Cutler
Studio Owner/ Director
Kelsey is the Owner of Rise Dance Studio. Kelsey grew up in Utah County but always dreamed of living in St George. In 2018 Her and Her family moved to St George. She absolutely loves it here and feels opening Rise was a big reason she was supposed to be here!
Like many of the dancers at Rise, Kelsey started dancing at age 3. She trained extensively in many different styles of dance including jazz, hip hop, contemporary, ballet, ballroom, tap and tumbling. She found a great love for dance through performing and competing but especially loves the opportunity to share this passion with others through teaching and directing dance. She has been teaching and choreographing dance for 20 years. Her choreography has won national titles for dance studios and drill teams. Her choreography was also featured on "Good Things Utah". She has trained many dancers who are now professional dancers including backup dancers for Selena Gomez, Fergie, Megan Trainor along with others who have competed on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Before opening Rise she taught at Center Stage Performing Arts, The Dance Club, The Pointe Acadamy, Studio 1 Dance Center and Move Dance Studio.
She got her degree in Dance at Utah Valley University. There she was on the College Dance Company and the Ballroom Tour Team. Growing up she enjoyed performing with Odyssey Dance Theater's Thriller and in Los Angeles with Mandy Moore's benefit concert, Terpsichoreals. She danced professionally with Center Stage Performing Arts Evolutions of Dance Company.
She also loves spending time with her husband, Mike Cutler, and her 4 beautiful and energetic kids- 1 girl and 3 boys and is grateful for their constant love and support!
Rylee Hilton
Company Director
Meet Rylee Hilton- our studios company director!
Rylee began dancing at the age of three and has continued to stay apart of the dance world ever since. She trained and competed in many styles including jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, and more. The training that she received from her studio gave her opportunities such as dancing in Odyssey Dance Theater’s Thriller and Redux Nutcracker, traveling with conventions, and becoming an instructor at two local studios in High School. From there, Rylee became a member of the Herriman High School’s Drill Team, the Mestenas. She competed in all routines, winning awards at both state and national events. After graduating in 2018, Rylee decided to further her education at Utah Tech University, formally known as Dixie State University. While going to school to receive her degree in Psychology and Communications, Rylee danced on the Dixie Blaze Dance Team for four years, serving as captain her final year. She absolutely enjoyed having the opportunity to show her school spirit at many school events and also loved leading her team to their first ever nationals in Anaheim, California, where they placed second in the nation. While attending the University, Rylee became the first teacher at Rise when the studio was known as Little Valley Dance and classes were held in Kelsey’s basement. She has loved being apart of the studio and she absolutely adores all of her students. She is so excited for another year with the Rise family!
Aubrey Leavitt
Office Manager
Aubrey has been dancing and training for 19 years, mainly in jazz and lyrical/contemporary, but has also trained in ballet, tap, hip hop, and other styles. Aubrey grew up here in Southern Utah where she danced at a local studio. While at the studio she was part of of performance and competition teams which allowed her to compete and participate in conventions in Utah and other states. While in high school she was part of Hurricane High’s dance company for 5 years and was captain her senior year. Aubrey is currently attending Utah Tech University where she is a dance major. Aubrey is working on getting her bachelors in dance and then working towards her teaching degree. Since graduating high school 5 years ago she has been the assistant dance company coach at Hurricane High School. She started teaching at Rise after graduating high school, when classes were still held in Kelsey’s basement. Most recently her dance training gave her the opportunity to travel and study in Florence, Italy for 3 weeks. While there she was able to take classes in many styles and compete. Aubrey’s passions are dancing and teaching. She feels so lucky to be able to teach dance every day.
Allison Park
Company/tumbling Coach
Allison literally grew up in the dance world, beginning her training at just age 2 at her mother’s dance studio. Originally from Bluffdale, Utah, she trained extensively at Dance Explosion and Synergy Dance Academy across multiple styles, including jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip-hop, ballet, pom, and military. Allison was also an award-winning high school drill team member, earning Academic All-State and All-Region honors. A performer at heart, she recently relocated to the area to attend college in St. George.
