The Team
Who We Are
Alicia Manica
Founder & CEO, Lead Teacher
Alicia Manica is the Director of Stunning Dance Studio. She has been teaching dance and Acro for over 18 years to students aged two to adult. She grew up in Greenfield, MA and began dancing at Karen’s Dance Studio. From junior high to college she was a member of the Greenfield High School chorus and later a select choir member. After high school, she went on for further study at the Hartford Conservatory in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap, Improv, Music for Dancers, and Somatics with a concentration in Dance Pedagogy and Performance. She graduated from the Hartford Conservatory in 2007 with a diploma in Dance Pedagogy and Performance.
After studying Kinesiology at the Hartford Conservatory, she went on to further her interest in rehabilitation and anatomy at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA. At Berkshire she also continued her love for music and dance by being a member of their select choir. Alicia graduated from Berkshire Community College in 2012 with an Associates in Science; Physical Therapist Assistant Degree. She has been practicing as a licensed PTA for 7 years now. Additionally, she furthered her dance education at the University of Utah and holds a BA in Modern Dance from their School of Dance.
Alicia has an interest in teaching the geriatric population and people with neurological disorders that stemmed from her work in Physical Therapy with a focus in Orthopedics and Neurology. Alicia’s greatest passion is teaching dance to adults with disabilities and has an immense compassion for those living with autoimmune diseases. She teaches a dance class she created for those living with MS and other Neurological disorders called Dance Fusion in the summers, and volunteers for the Healing Motion Ballet Barre class for Neurological Disorders at the Skaggs Wellness Center for the University of Utah. She is a former volunteer teacher of two years for the Dance for Parkinson’s program through the University of Utah, under the direction of Juan Carlos.
Some of her performance experience includes “Little Bird,” by Lauren Edson at the University of Utah Marriott Center for Dance, Repertory Dance Theater’s production of “Regalia 2019,” and a piece by Dmitri Peskov. She has also choreographed numerous dances for competition at Stunning Dance Studio and Karen’s Dance Studio in Massachusetts. Her choreography has won high point awards and first and third overall scores at local in person and national virtual competitions. She is also a former member of Crazefaze Hip Hop Crew from Massachusetts and was the Program Assistant and Photographer for AXIS Dance Company.
Alicia also has experience choreographing and performing for local theater, choral groups, and circus routines at French Woods Performing arts Camp. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two tuxedo kitties Benny and Iris. She also loves baking and practicing her photography skills. It is her ultimate dream and passion to work with kids and have her own studio. She is happy to be living that dream at SDS!
Trisha Cuvelier
Draper Location Lead Teacher
Trisha Cuvelier has been dancing since the age of eleven. She has always loved to dance because of how good it makes her feel! She appreciates how it allows her to express different emotions. She has been a dance teacher for over twenty years now and has taught all ages. She was a studio owner for ten years and a Drill coach for four. She is currently coaching Granger high school's Drill team and she loves how the hard work teaches the dancers to be respectful and responsible. She is very excited for the opportunity to teach the little ones again as she loves inspiring dancers of all ages! When Trisha is not dancing or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, kids and grandchildren. Going to concerts is one of her favorite things to do, as well as trying new places to eat! She can't wait to get to meet new dancers and their families and watch them grow into beautiful young dancers and humans!
Olivia Willden
Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Ballet Teacher
Receptionist
Olivia began dancing at the age of three and has trained in ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, tap, and heels. She danced at The Dance Studio, Canyon View Arts Center, Utah Dance Artists, and Riverton High School before attending college. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southern Utah University with her Bachelor of Science in Dance and minor in Arts Administration in 2024. While attending SUU, she performed in a myriad of shows including SUU main stage dance shows, Ririe-Woodbury's Celebratory 60th Anniversary Concert in Cedar City, Canyon Creek Services Gala, Dance for Life Suicide Awareness Concert, and more. She has had the honor of working with choreographers and teachers such as Danielle Lydia Sheather, Alex Bradshaw-Yerby, Nick Blaylock, Halie Bahr, Nancy Dobbs-Owen, Daniel Charon, Michael Cusumano, Jeffry Denman, Larry Keigwin, and more. Additionally, Olivia served on the board of Southern Utah University Dance Organization as a Marketing Director her junior year and the Director her senior year. She also received SUU Dance Program's 2023 Student Choreographer Award and took her eight minute piece, Blurred Passings, to the 2024 American College Dance Association Conference. She is currently pursuing a performance career as a freelance artist. When she's not dancing, Olivia enjoys reading, watching shows, and spending time with friends and family. She is excited to be teaching at Stunning Dance Studio!
