Meet Our Dance Impressions Faculty!
“behind every dancer who believes in themself is a teacher who believed in them first”
KANDEE ALLEN
Kandee started the national award-winning dance studio, Dance Impressions, along with her Mother, Vivian Colobella, on a whim in 1990.
For over 30 years, she has been building her students a strong foundation of discipline, dedication and hard work, while instilling a love for the art of dance. She began her training at a very young age, and immediately began performing her talents in a tap dancing company. Kandee progressed into classical ballet, studying at the Murray Ballet Center, Royal School of Ballet and Ballet West Academy. Through a host of amazing teachers and choreographers, she began honing a critical eye for detail and exploring creativity through dance composition. She has had the honor to showcase her work in the 2002 Emmy Award-Winning Winter Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies; the opening numbers for the 2002 Paralympic Games and Spotlight Dance Cup Nationals; as well as for the Murray Arts Council; and the Ms. Wheelchair Utah and Miss America Pageants. Kandee has also served as lead choreographer for numerous award-winning high school drill teams, dance companies, cheer teams and musicals. She entertains a strong passion for musical theater and was inducted for excellence in the arts to Tayolorsville High School’s Theater Hall of Fame.
In 2002, Kandee Allen co-founded Art with Heart, a benefit concert for Shriner’s Hospital, to which over $500,000 in proceeds have been donated to date.
Kandee is mother to terrific kids (some are now adults!) and adores spending time with them. She thoroughly loves supporting each of them in the sporting events, musicals and performances that they individually love.
MALLORIE LOVE JOHNS
Mallorie began training at Dance Impressions at the age of twelve. She went on to college at Brigham Young University and danced as a BYU Cougarette while pursuing her love of dance through a degree. With a Bachelor’s of Arts in Dance and a minor degree in Business, she came back to Dance Impressions and is now a co-owner, grateful to be with her home studio, doing what she absolutely loves. In addition to her extensive training in dance, “Mal” is Acrobatic Arts certified, a specific designation ensuring safe and progressive education in the studio.
Mal is married to her supportive husband, Matt and mommy to the cutest little studio favorites, Henry, Goldie and Birdie!
Autumn Hernandez is the Creative Director over all productions. She has a beautiful talent in choreography and has been doing what she loves and teaching for over 22 years. Autumn is certified in Paula Morgan Technique and has instituted the visionary program — enhancing strength, flexibility and movement — into many of the classes at Dance Impressions. Autumn is the mother to the cutest little boys Axton and Ezra!
Dallas Gardner has been associated with Dance Impressions since 1996, both as a student and member of our faculty. She is the Artistic Coordinator and Team/ recreational teacher. She attended Weber State University in the Criminal Justice program and danced on Weber State’s Spirit Squad for three years. She also nannied for over seven years and thoroughly loves children. Dallas is married to Josh Gardner and together they have three beautiful children: Aubrey, Beckham and Burkley.
McKenzie Kasteler has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical. She grew up dancing at Dance Impressions and was also a member of the Bountiful High School Mandonelles for 3 years. Through both experiences, McKenzie has worked with many professional choreographers and dancers, as well as attended many conventions and competitions around the country. She is currently an assistant coach for the award-winning drill team at Bountiful High School and is also our current Training Troupe and Petite Comp Coordinator. McKenzie is thrilled to be sharing her love and passion of dance by teaching at Dance Impressions.
Kelsie Lyberrt has been a student and teacher at Dance Impressions for over 19 years —
since she was 3-years old!
In addition to her time spent at Dance Impressions, Kelsie was active for two years as a Mandonelle on the Bountiful High School award-winning state championship drill team and was also selected as an All-State Drill Team recipient.
After high school, Kelsie attended Snow College, playing volleyball on an athletic scholarship and also taught dance at Roy High School.
Kelsie is our one of our beloved Competitive Troupe Coordinators. And the beloved momma to Lacie & Riggs, wife to Austin!
Aislynn Grant grew up in Kaysville, Utah and trained at Dance Impressions under the direction of Kandee Allen and Mallorie Johns. She was president of the ensemble team and participated on her high school dance company. She recently graduated from Farmington High School with honors and is now attending the University of Utah to further her education.
Aislynn is currently dancing with Continuum Dance Company. She has the opportunity to assist with the Neuroworx adaptive dance program and works as a choreography assistant. She is so excited to start teaching at DI this year!
Kennadie Thredgold is dance artist, educator, and choreographer with over 20 years of experience in the field. She currently teaches dance and yoga at Viewmont High School, dance at Centerville Jr High, and serves as a team coordinator and instructor at Dance Impressions. Her career has flourished throughout Northern Utah, where she has built a strong reputation as both a performer and mentor.
Kennadie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance Education from Weber State University, where she actively contributed to the university’s dance community—working as a Marketing Student Worker and serving as the Student Lead for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. She performed in Orchesis Dance concerts for 7 years and represented the university at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) in 2018, 2022, and 2024.
