The Southern Utah STARS is a member of the STARS National Dance
Program. This program was founded 35 years ago by Pat Rhodes, who is
currently the National Director. The STARS has over 35 sister teams in the
Western United States, including teams in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, & Oregon.
The Southern Utah STARS opened in St. George Utah in August 2003 by
director, Julie Colbert. The STARS have performed at many local events
the past 5 years, including the Dickens Christmas Festival, Dixie State
College basketball games, the St. George Art Festival, the Dixie Escalante
Kite Festival, the Holiday Bowl in San Diego California, the Las Vegas All
American Classic Bowl game, the Oakland Raiders vs. New York Giants
football game in Oakland California on New Year's Eve 2005, several
parades and local festivals around Washington County, the Washington
County fair, and several competitions both locally & nationally. The
STARS are planning on performing at an NFL game next year.
We have an awesome staff here at STARS. All teachers are very
experienced in the particular type of dance they teach. Each teacher has
extensive training in technique and teaching skills. Our staff are...
Julie Colbert : Director/Instructor - Julie is the current director of the
Southern Utah STARS Dance Studio. Julie began dancing at the age of 4
and was a student of the STARS dance program for 10 years in Layton,
Utah. While still dancing for STARS she was a cheerleader for Central
Davis Jr. High in Layton. She then went on to become Vice President of
her high school drill team the Layton High Lancelles for 2 years. After high
school she attended college at Weber State University where she was on
their dance team the Chatonelles. In 1993 she performed at the Stadium
of Fire as a back-up dancer for the Beach Boys. She has been a dance
competition judge for 12 years. She is now married to her wonderful
husband, Travis, and has 3 beautiful kids, Natalie, Madison, & Gavin.
Natalie & Madison also dance for STARS.
Lisa Ray: Instructor: My name is Lisa Ray. I started dancing at the age of 5
with Dixie Coggins of the Cogginettes in North Ogden. Dixie merged with
another dance company and became C & C Dance Company. I danced
for them until I graduated from Weber High School. After graduating I
attended Snow College for two years on a dance scholarship. Following
my graduation from Snow I went out into the working world and then
married my wonderful husband Chris and we made our first home in
Nephi. I quit working when our family started to grow and we now have
four beautiful children Mylee, Kobe, Bode and Makinlee. Chris had a
wonderful opportunity to come to St. George and begin a business with
his three brothers, so we moved to the St. George area in August of 2005
and we love it. My daughter Mylee has been dancing with the Southern
Utah Stars since then. We have been so happy with Stars and I am so
excited to be a part of it and share my love of dance with your children.
Kaitlin Ensminger: Instructor: Kaitlin grew up in Draper, UT and is adored
by her family especially her older brother and sister. She has many
hobbies, which include boating, running, hanging out with her friends and
of course dancing. Kaitlin has trained in dance for seven years. She is
trained in jazz, ballet, cheerleading and modern dance. She was a
member of Alta High Schools JV and Varsity cheer squad. She loved
cheering and enjoyed the memories she gained from her experience. She
has had the opportunity to travel to many different places with her family.
She has been to Venezuela, Thailand, Cambodia, several different islands
in the Caribbean and many of the United States. Kaitlin attends Dixie State
College and will receive her associates’ degree in the spring. She
continues her dance education at Dixie State college as a member of the
Dixie State Dance Company. She also takes classes in jazz, ballet,
modern and pointe. She will be performing in several pieces in the
company’s spring concert. Kaitlin loves teaching at STARS studio and
enjoys watching her students progress.
Erin Wade: Instructor: Erin graduated from Pine View High School in
2007. She was born in Logan Utah and moved to Saint George at a young
age. She's been dancing since she was six years old and has danced at
many different studios in Saint George including Dance Dynamics,
Encore, All That, and Westside Studio. She was a member of the Pine
View High School Drill Team/Dance Company for three years one of which
taking Nationals at the USA competition in Anaheim California. During this
time she served as both historian and co-captain. Erin has taken
numerous years of ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, modern and
gymnastics and has recently started tap and broadway. Erin is the '06-07
Drill Down 3A State Champion. She has trained with some of the best
choreographers today such as Jamie Duncan, Blake Aungier, Tamera
Squires, Tony Gonzalez and Shane Sparks to name a few. Erin is now a
member of the Dixie State College Rebelettes.
Kara Udy: Instructor: Kara has been dancing since the age of eleven. She
danced for Super Steppers for 2 years and then went on to dance for
Pizazz Dance Team. She was a member of Pizazz for four years and
served as captain in eigth grade, and Director's Assistant her freshman
year. She was also a member of Pine View High School's Drill team the
Pantheras. Her freshman year the Panthera's won four national team
titles. She continued with drill team and served as secretary her
sophomore year and as assistant captain her junior year. Her senior year
she followed her coach and joined the Pine View Dance Company, and is
currently serving as President. She has recently won the Sterling Scholar
Award at Pine View and is preparing for region sterling scholar
competition.
Toni Olsen: Instructor: Bio coming soon
Amanda Holden: Bio coming soon
Megan Eborn: Bio coming soon
Jordan Odette: Bio coming soon
National Dance Program
Official Website.
Left to right front row: Jenna Lemasney, Miranda Clements, Andrea Callister, Chelsea Erb
Back row, left to right: Ashley Nielsen, Shannon Spears, Julie Colbert, Kaitlin Ensminger
corporate sponsor...
P.O. Box 952
Washington, Utah 84780
435-627-0378
