Elizabeth Ellis – Dance Instructor/Founder
Miss Elizabeth started teaching dance in 2002 and loves engaging her students’ learning process. After growing up dancing in Rapid City, South Dakota, she moved to New York City and graduated from The Ailey School with a concentration in ballet and modern dance. Elizabeth later completed a BA in Dance from SUNY’s Empire State College, where she focused her studies on child development and dance education, including graduating from the Dance Education Laboratory. During her ten years in New York City she performed in musicals, danced with the Amir Levi Dance Company, choreographed shows, and taught ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, creative movement, and modern at multiple studios. She started Leap Dance Studio in 2010 and loves teaching, watching students grow, and managing the business! In 2025, Elizabeth was named Dance Educator of the Year by the Colorado Dance Education Organization.
Kelsey Bonar - Dance Instructor/Office Manager
Miss Kelsey began her dance training in Rapid City, South Dakota at the Academy of Dance, studying ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, and modern. She continued her studies through a scholarship to the University of Minnesota in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, where she focused on ballet and modern dance under the direction of Toni Pierce-Sands, Abdo Sayegh, Karla Grotting, and Erin Thompson. Although Kelsey loved performing, she found her true passion for dance when she began teaching and has been doing it ever since. In 2018, she enrolled at the University of Colorado Denver, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently working on her Bachelor of Science in Biology. It was here that she joined the Exercise and Behavioral Neuroscience Research Lab under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Greenwood, where she studied the neuroprotective benefits of exercise on the brain. This research furthered her passion for teaching dance, as she strives to bring the positive and neuroprotective benefits of dance to children of all ages. Kelsey incorporates her love for science, research, psychology, and neuroscience into her lessons, ensuring that dancers have a firm grasp on anatomy, physiology, and how their bodies move in space. Additionally, Kelsey enjoys being able to teach not only proper technique but also creativity, innovation, teamwork, and positive self-esteem in the studio. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with Leap Dance Studio!
Megan Clark – Dance Instructor
Miss Megan, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, knew from an early age that dance, and even teaching dance, were going to be a major part of her life. Megan graduated from Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management with a Bachelor of Science degree in American Dance Pedagogy and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree. While at Oklahoma City University, Megan was a member of the American Spirit Dance Company. After graduation, Megan accepted a position within the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management. Megan held numerous roles at OCU, including Assistant Director to the Community Dance Center, an on-campus learning-laboratory for the American Dance Teacher Majors, Assistant Professor of Dance, and Academic Advisor. Megan has extensive training in ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater dance. She also has professional stage management, performance, and choreographic experience with productions such as South Pacific, Coppélia, The Wizard of Oz, and Beauty & the Beast. Specializing in teaching younger children, Megan is certified in the Leap ‘N Learn ® teaching program. Megan’s favorite part about teaching is to see the joy as dancers discover their love for dance and movement, and she looks forward to seeing that grow in your dancer!
Brittany Hildenbrand - Dance Instructor
Miss Brittany has had a passion for dance ever since her first dance lesson at the age of 3 years old. She has trained in several different styles of dance, including hip hop, jazz, lyrical, tap, contemporary, modern, ballroom and ballet. She grew up as a competition dancer and won several scholarships and awards, including runner up for outstanding dancer at a National Competition in New York. She has trained with some of the top choreographers that you know from “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With the Stars." Her training led her to pursue her career in performing professionally with companies including; Disneyland, All Wheel Sports at Knott’s Berry Farm, Princess Cruise Lines, Radio Disney, and several other groups and events including the Michael Jackson Experience in Texas. Brittany has also toured as an instructor and judge for Sheer Talent Dance convention. She has been teaching dance for several years and loves sharing her experience and knowledge of her passion to students of all ages.
Rachyl Joy Carlson - Dance Instructor
Miss Rachyl has always been surrounded by dance. Growing up in Oklahoma, she studied tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and pointe as well as cheer, dance, and pom through her college experience at The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. She continued her studies with RACE Dance Collective in Oklahoma City and discovered a passion for hip hop. She began teaching tap and jazz at April's Dance Studio, eventually doing freelance work for RACE Dance Collective. She enjoyed dancing with X2C Crew and her fellow choreographers in Oklahoma. Rachyl is most excited to continue her dance journey in Denver with Leap Dance Studio.
