Colleen Bills - Director

Colleen has been the Owner and Director of Hot Shot Dance Studio for over 40 years. During this time, she has built a dance program that includes performing teams in jazz, ballet, tap, tumbling, technique, and hip hop. Under Colleen’s direction, the Hot Shots have traveled and competed in many states, including New York, California, Idaho, Florida, Colorado, and Nevada. Her students have won numerous awards, including Performer of the Year, Solo-Duet-Trio and Team High-Point awards, Sweepstakes of the Year, National Champions and Grand National Champions. In 2000 Colleen was awarded Utah’s Dance Director of the Year. During the same year, her team won the Grand National title in Florida. Hot Shots Dance Studio has since gone on to win the title 4 more times. She has trained hundreds of students and worked with many wonderful instructors. She loves sharing The Nutcracker with the community annually. Colleen’s dancers have been awarded scholarships at local colleges, and many have had successful dance careers. Colleen is the mother of 3 children, and grandmother to 6 grandchildren that she loves spending time with.

Natalie Francis

Natalie Bills Francis started dancing at age 2, and has been dancing and teaching ever since. She is a product of Hot Shots Dance Studio in Pleasant Grove, UT where she has been teaching for over 15 years. She is a well rounded dancer, specializing in Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, and Tumbling. She participated in many different competitions during high school, where she won “Utah Performer of the Year” in 2001 and scholarships from NYCDA, Dance Utah, LA Dance Magic, Odyssey, Pulse, Austin Ballet, and Dance Fever Utah. She was a part of the Orchesis dance company at Pleasant Grove High School where she choreographed multiple numbers and served as president during her senior year. After high school, Natalie performed with the UVSC Dance Team for 1 year, and in the Bart Rockett Variety show in Branson Missouri. She spent 5 years dancing for Rick Robinson’s Origins/Vibe professional company. She has been in multiple commercials and infomercials over the years. She has also judged several dance competitions around the U.S. She has won many teaching awards including high point, best choreography, best costume, most creative and “best of show” awards. Natalie has a deep passion for teaching and choreographing for young dancers. She wants to give all of her students the same love for dance that she has always had.

Ryan Hatch

Ryan Hatch is from Lehi, Utah. He grew up training with Hot Shots Dance Studio. He joined Utah Metropolitan Ballet as an Artist in 2020 and was promoted to a Solo Artist in 2022. Hatch is currently working to get his Master's of Fine Arts in Choreography through Jacksonville University. Hatch graduated with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from Brigham Young University in April 2020. While attending BYU, he danced on full scholarship with BYU Theatre Ballet for 5 years and served as the student president for 3 years. Throughout his college career, Hatch performed many soloist and principal roles. He was also chosen to participate in the Honors Class at Regional Dance America National Festival (2017) and Regional Dance America Pacific Festival (2018). Hatch is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and attended the CPYB Teacher Training in August 2019. He is an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University. Hatch loves being part of the HSDS Family!

Mia Arias

Mia Arias is from Pleasant Grove, Utah. She trained at Hot Shots for 16 years, performing and competing at multiple local and national competitions. She has accepted numerous scholarships and awards. Some including The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), and accepted multiple dance jobs in Utah and New York. After graduating high school in 2021, she attended UVU on a modern dance scholarship joining as a member of the Synergy Dance Company. Mia began choreographing solos and duets her junior year of high school. Specializing in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet and hip hop she has found an immense passion for teaching. She intends to learn and grow with her students giving them skills and opportunities for greatness.

Alexis Levie

Miss. Lexi is originally from Provo, Utah. She moved back to Utah 4 years ago after living and teaching dance in Las Vegas, NV and Boise, ID. She has had the privilege of dancing at Broadway Center in New York City, and taking classes from world known choreographers. While attending school at Utah Valley University her dance team placed 1st at the Universal Dance Association's College Nationals. She participated in the 2002 Olympics closing ceremonies, and was an Olympic hockey cheerleader. Miss. Lexi has been teaching and choreographing for over 20 years. Her choreography has won her dancers best showmanship, overall best technique and overall high point in numerous national competitions. Miss. Lexi loves teaching at Hotshots Dance Studio! She enjoys teaching jazz, tap, combo, tumbling, and choreographing for the companies. She loves being back in Utah surrounded by family, and doing what she loves (teaching dance)! Alexis is happily married to Marc, and together they have 3 beautiful daughters. Her girls love to dance, sing, play the piano and violin.

Kallie Hatch

Kallie Hatch is from Lehi, Utah. She grew up training in competition Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Ballet, as well as participating in Hot Shot Dance Studio’s annual Nutcracker. In 2014 & 2015 she was the Snow Queen. In 2016 she was the Sugar Plum Fairy. In 2017 she was the Waltz Queen. She has won many scholarship awards from dance conventions such as, Tremaine, JUMP, LADM, and 24/7. She has also participated in the Ballet West Nutcracker. She has performed in the Utah Jazz halftime show. She was on Lehi Dance Company in high school, where she served as President, Choreographer, and Publicity Rep. She was also Lehi High School's Dance Sterling Scholar. Kallie is currently a senior at BYU and has loved being a part of and training with BYU Theatre Ballet. In her four years at BYU she has had the opportunity to be in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Paquita, and George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht and Serenade. Kallie loves teaching, choreographing, and performing. She loves to share her passion for dance.