Allison has been teaching for 7 years, though her natural knack for leadership began at age 12 as a teacher's assistant. She possesses a highly specialized gift for group work, specializing in choreography and precise technical cleaning for everything from solos to large drill and dance teams of over 30 dancers. Her primary teaching styles are jazz and hip-hop, though she has also spent many years coaching tumbling.
Allison describes her teaching style as high-energy, positive, and encouraging. Dancers in her classes can expect to be challenged to reach their full potential while training in a highly supportive environment. Her ultimate goal is to help her students gain confidence, pushing them to find and showcase their inner strength while learning to love the training process just as much as the final performance.
When she isn't teaching or coaching, Allison works in social media and loves all things content creation. She is a total water enthusiast who loves boating, pools, and the ocean. Her personal favorites include the colors pink and blue, Milk Duds, a trip to get froyo, and a cold Dr. Pepper mixed with coconut and vanilla.
Anna
Musical Theater Teacher
Anna is a St. George native who has been dancing for as long as she can remember. Her formal training began at Southwest Dance Theater, where she danced from ages 3 to 18, alongside performing with the Pineview High School dance team. She later spent three years studying modern dance at the college level, and she also holds a degree in mathematics!
For the past decade, Anna has been a familiar face in the local community theater scene. She brings that extensive performance experience, along with 6 years of teaching expertise, directly to her students. Anna specializes in teaching ages 8 and up, focusing heavily on musical theater for kids who love to express themselves through both song and dance.
In the studio, Anna focuses on creating a fun, supportive environment where students feel safe stepping out of their comfort zones to explore theater. Her classes blend performance with essential dance technique, giving her students a competitive edge when they audition for musicals. Anna's ultimate goal is to build her students' confidence, ensuring they feel proud of their hard work and realize they can truly be themselves.
When she isn't teaching, Anna is a busy mom of three, runs a tie-dye YouTube channel, and teaches group fitness classes. To keep her energy up, she relies on her favorite treat—soft pretzels—and a Dr. Pepper Zero (the bigger, the better!).
Ashley
Front Desk Secretary
Ashley brings a rich background in dance and a deep love for family to our community. Originally from Las Vegas, Ashley trained at top-tier studios, including Kravenko Ballet and Bunker Dance, and continued her training at the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), building a strong foundation rooted in ballet and jazz.
After spending time living in Prescott, Arizona, and Puerto Rico, Ashley and her family chose to call St. George home. She fell in love with the area for its beautiful environment and found it to be the absolute perfect place to raise her children while staying close enough to visit family.
While she isn't in the teaching lineup, Ashley is a part of our daily operations. You can find her welcoming families at the front desk and managing administrative duties behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly as a passionate advocate for our dancers.
Ashley is a proud mom of six kids who keep her constantly on the move. When she isn't managing her busy household, you can find her diving into a good book or spending weekends working on her family farm and relaxing at their cabin. She keeps fueled up with dark chocolate with peanut butter (or Andes mints!), and a cold Diet Coke with lime.
Bella
Dance & Tumbling
Bree
Dance & Tumbling
Bree originally hails from Logan, Utah, but moved to the area to dance for the Blaze Dance Team at Utah Tech University, where she recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in digital media. Bree grew up dancing in studios, excelled on her high school drill team, and spent three years performing collegiate dance. Her favorite performance memory? Traveling the world with the Blaze team to perform for students in Japan and Brazil!
Bree has been teaching dance for three years, kicking off an exciting new era of sharing her lifelong passion. While she teaches all ages from toddlers to college students, her absolute favorite groups to work with are middle school and high school dancers. Bree teaches a wide variety of styles—including jazz, hip-hop, beginner ballet, lyrical, and contemporary—with jazz and hip-hop being her ultimate favorites.
