Heather Hill

Studio Owner/Director, Ballet Instructor

Heather began dancing 30+ years ago under the instruction of Tom Irwin at Corvallis School of Ballet then later with Shelly Svoboda when it became Regional School of Ballet.  At the age of 11, she began to study with the Eugene School of Ballet under Toni Pimble, Riley Grannan, Susan Zadoff, and Sarah Lombardi.  She spent two winter seasons dancing the role of “Clara” on tour with the Eugene Ballet Company.  Her training as a dancer was not limited to Ballet, and included training in Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Character, and Partnering with summer dance intensives at Eugene Dance Pursuit, Ballet Aspen, Royal Winnipeg School of Ballet, and JoAnna Kneeland & Mary Price Boday’s Dance Kinesiology.  Heather worked for 10 years in the medical field as a Certified Medical Assistant and also a PT aide, working with specialists in orthopedics and physical medicine.  Her training there has developed her knowledge of body mechanics and how the body should move while dancing. While teaching, Heather has also continued her dance education and has participated in the David Howard teachers’ seminar. Heather continues to dance, when she has a chance, and will occasionally be seen performing on stage with her dancers.  Heather teaches many of the Ballet classes throughout the week, as well as working on the studio’s next big project. Heather feels that every dance instructor in her past has taken part in giving her a wonderful gift, one that she loves passing on to aspiring dancers. 

Kristin Miller

Ballet Instructor, Jazz Instructor, Contemporary Instructor, Barre Instructor, LDP Coach, 

Office Staff

Kristin started dancing when she was 3 years old and has loved it ever since. She started taking classes at Legacy Ballet when it first opened in 2008! Kristin graduated from West Albany High School and went on to get her B.S. in Exercise Science with a Minor in Dance from Western Oregon University. 

When she’s not at Legacy, Kristin works as an Exercise Physiologist in Cardiac Rehabilitation, coaches the South Albany High School Dance Team, and teaches fitness classes. 

Nikkita Butler

Ballet Instructor, Office Staff

Nikkita Butler began ballet lessons in 1997 at the Albany Dance Academy. She continued ballet, pointe, and jazz lessons at the Regional School of Ballet. In 2008, Nikkita followed Heather Hill to Legacy Ballet to continue her ballet training. While attending West Albany High School, Nikkita was part of the Hi-Steppers Dance Team from 2008-2011. Her Senior year, Nikkita was one of the Captains of the dance team and became a DDCA AllState recipient for the 5A AllState team in 2011. 

In college at BYU-Idaho, Nikkita continued her dance training in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz. She was part of the World Collegiate Dance Team and took classes in Philosophies and Techniques of Teaching Dance, History of Dance, Aerobic Fitness, and Nutrition. Since then, Nikkita has continued ballet lessons and teaching at studios over the years and is happy to be back at her Alma Mater. 

Rachel Bliege

Ballet Instructor

Rachel began her dance journey at just 3 years old, taking ballet classes with Albany Parks and Recreation. At age 8, she joined Legacy Ballet when the studio first opened. Over the years, Rachel has trained in a wide range of styles, including ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and modern. In 2018, she expanded her experience by participating in a Summer Intensive with Polaris Dance Company in Portland, where she explored even more diverse forms of movement.

Outside of dance, Rachel earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Development from Western Oregon University. She currently works in healthcare and aims to become a Pediatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, but her passion for teaching ballet and dancing remains strong.

Beth Spencer

Hip Hop Instructor, Tap Instructor, Office Staff

I started my dance career at the age of 5, training in jazz, tap, ballet, hiphop, acro, contemporary and lyrical. By 7 years old I was asked to join a performing company for my studio. As part of this group we traveled around taking on different dance competitions, conventions, performing at fairs and in parades. We performed the Nutcracker every Christmas at the Keller auditorium. We also performed at various Blazer game pre shows, and halftimes.

After my performing company days ended, my senior year of high school, I started assisting my high school dance team. I was an assistant dance coach for 10 years, all while raising my three kiddos and being a mom. I have made my way back to studio dance and I am so excited to teach the dance skills I have learned on the way!

Raechyl Rosen

Hip Hop Instructor, Tap Instructor, Adult Contemporary/Jazz/Ballet Instructor

Raechyl began dancing at age 8 and hasn’t looked back since. Having grown up in Eugene, she took classes in tap, hip hop, jazz, ballet, pointe, contemporary, musical theater, ballroom, and was on the competitive dance teams at her studio through out middle and high school. During high school, she was selected to be apart of a pre professional dance team that was acknowledged for its strong technical and performance skills at numerous competitions. In her senior year, she was the captain of her dance team. Raechyl, wanting to continue her dance education, attended Pacific University and graduated in 2025 with a BA in Dance. At Pacific, she found her passion for choreography and was selected to present work at the American College of Dance Associations 2025 Northwest Conference. Raechyl is excited to continue sharing her passion of dance through both teaching and choreographing.

Mary Salas

Tumbling Instructor

Mary began gymnastics at 8 years old, and started competing at age 10 at Tri County Gymnastics. Through high school she ran track & field, cross country, and worked her way up through level 8 gymnastics when an injury led her to quit competing. Mary has been coaching both recreational and competitive level gymnastics in the Albany/Salem area for the last 8 years. She went to college at Linn Benton and Oregon State University. Currently a full-time caregiver, she loves her dogs and beautiful bunny, Raven. She enjoys yoga, the outdoors, poetry, lifestyle photography, and modeling in her free time. A dream of Mary’s is to one day travel the 50 states in an RV.
She is a firm believer in taking each day as it comes and for now, is going with the flow!

Cassie Filley

Tumbling Instructor

Cassie has been tumbling and dancing since she was 6 years old. At the age of 8 she started dancing at Legacy Ballet and continued until graduating from South Albany High School. Throughout high school, she competed on both the cheer and dance team at South Albany High School. She became Captain on the cheer team her Sophomore year, and a Captain on the dance team her Senior year. She is currently attending Oregon State University, and is thrilled to stay a part of Legacy Ballet as an instructor.

Addison Nims

Office Staff

Addi started dancing at six years old and never looked back. She has performed in The Nutcracker many times and competed for Legacy Dance Project during her senior year. Minoring in dance at OSU, Addi keeps dance a major part of her life, Legacy being the heart of it all.

Athena DeVaul