The Story of Illume
Cami and Emily became best friends on their middle school dance company and dreamed of creating a dance academy once day. After both dancing in high school they went separate ways to receive their degrees and begin their careers in dance. Over a decade later, they were reunited when Cami happened to move into a house a few doors down from Emily in Kaysville. Within months they were performing on stage together and beginning to share artistic dreams once again. Inspired by providing a wholesome dance education for their own children, Cami and Emily opened Illume Dance Company with the motto of “Sharing Light Through Movement.” In June 2021, Cami and Emily produced and directed their original story adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, licensed by the C.S. Lewis Company and performed by over 100 adults and students. Cami and Emily together were awarded dance educators of the year in 2021 by the Utah Dance Education Organization.
On August 31st, 2021 Cami suffered an amniotic fluid embolism and major stroke during the delivery of her 4th child, leaving her without the use of the left side of her body. As creative problem solvers, Cami and Emily are confident this challenge will provide new opportunities to champion dance as an invaluable form of self-expression, regardless of one’s physical or mental capabilities.
Meet the Staff
Emily Bokinskie - Owner/Teacher
Emily Bokinskie grew up training in all styles of dance at a competition studio and in high school, Emily was a captain on a national champion winning drill team, a member of the All State Drill team and 2nd place Jr. soloist at the Contest of Champions National Competition. Emily received her BA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Weber State University where she participated in Orchesis Dance Theater, the Moving Company Outreach Program, the World Dance and Music Project and West Side Story. She was awarded Outstanding Performer, Outstanding Graduate, the Patti O’ Neal and the Lindquist Departmental Scholarship. Emily was also awarded scholarships to continue her studies with Repertory Dance Theater, Ririe Woodbury Dance Company and the San Diego Dance Theater. As a professional, Emily has performed with Scene Makers, Artistry Films, Brine Arts, Junction Dance, and Good Company Theatre.
Having a passion for teaching all ages, Emily has been an instructor at Spotlight Dance, B. Sharp School of Dance, Hollywood Kids Academy, Performing Arts Academy, a drill team coach at Ogden High School and Dance Adjunct Faculty at the University of Utah and Weber State University. Her choreography has been performed and adjudicated at Utah and Nevada studio and drill team competitions, the American College Dance Festival, the Rocky Mountain Choreography Festival, Junction Dance, Full Circle Dance, Brine Arts and Weber State University. Emily is currently raising three beautiful daughters with her supportive husband, Jimmy.
Cami Wardle - Owner
Cami has a degree in Dance Education from Brigham Young University where she performed throughout the country with the BYU Dancers’ Company and then taught/performed with the outreach company Kinnect. She served as the dance majors’ student representative and was awarded the Dee Winterton outstanding teacher scholarship.
Cami has taught for several dance studios and programs in Utah and Texas including the Children’s Ballet Theatre, Orem Dance Theatre, BYU Children’s Creative Dance, the San Angelo Civic Ballet, Lisa’s Dance Connection, and Downstairs Dance. She has also taught in elementary and high school settings with programs like Arts Bridge America and as the outreach coordinator for the San Angelo Civic Ballet, and as a special education mentor. She has received a grant from the Texas Arts Commission to create and implement cross-curricular dance/science lesson plans incorporating state educational science standards into creative dance lessons for 4th graders.
Cami and her husband Bret are blessed to raise four fantastic kids.
Rachel Stuker - Teacher
Rachel Stuker has been teaching dance for ten years. She is passionate about making dance a fun and challenging atmosphere for her students where they learn much more that dance steps. She grew up dancing in Sandy, Ut where she got a variety of training in ballet, jazz, tap and tumbling. She got her first taste of competition dance in high school on an award winning drill team where she was an All State Drill team member. She would extend her training by attending summer intensives, getting opportunity’s to learn and perform classical pieces by George Balanchine, Ben Stevenson and other renowned choreographers. In 2005 she received a performance scholarship to UVU where she performed with the Repertory Ballet Ensemble. After graduating in 2009 with a Bachelors in Fine Arts, she stayed at home raising her children and teaching dance while living in two different states. She feels blessed everyday that she gets to share her love of dance with others.
Cherie Gurney - Teacher/Production Team
Cherie was born in Roosevelt, Utah to parents that loved performing arts and athleticism. She tumbled, sang, danced and acted throughout her childhood and youth. Cherie was the drill captain of the Union Cougarettes, lettered in weightlifting, became Dance Sterling Scholar and member of the All State Drill Team. She was a Sunburst dancer at USU, worked at the Jackson Hole Playhouse Theatre as Yolanda in “Paint your Wagon” then found her college home in Cedar City, Utah. Cherie graduated from SUU with a BS degree in Dance and Theatre in 2002. Cherie was the vice president of orchestras, voted Student Favorite Dancer, Faculty Favorite Character Dancer, Best Actress in a Black Box Performance, Most Talented T-bird (runner-up), most Outstanding Senior, Cherie received the top dance scholarship from the Burch Mann Foundation Titled “It’s the feet that carries us but the heart that dances”.
