DANCE ATHLETICS COMPETITIVE EDGE
Meet The Team
Derek Arcenal
Derek began his dance journey at the age of 11, training in jazz, lyrical, hip hop, tap, Cecchetti ballet, and acrobatics. Through his dedication and athleticism, he quickly developed into a dynamic performer, earning numerous regional and national titles and becoming a nationally recognized competitor.
He trained under Tiffani Stewart and the legendary late Mary Helen Stewart, where he built a strong technical foundation and developed a deep appreciation for the role of an educator. He also trained with renowned choreographers including Gus Giordano, Mia Michaels, Frank Hatchett, and Dee Caspary, experiences that helped shape his approach to performance, creativity, and teaching.
As his career evolved, Derek discovered a passion for choreography and mentorship. His work blends strength, precision, and storytelling, reflecting his belief that true excellence lies at the intersection of athleticism and artistry. In addition to his work in the studio, Derek practices as a life coach, integrating mindset, discipline, and self-belief into the way he develops dancers and teams.
Derek leads with integrity, consistency, and purpose, setting the standard through his work ethic and presence. He is dedicated to helping dancers grow not only as performers, but as confident, resilient individuals.
Courtney arcenal
Courtney’s passion for dance began at the age of three and grew into a lifelong commitment to versatility and excellence. She trained in ballet (Cecchetti method), jazz, lyrical, tap, hip hop, and contemporary, developing a strong technical foundation and artistic voice.
She trained under Tiffani Stewart and the legendary late Mary Helen Stewart, where she not only refined her technique but also developed a deep appreciation for the role of an educator. During her 12-year competitive career, Courtney earned numerous top placements and titles, shaping her understanding of the discipline and artistry required to succeed at a high level.
After stepping away from competition, Courtney discovered her passion for teaching and choreography. She is dedicated to helping dancers build confidence, recognize their worth, and feel a true sense of belonging. Her choreography has earned recognition at both regional and national levels for its strength, storytelling, and impact.
In addition to her work at DACE, Courtney is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Cardiothoracic Surgery Intensive Care, reflecting her commitment to making a meaningful impact both in and out of the studio.
Nicholas lapere
Nick is a dedicated member of the DACE team who is passionate about creating a positive and engaging learning environment for every dancer. His approach reflects DACE’s commitment to strong training, meaningful mentorship, and a supportive studio culture.
Full bio coming soon.
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molly denzer
Molly Denzer began dancing at the age of three and grew up training and competing in a wide range of styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip hop, and contemporary. Throughout her training, she had the opportunity to learn from renowned choreographers through conventions and intensive programs, helping to shape her technical foundation and artistry. She pursued ballet more seriously for several years, including training with a pre-professional company and attending summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre. She also competed for several years at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), further strengthening her classical training and performance experience.
Molly’s competitive dance career included four years as a member of Team Wildcat, where she contributed to multiple national championship titles. She remains an active part of the Dance Athletics Competitive Edge community, continuing to support and stay involved with the studio, its dancers, and its staff. Her connection to the program reflects her ongoing commitment to the growth and success of Team Wildcat.
Now based in Chicago, Molly works as a forensic accountant at EY, and holds both her CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certifications. Her years in dance continue to influence her professional approach, instilling discipline, resilience, and a strong sense of accountability.
camyle cryderman
Camyle Cryderman began her dance training at the age of two. At age 15 she began assisting and substitute teaching and has continued to build upon her teaching career ever since. Camyle had a very successful competitive career, and is knowledgeable in the disciplines of tap, jazz, Cecchetti ballet, pointe, hip hop, and lyrical.
Near the end of her student training, Camyle also began learning and performing the art of toe–tap, which involves tap dancing while up on the box of pointe shoes. Camyle specializes in tap and tap technique. She shares her talent within multiple studios in the area. Camyle prides herself in the success her students have had performing locally, as well as at regional and national dance competitions.
She is certified by the Cecchetti Council of America as a Cecchetti instructor in grades I–IV and has successfully trained and sent countless students for ballet exams. She also enjoys her position tabulating at the Cecchetti Council of America International Classical Ballet Competition.