Alexis Olson

Alexis Olson is from Orem, Utah. She danced at Hot Shots for 15 years where she competed at many competitions locally and nationally. She has won many scholarships and awards throughout her life as a dancer. After graduating from high school in 2015 Alexis attended UVU on a dance scholarship as part of the modern program, and was a member of Synergy Dance Company. Alexis is also a licensed cosmetologist and just recently completed her bachelors degree at UVU studying communication and marketing. She has been teaching at Hot Shots for 8 years now and absolutely loves her job. She has been in charge of many competition teams throughout the years and has choreographed countless team numbers as well as solos, duets, and trios. She specializes in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, and tap. She loves watching the kids learn and grow and develop skills that will help them to succeed throughout their lives.

Ashley Chadburn

Ashley Chadburn has been a part of the Hot Shots family since she joined our studio at age 12 and is now in her 15th year of teaching. She competed with Sr. Company through Jr. High and High school and in 2002 was the sugar plum fairy in the very first annual Hot Shots Nutcracker and has since enjoyed performing as a teacher in many recent productions. After high school, Ashley was awarded numerous ballet scholarships and continued her dance training and education at Utah Valley University. Through out her years of college, she participated in performances at the American College Dance Festival Association, choreographed and performed with Synergy Dance Company and Jacqueline's School of Ballet. She has taught all ages from beginner to advanced and all genres including jazz, tap, tumbling, and of course ballet which is her favorite! At Hot Shots, she has been in charge of many competing teams as well as choreographed for the spring concerts and the annual Nutcracker Ballet. Ashley loves to make her students laugh, but more importantly she inspires them to work hard pushing them to be their best and share in her love of dance. She currently lives in South Jordan with her husband, daughter, son, and two dogs.

Ciera Erekson

Ciera is a passionate artistic creator as well as mover, and has been dancing for seventeen years. She is currently pursuing a dance degree with an emphasis in Modern at Utah Valley University, where she has received amazing opportunities to work alongside in several projects with well known companies and choreographers. Such wonderful artists include, the previous director of the Martha Graham School, Virgine Mécène, Whytburg, and both the professional companies, Repertory Dance Theatre and Ririe-Woodburry from Salt Lake City. Ciera has not only been consuming her time with performing and receiving an education, but has been actively achieving her lifelong dream of teaching dance. She is now in her third year teaching at the place she considered a second home in high school, Hot Shots Dance Studio, where she has the chance to inspire young children how to express themselves through movement. Dance has been Ciera’s outlet and source of joy, and she hopes for nothing more than to bring that sense of belonging and happiness to her students of all ages.

Stephanie Baum

Stephanie Baum grew up in American Fork, Utah. She started dancing at the age of six and grew up participating in competitive dancing, primarily at Hot Shots Dance Studio, under the direction of Colleen Bills. While at Hot Shots Dance Studio, Stephanie was a part of their annual Nutcracker ballet for seven years. Stephanie danced roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Waltz Queen, and Doll. Stephanie participated in and won many dance competitions and national championships. Stephanie won many dance convention awards and scholarships during her teenage years. Stephanie was accepted to and attended several ballet summer intensives including the Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Sacramento Ballet summer intensives. Here she worked with world renowned master teachers and choreographers including Arturo Fernandez, Susan Jaffe, Jackie Sleight, Ron Cunningham, and Carinne Binda. Stephanie attended Utah Valley University, where she received a full tuition academic scholarship. Stephanie was selected as Valedictorian of the School of the Arts for 2017 and graduated summa cum laude from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis in Ballet. While at Utah Valley University, Stephanie engaged in a rigorous ballet training program as well as taking courses in ballet choreography, composition, ballet pedagogy, music for ballet dancers, anatomy, and dance kinesiology. Stephanie was a member of UVU’s pre-professional ballet company, Repertory Ballet Ensemble, from 2013-2017 where she performed in many shows and worked with numerous choreographers such as Heather Gray, Jamie A. Johnson, and Mark Borchelt. Stephanie also performed with Utah Regional Ballet, under the direction of Jacqueline Colledge, in their productions of the Nutcracker and Snow White during the 2016-2017 season. Stephanie made the Dean’s list each semester at UVU and was appointed as the Dance Department Student Representative for the 2016-2017 school year. After graduating from university, Stephanie performed with Wasatch Contemporary Company during their 2017 Fall season. Stephanie then went on to perform with Norwegian Creative Studios. Stephanie performed as a production cast dancer and served as the Dance Captain on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager in 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as the Oceania Nautica in 2019. Stephanie has taught dance at Hot Shots Dance Studio since 2013 and continues to do so today. Stephanie teaches ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, and tumbling. She loves sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with her students as well as choreographing for their performances.