Meet The Teachers
Beatrice Stirland
Studio Owner and Director, Teacher
Beatrice has danced most of her life and has taught dance for over 30 years. During her high school and college years Bea won many awards and talent shows for her jazz dance performances. She was President of the Idaho State University Dance Company and taught tap at the University for 2 years. She operated her own studio, Starland Dancers, in Hurricane for 8 years, then closed the studio to raise her family. Bea wanted to teach her own daughters, so she started teaching again. As her daughters grew and joined her in teaching, Stirland Dance Studio was born and has been growing ever since. To Bea dancing is life and she loves sharing it with everyone! Stirland Dance Studio is a dream fulfilled for Bea and she loves fulfilling students' dreams by giving them the opportunity to dance!
Shellie Warr
Teacher
Shellie graduated from Dixie State University with her Bachelors degree in Dance. She has been dancing for 23 years, and has trained in various genres of dance. Shellie was on the Dixie State Dance Company for 3 years as well as the Dixie State Competition Dance team when their team took first place at nationals.
Shellie loves teaching at Stirland Dance, she loves the atmosphere and her students. She is the artistic director for SDS Performance Company. Shellie also choreographed the opening number for the David Archuleta pre show. She continues her dancing education with St. George Dance Company and is currently performing with them.
Sarah Hunsaker
Teacher
While performing is something that Sarah loves, teaching dance may take the cake. She has over 14 years of teaching experience and loves helping students learn and progress in dance. Sarah has been trained in multiple genres including tap, ballroom, musical theatre, ballet, jazz, and clogging. Attending college on a dance scholarship, Sarah performed with the Brigham Young University Ballroom Dance Company. She continues to keep up her dance education by attending dance workshops, classes, and can be found tapping in her kitchen with her little princesses most days. Sarah is excited to be teaching at SDS because of the positive environment found there where every dancer is valued and encouraged to be the best they can be!
John Graham
Teacher
John Graham started ballroom dancing when he was 12. What began as a simple social dance class quickly led into a competitive and performance career that has now spanned two and half decades. As a competitor, John competed nationally and internationally. In college, John was a
member of the Brigham Young University Ballroom Dance Company. He participated in two world tours that took him across Western Europe and the South Pacific. Since his time as a competitor and performer, John has transitioned to teaching. His experience ranges from teaching individuals and couples to directing competitive formation teams.
Megan Wilson
Teacher
Megan grew up in Salt Lake where she performed and taught at private studios, and was involved with high school drill team and dance company. Megan graduated from the University of Utah with a BFA in Modern Dance and an emphasis on arts in education. She's also a personal trainer and coaches Crossfit. Megan enjoys teaching dancers and athletes and loves to see the progress and growth that come with hard work. When not coaching you'll find Megan and her family outdoors dirt biking, snowboarding, and boating.
Krista Taylor
Teacher
Krista began her dancing career at the age of 5 and has been trained in tap, jazz, ballet, folk, and clogging. While attending BYU-Idaho she continued her dance training through various classes, was a member of the Women's Clog team and performed with the Folk dance team. Through several opportunities throughout college Krista developed a love for teaching dance. She co-taught the Women's Clog team, several beginning dance classes through the college, private lessons to fellow college students, as well as teaching young children through a private studio in the area. Krista spent a year after college dancing with Clog America and teaching dance to kids at a local rec center in the area. She took some time off after getting married to start a family and raise her kids with her sweetheart. Her passion for dance never diminished and she's excited to be teaching with Stirland Dance Studio!
Bekah Leavitt
Teacher
Bekah has grown up in Southern Utah and recently graduated from Hurricane High School. She has always had a love for dancing and music. Ballet has been her primary focus, and something she is still studying, but she has also done contemporary and ballroom dance. Taking both Ballet 3 and Ballroom dance with Stirland Dance Studio was the highlight of her senior year.
Not only does Bekah love dancing, she also has a passion for music and the arts. She performed in the school play, including acting and singing. Bekah has been in the school choir performing with the advanced groups for the past 4 years. The most advanced group of these was the Hurricane High Chamber Choir. Learning music for Bekah started in the 6th grade when she took violin classes. Performing in various locations with the high school orchestra over the past 7 years has grown her understanding and appreciation for music.
Over the next few years she plans to study music and dance at Utah Tech University. Becoming a dance or music teacher full time is a future dream of Bekah’s as she continues to grow in dance herself.
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Naomi Hare
Teacher
Naomi grew up in Southern Utah where she started dancing at the age of 5. She started with Stirland Dance Studio and has continued to dance with them. She is trained in many genres of dance such as tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, and hip hop. She danced with the SDS Performance Company and had the opportunity to perform at Disneyland, and was part of the opening number for David Archuleta. She learned how to teach dance from Beatrice Stirland and has so much appreciation towards her and her beautiful daughters. Naomi has loved dance for as Iong as she can remember and is very excited to be teaching at Stirland Dance Studio!
Laura Stirland
Teacher
Laura grew up in southern Utah in a loving family who shares her passion of dance. Starting clog dance at age 4, she’s learned to love all forms of movement. Some of her accomplishments include taking 1st place All-Around in USA State Gymnastics, receiving multiple dance scholarships, and being a finalist in several National Ballroom Dancesport events including cabaret, smooth, and standard ballroom.
Laura graduated with her associates degree from DSU with high honors, and transferred to BYU to continue her education in dance. She will soon graduate with her BA in dance and is currently a member of the BYU Touring Ballroom company. When Laura isn’t dancing she’s enjoying time with her family or is out in nature.