Our Teaching Philosophy
INSPIRE. EQUIP. EXPRESS.
At Pursuit School of Dance, we exist to inspire dancers to pursue their dreams through excellent training and artistic expression.
We believe strong technique and creativity grow best in an environment that encourages both discipline and joy. Our classes challenge dancers to develop their skills while building confidence, resilience, and a love for the art of dance.
We are committed to equipping students with excellent training while also giving them the space to explore movement, develop artistry, and express themselves authentically.
Above all, we believe dance is meant to be experienced in community. Through shared classes, rehearsals, and performances, dancers learn to support one another as they grow both as artists and as individuals.
MEET OUR TEAM
Michaela & Brandon McAlpine
Owner / Artistic Director & Instructor
Michaela started dancing at the age 9 and she quickly fell in love with the art of ballet. After studying ballet and performing for 10 years she took an opportunity at a local dance studio and discovered her passion to teach. She now has over 14 years experience teaching, choreographing and directing. As her love for the performing arts grew over the years, a dream to open a studio of her own was birthed. Pursuit began in 2019 with only a dream and 3 dancers. Pursuit exists to inspire dancers to pursue their dreams, equip them with a quality dance education and to give them a platform to express all that is on the inside of them.
Brandon is incredibly talented at developing and inspiring individuals and has an infectious joy that follows him. He grew up on the stage singing and acting; he loved musical theater and attended a performing arts school during middle school. Over the years, his love for the arts also expanded into music and media production. He led worship, played bass and guitar as well as ran camera, sound and lighting for several ministries. He performs with the Tennessee Valley Players and you may recognize him as Benny Southstreet from their recent production of Guys and Dolls!
Michaela and Brandon met at ministry school where they studied ministry and performing arts. They fell in love and relocated to Knoxville in 2017 to help launch Resting Place Church. They are on staff as the Kids and Youth Pastors. Both Michaela and Brandon live with a passion to help individuals discover their God given purpose and empower them to pursue it with excellence. Their ultimate goal for Pursuit is to create an encouraging environment where students and adults of all ages can purse their dreams and become everything they were created to be.
Abby Dill
Studio Manager & Instructor
Abby has been dancing since she was two years old and has been teaching since 2019. She can’t remember a time when dance wasn’t a part of her life. After years of training in ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, musical theatre, tap, ballroom, Scottish Highland, and Israeli Folk Dance, Abby discovered her greatest joy is helping others experience the confidence, creativity, and community that dance provides.
Since joining the Pursuit School of Dance family in 2021, Abby has loved being part of a studio known for its excellence, kindness, and Christ-centered community. In addition to teaching, Abby serves as our Studio Manager, where she enjoys connecting with families, supporting our instructors, and helping create a welcoming experience for every dancer who walks through our doors.
Abby is passionate about creating a safe, encouraging environment where students can learn, grow, thrive, express themselves, and develop the gifts God has given them. She is honored to be part of each dancer’s journey and looks forward to cheering them on every step of the way.
Addison Smith
Instructor & Company Soloist
Addison Smith is from Knoxville, TN, and has been dancing for over 13 years. She has a passion for the arts, and desires to help students grow not only in their technique, but also in their confidence and their love for dance. Addison began dancing in 2010 and has been at Pursuit since the beginning. She has also trained with Unity Dance, Dance Revolution, and Ballet Magnificat. You may recognize her from several roles she performed in our productions including, Cinderella (Sleeping Beauty) the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker), Fairy Godmother (Cinderella), the White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland). She desires to honor the Lord with everything she does, and believes that dance is just one of the amazing ways to glorify Him. Psalm 149:3 says, "Let them praise His name with dance!"
Shelby Davenport
Instructor & Company Soloist
Shelby will be teaching Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary this season! She started dancing at the age of nine and her passion for the art form has grown immensely since then. Shelby has trained in various styles of dance including ballet, lyrical/contemporary, jazz and tap. She has been dancing at Pursuit since 2021 and you may recognize her from the several roles she performed in past productions, including The Lilac Fairy (Sleeping Beauty), Cinderella (Cinderella), Dew Drop (The Nutcracker), Alice (Alice in Wonderland), the Enchantress/Rose Soloist (Beauty and the Beast), the Ghost of Christmas Present (A Christmas Carol), and Tiger Lily (Peter Pan). In 2023, she also attended and performed at Dance Revolution’s Convention in Winston Salem, NC. Through teaching, Shelby desires to help students discover and develop their God-given talents.
Ameilya will be teaching Adv Contemporary and Jazz this Spring and we are thrilled for her to be joining the Pursuit team! She has danced for over 15 years and is trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, hip hop and contemporary. Contemporary is her favorite style of dance because of the intersection between skill and emotion within the art. She grew up dancing most days out of the week and taught at her studio as an instructor assistant for dancers ages 3-5. When attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for her business undergrad, she was a part of a student dance organization called BOSS. While in the organization, she participated as a dancer and student choreographer while working with eighty other dancers. Dance is an art form she has had in her life since she was a child and has found the community to be an integral part of her life as a source of expression and fulfillment.
Ameilya Hundley
Instructor