Meet our Coaches

Armstrong Dance Team is proud to have a robust coaching staff that spans two seasons. Both the Fall Performance Dance Team and Winter Competitive Dance Team have a talented coaching staff, outlined below!

Fall Performance Dance Team Coaches

Fall Dance Team Head Coach - Kate Nilsen
Kate Nilsen was the Assistant Coach for the Fall Armstrong Dance Team since the fall of 2020-2023 and is excited to be the Head Coach again this year! She was on the Armstrong Dance Team for her 4 years of high school, and loved the program so much she couldn't leave it behind. Kate has been involved with dance for the past 18 years and loves having this environment to implement her passions for choreography, dance, and team building with the Armstrong Dance Team. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. She loves to spend time with her dog, cook, go to the gym, and binge watch TV shows in her free time. She is looking forward to another wonderful season with the Armstrong Dance Team! 
Fall Dance Team Assistant Coach - Kat Cannon
Kat Cannon is a proud alumni of the Armstrong Dance Team. We are happy to have her return as part of the Fall coaching staff. 
Katherine could not be more excited for this new position. She was a member of the Armstrong dance team for 4 years while being named captain her senior year. She recently graduated from Mankato State University with a degree in ethnic studies and minor in dance, while being a 4 year member of the Maverick Dance Team earning 5 National Titles. She is now going into her second season as a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader and could not be more excited to assistant coach the fall Armstrong Dance Team. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and being with her dog Kobe and can’t wait to be back in the home of the falcons! ​

Winter Competition Dance Team Coaches

Head Varsity Coach- Anna Pearson
Anna is entering her fifth year of coaching ADT, and her first year as Head Coach. She has been dancing since the age of 4, and her favorite style was always tap. She was a five-year member of the Spring Lake Park Dance Team, going to state with the team twice. Anna was also involved in theatre in high school, participating as a featured dancer and choreographer in six musicals. She graduated from Bethel University in May 2024 with degrees in psychology and journalism, and currently works in social media.


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Assistant Varsity Coach - Kadance Gordon

Kadance started dancing at age 8 at Arabesque School of Dance, later transitioning to dance with Spring Lake Park Dance Team in high school. She was a six-year member and senior captain of SLPDT, two-time All-State Kick, two-time All-Conference, and a five time state participant. Kadance danced at the collegiate level with the University of Western Michigan as a freshman, competing at NDA nationals in both jazz and spirit rally. This is her third year coaching ADT. Kadance is currently a senior at the University of Minnesota studying construction management.
Assistant Varsity Coach -Rachel Enerson

Rachel grew up dancing both jazz and kick styles, and was a two-year captain and state participant with the Byron Dance Team. She has kept active in the world of dance through choreography and guest judging competitions, and is entering her fourth season coaching ADT. Rachel currently works in marketing/advertising in Minneapolis, and spends her free time traveling with family and exploring the outdoors.
​JV Coach - Melody Swanson
Melody has been dancing since age 3, where she trained at a local studio in jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop. She was a six-year member of the Becker Dance Team and continued dancing at the collegiate level at St. Catherine University for four years. This is Melody’s fifth year coaching high school dance team, and her second season with ADT. She currently works as a manager at Caribou Coffee.
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Assistant JV Coach - Daja Lucas

Daja is a first year coach with ADT! She danced for three years with the Coon Rapids Dance Team and cheered for Drake University’s Division I Cheer Team. Daja graduated from Drake University in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in software development and design, and currently works as an IT support technician. She is also experienced in graphic design and photography.
Assistant JV Coach - Selah Vaughn

Selah has been dancing since she was 5, and grew up training and competing at Summit Dance Shoppe for seven amazing years. She also danced with the Wayzata Dance Team for a season. She studied nursing at Minnesota State Mankato, and doubled up with minors in physiology and dance education. Last year, she had the privilege of dancing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and this year she’s fired up to jump into coaching, keep growing, and make room for new adventures and travel!