Tara Klamm
Director/Instructor
Tara Klamm is originally from the Kansas City, MO area, where she began dancing at the age of 2 at White Oak Dance Academy. After taking several years off to try gymnastics, she began her classical ballet training at age 12 under Melissa Morris of Blue Springs Ballet Centre. She was a member of the pre-professional Blue Springs Ballet Company for 3 years, performing in many works including the Nutcracker and Cinderella. She attended summer intensive workshops with Irina Lebedeva and Dmitri Roudnev of Ballet Intensive from Moscow. While in high school, she taught ballet for over 2 years at Center Stage Performing Arts in Odessa, MO.
She attended Belhaven College in Jackson, MS and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology in 2008. At Belhaven she also studied ballet and modern dance under Stephen and Britta Wynne and Laura Morton. During her time in college, she worked in a performing arts medicine clinic, dealing primarily with the treatment and prevention of dance injuries. In the spring of 2009, she began Radiance Ballet Ministry, teaching ballet classes with a Christian emphasis. She has also taught at Kaleidoscope Dance Academy since 2009. She completed the teachers' intensive training course at Ballet Magnificat in 2011 and 2020.
She married her wonderful husband, Matt, in 2005. They have three beautiful daughters who are all little aspiring ballerinas! They are members of First Baptist Church Centerton and love serving the Lord together!
Allie Cease
Instructor
Allie Cease is originally from Bentonville, AR and started dancing at the age of 3. She trained in ballet for about 17 years, studied tap for 2 years and jazz for 2 years.
She has attended several dance conventions including one from Oklahoma Dance Masters Association. Allie has trained in the Cecchetti method under Beth Hickman and Kristina Morrison. She has taken and passed Grades 1, 2, and 3 of Cecchetti. She has also trained in the Vaganova method in her most recent years under Tara Klamm.
In December of 2013 Allie received an Associate of Arts Degree from NorthWest Arkansas Community College and in May of 2016 received a 2-year Ministerial Training Certificate from Rhema Bible Training College. Allie now resides in the Northwest Arkansas region with her husband. They welcomed a new baby girl named Madelyn in April 2020.
Cailey Funkhouser
Instructor
Cailey Funkhouser is from Decatur, Arkansas and began dancing at the age of 12. She studied jazz and lyrical for 3 years. At the age of 15, she took her first ballet class. Cailey has studied under Mrs. Tara Klamm and began teaching at Radiance in 2018. In addition to dancing, she enjoys creating art, being outdoors, and spending time with family.
Cailey graduated from John Brown University in May 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Art and Illustration and a Minor in Graphic Design. She hopes to one day have her own art studio where she can offer lessons to children and adults. Whether through creating art or teaching ballet, she seeks to bring God glory through all that she does.
Claire Bowden
Instructor
Claire Bowden is from Centerton, Arkansas and started dancing at the age of 4. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and modern dance over the past 15 years. She has trained under Mrs. Tara for the past 5 years.
Claire enjoys quality time with family and friends whether that’s a night in watching movies or going out for a hike and a swim! She currently works as a barista at The Wicked Bean and is a vocal student at the School of Rock in Bentonville.
Brenna & Amber Casey
Co-Instructors
Brenna Casey was born and raised in NWA. She has studied classical ballet under Mrs. Tara Klamm for 5 years and has assisted in several beginner classes.
She has been homeschooled and graduated high school in 2021.
She is currently a manager at Chick-fil-A. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and is involved in the children’s ministry at her church. She is excited to continue glorifying God through teaching ballet.
Amber Casey was born and raised in NWA. She has been homeschooled and will be graduating in Spring 2022. She has been dancing with Mrs. Tara for 7 years at Radiance Ballet and is grateful to use dance to glorify God.
She is currently a part-time nanny and, in her free time, enjoys gardening and spending time with her family and friends.
