About Us

Owner

Alicia Dobson
Alicia grew-up in Murray, Utah. She has over 40 years of dance experience, 33 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, 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 Barraclough
Ashly is a St. George native. 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 Guthrie
Britney is from Santaquin, Utah and 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 Edmunds
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 Mair
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 Olsen

Kylie Stokes
Kylie graduated from Utah Valley University 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.

Mckenzie Jones
McKenzie, originally from South Jordan, Utah, began dancing at the age of three. As she grew up, she was a member of the Bingham High School Dance Company and danced at a competitive studio, where she won several choreography awards and received recognition for her showcased work. She then continued her dance education at Utah Valley University. Over the years, McKenzie has been trained in various dance styles, including jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, modern and pom. Mckenzie joined Desert Edge Dance Company in 2019 and has 14 years teaching experience. She loves working with the students & is dedicated to encouraging and uplifting them to reach their highest potential.

Michelle Merrell
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.

Samantha Sullivan
Samantha has over 25 years experience teaching, coaching, and choreographing dance and acrobatics. She was an artistic gymnast in her youth, turned rhythmic gymnast in her teen years and eventually made the natural transition to ballet. Samantha danced professionally for 4 years with Southwest Ballet Company in Pittsburgh, PA. Following her dancing years, she joined the circus! Samantha was a trapeze artist in both Seattle, WA and Culver City, CA. She has taught all styles of dance, but is particularly drawn to acrobatics as it is a mix of everything she loves; dance and gymnastics. 

In addition to her dance background, she also holds a certification in yoga, pilates and barre! When not in the studio she can be found hiking, baking, or spending time with her husband and four cats.

Sara Bowles

Shelby Day
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.

Rachelle Fabrizio
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.

Taylor Decker
She 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 is currently a full-time student at Utah Tech University, majoring in Marketing. She enjoys teaching dance to all ages and watching the students gain a passion for dance. 

Administration

Belinda Lenhard
A native of Houston, Texas, Belinda joined DEDC in 2020. Belinda has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Marketing from Brigham Young University and enjoys being active in the community. She is passionate about physical fitness and sees dance as a vital activity for building confidence and health in youth. She has also worked as a paraprofessional for special needs children and has enjoyed helping them progress. Belinda is excited to be part of DEDC and looks forward to helping it grow.

Kaylie Olsen

Kendyl Bundy

Taylor Decker