Director
Holly Derville-Teer
Jazz, Lyrical
Holly Derville-Teer has taught dance in the greater Portland area since 1997 where she owned a successful dance studio for eleven years, earning the Best Studio Award from Thunderstruck Dance Competition. She sold her studio to focus on being a mom but continued teaching at several studios for the next seven years.
In 2016, she was hit with an overwhelming feeling that it was time to put her director's shoes back on. With zero students and a lot of prayers, she signed a lease, bought supplies, gave out fliers at the Hillsboro Fourth of July Parade, and opened Hillsboro Dance Center! She loves working with the staff and the amazing families at HDC.
Miss Holly has written 30 articles as a freelance writer for "Dance Studio Life Magazine" and was a speaker at the Dance Life Teacher Conference in 2015 where she gave presentations on Teacher Training and Teaching Methods for Dance Classes. She is also in the process of getting certified in mUvmethod (a specialized flexibility program for dancers.)
Before beginning her teaching career, she lived in New York City and later danced professionally for several production companies. She was also awarded a Lifetime Scholarship to Steps on Broadway in NYC. In addition, she has a B.A. in Education and English and her daughter was on the 2018 and 2019 television show, "So You Think You Can Dance."
Miss Holly focuses on building confidence by encouraging her dancers to truly express themselves through movement. She designs enjoyable classes by coming up with methods of teaching techniques that are designed to be fun but effective. Many of her methods have been featured in “Dance Life Magazine.” In addition, she purposefully creates opportunities for dancers to support each other in class, creating a loving and positive environment for her students.
She designs her classes to act as a conduit for personal growth and strives to help every student reach their potential. Above all, she hopes each student will feel cared for and supported in her class. "My favorite thing about HDC is working with such an amazing team of teachers and getting to know such wonderful families."
Instructors
Kylie Brehmer
Teacher in Training
Kylie has assisted a wide variety of classes from pre-ballet to adult classes for over a decade. She has been subbing and teaching for two years and loves working with dancers of all ages. She is especially passionate about working with young children. She believes each dancer is unique and brings their own stories and experiences to share through movement. In her time away from the studio, she loves to spend time with her family, go on hikes, watch movies, and bake.
"My favorite thing about HDC is the positive environment in which dancers can learn and grow.”
Emily Bussard
Ballet, Pointe
Emily began her ballet career at the age of six at a small local studio. She then spent her formative years under the direction of John Gardner with Portland Festival Ballet. She spent her summers with The Boston Ballet and The Kirov Ballet and was immediately accepted into The Nebraska Ballet out of high school. Emily spent four years living in Hawaii, continuing her ballet education whenever she wasn't on the beach.
Today, Emily not only trains studio dancers ranging from beginners to pre-professionals, but she also educates homeschooled groups and preschoolers with ballet as physical education and works with high school dance teams and ice skating programs. Emily believes in respecting the rich tradition of ballet, but also strives to push the boundaries and carve her own path within the dance world. Without ballet Emily wouldn't be here today, knowing that she believes in not only making strong dancers, but strong young men and women.
Maile Crowder
Ballet, Acro
Maile Crowder graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a B.S in Biochemistry and a minor in dance. During her time at Cal Poly, she danced with Orchesis Dance Co. as a company member, intern, director and choreographer.
Maile also began teaching contemporary classes to college students, became a certified barre instructor and diversified her training at ACDA conferences and commercial dance intensives. Maile was given several scholarships and awards during her junior and senior years, most notable of which was the Service to the Arts award given to her by the College of Liberal Arts. After graduating, Maile joined Interweave Dance Theater in Boulder, CO.
Maile has extensive training in many different styles of dance including ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern and hip hop. She has trained with Santa Cruz Ballet Theater, LINES Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco, Ballet West in Salt Lake City, and with Oregon Ballet Theater.
Maile currently competes as ballroom dancer. She is also excited to start teaching acro. She is certified to teach acro by Acrobatic Arts.
Her favorite thing about HDC is the students!
Carrie Darnell
Ballet, Pointe
Carrie Darnell began her teaching career in 2004 after completing a three year ballet instructor apprenticeship program under Wendy Wickman, of San Francisco Ballet Co. and Carla Smallwood, owner of Studio 84 in Santa Clarita, Ca. Carrie's approach to teaching all ages and levels is that strong technique is key. Carrie has dedicated herself to teaching and guiding her students with their whole physical and mental health as the priority.
During her time as an instructor, Carrie has developed a resistance training pre-pointe program focusing on all the tiny intricacies needed for strengthening the feet, ankles, hips and core. She also loves costume, prop and set making.
