Diversity Dance Utah

Jen Mangus: Owner / Director, Company & Academy Instructor

Jen founded the studio in 2008. She saw a need in the area for a studio that was more family-focused and inclusive. Jen has danced since she could walk and has taught dance to both competitive and recreational teams for the past 18 years. With one degree in Film Studies and another degree in Elementary Education, Jen has experience in producing and teaching, which help her in her responsibilities in the studio. Jen has won many choreography and studio awards over the years. She has an incredible staff that supports her in all her goals, one of her main goals being giving dancers a safe and positive environment to dance in. Being in the dance world has brought her many life lessons, opportunities, and life-long friendships. Jen feels very blessed to know she is part of these dancer’s childhoods and considers herself fortunate to have this as her career. Apart from directing the studio, Jen is a mother of two amazing kids and considers the studio a part of the family. She is also a lover of all things Harry Potter, Disney, road trips, history, tubing rivers, camping, diet coke, and chocolate.

Heather Jones: Studio Manager

Heather has been dancing for over 25 years. The second she stepped into the studio she knew she was home! She danced, assisted and taught classes for years while growing up in Cache Valley. In high school, Heather danced with the drill team and was a member of the team presidency her Senior year. During college, she continued to take classes wherever she could find them. Once she married her high school sweetheart and started her family, she took Zumba classes as often as possible just for a few minutes of dance time. Eventually she started teaching Zumba for fun. Her daughter has been dancing with Diversity Dance since she was 2 and Heather has loved it here. She shares her passion of dance by keeping everything organized!! The studio would not run without her brilliant behind-the-scenes work. When not dancing, Heather is a proud mother to three beautiful children and is a loving wife. She runs an Etsy shop and is finishing her college degree online. She also has a huge love for photography, blogging, sewing, and panda bears.

Alyson Croft: Company Instructor and Tumbling Coach

Alyson Croft loves the world of dance and grew up doing so most of her life. She was an all-around gymnast and power tumbler as well! In high school, Alyson was a member of the Bonneville High drill team which won the state championship title in 2005. She went onto study at Utah State and graduated with a degree in Public Relations and danced with the Utah State University Hip Hop Crew; Vilociti. She was the tumbling director and dance/tumbling teacher at Airbound Gymnastics for seven years while also assistant coaching the Sky View Vistauns from 2011-2015 where their team earned a Region Championship title. Alyson currently lives in Mantua and has stayed in the world of dance by choreographing for local drill teams and judging both drill and studio competitions. She and her husband Andy have three busy and awesome kids and love to be outside, on the water, and making yummy food together. Besides dancing, Alyson loves baking, cooking, yoga, hiking, boating, and decorating.

David Woods: Ballet Instructor

David Woods, M.F.A., University of Arizona, B.F.A., University of Utah. His Ballet training began under the direction of William F. Christensen, Ballet West and various teachers through-out the pacific ballet region. He has performed with Lexington Ballet, Lexington Kentucky, Montgomery Ballet , Montgomery Alabama, Ballet Arts ensemble, Tucson Arizona , Utah Ballet , Salt Lake City Utah and Utah Regional Ballet. He was the recipient of the Dance Magazine Craft of Choreography Scholarship and received the Capezio talent award for dance. David has taught Ballet for Eastern Kentucky University, The University of Arizona and guest taught for Brigham Young University. He is a sought-after instructor because of his motivating demeanor and his diverse knowledge and background. He is Pilates certified through the Physical-Mind Institute and Balanced Body Education. From Ballet dancer, Choreographer, University and Regional Instructor he incorporates all methods and techniques from his background to give you a solid, inspiring and challenging education in ballet. And he is excited to bring pointe back to Diversity Dance!

Jenie Labrum: Creative Movement and Academy Instructor

Jenie was raised in South Eastern Utah and has loved dance since she can remember. Having four younger sisters, Jenie began teaching dance early. She would hold “dance” classes for all the neighborhood kids. In junior high and high school she danced on the school Drill/Dance teams and had the opportunity to take ballet classes from CEU. To give back to her community, Jenie taught dance classes once a week to younger dancers with her teammates. Jenie was fortunate enough to gain a dance scholarship and was able to dance in college where she fell in love with contemporary dance and performing arts. Jenie was also a member of the Baggerettes; the Snow College dance team, which afforded her many amazing dance experiences. After college, dance took a backseat as Jenie’s growing family became the love of her life. She still found ways to fill her love of creative dance though with teaching aerobic classes, which include floor, step, kickboxing, spinning, hip hop hustle, Zumba, interval, and currently Jazzercise. Jenie immensely enjoys teaching children the art of dance, how to move their bodies and express themselves through their movements. She loves to teach them HOW to dance and how to LOVE dance, which is what Creative Movement is all about.

Sydney Bott: Company and Academy Instructor

Sydney was born and raised in Perry, Utah. She has loved to dance since the first year she competed at the age of 3 years old. She grew up dancing in jazz, hip hop, lyrical, musical theater, and contemporary. She has trained at many national conventions with the industry's top instructors in all genres. Sydney was a member of the Box Elder Drill team for 3 years. She was a Top Corp nominee twice and received an Epic Drill camp award for Most Improved. She was an officer for two years and her senior year, she served as Drill Captain, Sydney loves to travel and has had the opportunity to travel to Australia, New York, Boston, and Nauvoo where she was a performer in the Nauvoo Pageant. Sydney loves teaching and sharing her passion and love for dance with her students. She hopes to inspire and help her students reach their highest potential in dance and in life!

