About Us

Owner

Alicia
Alicia has over 40 years of dance experience, 34 years of teaching experience, and owner of Desert Edge Dance Company since 2002. During her years as a teacher, Alicia continued her own training through attending camps, conventions, traveling tours, workshops with her students and is Acrobatic Arts certified. In addition to dance, prior to starting Desert Edge Dance, Alicia worked in the financial industry for 14 years. Alicia continues to enjoy sharing her love of dance and utilizing her financial knowledge as she works with students, parents, staff, and the community.

Instructors

Ashly
Ashly has been dancing for over 20 years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dance from Utah Tech Univeristy and currently works for the Dance Department as the Administrative Assistant. Ashly is also a company member with St. George Dance Company and performs with them often. She has experience with Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap, and Aerial Dance. When she is not dancing, Ashly likes to spend time with her husband, Jesse, and their Old English Sheepdog, Barclay.

Britney
Britney has been dancing since the age of three. She has trained in many styles of dance including jazz, ballet, contemporary, cheer, modern, and hip hop. In high school, she was a member of the  drill team and served as the vice president. Her team took first place at Dance Nationals in NYC her senior year. In college she helped create an after school dance program for elementary-aged students. Britney has fifteen years of teaching and coaching experience working with all ages. She coached high school cheer for two years, was a dance studio director for three years and a director of the dance team for a semi pro basketball team for two years. Britney has been a member of the Utah Dance Judge Association since 2008 and continues judging dance competitions. Britney is a graduate of Southern Utah University with degrees in English and Dance. She has been with DEDC since 2013 and is excited to continue to share her love of dance.

Cassidee
Cassidee has been dancing her entire life. Her mom could see her passion for dance at a young age and enrolled Cassidee in her first ballet class at the age of 3.  More formal training began at the age of 10 where she enjoyed branching out into other styles including: Jazz, Tap, Modern, Musical Theater, along with her first love, Ballet. She trained at Diamond Talent Productions St. George, UT and performed at the Huntsman World Senior Games, Dickens’ Festival, and other events around the community. Her ballet technique was refined when she attended the Joffrey Ballet summer intensive in New York City and the American Ballet Theater summer intensive in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she studied with some of the finest ballet instructors in the country. She attended the University of Utah as a modern dance major for two years and finished her schooling at Brigham Young University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in ballet. Cassidee was a member of BYU’s Ballet Showcase performance company and danced repertoire from Pas de Quatre, Paquita, don Quixote, and other choreography works. While at BYU she was exposed to ballroom dance and children’s creative dance pedagogy. Following graduation she traveled to New York City and worked as an intern at the Joffrey Ballet School. While in New York, she enjoyed taking classes at Broadway Dance Center. Cassidee always looks for opportunities to increase her dance and teaching vocabulary. Cassidee has been teaching for Desert Edge Dance Company since 2013 and taught for six years prior to that. She is grateful to be able to continue dancing and teaching.

Jenny
Jenny is an interdisciplinary responsive international dance artist, with a strong sense of technique, athleticism & artistry in her works.  She enjoys the dynamic convergence of traditional dance and digital technology through film. She is internationally recognized in choreography at On Stage Dance Festival (2022)& Re-Newal selected for the Red Rock Dance Festival Gala (2019), as well as FlorenceSummerDance (2014, 2019), St. George Dance Company (2017-2019), Utah Tech University Faculty Concerts (2017-2021). Scholarly publishing includes the Ghent Belgium Body Mind Centering Conference Journal (2014).Receiving an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Jenny currently teaches dance courses at Utah Tech University, & has been adjunct faculty at Southern Utah University & University of Hawaii at Manoa. Jenny has had the opportunity to choreograph, perform, & teach master classes in Greece, Belgium, Italy, France, Hawaii, and Utah. She has participated in the Red Rock Dance Festival, Shakespeare Festival, Asian-Pacific Dance Festival, American College Dance Association, and was invited to take company class for three seasons with Ririe-Woodbury. She toured and performed throughout the U.S. with Theatre Ballet Company for five seasons. Jenny enjoys collaboration and has choreographed & collaborated with the UT Theatre & Music Departments, Center for the Arts at Kayenta, St. George Chamber Singers, & Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts.

Kaylie
Kaylie began dancing at the age of twelve, training in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. She started dancing competitively at thirteen and spent four years as a member of her high school’s dance company. In her senior year, she was selected as team captain. As captain, she choreographed halftime performances, state competition routines, solos, duets, and group pieces. Kaylie is currently a full-time student at Utah Tech University. She majored in English with a minor in Creative Writing and is now preparing to enter the Secondary Education Program. She enjoys teaching dance to students of all ages, and is passionate about helping others explore and grow their creativity through movement and artistic expression.

