MEET THE TEAM

Rachel Lawler

Rachel Lawler

Owner and Instructor

Rachel grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and her husband Joe and two daughters: Rylee and Emma continue to reside in the KC area.

Rachel began her dance career at the age of 3. She continued dancing competitively through her studio, was a member of the Oak Park High School Pommies and the Avila University Glitter Girls Dance Team. Rachel went on to be one of the original members of the Comets Galaxy Girl Dance Team here in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 2010 Rachel graduated from Missouri Western State University with a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education K – 12. She taught for the North Kansas City School District for five years before following her dream to open a dance studio. During this time, Rachel was also continuing her education at Missouri Western. In 2019, she gradated with her Masters in Autism Assessment. Her final capstone project allowed her to build a curriculum and community outreach plan for the IDKC Sparkle Dance Stars- Adaptive Dance Program. She is excited for the future ahead for the Sparkle Dance Stars!

Dance team is a huge passion of Rachel’s; she coached the Winnetonka High School Dance Team for 10 years and Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Steppers for two years. She was also an instructor, head instructor, choreographer, and judge for the Universal Dance Association, and later became a State Director for Varsity Spirit Brands. She continues to work with Varsity as a regional and national judge for dance team competitions. She has also worked with numerous dance teams to provide feedback and critiques to help prepare them for competitions/nationals.

Rachel has been teaching at the studio level since the age of 15. Her choreography has received several awards and recognition including: choreography, showmanship, entertainment, technique and top overall rankings. Opening Infinity Dance KC started as a little girl’s dream and Rachel is so thankful to all of the families and dancers who have helped that “little girl” make IDKC a reality and a home!

Chris Haerich

Chris Haerich

Instructor

Chris is the drama and competition performance instructor at IDKC. She was born and raised in Webster, SD, and attended Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, where she majored in Secondary Education with a minor in theater and drama. Chris has been recognized for her acting and coaching abilities, within the high school, collegiate, and community theater circuits. Previous to IDKC, she was also the drama teacher at Dance Progressions Performing Arts Center and has also been an assistant coach for the Smithville Speech and Debate team. She has worked with the various dance and high school competition teams in the Kansas City Metro and surrounding areas.  She focuses on stage presence and performance.

Chris has been married to Jason, for 26 years and has 2 children. Her son, Talon (25) and daughter, Hannah (23), is also a teacher/choreographer at IDKC.

Heidi Jacobson

Heidi Jacobson

Instructor

Heidi Jacobson has been teaching dance and baton twirling for over 30 years. She began baton twirling at the age of four and started dance classes when she was six. Heidi has had the opportunity to travel to multiple countries for both dance and baton twirling, including Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and many more. She received scholarship training at the Tremaine Dance Center in Hollywood, gaining valuable experience from dance professionals. A licensed judge for the National Baton Twirling Organization for many years, she continues to judge competitions nationwide. Currently, Heidi teaches ballet, tap, and baton twirling at IDKC for students of all ages. Many of her students have pursued professional careers in dance, and her baton-twirling students have earned national titles. She finds joy in sharing her passion for dance and baton twirling with her students. Heidi’s daughter, Holly, is also a staff member at IDKC.
Katie Killen

Katie Killen

Instructor

Hi I’m Katie Killen! I’ve been dancing with Ms. Rachel since 2007 and love being a part of this dance family.  Growing up I danced from age 2 all the way through college. I was able to teach dance in Maryville, MO, dance with the Galaxy Girls for the Kansas City Comets, and I coach High School Cheer. Outside of dance I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband Conor, daughter Nora and two boys Owen and Ollie all love to dance too! 
I can’t wait to see you in class! 
Fun Facts:
I love Pink Lemonade and Diet Coke. 
I can’t pick a favorite candy but Sour Patch Kids are top contenders. 
I’ve traveled to Spain, Germany, Denmark, Australia, and New Zealand. 
I teach 2nd grade. 
I can ride a unicycle. 
I’m happy to help anyway I can! 
Inclusion is the best! 
Emily Ponder

Emily Ponder

Instructor

Emily began dancing at the age of 3 and has over 15 years of dance teaching experience. She has taught many different ages, levels, and styles at studios in Kansas City and in Los Angeles. Emily has her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. From college, Emily went on to dance professionally at Walt Disney World, at sea with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and on tour with Sesame Street Live. While a dancer in Los Angeles, Emily danced with several different dance companies in various styles, including as a magician’s assistant. Some of Emily’s favorite performances were when she danced in the Chinese embassy in D.C. for Chinese New Year and when she was a semi-finalist at the 2017 World Latin Dance Cup. In 2019, Emily taught at a preschool in Madrid, Spain. Emily is a judge for KAR and Rainbow dance competitions. She is a certified Acrobatic Arts teacher and a 2022 UNITY Dance Scholarship recipient. Emily is married to a potter and has a wonderful little dog named Potter.

Mallory Gooch

Mallory Gooch

Instructor

Meet Mallory Gooch, a passionate and experienced dance instructor with a lifelong love for dance. Mallory’s journey in the world of dance began at the age of three, and she started dancing competitively at age ten.

During her high school years, Mallory was a member of the Liberty Sapphires dance team. This experience fueled her passion for dance and set the stage for her future in the dance community. Continuing her pursuit of dance, Mallory attended Northwest Missouri State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Ed. While at NW, Mallory was a member of the NWMSU Bearcat Dance Team.

Mallory’s commitment to the dance community extends beyond her college years. She recently served as the assistant dance coach for the Liberty North Golden Girls, bringing her expertise and enthusiasm to the next generation of dancers.

