Erin Archambault, Owner/Dance Instructor
Erin has over 20 years of experience as a dance instructor/choreographer. Her own dance training began at age 4 at the Ballet Arts Center in southeast Missouri and continued for more than 40 years into her adult life in studios at Missouri State University, University of Colorado Boulder, and several local dance studios in Springfield, MO. She has trained in a variety of dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, and ballroom/Latin. Her performances include roles in Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty as the Lilac Fairy, and The Nutcracker Ballet as the Sugar Plum Fairy.
She began instructing dance in 2000 while also earning her Master's degree from MSU in Education for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. She then taught for Springfield Public Schools from 2003-2006 as a teacher for students with learning disabilities and hearing loss.
In 2006 she started her own business, Dance Mission LLC, teaching dance on-location in area preschools. Since July 2016, Erin, her husband, Nick, son, Rowan, and daughter, Iyla, have been delighted to open Dance Mission's studio doors to you.
Cortney Denbow, Dance Instructor
Cortney started her dance career in jazz, pom, and hip hop and began competing at age 14. She earned a national title, several top 5 finishes, multiple regional titles, and special judges’ awards. She was also on the dance team at her high school, which won 3 state titles in hip hop, as well as winning 2nd and 3rd places for jazz and pom/dance. In 2014, she began teaching jazz, lyrical, ballet, and hip hop as well as coaching the petite/junior competitive team at her home studio in Illinois. She was a dancer in the MO State Movement dance group from 2016-2017 and a Diamond Girl dancer for the MSU 2018 baseball team. She’s a graduate of MSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Arts, a minor in Event and Performance Administration, and her Master’s Degree in Event Management. Cortney is thrilled to be working at Dance Mission!
Brookelyn Smith, Dance Instructor
Brookelyn has been dancing for over ten years, training in the styles of ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, pom, hip hop, and contemporary. She competed for 4 years and was a member of her high school dance team for 4 years as well. Her experience with competitive dance presented great opportunities to learn from many instructors giving her a well-rounded dance education. She also earned awards at competitions for her own choreography, which included a duet she choreographed that received the judges’ choice award for amazing artistry at Spotlight Dance Cup. Brookelyn instructed dance for 2 years at the Doling Family Center for youth dancers at all levels, beginner through advanced, and is currently in her fourth year as an instructor for us at Dance Mission. She also attends Drury University and is co-captain of the Drury Scarlets dance team. She is very excited to continue to teach students at Dance Mission!
Yomi Alton, Dance Instructor
Yomi was a gymnast for 7 years and competed level 5 to level 8. She has been a gymnastics coach for 27 years; teaching ages 2-16, including recreational, exhibition, and competitive team levels. Yomi has coached well over a thousand kids in the Springfield area. Her dance experience stems from choreographing exhibition/gymnastics routines and teaching preschool dance classes. She's a big believer in tailoring instruction to each individual child and celebrating their individualized goals and accomplishments in their own time. She’s a capable and caring instructor ready to help the students at Dance Mission!
Kara Pagel, Dance Instructor
Kara started gymnastics and dance at age 4. After competing in gymnastics for 7 years and dance for 3 years on her high school dance team, she began her 20+ year career as an instructor and competitive gymnastics coach. She has the unique abilities of being able to teach children expertly in the areas of both gymnastics and dance.
Rebecca Gray, Aerial Silks and Dance Instructor
Aerial training at the Boulder Circus Center in Colorado for 3 years after competitive dance training in Illinois for 12 years has given Rebecca Gray a solid background for instructing at Dance Mission! Her lifetime of dance led her to conventions such as Urban Jam and Chicago Dance Connection, where she received instruction from celebrity, Paula Abdul! Rebecca's love for ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop eventually led her to aerial silks. For over 8 years as an aerialist and dancer, she has instructed students, ages 4-adult, and she’s performed at 3 of the largest EDM festivals in the country: Caffeine, Glo, and Global Dance Fest at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. She is excited to share her passion for dance and aerial silks with her students at Dance Mission!
Makenna Coble, Dance Instructor
Makenna began her dance training at the age of 4. She trained in the styles of ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and contemporary in Springfield, MO. She was a competitive dancer for 11 years and also did cheer and gymnastics at local gyms. Makenna made her high school dance team all four years and was their captain and choreographer her junior and senior year of high school. Most recently, she's a college graduate from Missouri State University with her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and is pursuing her Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She has been instructing dance since 2023, manages a competitive dance studio, and is ready to teach students in Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jazz Poms classes at Dance Mission!
Hannah Bills, Dance Instructor
Hannah began her dance training at the age of 2. She trained in the styles of ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and contemporary in Springfield, MO, and was a competitive dancer for 12 years. She's currently a senior at MSU studying Communication and Media while working part-time at the university bookstore. She has been instructing since 2023, manages a competitive dance studio, and looks forward to teaching students in Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jazz Poms classes at Dance Mission!
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