The Hillsteads

Adison & Hailey Hillstead are a husband and wife dancing duo with combined teaching, competitive and performance experience of over 30 years and are both national champion dancers and former/current touring performers. They have performed around the world with the Clog America Folk Dance Ensemble based out of Salt Lake City and have toured all over the country as professional entertainers with Powerhouse Percussive Dance out of Southern California. Their most memorable dance moments were dancing for celebrity judges on season 8 of America’s Got Talent together, winning National MVP A Capella Duet side-by-side in 2021 and performing with their studio for Disney in 2016 and 2022. Although both Hailey and Adison pursued degrees in science (HAILEY- Geology with emphasis in Volcanology/Horticulture ADISON- EMT/Fire Science/ASL) they switched directions; very quickly being drawn back to the thing they loved more than anything- DANCE. The Hillsteads each grew up competing at clogging competitions throughout the Western states, taking workshops and attending conventions and classes in other dance forms and now share a deep love of dance, teaching, performing and choreographing for Ground Control Dance Studio, and for National clogging studios and competitors across the US.

The Hillsteads have a 14 year old who loves cheer, a 3 year old who is obsessed with learning GCS and MJ routines and a new little addition born August 2025.

BOOK THE HILLSTEADS FOR PRIVATE LESSONS, CHOREOGRAPHY OR WORKSHOPS HERE

ADISON HILLSTEAD

Adison grew up in Evanston, WY where his passion for dance was quickly realized at a young age. His natural ability to adapt quickly to harder footwork and technique took him to dance studios from Wyoming to Utah and drove his motivation for competitive clogging. In his youth, Adison had the opportunity to go on tour to San Diego/Catalina Island, Branson, and New York, and even got to try his fast footwork on the Radio City Music Hall Stage. Adison joined the Clog America Folk Dancing Ensemble at the age of 15 and had already traveled to 10 different countries as a performer by the age of 19. Adison was briefly a cheerleader for his high school, and in college while pursuing degrees in fire science/EMT, Adison joined hip hop and ballroom dancing teams and competed in hip hop as an adult. On top of directing GCS with wife Hailey, Adison is the new Artistic Director for Stomp It Out Studio in Heber City, Utah.

Adison currently tours seasonally with Myrtle Beach based all-mens clogging team ALL THAT and has been a performer for Disney and Celebrity Cruise Lines since 2016. He is a proud member of the America On Stage National Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Ring of Glory as well as the America On Stage Legacy Award. Adison recently had a special feature on season one episode two of Game of Talents on Fox with ALL THAT! He is the proud father to Lexi Lyn, Jett Hudson, and Revan James, and enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends, while staying active with mountain biking and competitive clogging and power tap.

HAILEY HILLSTEAD

Hailey grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho and has been dancing since the nineties; taking classes and workshops in Clogging, Irish Step Dancing, Tap, French Canadian, American Folkdance, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Ballroom in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon and has been a dance choreographer since the age of 16 producing routines for competitors, teams, pageant winners, musical theatre productions, soloists and intensives. Hailey competed clogging across the west coast in Idaho, Utah, Arizona and California. While going to school in Portland, OR, Hailey was a member of Portland's in.GAUGE Dance Company’s hip hop team, and portrayed Marzipan Elf for the Portland Sugarplum Elves for four years. While in Portland, Hailey also started her own performance clogging troupe Eclectic Rhythm (2011-2013) consisting of her and three other dancers and dedicated her time in the PNW to connecting with more percussive dancers across the greater Portland Metro area.

Hailey is a choreographer for the America On Stage All Around Solo Committee with choreography performed and competed by hundreds of dancers on the America On Stage competition stage every year! Her first love is choreography and is often found pouring her heart into projects, routines and shows for her dancers. Hailey is the creative and productive brains behind all things at Ground Control Studio and is passionate about providing a fun, safe and inclusive space for all dancers who walk through the studio doors. She has been a guest judge for local pageants and competitions in Twin Falls and is a thespian in her free time; having performed with several theaters in Portland, Oregon and Southern Idaho. Recently, Hailey has been spotted acting in many local commercials broadcasted across the Magic Valley (Rinard Media). On top of running Ground Control Studio full time, Hailey is also a certified Floral Designer (Portland Floral Design Institute Graduate) and has a wedding floral business, Desert Rose Floral Artistry. She also prides herself in her roles as step and mom to three incredible kiddos!