Additionally, Camyle is certified through Acrobatic Arts with special focus on back handsprings and aerials. Camyle is also a certified member of Dance Masters of America chapter 46. She has an associate's degree in business administration and is consistently taking new classes and looking for ways to improve her dancing and teaching skills.
Camyle has been a proud instructor and member of the DACE family since 2015.
alyssa kubert
Alyssa started dancing at the age of 9. Her entire dance career was spent at DACE with a pure heart and open mind. Alyssa stepped out of her competitive career winning Miss Dance America at her 2017 senior year nationals in Ocean City, Maryland. From there, she continued to dance at DACE through her first two years of college while also joining the Oakland University Dance Team her Freshman-Junior years of college.
After graduating college in 2021 with a Bachelors Degree in Public Health, Alyssa went on to pursuing a career in Human Resources, specifically, Employee Relations. Alyssa has a special place in her heart advocating for others and supporting people during the hardest times in life.
Throughout college and the start of Alyssa finding her career path, she continued to help at the studio which led to Alyssa officially joining DACE as a Big Cat in 2024, to continue her love for dance by educating athletes who share the same passion for the sport.
Being pure DACE, Alyssa’s dance education comes straight from Derek and Courtney Arcenal, the owners and directors of DACE, that she so happens to also call her cousins and family. Alyssa leads with integrity and compassion, knowing that all is possible if the work ethic and love is within every single athlete.
heather browning
Heather Browning is a Rhode Island native and accomplished dance educator with a BFA in Dance Education from Bridgewater State University.
During her time there, she served as both president and treasurer of the university’s dance company and had the unique opportunity to study Bharatanatyam under Kausalya Srinivasan, culminating in a three-week performance tour across India.
Heather has been dancing since the age of five and teaching since 2006, bringing nearly two decades of experience to both the studio and stage. She has worked extensively throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts and has served as the choreographer for East Providence High School since 2006. Her musical theater choreography credits include Beauty and the Beast, Grease, West Side Story, Hairspray, My Fair Lady, Young Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, The Wiz, Rent, and Jesus Christ Superstar.
In addition to her teaching and choreography work, Heather serves as an Event Manager and Judging Panel Manager with Nexstar Dance Competitions, where she oversees event operations and coordinates judging panels to ensure a seamless and professional competition experience.
Heather has also established and directed a competitive dance company and had the opportunity to travel the East Coast as a backup dancer, expanding her performance experience.
She is passionate about safe, effective training and continued education, holding certifications in Acrobatic Arts, CLI Strength Training & Injury Prevention, CLI Preschool Dance, and the Zumbini program for early childhood development.
kaela kahl
Kaela Kahl-Wu is a native of Canton, Michigan and she began dancing at the age of 3. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theatre, with a strong foundation in both technical training and performance.
She continued her training at Bowling Green State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education & Human Development with a major in Event Management and a minor in Dance, concentrating in modern dance and choreography. During her time at BGSU, she performed with and choreographed for the BGSU dance program and University Dance Alliance club.
Post-graduation, Kaela gained professional experience across a variety of industries including human resources, onboarding, project management, executive assistance, hospitality, tourism, event management, and music festival production, bringing a well-rounded and organizationally strong perspective to her work in the dance industry.
Kaela continued her dance training and education with the ArtLab J adult dance program. She has taught at multiple studios, working with both recreational and competitive dancers, and has led after-school dance programs for Detroit Public Schools.
Kaela currently works as an event manager for Nexstar National Talent Competition, serves as Wild Child faculty for Wild Dance Convention, and is entering her 8th year as the Head Coach of the PCEP Junior Varsity Dance Team, who were named 2026 Jazz National Champions. She is also currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Dance Education, with research focused on competitive dancer self-esteem, emotional safety, and appropriate teaching practices, and will graduate in December 2026. Kaela is also a member of the National Dance Education Organization and is committed to learning how to be the best educator she can be.
As an educator, Kaela is passionate about building confident, expressive dancers while fostering a safe and supportive environment. She is excited to share her knowledge and choreography with the athletes at DACE, while also supporting the studio on the administrative side.