In the studio, Bree brings a high-energy, movement-focused approach that balances fun with technique. Her primary goal is to build confidence in her students, teaching them how to love dance, master new skills early on, and really learn how to move.
When she isn't dancing, Bree loves boating, working out, laying in the sun, and going on walks with friends. She is a massive fan of hot pink (it was even part of her disco-themed wedding!), milk chocolate with caramel, and hitting up local drink shops for a Diet Mt. Dew mix like a Dew Gooder from Swig.
Brooke
Company Dance Teacher
Brooke
Preschool Director
Brooklin
Tumbling Director
Chloe
Dance & Tumbling
Chloe moved to St. George from Logan, Utah, to pursue her education and dance as a member of the Utah Tech University Blaze Dance Team, where she is currently entering her third year on the team. Chloe’s dance journey began at age 3 at a studio in Logan, followed by four years on the Ridgeline High School drill team.
Now in her second year of teaching, Chloe welcomes all age groups and skill levels. While jazz is her primary style, she loves teaching everything from hip-hop, tumbling, and technique to lyrical.
Chloe brings a high-energy and fun teaching style to the studio. She works hard to create a safe, supportive space where dancers feel they have both a mentor and a friend. Her main goal is to build lifelong confidence in her students. Through dance, Chloe learned the value of hard work and a "never give up" attitude, and she strives to pass that same resilience and joy on to every dancer she works with.
When she is not dancing, Chloe loves playing golf with her boyfriend, going on long walks, and doing anything near the water. She also loves shopping and eating out with her friends. Her absolute favorites include the color pink, a trip to the local froyo shop, and a cold Coke Zero with lime and vanilla.
Halli
Company Ballroom Teacher
Harmony
Company Ballet Teacher
Hazel
Tumbling assistant
Heidi
Preschool Teacher
Miss Heidi grew up in Orem and Cedar Hills, Utah, as the second oldest in a large family of ten children. Her passion for early childhood development led her to Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho), where she participated in their Professional Preschool Program. After serving an LDS mission in Florida, she returned to graduate from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
Heidi has a natural talent for teaching young children and loves to make learning fun. She has been teaching preschool since 2004 and also spent many years managing a Gold’s Gym Daycare. Heidi finds immense joy in connecting with preschool-aged children during this critical window of development—her ultimate goal is to make every student feel loved, valued, and excited to learn while watching their incredible growth throughout the school year.
After moving around a lot over the years, Heidi and her family have been thrilled to plant permanent roots in St. George.
Outside the Classroom:
Heidi and her husband have been happily married for 23 years and are the proud parents of six children. When she isn't teaching, Heidi loves running, biking, exercising, camping, hiking, reading, and scrapbooking. Her personal favorites include shades of blue (especially indigo), shades of pink, dark chocolate, and anything with peanut butter and chocolate. Her go-to drink order is any refreshing, sugar-free energy drink!
Henry
Parkour Coach
Jess
Front Desk Secretary & Dance Teacher
Jessica originally hails from Centerville, Utah, but moved to St. George after getting married when her husband attended the university here. Jessica grew up in the dance world, training and dancing competitively through high school with a deep love for contemporary and ballet.
This year marks Jessica's fourth season with RISE, where she pulls double duty as both our studio secretary and a beloved teacher! Jessica specializes in teaching our littlest dancers (and handles all things computer work behind the scenes!).
Jessica describes her teaching style as incredibly nurturing. Her main goal is to create a welcoming space where her students can build confidence, express themselves freely, and learn the essential fundamentals for a successful future in dance. To Jessica, RISE isn’t just a dance studio—it’s a family!
When she isn't managing the front desk or teaching the littles, Jessica loves spending time with her family, whether they are traveling together or hosting fun family game nights. She also loves reading, planning and hosting parties, and dancing in the kitchen for her kiddos. Her favorites include blush vintage pink, a giant bowl of cereal, and a massive Dr Pepper with coconut, extra lime, and extra ice.
