OUR TEACHERS
Keely Franchini
Instructor
2021
Keely was born and raised in Lake Tapps Washington and moved to Boise in 2019 to attend college at Boise State University. She is currently a Junior at BSU studying Kinesiology with an Exercise Science emphasis and a minor in Communications. At the conclusion of her undergraduate years, she plans to attend a school of Chiropractic to receive her Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) and pursue a career helping and healing others.
Keely started dancing when she was 2 years old and competitively when she was 5. She trained at Allegro Performing Arts Academy in Kent Washington in all styles of dance including Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, Contemporary and Musical Theater. Keely is currently a member of the Boise State Spirit Squad as a Mane Line Dancer. As a part of the team, they perform at football games, serve the Boise community and compete at Nationals in Florida in both Jazz and Hip Hop. This season, she will also be coaching the cheer team at East Junior High here in Boise.
Keely is so excited for her first year teaching at Boise Dance Alliance and she can’t wait to share her passion for dancing and teaching!”
Shelbi Soelter
Instructor
2020
Shelbi just recently moved form Billings, MT to start college here at BSU. She’s studying kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise science and hopes to one day help dancers with the importance of injury prevention, strengthening, and overall health. Shelbi started dancing when she was 3 years old and competitively when she was 9. She trained in jazz, ballet, contemporary, modern, and hip-hop at Movement Montana in Billings and had some amazing experiences there.
She’s traveled to places like Denver and Houston for competitions such as Intrigue, Radix, JUMP, and many more. Some of her favorite choreographers she’s worked with include Teddy Forance, Chad McCall, Emily Shock, Giovanni Christian, Liz Imperio, and so many more. Shelbi is passionate about watching kids grow as dancers and people and helping them every step of the way. She is so excited to be a teacher here at BDA!!
Kaylyn Heim
Instructor
2019
Kaylyn Michele Heim has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She grew up in San Diego, California and moved to Boise to be a part of the Mane Line Dance Team. She is currently studying dual special and elementary education at BSU. Kaylyn has always had a love for children ever since she was little, which is why she chose the major that she did.
Kaylyn has trained in all sorts of styles of dance including; Tahitian, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, tap, ballet and tumbling.
One fun fact about Kaylyn is that her first name is a combination of her mom’s middle name, Kay, and her aunt’s first name, Lyn, and Kaylyn’s middle name is spelt the same as her Nana’s first name.
Kaylyn has loved every aspect of Boise since her move here and she enjoys attending BSU very much as well as teaching all of the amazing students at Boise Dance Alliance.
Carissa Pinnix
Instructor
2020
Carissa’s love for dance started in San Diego at the age of 3. She continued studying Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical and won numerous awards on the national level. Carissa then attended Sonoma State University on a dance scholarship. Carissa trained with Dance Masters such as Alvin Ailey, and Alonzo King Lines, and performed in the ACDA Collegiate Gala. She also had the opportunity to tap with professional Greg Russel at a Dancers against Cancer benefit show.
She studied Theatre Arts with a concentration in Modern dance and participated in workshops, Master Classes and all performance opportunities at the University. Carissa also competed all 4 years on the Sonoma State Dance team and grew a tap program at a local studio in Northern California. After intense studies at Sonoma State University, Carissa returned home to continue her love of dance. She is the former director of Rêve Dance Conservatory in Orange County and finds her passion in teaching.
Carissa taught as a teacher/choreographer in San Diego teaching for the Element Dance Center, and Edge Dance Academy, but has since relocated to Boise and is excited to continue her dance journey here. She loves living in Boise so much that she became a Realtor for Amherst Madison Real Estate Advisors. She loves that she gets to be around people and serve her community with her love for dance and instilling that passion into all of her students.
Naomi Rux
Instructor
2019
Naomi grew up in Oregon City, Oregon and has been dancing since she was three years old. She trained in both classical and contemporary ballet, attended summer intensives at Ballet West and Boca Ballet Theater, and received top scores in both forms of dance at YAGP. After graduating high school, Naomi went on to be a trainee at Ballet West, and eventually moved to Boise in 2017 to be a professional dancer at Ballet Idaho.
Naomi has been teaching at BDA for two years now, and every year has been so impressed by students who take on the challenges of dance for all the right reasons. She is so proud of all their dedication, and loves working at BDA.
While she views teaching as her main job, Naomi still dances around Boise with many local artists in music videos and other project-based work, and has been an artist in multiple choreographic pieces for Treefort Music Festival. When not involved with dance, Naomi works at Barretto Dancewear as a seamstress, travels, and gardens at her grandmother’s house.
Kayla Cook
Instructor
2019
Kayla Cook was born and raised in Cheyenne Wyoming. She started dancing at the age of three. She trained at En Avant Dance Studio in ballet, jazz and lyrical. Kayla also assisted with dance classes in high school. She competed with her high school dance team Thunderstruck for three years.
Kayla came to Boise to attend school but instantly fell in love with the area. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Boise State University in 2016. She has taught both 1st and 2nd grade in the Boise area. In her spare time Kayla enjoys reading, cooking and traveling. She is passionate about teaching and is excited to continue dancing.
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