Meet Our Team
Madison Lucas
Studio Owner
Rising Heights Dance is founded and owned by Madison Lucas. Growing up in the Kalama community, Madison began dancing at age 14 in Longview, WA and learned many great skills and genres, but focused on her passions of ballet, lyrical, and jazz as she progressed to an on pointe ballerina and advanced dancer. She has been dancing for 14 years and has been teaching for 7 since she left college at BYU-Idaho majoring in theater and minoring in dance pedagogy. She was able to participate in many different showcases and productions in college to prepare her technique to share with dancers as well as took classes in muscle movement, dance technique and teaching skills. She is a Progressing Ballet Technique certified teacher, a licensed Once Upon a Ballet instructor, is completing the Danscend Mental Health training for dance teachers, is a member of the Washington State Dance Studio Owners Coalition and the Dance Studio Owners Association, and will continue her own training as she teaches others. She is excited to bring dance back to her hometown and is honored to own Rising Heights Dance!
Precious Gems, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, Musical Theater, Competition, Piano & Voice, Solos/Duo/Trios
Jasmin Lindholm
Managing Director
Jasmin has been the partner in establishing Rising Heights from the ground up. She grew up in Kalama with Madison, re-connected after college, and eventually became the biggest supporter in encouraging Madison to take this next step in her dance career. You might not see her in the office, but she is managing most of our day-to-day operations such as our dance software, website, recital and showcase preparation, and many other tasks that keep the studio running. Aside from being Madison's best friend and business partner, Jasmin has a Masters Degree in Counseling with an emphasis on school counseling, as well as a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Child and Family Studies. She will be using her education to train staff to provide a safe space and encourage positive mental health to all of the students.
Courtney Thach
Instructor & Competition Director
Courtney started dance classes at age 3 and quickly fell in love with it. She joined a competitive dance team at the age of 7 and continued competing in several genres until the age of 18. During high school, she studied ballroom and swing dancing and was able to work with other studios in the area aside from her home studio. As a senior dancer, she was able to substitute and teach private technique and tap classes. After high school, she continued her dance career at the collegiate level performing at sporting events and in competitions against other college dance teams. She has received training through Acrobatic Arts. This will be her second year teaching and she is excited to share her passion for dance with the students at Rising Heights Dance.
Ballet, Tap, Tumbling, Competition
Angel Erickson-Anaya
Instructor & Enrollment Coordinator
Angel was born in California and grew up in Woodland, WA. She began dancing when she was 7 years old, finding that jazz and tumbling were her favorite classes! In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding, spending quality time with friends and family, and going on drives. This will be her 4th year teaching dance. She is so excited to be teaching all different levels, and extending Rising Heights Dance classes to the community of La Center! She's also looking forward to growing her dancing and teaching skills at Rising Heights Dance. She is an Acrobatic Arts certified instructor and can't wait to expand her knowledge as she takes and teaches more classes!
Precious Gems, Tumbling, Jazz, Ballet, Competition
Noelle Horrocks
Instructor
Noelle has a bachelor's degree in dance from Brigham Young University and has performed with DancEnsemble. She is experienced in many styles of dance including ballet, jazz, and lyrical. She has been dancing for 22 years and has many years of teaching as a TA and college understudy while earning her degree. She is joining us for her third year teaching in the Washington area. In her off time Noelle enjoys time with her beautiful family, and being active in her church and community. Noelle is certified in Acrobatic Arts Tumbling and looks forward to sharing her love of dance with students of all ages!
Ballet, Lyrical, Competition
Jessica Sahim
Instructor
Jessica has lived in this area almost all of her life. She has an amazing husband and 3 wonderful kids; her son who's in college in Hawaii, her daughter Kaleena (Peter Pan from last year's production and junior instructor) and her little first grader Kylie. She has loved to dance since she was little and opened her own studio in 2001 in Woodland. Her dancers performed all over including representing Team USA at an international dance competition in Canada. After 10 years of owning a studio, she decided she needed more time for her family, so she closed the studio and decided to teach for someone else instead. She has loved being able to continue sharing her passion for dance with children for the last 28 years. Things she loves... K-Pop, sunshine (but not too hot), hiking, kayaking and spending time with family. She completed Once Upon a Ballet teacher training and has a drive to learn new styles and techniques of instruction every day!