Jessica
Dance & Preschool Teacher
Jessica began her dance journey at age 3 in California, training at both competitive studios and a dedicated ballet academy before her family relocated to Hurricane when she was 14. She continued her training at local Utah studios and excelled as a member of both the Hurricane High School dance team and ballroom team. Jessica later expanded her expertise in college, taking advanced technique classes in ballet, modern, and tap.
Now in her fourth year of teaching, Jessica loves working with all ages and skill levels, though working with toddlers is her absolute favorite. Her primary styles are tap and ballet, where she blends a nurturing approach with high energy. Jessica's classes focus heavily on building a strong technical foundation while fostering a genuine love for dance. Inspired by the incredible teachers who influenced her own life, she strives to be that same positive, guiding force for the next generation of dancers.
When she isn't teaching, Jessica loves being outdoors, kayaking, doing nails and makeup, and spending time with her farm animals. Her personal favorites include the color light pink, sour patch watermelons, and an iced Golden Eagle Chai from Dutch Bros.
Kara
Dance & Tumbling Coach
Kara originally comes from Lindon, Utah, but fell in love with St. George when she moved here to dance as a Rebelette on the Dixie State College dance team. Her lifelong dance training began at age 3 at Dance Showcase Company, later moving to The Dance Club. In high school, Kara was a member of the Pleasant Grove High School Dance Company and an award-winning Vikette on the Drill Team, where she won regional and national titles and was named to the 5A All-State Drill Team.
This marks Kara’s second year teaching at RISE. While she holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a specialization in early childhood development, her passion for working with children extends directly onto the dance floor. She specializes in working with tiny tots, toddlers, and early elementary dancers, focusing on jazz and contemporary styles.
Kara describes her teaching style as fun, engaging, and focused on proper technique. Because she works closely with beginners, her ultimate goal is to ignite a true excitement and lifelong love for the sport of dance. As a mom of four, Kara also loves supporting the arts at home, helping her daughter, Emi, train for several prestigious national tour teams.
When she isn’t at the studio, Kara loves boating with her family, heading to the beach, hiking, playing games, and playing pickleball. Her personal favorites include the color blue, a fresh smoothie, and a Berry Bad Doctor from Fizz with light ice and extra cream.
Kate
Company Dance Teacher
Kate originally from South Jordan, Utah, moved to St. George for her husband’s career, bringing an extraordinary level of elite professional experience to our studio. Kate grew up training at the prestigious studio The Dance Club before launching an illustrious professional dance career. She spent years as a principal dancer for Odyssey Dance Theater and performed with Shift Dance Company, touring extensively across the United States and Europe. Her high-profile performance credits include appearances on the Disney Channel, The Today Show Turkey, Good Things Utah, USANA, and dancing with Glenn Beck.
With 17 years of teaching experience, Kate specializes in working with advanced junior and senior dancers. Her primary focuses are contemporary, jazz, and high-level technique.
Kate describes her teaching style as highly technical with high expectations, yet deeply nurturing. Her ultimate goal is to push her students to achieve their absolute personal best, using the art of dance to instill a powerful, lifelong work ethic that will serve them both on and off the stage.
When she isn't pushing dancers to the next level, Kate is a busy mom to her three kids. She also loves baking, traveling, and anything in her favorite color, lilac. Her go-to treats include a fresh bowl of berries and cream and an iced Annihilator from Dutch Bros.
