INSTRUCTORS
Highly Qualified & Fun Instructors
Not only do our instructors have a passion and love for teaching, but they also have the experience and credentials to back it. Instructors have access to continued education with some of the nation’s top professionals. This provides our students with up-to-date steps, technique and the latest trends. We teach fundamentals, creativity and self-expression. Dance & Tumbling is not just about the steps or choreography. By teaching students dance and tumbling elements alongside technique we give them the tools and confidence to not only duplicate movement, but to express their self through it.
Katelyn Elison
Owner & Instructor
I have spent nearly my whole life cultivating my love for dance. For 13 years I competed with Downtown Dance Studio located in Blackfoot, Idaho. We attended many competitions, conventions, dance workshops, and master dance classes throughout Idaho and Utah learning from the best & earning many prestigious awards in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop.
At the age of 15, I started teaching my own dance classes at a non competitive level to young girls ages 5 through 10 under the supervision of Amy Mow, CEO of
Downtown Dance Studio. After a year, I was able to expand my age range to include girls up to the age of 18, as well as assisting with the competitive showteam. I spent six years teaching for Downtown and LOVED every minute of my time spent there.
In 2016, I began doing freelance choreography for high school drill teams, specializing in hip hop, prop, and dance divisions. I also graduated from cosmetology school, married my husband, Bryler Elison, and moved to Middleton, Idaho, where my husband could continue building his career and we could grow our family. In addition to freelance choreography, I took up group fitness instructing, certifying in formats such as HIGH Fitness, and Cardio FUSE.. I have three crazy kids that love dance, baseball, playing and everything in between. If I'm not at the studio, I'm usually loading my kids up to go to the next adventure.
Shortly after moving to Middleton, I was on the hunt for a good dance studio. I spent 4.5 years teaching at a studio in Meridian where I built a competitive showteam for them from scratch and we competed locally earning high rankings and many overall awards.
My passion for dance has never wavered and after many years of dreaming and dancing, I decided to create ASCEND in 2021 and have continued growing and teaching many genres of dance and all ages ranging 2-18. Here, we will not only teach kids how to dance, but we hope to instill in them a sense of confidence and team work that they can carry on throughout their lives. I also have the opportunity to be the head dance coach at Middleton High School-GO Vikes! Life may not always be easy, but we will always have dance and I cherish the time I have with these kids and the relationships I have the blessing to build.
And as we always say, we promise to stand by you forever! See you in the studio!
Arielle Dreher
Dance Instructor
Hello! My name is Arielle and I am so excited to be working with your kids here at Ascend. I grew up in Meridian, Idaho where I started dance at the age of 3. I spent many years learning the fundamentals and creating a passion for jazz, hip hop, and ballet.
I went to Meridian High School where I was on the Competitive Dance Team. During my four years on the team I worked into leadership positions, including captain of my team, where I was able to take my passion and talent to the next level.
In 2017, I started teaching dance to young children. I was lucky to be on the staff at the studio I learned everything from as a child. I instantly fell in love! I loved working with the girls, the other instructors, and sharing one of the things I love most - DANCE!
As I grew as an instructor, I was given the opportunity to assist a local competition team. It was so rewarding to watch dancers start as beginners and grow into talented, award-winning dancers. I can't wait to share my passion with your dancers here at Ascend!
Tessa Niblett
Dance & Acro Instructor
Hi! My name is Tessa Niblett and I’m thrilled to be teaching the awesome students at Ascend Dance Studio.
Dance has always been a huge part of my life. My first dance class was at the age of 2. It was a class designated for 3 year-old’s but as I couldn't help but dance along in the waiting room, the teacher invited me to join the class and since then I've never stopped performing!
Along with dance, I found a love for gymnastics in my early teens. I enrolled in a beginner's class and was a quick learner and natural gymnast from day one. I was moved to an advanced division where I was given the opportunity to compete. I was able to participate in a state championship where I took 2nd place overall.
I enjoyed being on a competitive dance team in high school and worked hard at my job of organizing and teaching many dance clinics to young children in our community. I could NOT get enough dancing in my life during high school and was always looking for more opportunities to express my passion.
In 2020, I was given the opportunity to assist a competitive showteam. I was able to use my training in both dance and tumbling to teach the dancers new things. We made lots of progress in tumbling, acro, and flexibility and I was so proud to watch the dancers push themselves and try things they had never done before. Since then I've been able to be a lead instructor in recreational dance, acro and competition teams.
I’m at my happiest when I can see a student overcome their doubts and become confident in their skills. I try my best to always be aware of your dancers and their needs, both physical and emotional, and I am dedicated to making all of their experiences positive. I'm so glad you're at Ascend and I know you'll love it here!
Candi Despain
Dance Instructor
I am Candi and I have always loved dancing. When the music turns on, so does my love and passion for dance!
I spent my entire childhood dancing anywhere my feet would take me. I danced in studios, at school, and down the grocery aisles of my small town in Utah.
While attending college at Utah Valley University, I majored in dance. I enjoyed learning many styles, including ballroom, and broadened my exposure to many different instructors, choreography, and other dancers. We attended many ballroom competitions and got great feedback and exposure.
