Embody
Instructors
We are building an inclusive art community where dance is valued as a powerful tool for self-expression, creativity, and personal growth. At Embody Dance, we are dedicated to nurturing artists of all backgrounds through high-quality dance education because technical precision and discipline are the foundation for every great dancer.
Kelsey Tullis
Owner, Instructor
Ms Kelsey earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University with a double major in Arabic and Dance. She has received her CKB Ballet certifications in the Foundations of Movement and Crafting The Ballet Class and is currently completing the Pedagogy continued educational training as well. With 18 years of teaching experience, Ms Kelsey has played a large role in training dancers all across the state of Kentucky. In 2018, Ms Kelsey traveled to Cairo, Egypt and taught ballet to elementary-aged refugee students for six weeks. Since 2019, she has also worked as a Teaching Artist for Arts for All of Kentucky, an organization that provides programs and education that allow people with disabilities to fully participate in the arts. Ms Kelsey acted as a performance group director for nine years and directed a competitive dance team for six years, organizing community performances and taking students to dance competitions multiple times a year. Ms Kelsey has been the stage host in La Gala for the Bowling Green International Festival since 2024, introducing multicultural dance lessons and teaching salsa. She has acted as the rehearsal director for The Nutcracker (formerly known as the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker) at SkyPac since 2014. She has especially enjoyed working closely with the audition directors and professional dancers over the years, as well as rehearsing with the dancers to prepare for their big performances. In her free time (ha!) she enjoys ballroom dancing and attends weekly social dance events. Owning a dance studio has always been a dream of Ms Kelsey’s and she is incredibly honored to see it come to fruition in such a beautiful way!
Ava Millet
Instructor
Ms Ava has been dancing for 17 years, and has spent the last four years teaching and sharing her love for dance as an instructor. Ava studied under Roberto as a high school student and also throughout her time at WKU while she was receiving her degree in Psychology. While at WKU, she also choreographed and coached Kappa Delta’s Spring Sing and Shenanigans performances. Ava was a dance assistant for HEAT Dance Convention and Competition and trained under nationally-known choreographers and dancers. She has also choreographed and produced two published dance concept videos. Currently, Ava is in school studying for her masters in Mental Health Counseling. Ballet is her favorite genre of dance and she loves teaching and inspiring dancers of all ages/abilities. She is a CKB certified ballet instructor with a passion for helping dancers grow in both technique and confidence.
Reagan Smith
Instructor
Ms Reagan teaches beginning jazz, ballet, lyrical, and all levels of tap. She has been dancing for 19 years and her absolute favorite style of dance is tap. Reagan grew up dancing under Ms Kelsey’s instruction and spent several seasons as her teaching assistant as well. She had the opportunity to perform in Beauty and the Beast with the Ramsey Theatre Company at SKYPAC. Reagan has taken master classes with Kaelyn Gray through Bring Tap to the People and with Casie Goshow. As a student, Ms Reagan performed with The Nutcracker at SkyPac and with Kentucky Ballet Theater's Nutcracker twice. She is excited to continue growing as a teacher and can’t wait to see what the new season brings!
Roberto Sifontes
Instructor
Mr Roberto is a current dance professor at WKU and specializes in teaching partnering, ballet, and pointe. He received his training in ballet at the Professional School of Arts, then graduated and joined the Ballet of Camaguey under the direction of Fernando Alonso. He joined the Contemporary Ballet of Caracas in 1996 as a principal dancer. As a professional dancer, Mr Roberto performed in many parts of the world, including Mexico, Jamaica, Venezuela, Italy, Israel, Yugoslavia (Sarajevo), Europe, and the Middle East. He also appeared as a guest artist with American Ballet Theater in 2001 in Don Quixote. Most recently Roberto danced with Kentucky Ballet Theater in Lexington, Ky. His repertory includes the leading male roles in Coppélia, La Fille Mal Gardée, Diana and Acteon, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Flame of Paris, Cavalier and Snow King in The Nutcracker, pas de trois in Swan Lake, Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty, Carmina Burana, Carmen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Spring Waters pas de deux, Spartacus pas de deux, Conflicts pas de deux, Jonathan in Dracula, Cinderella, Fairy Doll pas de trois, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, Zuniga in Carmen, Raul in Phantom of the Opera, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Roberto also has more than 20 years experience teaching ballet technique and partnering, he was on faculty of the Kentucky Ballet Theatre academy, and has been contracted as a guest teacher in Chicago, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Puerto Rico. We are so happy to have him as a regular staff member and can't wait to see the students continue to grow under his direction.