Elissa Pelletier - Dance Instructor
Miss Elissa has been training in classical ballet since the age of 2 and is well versed in Cecchetti, Russian, RAD, and Balanchine techniques. Her professional level training began in Colorado Springs, CO, dancing with The Peak Ballet Theatre of Colorado and The Colorado Classical Youth ballet. Some of her tutelage included, Jonathan Guise (Eugene Ballet), Fernando Schaffenburg (American Ballet Theatre, Broadway), Milenko Banovich (Zagreb Ballet, Artistic Director of Boulder Ballet), Patricia Hoffman (San Diego Ballet), and Megan Yackovich (Ballet San Jose).
By the age of 11, Elissa had earned both 2nd and 3rd place titles, in the Youth America Grand Prix International Ballet Competition which entitled her to compete in the YAGP finals in New York City, where she scored highly and trained with some of the top ballet professionals in the world. By the age of 12, Elissa was accepted into multiple summer programs on scholarship including, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Kirov Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet.
Elissa has continued her extensive ballet training and eventually found a strong passion for teaching and mentoring. She began teaching students in Colorado Springs, Boulder, and most recently, throughout Kansas, where she directed the ballet program at Oaks Arts Academy and taught at several studios in the area. She loves training aspiring young artists to become professionally trained dancers and enjoys setting choreography for performances. When Elissa is not in the studio, she enjoys her time with her daughter, and 4 cats!
By the age of 11, Elissa had earned both 2nd and 3rd place titles, in the Youth America Grand Prix International Ballet Competition which entitled her to compete in the YAGP finals in New York City, where she scored highly and trained with some of the top ballet professionals in the world. By the age of 12, Elissa was accepted into multiple summer programs on scholarship including, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Kirov Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet.
Elissa has continued her extensive ballet training and eventually found a strong passion for teaching and mentoring. She began teaching students in Colorado Springs, Boulder, and most recently, throughout Kansas, where she directed the ballet program at Oaks Arts Academy and taught at several studios in the area. She loves training aspiring young artists to become professionally trained dancers and enjoys setting choreography for performances. When Elissa is not in the studio, she enjoys her time with her daughter, and 4 cats!
Aleli Valladares – Dance Instructor
Miss Aleli is originally from Miami, Florida. At the age of 12 years old, she started dancing competitively. She grew up as a studio dancer but was also on her high school dance team for 4 years, where her team competed at competitions such as ADA, Dance Team Union, and Contests of Champions. She attended a performing arts school called Miami Arts Studio, where she gained most of her technical training. Aleli has trained in various styles such as ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip hop, tap, jazz, and ballroom and has danced with artists such as Sharaya J, Chris G, and Omi. Back in 2016, she attended the Joffrey Ballet hip hop intensive in New York City, and in 2017, Aleli was a semifinalist for the Young Talent Big Dreams competition, where she performed a personal dance piece dedicated to advocating for mental health. In 2024, Aleli was a NAL cheerleader for the Colorado Spartans football team. Her love of dance goes far beyond just performing. She has a true passion for educating the youth and hopes to not only help her students grow into better dancers but also help turn them into amazing human beings.
Alaina Stroble - Dance Instructor
Miss Alaina holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre with a Minor in Dance from Colorado Mesa University, along with training in Classical Piano and Violin. Her teaching experience includes working with multiple youth theatre and dance companies for the past three years, where she was honored to teach dance and theater to students of all ages. She has choreographed and assistant directed for youth performing companies and has experience with private lessons and competition coaching, as well as choreographing musicals, showcases, wedding duets, show choirs and dances for all ages within her community. She has worked with performing companies from Grand Junction to Denver, including High Desert Opera, Factory Five-Five, Dance Art Media of Littleton, Ormao Dance Company, First Company, Untitled Theatre Company, and Village Arts of Colorado Springs. She is currently based out of Colorado Springs, where she loves participating in local arts with two past performances being awarded Gold and Silver in the Gazette's Best of the Springs.
Hayley Montague - Office Manager
Miss Hayley began dance at the age of five and spent most of her dance journey at Artistic Dance Unlimited in Maryville, TN. She grew up doing ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, pointe, and she also competed on a competitive dance company for seven years. After graduating high school she moved to Nashville, TN to study film at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. During her time there, she continued performing as a dancer and character performer for music festivals and local events. Near the end of her time in college she fell in love with flow arts and prop dance, which has led her to where she is now as a fire performer and aerialist. She still performs at music festivals and events internationally and is currently a touring dancer with Fall Out Boy. Hayley has always been passionate about performance and has continued to work it into many aspects of her life since she started. She is very happy to be an office manager at Leap, helping the dancers further their journey in dance.
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