In addition to her involvement in the dance world, Mallory is also an educator. She teaches 4th grade at Bell Prairie Elementary. Outside of her professional life, Mallory and her husband Jordan are proud parents of two sons, Beckham and Henry. Mallory and her family love to travel and spend time playing outside.

With Mallory Gooch as your dance instructor, you can expect a blend of skill, passion, and a commitment to fostering a positive and inspiring dance environment for students of all ages at IDKC.

Raven Reed

Raven Reed

Instructor

Raven has been dancing at a competitive studio since she was 5 years old. She also did gymnastics until the age of 8. She studied all styles of dance but favorited Hip-Hop and contemporary. Raven has been assisting and teaching her own mini classes since she was 12. She’s always loved teaching and began choreographing when she was still in highschool. She was in her highschool (Park Hill High School) and collegiate (Missouri Western State University) dance teams.

Raven studied Theatre and Cinema with a minor in dance. She has been in many local films and commercials in the KC/Kansas area as well as Dallas Texas. Raven is also a singer/songwriter and makes her own music in Kc as well as models. She is currently a media marketing account manager for Trndsttrs Agency and works directly with TikTok and TikTok shop clients.

She found idkc in a time she didn’t have anyone and Rachel instantly took her in and gave her a home and creative outlet. Raven has found herself through this studio and hopes to continue to help those who come through the doors on and off the dance floor. Whether it’s staff, parents, or students IDKC is one big tribe she’s thankful to be apart of.

Cecilia Pauk

Cecilia Pauk

Instructor

Cece began dancing at the age of 3 and has been dancing since. She competed for many years and has trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, pointe, contemporary, and pom. She was a part of the Staley Emeralds dance team for four years and was captain for two years. She currently is a staffer for UDA, the United Dance Association, teaching dance camps for high school teams across the country. She has choreographed nationally ranked routines and worked at the national dance team competition (NDTC). During the school year, she is studying electrical engineering at the University of Kansas. Cece loves sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with all the kids!

 

Hannah Haerich

Hannah Haerich

Instructor

Hannah began dancing at the age of three and started competitive dance at the age of four. She has been trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater, Pointe, Contemporary, Modern, Lyrical, and Acro/Gymnastics. During her time as a competitive dancer, Hannah earned countless soloist Titles around the Kansas City, Iowa, and Nebraska areas. She was a part of the Smithville Dazzlers High School Dance Team all four years and was voted Captain by her teammates for her senior year. Hannah graduated from Mizzou in 2021 with a B.A. in Hospitality Management and a minor in Business. She was a Resident Advisor as well as a member of the Mizzou Club Dance team where she performed around campus, St.Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago. Her love for dance continues through her teaching and thrives in being able to communicate effective, relatable teaching methods for dancers of all ages.

Ashlyn Glaffoglione

Ashlyn Glaffoglione

Instructor

Hello! My name is Ashlyn GIaffoglione and I have been dancing since I was 6 years old. I started dancing at IDKC after I moved here from Colorado in 2020. I currently am a full time student at Penn Vally working towards my Nursing Degree. I am the oldest of 5 kids, with both of my sisters dancing currently at IDKC. In my free time I enjoy hiking and fishing.

Holly Jacobson

Holly Jacobson

Instructor

Holly began dancing when she was two years old and started baton twirling when she was six. She danced competitively for thirteen years and has trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pointe, and Baton Twirling. She has won multiple state and national titles in baton twirling and is currently working to get her judge license through the National Baton Twirling Association  She is now a student at the University of Missouri – Columbia where she is the head dance chair for her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. Holly loves teaching dances of all ages and sharing her love of dance with the kids.

 

Melanie

Melanie

Instructor

Melanie is a born and raised Kansas City resident. She started dancing when she was just 4 years old. The main emphasis in her dance training was ballet until she joined her high school dance team. Winnetonka High school where Ms. Rachel was her coach. She has been in several ballet productions over the years including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, & Sleeping Beauty.
In her spare time, Melanie loves to spend time with her husband Cole, her two daughters (Kinsley & Emberlyn), & 2 two dogs Oakley & Daisy. Fall is her favorite season, she loves coffee, baking & crafting.

Staci Duitsman

Staci Duitsman

Office Manager

From a young age, Stacie wanted to dance but her mother told her she was tall and should probably try something like basketball or volleyball instead (to all the tall girls – put on the dance shoes and dance!)  So, when her daughter, Harper, showed interest in dance at the age of 3 there was no hesitation in signing her up! They started with Miss Rachel at Infinity Dance 8 years ago and haven’t looked back.

When she gets free time, Stacie enjoys spending time with her husband (Eric) and their two kids (Teahen and Harper).  She also likes reading mystery novels, gaming with her son, taking Sunday drives, being a dance and twirl mom, and spending time with friends.

You can find Stacie working behind the front desk, costuming, or adding bling to anything and everything!

 

Patty Pauk

Patty Pauk

Office Manager

Patty Pauk has been a desk manager at IDKC since 2018. She has been married to her husband Fred for 28 years with 2 daughters, Cecilia (IDKC instructor) and Ella (IDKC student). During the day she works as a special education teacher. She greatly enjoys the time she spends with the dancers of IDKC and their families.

INFINITY DANCE KC

Office Hours

Monday through Thursday

4:30 pm – 9 pm

Saturday 

9 am – Noon

Contact

8560 N. Green Hills Rd Suite 100
Kansas City, MO 64154 US

(816) 436-1159

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