After college she served a mission for her church, taught dance and theatre at Wasatch High School, danced and choreographed for Indiana Jazz Dance Company. Cherie has taught in studios in Indiana, Texas and Utah. She is married to Mark and has four children.
Bethani McNary - Teacher/Production Team
Bethani began dancing at the age of 13 where she auditioned for the Rigby Jr High Drill Team and made it! From there, dance was life. She went on to be the Co-Captain and Captain of the Troyettes, the Rigby High School Drill Team. In her Junior year she began teaching ballet and jazz at Front and Center Dance. She continued to teach as she attended BYU-Idaho and performed with the Collegiate Dancers Modern Company and Dance Alliance Touring Company. Bethani performed in venues all throughout the Pacific Northwest and Texas. She also coached the Rigby Jr High Drill Team and created a program that gave those that were less fortunate a chance to dance.
Bethani graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from BYU-Idaho. She has attended many classes and has performed and choreographed for Body Logic Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, The Dance Box, and Illume Dance Company. She has 15 years of experience teaching jazz, modern, broadway, and more, but loves teaching the youngest dancers the most! Bethani is married to her partner in crime (and dance), Dave, and they have 4 great children!
Rebecca Martin - Teacher
This is Rebecca‘s second year teaching at Illume! She grew up training at Jaqueline’s School of Ballet and the BYU Children’s Creative Dance. She received her degree in Dance Performance from BYU, where she performed with The Dancers’ Company and dancEnsemble. Throughout high school and college, Rebecca was able to attend intensives by and perform with Ririe Woodbury Dance Company, Repertory Dance Company, The Ailey School, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance.
Rebecca has eight years experience teaching for the BYU Children's Creative Dance, Jazz N’ Place Studio, and as a guest instructor and choreographer for several high schools in Utah, and at LaGuardia High School in New York City. Rebecca and her husband, Jared, are currently raising three beautiful kiddos.
Elisa Anderson - Gymnastics/Tumbling Manager
Elisa has always loved sports and different activities but when she turned 11, she knew what her passion was…gymnastics!
At age 14, her family moved to Massachusetts which became her perfect place to be a gymnast. Amazing, talented, loving coaches helped her hone her skills and talents and compete on the high school gymnastics team. Multiple times, she competed with her team at the Sectional Meets, winning 1st place on vault. She also competed in All Around (all the gymnastics events) during her junior and senior years.
Through the years, Elisa has coached gymnastics in Massachusetts and Utah. Two years ago, she began coaching gymnastics in her home and also helps coach the competition team at Upbeat Gymnastics. Elisa loves working with children! She is so excited to share her skills and love of the sport with everyone at Illume!
Elisa has a degree from BYU in Recreation Management with an emphasis in Community Recreation. She is married to her sweetheart, Nick and they have 5 great kiddos that keep them going!
Angela Dugdale - Teacher
Angela (Ramjoue) Dugdale is a lifelong student and teacher of the dance arts. At a very young age, and being inspired by frequent impromptu dance sessions with her down-syndrome older brother at home, Angie joined Children’s Dance Theater (CDT, University of Utah). She was selected as the lead soloist in CDT’s production of “Anna and the Echo-Catcher” in 1990 and “The Joy Keeper” in 1998. This association led to her interfacing with and learning from Utah dance legends Joan Woodbury, Shirley Ririe, and Marianne Lee.
Angie went on to participate as a dancer and choreographer in her middle-school and high-school dancers companies. Her love of teaching and choreography also led to her teaching dance lessons to her neighbor’s children during these formative years (there is no better dance floor than that which is created by rolling back the living room rug).
Angie pursued the performing arts after high-school and was selected as a singing/dancing performance member of the Rick’s College (now BYU-Idaho) touring group “Showtime”, where she toured throughout the east and mid-west. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from BYU in Dance Performance while participating in BYU’s Dancer’s Company.
Post college, Angie pursued a career teaching dance in the Jordan School District for four years and at various dance studios in Davis County. Directed, lighting, costumes sound and choreographed over 10 full length concerts and multiple single works.
Expression through movement is one of her greatest joys.
Meryl Henrie - Teacher/Production Team
Meryl has been passionate about dance since before she could walk. She grew up training in ballet, jazz and modern dance. While earning her degree in Dance Education from Brigham Young University, she also became versed in Folk, Latin and social dance genres. After teaching dance and yoga as the dance director at Viewmont High School for six years, she has enjoyed returning to the studio setting and working with the wonderful dancers at Illume!