Carlie Hardin
Instructor
Ms Carlie has been dancing for well over 20 years. She seriously dove into the consistent dedication for her craft at age 10 and never looked back. Before the end of high school, she broadened her studies at intensive dance training programs in Chicago, including the “Deeply Rooted Chicago” summer intensive. This was under the direction and instruction of Nicki Springer with choreography from Kevin Iega Jeff and specialized in modern, ballet, and South African dance. She also attended intensives in New York City, where she earned a scholarship to the Institution of Musical Theater. This opportunity allowed Carlie to expand her training amongst peers and teachers from all over the world. After graduating, Carlie began teaching and has increased her knowledge over the last six years, gaining educational certificates in choreography, conditioning, injury prevention, children’s ballet, and grounded aerial. Ms Carlie is thrilled to help dancers follow their dreams and can’t wait to see what the next year holds!
Rachel Doyle
Instructor
Ms Rachel has danced since she was three years old, several of those years under the direction of Ms Kelsey! She has trained in many different genres including ballet, tap, jazz. Lyrical, contemporary, ballroom, tap, and pointe. As a student, Rachel performed in the Nutcracker with the Kentucky Ballet Theatre and the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker in Chinese, Rat, and Spanish roles. Coming completely full circle. now Ms Rachel assists backstage with the Nutcracker production at SkyPac as a teaching assistant each year. Ms Rachel’s favorite style of dance is lyrical. More than anything, she loves being a part of training and encouraging young dancers.
Vivian Sille
Improv Acting Coach
Vivian Sille is a comedian with over 10 years of experience as an improviser, stand up comedian, actor and director who has performed all over the country including opening for Tim Meadows and Paul F. Tompkins Born and raised in Bowling Green, Vivian then attended the Theater School at DePaul University in Chicago while also studying at The Second City and iO comedy theaters. Using a trauma-informed, anxiety managing teaching style, Vivian’s class promotes personal growth over performance perfection. Vivian is thrilled to spend another season bringing improv to the students at Embody Dance and is ready to get seriously silly!
Courtney Wright
Acro Instructor
Ms Courtney brings more than 25 years of experience in cheerleading, tumbling, acrobatics, dance instruction, and athlete development. A former Division I cheerleader at Western Kentucky University, Courtney has coached multiple National Champion and State Champion teams, owned and operated her own successful cheer and tumbling gym, and taught athletes ranging from preschoolers to college students. Throughout her career, she has specialized in tumbling technique, spotting, stunting, choreography, and building strong, positive team cultures. She looks forward to serving as a certified KAPOS judge this coming season and remaining active in developing young athletes in Kentucky. Courtney loves helping students achieve new skills and self-confidence. We are thrilled for our dancers and acro students to learn from Courtney's wealth of knowledge, encouraging teaching style, and genuine love for working with children.
Abby Gibson
Instructor
Ms Abby is an Embody Dance alumni who started training in pre-professional dance programs from a young age. These programs allowed her opportunities to compete at an advanced level, attend dance intensives, earn scholarships for conventions, and perform with the Kentucky Ballet Theatre. Abby is attending WKU in the fall to major in dance and be a part of their dance company. She loves working with kids and plans to become a children’s therapist after college while continuing to teach dance and encouraging the next generation of Embody dancers.
Amy Godolphin
Instructor
Ms Amy started dancing at the age of three and trained professionally in London, England at the Central School of Ballet, where she earned her Bachelors in Professional Dance and Performance. She toured as part of “Ballet Central” in many contemporary, modern, and classical pieces, working closely with Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director David Nixon, and Scottish Ballet’s Christopher Hampson. Amy went on to professionally tour many of the Ballet Classic as a corps de ballet member of “Vienna Festival Ballet,” including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty, before beginning her career with the Walt Disney Company in 2010. She spent almost ten years working and performing internationally in Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Since moving to BG, she has been involved with SkyPac and as a Tippi Toes instructor. Amy can’t wait to help nurture the dancers at Embody Dance!
Corenne Thompson
Instructor
Ms Corenne is a senior at WKU and has been dancing since the age of four. She has primarily trained in commercial dance styles, specializing in hip hop, and has studied in Nashville with various choreographers including Jordan Grace. Corenne is the choreographer for Kappa Delta’s Spring Sing and Shenanigans productions at WKU, creating and teaching eight minute routines for casts of 30-90 performers (in support of Prevent Child Abuse America and the Family Enrichment Center). She is passionate about sharing her love for dance and helping students build confidence, performance quality, and a strong foundation in hip hop.
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