KassLee
KassLee began dancing at the age of five. She has trained extensively in ballet, jazz, contemporary, acro, and hip hop, and started competing at dance competitions when she was six years old. In high school, she was a dedicated member of her drill team for all four years and served as captain her senior year. With over eight years of teaching experience, KassLee especially enjoys teaching ballet and jazz. She loves helping her students find their confidence and passion for dance. 

Kylie
Kylie graduated with a Bachelor’s degrees in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and Marketing and a minor in Speech Communications. Dance has been a part of Kylie’s life for as long as she can remember. She enjoyed the “studio life” at Broadway Dance Academy in Sacramento, CA and Progressions Dance Academy in American Fork, UT which her mother was the owner of for ten years. Kylie is trained in all styles of dance including jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, and tumbling/acro, and contemporary. Her favorites are jazz technique, hip hop, and ballet. Some of her favorite experiences include training at The Edge and Millennium Dance complexes in Los Angeles, dancing as an extra in High School Musical 3, attending national conventions, and training in NYC with the Radio City Rockettes. Kylie has provided creative, award winning choreography, routines, and costuming as a company director and teacher for ten years. Kylie is dedicated to helping her students become confident, strong, independent dancers and individuals. Each season, she looks forward to sharing her talents and passion for this wonderful form with those at Desert Edge Dance Company.

Lexy Blackner

Mckenzie
McKenzie began dancing at the age of three. She has been trained in all types of dance including jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, modern, and pom. She was able to compete in different conventions, competitions all over the midwest where she won multiple outstanding dancer awards. She was on Bingham High School Dance Company and was able to dance at a competitive dance studio as well all growing up. She won many choreography awards in high school where she was able to showcase her choreography and received recognition. She then went to train at Utah Valley University where she would continue her dance education. She has been teaching and choreographing for about 14 years and has won multiple outstanding choreography, judges choice awards and more at dance competitions all over Utah. She has loved working with DEDC Students where she can encourage and uplift them to their highest potential.

Michelle
Michelle grew up dancing in Salt Lake City with Academy of Ballet Arts and Ballet West Conservatory. She danced with Mountain West Ballet performing principal roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and other various roles as well. Michelle was a member of her high school drill team her sophomore year where they took 2nd in nationals. Michelle earned her BFA in ballet performance from the University of Utah and performed with Utah Ballet doing solo and principal roles such as Don Quixote. She has studied in various styles of dance such as Jazz, modern, character dance, Vaganova, Cecchetti, and Classical ballet. She performed in the Nutcracker for two seasons with The Aspen Sante Fe Ballet under the direction of Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker. Michelle has taught for Desert Edge Dance since 2015 and taught for eight years prior to that.

Rachelle
Rachelle began her dance journey at the age of six, and it has remained a significant part of her life ever since. In high school, she excelled as a member of the drill team, ultimately serving as Drill Team Captain in her senior year. Her dedication and talent earned her the title of Dance Sterling Scholar at Juab High School, where she also achieved the honor of being named region runner-up for the Sterling Scholar award. These accomplishments led to a full-ride scholarship at Utah Valley University, where she pursued a degree in Dance Education.

Following her graduation, Rachelle spent the next decade teaching dance at various studios across Utah. She finds immense fulfillment in sharing her passion for dance with students and takes pride in witnessing their growth. Dance has profoundly influenced her life, and she remains grateful for the numerous opportunities it has provided.

Sara Bowles

Shelby
Shelby began dancing when she was three. She trained in ballet, acro, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and hip-hop. She has competed in dance competitively since the age of 4. Shelby has had many opportunities to experience different choreographers and train in different styles. Shelby was on her high school’s drill team for 4 years. She was chosen to be captain her senior year. While captain she was able to choreograph and prepare her team for many competitions. Shelby currently enjoys coaching a high school drill team and working as a cosmetologist. She loves helping people find their passion for dance.

Sydnee
Sydnee was fortunate to grow her expertise as a dancer right here at Desert Edge Dance Company. With 14 years of training, 10 years of competing, assisting and teaching classes along the way, she is excited to return to the studio. Sydnee especially loved hip-hop, jazz and contemporary, which took her to joining the dance team at Pine View High. After high school, she shifted her focus to strength training and fitness. Whether it is dancing between heavy sets at the gym or “performing” heartfelt kitchen routines, she has never let the dancer inside her quit. Sydnee is excited to be back at her home studio and help other young dancers find their passion!