Luke Logan
Tap Teacher, Summer Guest Artist
Luke Logan was born and raised in South Jordan, Utah. After doing Hairspray at his middle school, he fell in love with performing and has been doing it ever since. In 2023, he completed his BFA in Musical Theater at Utah Valley University. While attending UVU, he worked as Assistant Director and a founding member of UVU's Rhythmic Tap Company. He participated as a dancer, choreographer, and organizer to prepare multiple showcases, and was additionally a guest performer in several other shows. Luke has been seen on stages all over Utah! Some of his favorite shows have been SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical at Scera Shell, James and the Giant Peach (TYA) at Hale Orem, and Ghost Quartet at UVU. Aside from performing, Luke is a wizard with the air fryer and can cook the best french fries you've ever had. He is so excited to be dancing with Stunning Dance Studio!
Sarah Anderson
Tumbling, Hip Hop, Zumba, Jazz/Lyrical, and Ballet Teacher
This is Sarah Anderson! One big opportunity Sarah has had was serving an LDS mission in Barcelona Spain for a year and half. She is still fluent in Spanish and is grateful she gets to use it daily. She has had a love and passion for dance since she was very little. Some of the styles she has trained in are Hip Hop, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Modern/Contemporary. She has danced with Rhythm Works Dance Studio for 7 years, Synergy Dance Company at Utah Valley University, and performed for the country Brazil in Light of the Nations. In addition, Sarah has done 2 immersion dance camps with Utah's Repertory Dance Theater, and many other summer camps with known artists such as Angie Banchero, Buddy Love, Jeffery Boom, Bashaun Williams, and Amy Markgraf. She is currently studying at Utah Valley University with a major in Dance Education. She will be graduating in the Spring of 2025 with her Bachelors Degree. When Sarah is not dancing she is out exploring new hikes in Utah with her 5 year old dog Duke, playing other sports, and eating lots of ice cream.
Tylee Coates
Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop Teacher
Tylee Coates has been dancing since she was five years old. She started at a small studio in North Salt Lake and danced there until the age of seventeen. She received her high school diploma from the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts where she studied under Bethany Hanson, Jessie Metcalf-McCullough and Michelle Armstrong. She then went to Snow College and graduated with her Associates Degree in Dance. While attending Snow, she studied under Dmitri Peskov and was on the Snow College Dance Company. She was also able to perform as both a soloist and ensemble member at the American College Dance Association, and had the honor of performing in the ACDA gala in both 2023 and 2024. In March of 2024 she traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan where she performed in RADDEST. Since graduating from college, she has chosen to pursue dance in every sense of the word. Most recently, she started her own dance group entitled Amor et Lux, a voluntary based group of dancers that pursues dance through performance and film. Tylee is passionate about choreography and performance, but more importantly teaching! She is excited to be teaching at Stunning Dance Studio in Murray.
Madison Cuvelier
Cheer and Tumbling Teacher
Madison Cuvelier has been dancing since the age of three. She is trained in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Cheer, Tumbling and her favorite style, Hip Hop. She was a Spinnaker on the Cyprus Drill Team for 3 years. As a competitive dancer she has won many overall awards and has traveled all over the country performing. In her free time she likes hanging out with family, friends and going to concerts. She loves teaching and is very excited to share her love of dance with others!
Kenzie Cuvelier
Tumbling Teacher
Kenzie Cuvelier has been dancing since the age of three. She has taken classes and performed all over the United States. She was also casted in Odyssey Dance Theatre’s "Thriller" at the age of twelve where she enjoyed dancing in the professional sphere! Kenzie's passion is tumbling. She loves teaching others how to move their bodies and helping them achieve new tricks! She has taught tumbling for five years and is a skilled tumbler herself. She looks forward to helping new dancers achieve their goals and grow! In her free time she loves spending time with her two children, Kamiyah and Xaevion. She is excited to meet everyone and start teaching!