Alyssa Wilson: Ballet Instructor

Alyssa was born in Brigham City and graduated from Box Elder High School in 2021. Alyssa has grown up dancing. She studio-hopped all over Brigham City till she fell in love with Diversity Dance. She danced here from ages 12-17 then began assisting for several years and even taught ballet for one year. Alyssa is currently attending Utah State University where she is majoring in Kinesiology, She is so excited to be back at the studio and help the young dancers grow!

Kenzie Isaksen: Academy & Company Instructor and Tumbling Coach

Kenzie Locascio has been dancing and tumbling since she was 2 years old. She started assisting classes when she was 11 and teaching when she was 17. Her dream has always been to be a dance teacher! She has choreographed several competitive solos, including her own! Kenzie was on the Box Elder High School drill team for 3 years and was co-captain her senior year. She graduated from Box Elder and has been working on honing her skills as a choreographer and tumbling coach in the meantime. She is currently working on her acro accreditation and is excited to take over the tumbling program at Diversity Dance! She will also be teaching some Academy and Company teams this year and is so excited to share her love for dance and tumbling and to help her students find their own love for it.

Heather Hansen: Tumbling Coach

Heather has been involved in dance and tumbling her whole life. She danced competitively alongside her three sisters for several years. She was a power tumbler and won many awards at competitions. Heather used her dance and tumbling skills while being a cheerleader during junior high and high school. After graduation, she coached power tumbling and was the cheerleading coach at West Point Junior High until her family moved. She has continued to teach tumbling off and on ever since. Heather currently lives in Mantua with her husband and four awesome kids. She loves sports. outdoors, summertime, reading, being adventurous, and trying new things.

Cherry Burnett: Creative Movement and Academy Instructor

Cherry gets to be the grandmother of the studio as she is Jen’s mom! Cherry was born and raised in the big city of Ogden, Utah. She spent her whole childhood tumbling and dancing. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she wanted a big family. Her wish came true with four wonderful children who grew up way too fast. Cherry also runs “The Cherry On Top”, which is workout classes in the studio weekday mornings at 5:00 AM! Cherry loves working with children and she has 50 years of experience in gathering kids together, teaching them to learn and grow, and to have fun together. Cherry’s goal in life is to be an example of kindness and to help others see the good in themselves by doing their very best. Cherry is excited to work with your children and to assist the parents in building great kids with high self-esteem and a bright future!

Heather Nelson: Front Desk Receptionist

Heather is the mom of three wonderful children; Kayla, Sean, and Gemma. All three of which have loved being a part of the DDU family over the past 13 years. Heather has also enjoyed her time at the studio. It has given her the opportunity to watch her own children grow as she witnesses and appreciates all the work that goes on behind the scenes. Heather runs her own small flower business with the help of her husband, Rod. She absolutely loves working with flowers! It is what makes her happiest. When she's not working, some off her favorite activities include hanging out with her kids, going for rides in the mountains, vacationing, playing card games, and going on road trips. She owns way too many potted plants, she loves listening to true crime podcasts, and she celebrates Halloween all year round!

Annie Bywater: Front Desk Receptionist

Annie was born and raised in Brigham City and feels so lucky to be raising her own family in this beautiful town. All she ever wanted was to be a mom and now she has three beautiful daughters. With three girls, she especially has wanted to be a dance mom! She loves Diversity Dance and what we stand for. Since starting her girls in dance, she has watched them grow and gain more confidence in themselves. She runs a small daycare out of her home full time and has done that for 15 years! Babies and kids bring her so much happiness so she is literally working her dream jobs between daycare and working at the studio. With her family, she loves to hunt, camp, swim, play softball, play with their doggies, and DANCE! (Obviously)

BriAnn Peterson: Front Desk Receptionist

BriAnn was born and raised in Roy. She is a stay-at-home mom to her four kids, ages 10, 8, 6, and 4. She received a BS in Criminal Justice/Forensic Science Investigation and is working toward a BS in Business Admin/Human Resource Management. She lives vicariously through her husband, an Adult Probation & Parole Officer. In her free time, she is learning Spanish. BriAnn loves watching her two girls dance and two boys play hockey and soccer. Much of the family's nights/weekends are spent at one of the two places. She loves traveling to the Pacific Northwest and hiking all the beautiful waterfalls.

Amanda Bair: Front Desk Receptionist

Amanda was bord and raised in Utah. Together, her and her husband have 9 kids, ranging from 1 to 21! 6 boys and 3 girls. They have 2 kids with cystic fibrosis which takes a lot of time and energy between hospitalizations and appointments. But overall, they are thriving. Amanda was a surgical tech for 15 years and now stays at home with her awesome kids. In her free time, she loves reading, hiking, long drives, and crafting. Her daughter Myklin has been a part of the DDU family since 2021. Her daughter Madysen and Michael joined in 2023. She has enjoyed watching her kids grow in their skills and confidence. Since Amanda was little, she has wanted to be the football and dance mom. She is so grateful to do all of that and more!

STAFF