Taylor
Taylor began dancing when she was three. Taylor trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, acro, and hip-hop. She started dancing competitively in all styles from age 8-18 years old. Competition dance gave Taylor great opportunities to work with different choreographers and train in different styles. Along with competition dancing, she was on her high school’s dance company for all three years and got to travel to Disney World to perform multiple times. Taylor had the opportunity to be the high school dance company president her senior year giving her experience choreograph and help coach. She has been assisting and teaching different styles for multiple years and has loved working with all ages. Taylor graduated with a degree in Marketing from Utah Tech. She enjoys teaching dance to all ages and watching the students gain a passion for dance. 

Tori
Tori’s passion for gymnastics and tumbling began at the age of three, blossoming through her early years as a competitive JO gymnast at the USA Youth Fitness Center. In high school, she was a member of her cheerleading team, competing at various state, regional, and national competitions—an experience that deepened her love for movement and teamwork.

Tori’s coaching career began at Xtreme Altitude Gymnastics in Colorado, where she guided young athletes in preschool gymnastics, tumbling, and Lil’ Ninjas. She also coached Girls Gymnastics Rec levels 1–3 and the competitive X-League Bronze & Silver teams. After relocating to Arizona, she became the head coach for both the preschool and XCEL programs at Scottsdale Gymnastics. There, she played a pivotal role in developing preschool gymnastics lesson plans and contributed to the program’s growth. Additionally, she designed lesson plans for the Girls’ XCEL competitive gymnastics team, ensuring each gymnast received the guidance needed to thrive.

Tori’s extensive experience in gymnastics and coaching reflects her dedication to fostering talent and inspiring confidence in young athletes.

If you would like to schedule a studio tour to get to more about our studio and teachers, please contact us.

Administration

Dr. Rhea
Rhea is very excited to be joining the Administrative Team at DEDC. Rhea is also a Part-Time Voice Professor at Southern Utah University (Cedar City) and Utah Tech University (St. George). Her students focus on Art Song, Audition Preparation, Classical, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Popular Voice, Ensemble Singing, and Recital Techniques. Rhea assists her students in developing composition, musicianship, and performance techniques required for prestigious university music programs, vocal competitions, and theater companies in the St. George and Cedar City area.

​Rhea graduated from Arizona State University with her Doctor of Musical Arts in 2016 and was the Soprano Teaching Artist for Arizona Opera’s 2013-2016 seasons. In addition to making her opera debut as Papagena in Arizona Opera’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute in 2015, Rhea has performed with numerous opera companies and symphonies around the United States and Europe.

Kaylie
Kaylie began dancing at the age of twelve, training in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. She started dancing competitively at thirteen and spent four years as a member of her high school’s dance company. In her senior year, she was selected as team captain. As captain, she choreographed halftime performances, state competition routines, solos, duets, and group pieces. Kaylie is currently a full-time student at Utah Tech University. She majored in English with a minor in Creative Writing and is now preparing to enter the Secondary Education Program. She enjoys teaching dance to students of all ages, and is passionate about helping others explore and grow their creativity through movement and artistic expression.

Natalie
Natalie started ballet at the age of three, performing at Christopher Newport University in multiple productions, before moving on to study ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop. Moving to Saint George, she continued her training before being accepted into Vista’s dance program, under the tutelage of Rebekah Wainwright. She has performed with Saint George Dance Company and Saint Contemporary Dance and studied with the Nevada Ballet Theatre and renowned dance professionals, and Tremaine, wanting to learn different dance, choreography, and learning techniques under diverse instructors and choreographers. She has won multiple first-place awards at dance competitions, including The Shakespeare Festival, Relevé, Aspire, and high school competitions in Drill. Currently, Natalie is studying astrobiology at Utah Tech University while continuing to study dance as a minor and performing in the Miss America circuit, where she throws herself into her training to share her love of dance.

Taylor
Taylor began dancing when she was three. Taylor trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, acro, and hip-hop. She started dancing competitively in all styles from age 8-18 years old. Competition dance gave Taylor great opportunities to work with different choreographers and train in different styles. Along with competition dancing, she was on her high school’s dance company for all three years and got to travel to Disney World to perform multiple times. Taylor had the opportunity to be the high school dance company president her senior year giving her experience choreograph and help coach. She has been assisting and teaching different styles for multiple years and has loved working with all ages. Taylor graduated with a degree in Marketing from Utah Tech. She enjoys teaching dance to all ages and watching the students gain a passion for dance.