Our Amazing Rise Tumbling Staff

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Melody Tappe has over 30 years experience in dance and tumbling, 20 years in Stunting, 8 years in trampoline and double mini, 5 years in Acro tumbling, as well as 18 years experience in early childhood development. Melody founded Rise Academy of Arts in April of 2018. Since then she has won many accolades with her students and athletes, having the opportunity to travel from the west coast to the east coast for various events and competitions. (Energy elite New York for winning a special award for "Wake Up" (Dance/Acro Stunting and Tumbling routine), Florida for Nationals (T& T), Las Vegas for Regionals (T&T) and many more). Melody is a renowned certified trampoline and tumbling coach, a dancer, choreographer and a former competitive dancer. She spent her younger years ice skating, tumbling, and competing in dance companies across Washington state. Melody was on her high school drill/dance team, (which helped her obtain her UDA All Star placement), she coached a competitive cheer team, and was an advanced dance company member also teaching younger students. After obtaining a full scholarship Melody was severely injured in an accident that stopped her from continuing her competitive career. Though with her love and passion for the arts she found another way. Upon her graduation she began teaching at a dance studio in Spokane, working with students 2-Adult. She is a mother of three girls. One a tumbler and one a dancer (the third is a brand new baby). Melody has always enjoyed working with children. She loves it so much she opened Rise for her own kiddos and she continues to run the gym even though she has moved to Arizona. (She is still actively coaching our team via video and will check in on her recreational kids for tips and tricks every now and then)

Harmony Wertz has 15 years experience in cheer and tumbling, and 8 years experience in Trampoline & Double Mini. Harmony has been a youth and high school cheerleader (Sideline and competition), a competitive All-Star Cheerleader, competitive T&T gymnast and has been teaching youth athletes for four years. Coach Harmony is currently residing in Arizona and travels to Washington and to T&T meets to help assist our competition team.