ACHIEVEMENTS

HAILEY & ADISON:

Season 8 America's Got Talent Celebrity Judge Audition (not aired) - 2012
Choreographers for Mask & Mirror Theatre Co (Portland, OR) - 2012 - 2013
Voted Best Dance Lesson Studio by the Times News Best of Bridal - 2019
Voted Best Family Fitness by the Times News Reader's Choice Awards - 2020
Modern Woodsmen of America Hometown Hero Award (Twin Falls, ID) - 2020
National A Cappella MVP Duet Champions - 2021
Platinum Top Ten National Clogging Directors of the Year (SLC, UT) - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Gold Top Fifteen National Dance Directors of the Year (SLC, UT) - 2025
Featured Guest Instructors for the National Texas Clogging Coalition (Waco, TX) - 2026

ADISON:

Wyoming State Male Freestyle Champion - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Touring Clog America USA Representative (SLC, UT) - 2002 - 2006
Co-Director/Team Choreographer of the High Country Cloggers (Evanston, WY) - 2003 - 2005
National Male Freestyle MVP Champion - 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2022
America On Stage National Hall of Fame Inductee - 2008
Touring Powerhouse Percussive Dance Performer (Anaheim, CA) - 2011 - 2017
Clog Dancer for Eclectic Rhythm (Portland, OR) - 2012 - 2013
Idaho State Male Freestyle Champion - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021
Performance/Competition Director/Instructor of Ground Control Studio- 2014 - Present
Choreographer for TFHS JIVE Show Choir - 2015 - 2025
Cruise Ship Performer and Touring Clog Dancer for ALL THAT! (Myrtle Beach, NC)- 2016 - Present
America On Stage Dance Judge (SLC, UT) - 2017 - Present
America On Stage Ring of Glory Award - 2018
Featured Performer On Season 1 of Game of Talents hosted by Wayne Brady (Fox) - 2020
America On Stage Legacy Award - 2022
Artistic Director for Stomp It Out Studio (Heber City, Utah) - 2025

HAILEY:

Rocky Top Cloggers Dancer of the Year (Now HEART OF GROUND CONTROL AWARD)- 1998
Touring Clog America USA Representative (SLC, UT) - 2005 - 2009
Co-Director/Team Choreographer of Rocky Top Dance Studio (Twin Falls) - 2006-2009
National A Cappella MVP Champion - 2009
Touring Powerhouse Percussive Dance Performer (Anaheim, CA) - 2009 - 2017
Artistic Director of Eclectic Rhythm (Portland, OR)- 2011 - 2013
Hip Hop Dancer for iN.GAUGE Dance Co. (Portland, OR) - 2013
Idaho State A Cappella Champion - 2009 & 2016
Owner/Artistic Director/Instructor of Ground Control Studio- 2014 - Present
Choreographer for TFHS JIVE Show Choir - 2015 - 2025
America On Stage Dance Judge (SLC, UT) - 2017 - Present
Modern Woodsmen of America Hometown Hero Award - 2022
Member/Choreographer for the America On Stage Solo Committee (SLC, UT) - 2023 - Present
Featured Hip Hop Instructor at River Rampage (Burley, ID) - 2024

As life-long dancers and performers, we are thrilled to grow our studio and to help raise up our dancers to become the next generation of performers and competitors. WE TAKE OUR JOB VERY SERIOUSLY and we value the life lessons dance teaches us. Our goal is to coach our dancers on proper dance technique and performance attitude from beginner to professional level and to help them fall in love with the arts. We encourage students to learn how to push themselves and sharpen their performance skills so they may gain the confidence they need to carry on their dance experiences at other institutions they may pursue after Ground Control Studio.

-Hailey and Adison Hillstead

DIRECTORS' MISSION STATEMENT

Contact

We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.

studiogroundcontrol@gmail.com

208-731-9092