Kennadie’s dance training began at Dance Impressions (2003–2011) and continued at Lightbox (2011–2018), where she studied under esteemed instructors including Matthew Peacock, Alan Salazar, Liz Martineau, Kylie Bronk, and Jason Celaya. Her diverse training shaped her into a versatile and expressive artist.
As a teacher and choreographer, Kennadie has created numerous award-winning routines since 2016. She has choreographed for Clearfield High, Viewmont High, Farmington High, Centennial Jr. High, and participated in several high school dance festivals. She has also served as a respected judge for competitions throughout Northern Utah for the past five years.
Kennadie’s passion for dance shines through in all she does. Whether performing, choreographing, or teaching, she is dedicated to empowering young dancers and contributing meaningfully to the dance community.
Ashlee Christensen has been dancing and teaching at Dance Impressions for 13 years. Prior to finding her home at Dance Impressions, she trained with Janet Gray where she first fell in love with Tap. She has also studied Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop and Tumbling. During High school Ashlee was a member of the Chatelles and the Woods Cross High Dance Company. Ashlee participated in many national conventions and competitions around the country, receiving multiple scholarships in tap. Her greatest joys are her Husband Paul, Daughter Emma, and her two four legged pups.
Hayley Peay began dancing at Dance Impressions when she was five years old. She was trained in multiple styles and quickly gained a love for dance and performing. That loved for dance lead her to the University of Utah where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Modern Dance, with a minor in Health Education.
Some of her accomplishments include dancing and cheering on school teams, performing in Ballet West’s production of The Nutcracker as “Clara,” a featured dancer in Disney’s High School Musical 3, and has taught and choreographed for many different high school dance and cheer teams across Utah. She has been teaching at the studio for 15 years and loves sharing her passion for dance with her students.
Although, her greatest accomplishments include her 3 darling daughters who are all currently dancers at Dance Impressions, and her husband Matt.
Nikki Garner was one of the first dancers to be trained at Dance Impressions and it quickly became her second home. Now, 30 plus years later, she can’t imagine her life without the studio and people she considers her dance family.
Nikki trained in all styles of dance and had the opportunity to travel the country where she competed and took class from some of the best in the industry. In high school she was on the drill team and dance company where she held leadership roles as co-captain and choreographer while continuing on a competitive team at Dance Impressions. She also auditioned and performed with Ballet West in the Nutcracker.
Nikki has traveled throughout the state as a judge for dance competitions, drill team auditions, and cheerleading tryouts. She traveled the U.S. as a judge and master class teacher with Spotlight Dance Cup for multiple years. She coached two Davis County school cheerleading teams, winning multiple state titles and receiving top leadership and execution awards. Nikki has also been a dance teacher to private school students as well as home schooled students in Davis County as part of their curriculum. In 2006, she held the title of Mrs. Davis County and she has assisted with production and choreography for the Junior Miss and Mrs. Utah pageant programs.
Nikki is honored to be a lifelong Dance Impressions alumni and is excited to be teaching again after taking some time off to raise (and drive to endless rehearsals) her four girls. Nikki enjoys spending her free time with her husband Justin and their daughters.
Grace Barkdull grew up training at Dance Impressions for 10 years. She was the dance captain of her ensemble team at Dance Impressions. Grace is currently a student at UVU for her second year. After graduating high school she went and danced on the UVU dance team from 2022-2023. Grace is currently dancing pre-professionally with Continuum Dance Company. She is very excited to teach at the same studio she danced at this year!
Tarryn Aubuchon thoroughly enjoyed her ballet, jazz and lyrical training in Las Vegas. Her favorite memory was dancing with the Moscow Ballet for two seasons of the Nutcracker. She earned her undergraduate from BYU and taught in BYU’s Jazz Department for three years while also teaching and choreographing for studios in Utah County. She furthered her studies in London studying International Business and taught ballet classes to young primary children. Currently she works full time in product development for a casual luxury home brand, teaches dance in the evenings, and mostly loves being Bristol’s mom and is continuously supported by her husband Jeremiah.
Jamison Allen grew up dancing at Dance Impressions where he trained in all styles of dance. He had many performing opportunities including dancing for six years in leading youth roles with Ballet West in the Nutcracker and three years with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as a featured dancer and tumbler in their world famous Christmas Concerts, and one year with Odyssey Dance in “Thriller”.
He then found a new passion, basketball. After 6 years of traveling the US to play basketball, running track, playing Varsity basketball and football for his high school, he finally returned to his true talent, dance. Being one of the first male performers for the Utah Jazz Dancers was a great experience. It was the perfect way to blend his two favorite pastimes, basketball and dance.
Other dance opportunities for Jamo include television, theater and film, including Dear Dumb Diary (dancer), High School Musical, the musical, the series (dancer), Dwight In Shining Armor (featured dancer), Hairspray (Seaweed), backup dancer for numerous artists, performances, videos and shows throughout Utah, and being a part of the National production “Graduate Together” with LeBron James. Jamo has performed and competed on stages from LA to NYC and everywhere in between. Though he has trained in tap, ballet, jazz, acro and contemporary, he is most at home with Hip Hop. He loves the diversity, style, music, movement and variety that hip hop offers.
