Erin Archambault, Owner/Dance Instructor

Erin has 17 years of experience as a dance instructor/choreographer, with 2 of those years also as a director. Her own dance training began at age 4 at the Ballet Arts Center in southeast Missouri and continued for more than 30 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 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.

Kailea Tilden started her dance career at the age of 3, and has studied ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical under various teachers including Theodora Sonnenberg, Julia Bubalo, and Michelle Wiladsen. She was accepted into the dance program at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in 2010. Kailea graduated from Missouri University of Science & Technology with a degree in Biology in 2015.  She served as the Missouri S&T Ballet and Dance Club President for 2 years, where she directed and starred in“The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid.” In college she received the S&T Renaissance Student Award and the Joe Mooney Distinguished Student Award for her achievements in both the sciences and the arts.  This will be Kailea’s sixth year teaching dance.  Her students have competed at regional and national competitions across the state for the past several years, and were the Division Champions for Lyrical Small Group at Spotlight Dance Cup in 2015 and 2016. Kailea spent a year in the Chicago area teaching and choreographing at various studios including the Academy of Russian Ballet. Kailea has recently moved back to the Springfield area and is excited to start sharing her love of dance with the students at Dance Mission!

Kayla Sivils, Dance Instructor

Kayla started dance at age 3 and started competing around age 12. As a competitive dancer, she won numerous awards including “Judges Choice” and the title of “Miss Dance America” in 2014. In addition, her choreography for competitive dances has been awarded “First Overall” multiple times, and a special duet with her younger brother, Cory, won Talent on Parade’s Grand Champion Award. Aside from competitive dance, she has experience as a commercial dancer for Children’s Miracle Network, participating in their performance fundraisers and commercials. After graduating high school, she began working as a dance instructor, teaching in her areas of expertise, which include contemporary, tap, ballet, and jazz.

Kara Pagel, Dance Instructor

Kara started gymnastics and dance at age 4. After competing in gymnastics for 7 years and dance for 3 years, she was asked as a high-school student to begin her 17-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 Wallace, Aerial Silks 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 Wallace a solid background for instructing at Dance Mission! Her lifetime of dance has led her to conventions such as Urban Jam and Chicago Dance Connection, where she received instruction from the celebrity, Paula Abdul! Rebecca's love for ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop eventually led her 5 years ago to Aerial Silks. Since then she has instructed Aerial students for 2 years, ages 8-adult, and 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 the art of Aerial Silks with her students at Dance Mission!

Maddie Griffith, Piano Instructor

Maddie is happy to bring piano lessons to the students at Dance Mission! Since the 1st grade, Maddie has been playing the piano. Her training at a music conservatory has given her the music education for teaching future pianists. She uses a variety of books, sheet music, flashcards, and other materials to motivate learners. She also believes in providing her students with opportunities to perform in piano recitals and competitions as a way to reach their full potential.

Cortney Denbow, Dance Instructor & Office Assistant

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 is currently a sophomore at Missouri State University, a dancer in the MO State Movement dance group, and is excited to be working at Dance Mission!