Kourtney
Dance & Preschool Teacher
Lovaura
Company Dance Coach
Lovaura was born in Dana Point, CA, but moved to St. George when she was 8 years old. It instantly felt like home to her and she has now lived here for 12 years and counting. She has loved dancing ever since she was a little girl. She started at the age of 3, regularly training and competing in a variety of styles including jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, and acro. She danced with studios until the age of 15, performing at Stadium of Fire and participating in dance camps all over Utah. She then became a member of the Desert Hills Tempest Line Drill Team from 2017-2020. While on drill team, she earned two 1st place region titles, a 1st place state title, and competed in all routines all three of her years. She was honored to become captain of her drill team her senior year of high school. This is where she grew many leadership and teaching skills that made her realize how much she would love to teach dance one day. After graduating high school in 2020, she continued to further her education at Utah Tech University. Now she has the privilege of teaching so many adorable kids every week at Rise Dance Studio and could not be more grateful for the opportunity.
Megan
Ballet Teacher Assistant
Molly
Company Ballet/Pointe Dance Teacher
Sammy
Musical Theater Teacher
Skylar
Tumbling Assistant Coach
Skylar is a St. George native who brings a wealth of athletic expertise and passion to our studio. Skylar grew up in the world of acrobatics, training in gymnastics for 13 years. Her extensive background includes performing all over the United States and in Mexico, fueling a lifelong love for movement and athleticism.
Now in her third year of teaching overall and her second year at RISE, Skylar specializes in tumbling for toddlers and beginner levels.
Skylar describes her teaching style as deeply nurturing. She makes it her personal mission to ensure every single student in her class feels seen, known, and celebrated for their hard work. Her main goal is to build confidence in her young students, helping them realize what their bodies can achieve in a supportive, positive environment.
When she isn't in the gym coaching, Skylar loves spending time in the great outdoors—whether she is hiking, camping, or fishing. Her personal favorites include the color green, a warm batch of brownies, and a refreshing glass of orange juice.
Tammy
Preschool Teacher
Tammy, originally from California, is a vital part of our team, bringing a lifetime of experience caring for and teaching young children. As the oldest of five siblings and the eldest grandchild, Tammy’s passion for nurturing little ones started early through babysitting and helping raise her family. She has spent decades teaching children of various ages within her church community, a journey that began right after she graduated high school.
Tammy joined the Rise Preschool team in 2023. For her, becoming a preschool teacher was a perfect match that beautifully aligned with her natural love for early childhood development. Tammy always says she hit the jackpot working at RISE, but the feeling is completely mutual! Because her own adorable grandsons live out of state, she lovingly notes that teaching at RISE gives her the perfect opportunity to hang out with other families' grandchildren, who constantly remind her of her own.
Tammy is a devoted mom to five amazing children and a proud grandmother to three grandsons. With her oldest daughters living out of state and out of the country, she cherishes family time and connection. Being half Italian, she loves a good Sicilian cannoli, along with Lindor dark chocolate truffles and pistachios. Her favorite color is purple, and her go-to drink is a simple, refreshing cup of water!
Teresa
Dance Teacher
Teresa grew up in Layton, Utah, raised her own family in Las Vegas, and eventually relocated to St. George for her husband’s business opportunities. Teresa has loved dancing since she was tiny, training at various studios growing up and dancing all the way through high school. Her talent earned her dance scholarships to Utah State University in Logan.
With over 20 years of teaching experience, Teresa brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep lifelong passion to the studio. She specializes in mommy & me classes, tiny tots, tap, and ballet, and absolutely adores working with our smallest dancers.
Teresa describes her teaching style as highly nurturing and creative. Her top priorities are building self-confidence, instilling basic class etiquette, and encouraging dancers to explore music and movement. She loves watching her students learn to follow instructions and respect their classmates, witnessing immense growth in both courtesy and confidence from the beginning to the end of every season.
Teresa is a proud mom of five and a grandmother to nine grandchildren. She is a massive pet lover who enjoys long walks with her dog, Ruby, and waking up to the purrs of her cat, French Toast. Teresa also loves gardening, making her home beautiful, cooking (and eating!), and playing with her grandbabies. She is a fan of all things colorful—especially lavender—and her favorite treat is warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk, paired with her go-to drink: water with a fresh lemon wedge.