Danielle Peterson - Teacher
Danielle attended Brigham Young University where she received a BA in Dance Education with a minor in Family Life. She spent her time there performing with BYU’s DancEnsemble and Contemporary DAnce Theatre, as well as Theatre Engine: Dance Engine, a collaborative show with Michigan State University that explores the use of technology and dance.
Danielle has had the opportunity to perform both nationally and internationally, including Scotland and China, and has presented research at NDEO conferences in Washington D.C. and Texas. She currently directs the Viewmont High School dance and yoga department.
Caroline Solomon - Teacher/Studio Manager
Caroline Solomon has had a passion for all kinds of movement since she was a little girl. Starting with 2 years of clogging, her love for dance blossomed and led her to other dance forms including ballet, jazz, and contemporary. Caroline graduated from Utah Valley University with her BS in Dance Education and was able to perform with multiple groups including the school’s two performing companies, The Penguin Lady Dance Collective, and The Tabernacle Choir. Although she loves to perform, her true passion is teaching!
Juliana Beers - Teacher
Growing up, Juliana performed soloist roles with Rocky Mountain Repertory Ballet and The Pointe, competed at regional and national competitions with her studio’s most advanced team, attended Ballet West’s summer intensive, and performed with her high school’s dance company and varsity ballroom team. After high school, she attended BYU to earn her BA in dance, graduating magna cum laude. While there, she was awarded full-tuition academic and dance merit scholarships, performed and toured as a member of Theatre Ballet, served as the ballet representative on the Dance Major Student Council and as the President of the Ballet Club, and attended a study abroad in Italy where she took classes at La Scala Academy and from internationally renowned teachers. She has continued dancing professionally with Cache Valley Civic Ballet, Serena Webb Dance Theatre, Body Logic Dance, and Illume Dance Company.
She has been teaching for 12 years, teaching classes in ballet, pointe, repertoire and variations, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, hip hop, creative movement, choreography, and somatics. She focuses on empowering her students with knowledge and understanding of technique and dance theory so students have the proper foundation and tools to find their unique artistic voice and define their dance journey for themselves.
Juliana is so thankful for all that dance has given her, and is deeply grateful for the loving support of her husband and 2 daughters as she continues to share the joy of dance with her students!
Brianne Pottorff - Teacher
Brianne Pottorff has found every excuse to keep dancing her entire life. Brianne’s training in the Cecchetti ballet method, gave her a strong foundation, allowing her to enjoy many different styles of dance throughout her college career. Brianne has a bachelor degree in Dance Education from Brigham Young University where she traveled to many schools in Utah, teaching creative dance integrated with science, math, and language arts in an outreach program, Kinnect.
At a festival in Scotland, she performed alongside a fellow Illume Dance Company staff member, Danielle Peterson, with Theatre Engine:Dance Engine. Brianne had the opportunity to continue integrating elementary school curriculum through dance at Silver Mesa Elementary and Copperview Elementary Schools.
She moved to CA raising 3 kids with her husband, and moved back to Utah summer of 2022 in hopes to continue helping children feel successful, find self-confidence, and embrace collaboration in her dance classes.
Trisha Hulet - Teacher
Trisha loved ballet the moment she stepped into a ballet class at the age of 4. She has been doing ballet ever since that moment. She also found she loved sharing this passion with others and has been teaching ballet for 25 plus years! She spent most of the years teaching at Children's Ballet Theater. In recent years she has had the opportunity to choreograph for Oquirrh Mountain Youth Theatre. She is also part of Illume Dance Company's Narnia.
She is deeply grateful for her family's support! She is married and has 4 wonderful children whom she cherishes spending time with. There is often a dance party going on at home!
Jen Wimmer - Gymnastics/Tumbling Teacher
Mallory Wright - Teacher
Mallory Wahlstrom Wright has a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree, with an emphasis in Harp Performance, from Brigham Young University. She is the founder of the Davis Performing Arts Collective and has nearly 15 years teaching experience in music and dance.
Mallory was a member of the Davis High Drill Team and performed in the Clytie Adams Nutcracker for 10 years performing many featured solos en pointe. She received a scholarship to study music at the University of Arizona where she was a member of Harpfusion, the largest touring harp ensemble in the world. She performed with Harpfusion in Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Brazil. Mallory graduated from BYU in 2010 with her Harp Performance Degree. She went on to play with the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra as their principal harpist until 2015.
Mallory runs a private harp studio and has been teaching dance locally since 2015. She has been a dance instructor for Clytie Adams School of ballet, Ardour Dance Centre, Natalies Performing Arts, and the Davis Performing Arts Collective. She has experience teaching all ages and styles and is passionate about working with children. She is currently the Executive Director of DPAC’s production of Scrooge.
Mallory is married and has 6 children. She loves the fine arts and believes music and dance together have the power to instill confidence and beauty in the lives of all children. She is thrilled to be welcomed into the Illume family!