The Nutcracker was Carrie's favorite ballet to perform and she had the opportunity to dance as Clara, Snow Queen, Chocolate soloist, Mirliton soloist and Mother Ginger. She trained in all types of dance, but was always most drawn to the precision, focus and grace that ballet required.
When Carrie is not at the dance studio, you can usually find her gardening in her yard or community garden plot, playing with her dog and cats, or hiking and camping with her husband.
Sonya Gandee
Teacher in Training
Sonya is a lifelong dancer who has studied a variety of styles including tap, ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, modern, as well as Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese traditional folk styles. She has had years of experience assisting and teaching classes of all styles and ages. She enjoys teaching and passing on her dance knowledge to younger dancers. Her favorite thing about HDC is the positive atmosphere and the welcoming community within it.
Courtney Guillmette
Preballet, Tap/Jazz, Jumps & Turns, Creative Dance
Courtney has been a dance teacher in the greater Portland area for several years. She teaches all ages, but preschool-dance is one of her specialties. She recently attended the 2019 Dance Teacher Summit where she completed the preschool dance track.
Courtney is currently the Head Dance Coach for Newberg High School’s JV & Varsity dance teams. Her choreography credits include events such as Mr. Mac High, an event benefiting Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. She created and taught the after-school dance program at McMinnville Christian Academy for four years. She has been a chorus member in several musicals at Gallery Theater with her most notable roles being: lead dancer in Oliver, Louisa in The Sound of Music, and Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka. Courtney also served as the Assistant Choreographer for the Gallery Theater’s 2008 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and more recently, choreographed The Addams Family in 2019. She grew up competing at dance competitions, winning numerous awards and scholarships.
In her free time, Courtney loves to travel with her husband and daughter, and is a lover of all things Disney. As Courtney starts her journey teaching here at HDC, she looks forward to continuing to grow her students into confident youth and empowering them to reach their fullest potential as dancers and future good citizens.
Anna Hooper
Ballet, Contemporary, Jumps & Turns, Improvisation
Anna Hooper graduated from SUNY Purchase College with a BFA in dance performance and composition, a minor in psychology, and the Outstanding Senior Award. With the Purchase Dance Company, Anna performed works by Kyle Abraham, Sidra Bell, Merce Cunningham, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, and Jonathan Reidel. Most memorably, she performed a solo excerpt from Kyle Abraham's Dearest Home.
Anna is proud to have assisted Kyle Abraham in rehearsals with New York City Ballet for the creation of The Runaway. In addition to performing for Sue Bernhard, Caitlin Javech, Emily Kessler, The Moving Architects, Michelle Thompson Ulerich, and participating in numerous workshops with the Merce Cunningham Trust, she appeared in the recent film, Cunningham, directed by Alla Kovgan. Anna’s choreography has been presented at the 2018 and 2019 American Dance Guild Festival, T2 Dance Project’s ChoreoFest in Boulder, Colorado, and during an artistic residency with Vancouver School of the Arts & Academics.
She received her early dance training from Vancouver School of the Arts & Academics, Northwest Dance Project, Bodyvox, and the Jefferson Dancers.
Her favorite thing about HDC is the committed dancers and staff, who put their all into making this a dance community.
Aja Harris
Hip Hop
Aja has been dancing her entire life. She has gone on to coach many dance teams and taught at several studios across the Portland/ Beaverton area as well as in Albany where she coached two hip hop competition teams. Currently finishing her degree in Exercise Science and recently becoming a certified personal trainer with NASM, she continues to teach group fitness classes as well as dance and kickboxing studios in Portland and Beaverton. Her favorite thing about HDC so far are the dancers who have been so welcoming and respectful!
Byraissia Jones
Jazz, Contemporary
Byraissia Jones graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Graphic Design. During college she danced with, and eventually captained, the Devilettes Dance Team. She loves teaching. One of her favorite dance teaching experiences was teaching an after school dance program called "Kid Zone" where she got to work with many different ages and levels.
She is proficient in various styles including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary and tumbling. She was also a competitive dancer for many years.
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Byraissia loves teaching and choreographing and is excited to continue spreading her love of dance to others. Her favorite thing about teaching at HDC is the positive environment and the great passion and determination that comes from the students.
Taylor Kiess
Acro, Tap, Jazz, Ballet
Taylor received her dance training at Hillsboro Dance Center. She has gone through HDC's teacher training program, has years of experience working with young children, and has been substitute teaching all styles and levels of dance. She has a special calling for working with young children and working with dancers with learning differences. She recently obtained her certification to teach Acro but Acrobatic Arts so that she can sub acro classes.
"My favorite thing about HDC is the teachers and their dedication to helping each dancer reach their goals."