Precious Gems, Tap, Jazz, Competition
Delenn Hollander
Instructor & Front Office
Delenn started with dance and rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 3 in Tigard, Oregon. At the age of 6 she joined the competitive acro and rhythmic gymnastics teams while dancing recreationally. She was taught by Carla Webber, a radio city Rockette in the 60s. At 8 she joined the performing company at Westside Academy and started competing in tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, and contemporary. She traveled nationally and internationally from 8-17 years old earning her first national title at 10 and international title at 11. In 2011 she started at the Arts and Communications Magnet Academy in Beaverton, OR and was a part of Dance West. She learned from Terry Brock, a trailblazer in Tap, and others in folk dancing, ballet, and contemporary. She moved back to the PNW in 2021 and started teaching private dance lessons until she joined Rising Heights in May of 2023!
Precious Gems, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tumbling, Lyrical, Competition
Robyn Dalke
Instructor
Robyn has a heart for dance, especially ballet. Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, she started training at a young age. With a strong focus on ballet, Robyn also studied other forms of dance, including jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, and modern. She has both performed in and choreographed for numerous recitals, competitions, and productions. At Western Oregon University, where she minored in dance, Robyn found a passion for movement exploration and teaching. For well over 10 years, Robyn has been teaching dancers, young and old, how to strengthen their technique, hone their skills, and enjoy the expressive art form of dance.
Ballet
Jon King
Instructor
Jon has over 20 years of experience training and teaching Martial Arts. He currently holds a 3rd degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, one of the few Krav Maga Black belts in the PNW awarded by Krav Maga Worldwide, and extensive experience in both Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Judo. Jon has been training kids, teens, and adults in martial arts for 15 years as a head instructor. In his spare time he is a published indie game developer. Jon also enjoys being outdoors, and has been a volunteer outings leader for Latino Outdoors for the last 2 years.
Karate
Kaleena Sahim
Junior Instructor
Kaleena has been in dance classes since she learned to walk, being in her first class at 9 months old. She has taken classes in many different styles but enjoys modern and contemporary the most. She has been on competition teams since she was five and loves the family like bond that forms in the studio. She is starring in 12 Dancing Princesses and excels in her dance classes within the studio. She is currently attending Lower Columbia College to get her AA. Outside of dance, she likes to read and try different hobbies like crocheting. She is certified in Once Upon a Ballet and can't wait to expand her horizons even more throughout the years!
Precious Gems, Lyrical, Ballet
Jewly Parkhurst
Front Desk
Jewly comes to us with over six years of Administrative Assistance experience in a variety of fields including veterinary, manufacturing, and trades. She absolutely loves organizing and managing the day-to-day details, and expediting systems for maximum efficiency! Growing up in the northwest while traveling domestically and internationally, she’s lived in Kalama with her family for the past 8 years. She loves being part of the community, and often attends the local events, festivals, and shows with her family. In her free time, you might find her hiking, camping, kayaking, baking, crafting, or listening to audiobooks. With two middle schoolers and one elementary school kiddo at home, she is a huge proponent of the immeasurable value of extracurricular activities, and is so excited to be part of the Kalama dance community!
Alli Homer
Instructor
Alli embarked on her journey in the realm of dance at the tender age of 3, delving into the intricate nuances of Ballet Technique and Body Movement under the tutelage of Marlene Schell in Vancouver, Washington. Since 2010, she has immersed herself in intensive
training with esteemed institutions across the United States, including The Burklyn Ballet Theater, The Portland Ballet Theater, Eugene Ballet Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet Theater, and among others. Alli dedicated a significant portion
of her formative years to Evergreen Dance Center in Longview, Washington, where she cultivated her skills and deepened her passion for dance under the guidance of seasoned instructors. Subsequently, she transitioned into the professional sphere, contributing her talent and artistry to the renowned Oregon Ballet Theater based in Portland, Oregon. These pivotal experiences not only shaped her artistic journey but also provided her with invaluable insights into the intricacies of dance performance and choreography. Her professional trajectory commenced as a Ballerina with the Oregon Ballet Theater, igniting within her a fervent interest in yoga. Drawing inspiration from her encounters with eminent dancers worldwide, Alli has honed her focus on the discipline of Yoga studies at Aura Wellness while concurrently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Technical Management from Lower Columbia College. With over a decade of experience in Ballet, complemented by proficiency in Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Spanish styles. Alli is excited to add Yoga to the studio as well as working with Dancers on their technique.