Because of my love for dance, I opened my own studio after graduating. I taught children ages 3-13 in my hometown and loved it. For many, I was their first experience with dance and I worked hard to motivate each child and make them feel special and loved. I loved the small town feel and loved sharing it with my family.
Due to opportunities in Idaho, I needed to leave behind my studio in Utah. I dove into motherhood, raising my 4 kids alongside my amazing husband in our new home. Chasing kids
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kept me busy, but I needed that outlet of movement.
I began teaching group fitness classes and quickly found myself certified in more than 10 different fitness formats. I have found great success and happiness over my last 13 years of instructing and have also been grateful for management and leadership positions at local gyms.
Movement is a big part of my life and dancing is at the forefront. I am so excited to be with Ascend, where I get to watch these young girls learn and grow in their love of dance.
Allie Leavitt
Dance Instructor
Hi, I'm Allie Leavitt!
I'm a mom of three girls, two of which are dancers. I've always loved dancing and performing. I started dancing when I was 4 years old at Boise Dance Alliance and a few years later performed in the Nutcracker several years in a row with Opera Idaho. I continued dancing into high school when I moved to Eagle.
A couple of my favorite styles are Jazz and Freestyle but Hiphop has always been my #1.
I have loved teaching and assisting at Ascend over the years! Helping the kids learn the basics and watching them grow and evolve is the highlight of my job. My passions are teaching, having fun and dancing so I've truly found my calling. Thank you for trusting me to help your dancers rise!
Melissa Sabadin
Dance and Acro Instructor
Taylor Hammrich
Acro Instructor
I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I began gymnastics at the age of five. When I was eight, my family relocated to Nampa, Idaho. While continuing my gymnastics training, I noticed a local All-Star cheer team practicing and immediately became interested. Although tryouts had already passed, my mom told me that if I was still interested the following season, I could give it a try. I never lost that excitement, and when tryouts came around, I made the team.
From that point on, cheerleading became a huge part of my life. I competed in All-Star cheer through the age of 22, participating in both team and solo divisions and earning multiple National Championship titles throughout my competitive career.
My coaching journey began at just 13 years old when my mom became the head coach of the All-Star program at the Nampa Recreation Center. I was hired to teach the Toddlers in Motion class, where I discovered my passion for coaching. A few years later, my mom opened her own cheer gym, and I joined her coaching staff. As I continued to grow as an athlete, I also developed a keen technical eye as a coach, allowing me to progress from teaching beginner classes to coaching more advanced athletes and skills.
Throughout my coaching career, I have had the privilege of helping hundreds of athletes develop skills they once believed were impossible while building the confidence to achieve their goals. My coaching philosophy emphasizes strong fundamentals, proper technique, and safe progressions, while creating a positive and encouraging environment where athletes can enjoy the learning process. I believe that success comes from developing not only physical skills but also confidence, resilience, and self-belief. There is nothing more rewarding to me than helping athletes realize they are capable of achieving more than they ever imagined.
Katelyn White
Dance Instructor
Emily Steadman
Acro Instructor
Hello my name is Emily! I've been involved in the world of gymnastics and tumbling for as long as I can remember, beginning at a young age and spending many years training and competing. I'm honored to bring my lifelong experience into every acro class i teach. I'm dedicated to helping my students build strong fundamentals through proper technique, precision and safe progressions, creating a solid foundation that supports both confidence and long term success.
Outside of the studio my greatest joys in life is spending time with my husband and 4 children, working alongside them on our small farm and adventuring in the outdoors. I love being on Ascend staff and I consider each of my students an extension of my own family. I treasure the opportunity to watch them grow- not only as athletes but as confident, resilient young people. I strive to create a positive and encouraging environment so that every child can feel supported, challenged and celebrated in both their skills and their love for movement.
Kenzlie Figueroa
Dance and Acro Instructor
Hi, I'm Kenzlie! I'm a Middleton High School graduate where I spent 4 years dancing with Middleton Dance and Drill. I also danced at Ascend those 4 years, including three years on the competitive Showteam. I now have the opportunity to give back to both programs by serving as an assistant coach for MDD and a full-time instructor at Ascend.
I started teaching at Ascend when I was 15 years old as an assistant and quickly became a lead instructor at the age of 16. What started as something new became one of my biggest passions. Today, I teach recreational dance and acrp classes, assist with the competitive Showteam and choreograph and coach soloists. I coached my first solo as a junior in high school. Seeing my dancers succeed has only made me love teaching more. When I'm not coaching at the studio you will usually find me hanging out with friends, finding fun side quests or planning my next trip.
My favorite part of teaching is watching dancers reach their goals that they once thought was impossible. There's nothing better than seeing the excitement on a student's face after learning a new skill or performing something they've worked so hard for. I love being creative through choreography, choosing music and costumes and helping each dancer growing the best version of themselves.
Ascend became my second home throughout the years. The friendships, mentors and memories I found here shaped my into the person I am today and I hope I can give that same experience to every kid that walks through our doors. I love building relationships throughout the studio so every dancer has a familiar face, a friend and someone always cheering them on. I'm so grateful to be apart of the Ascend family.