Michelle Deets, President
Contact for questions regarding all IDTA policies as well as music compliance: michelledeets@idta.org
Michelle Deets is a retired Spanish teacher and former coach for the varsity dance team at Highland High School. Under her coaching direction at Highland, Deets boasted over 25 IDTA state titles in the Pom Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical categories, as well as 2 IHSA State titles. In 2011 Deets was named to the Illinois Drill Team Association Hall of Fame, which recognized her contributions as a coach and her leadership qualities. Deets has been a member of IDTA since 1992, and has served as the President of IDTA since 2008. She served as the IDTA Secretary for ten years prior to that. In 2016 Deets became a certified tabulator for IDTA. Deets currently serves as the head coach of the SIUE Division I Competitive Dance Team. Under the direction of Coach Deets, the team performs at campus, city and regional events, as well as NDA Nationals in the spring.
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Cyndi Kraemer, Vice President
Contact for questions regarding judge training, certification, supervision, and work assignments; performance related questions and questions regarding all IDTA contests: cyndikraemer@idta.org
Cyndi Kraemer first joined IDTA in 1988 as head coach for the MacArthur High School Silver Line Dance Team. During the 10 years that Cyndi was head coach, the team made 9 state appearances and placed in the Top 5 on 3 separate occasions. Upon coaching "retirement", Cyndi joined the IDTA judging team as an Execution and Floor Judge. She has served as an officer in the role of Judging Coordinator since 2006. Also in 2006, Cyndi was inducted into the IDTA Hall of Fame. Cyndi's dance training spans over 16 years and includes the areas of ballet, Pointe, jazz, modern, tap, and flag. Cyndi studied and performed with the Peoria Civic Ballet Company and was a member of the Illinois State University Dance Team as well as the ISU Dance Company. Besides judging across the state of Illinois, Cyndi has been a guest judge for the Missouri State Dance Finals, Dance Team Union, and Just For Kix. Cyndi is also a recognized dance official and clinician with the Illinois High School Association and has officiated the dance series since the inaugural series in 2013 and was also named the IHSA Dance Official of the Year for 2015.
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Erin Cotto, Team Membership Director
Contact for questions regarding membership/eligibility for all teams: erincotto@idta.org
Erin Cotto first became involved in IDTA as a competitor on her high school dance team. In 2005, she joined IDTA as the coach of Highland Middle School. She was the coach of the HMS Dance Team from 2005- 2018. During her 13 years as the middle school coach, her team earned 16 IDTA state titles in the Pom Dance, Jazz and Lyrical categories. In 2018, Erin took over the Highland Varsity Dance Team. As the varsity coach, the team has earned 2 IHSA sectional titles, an IHSA state 2nd place finish, 4 IDTA state titles, and AA Overall Grand Champion. Before becoming the Team Membership Director, Erin was a regional representative from 2016-2018. Erin is a 5th grade teacher at Highland Elementary and the current HHS Dance Team head coach. She lives in O’Fallon with her husband, Jaime, and two daughters.
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Alyssa Hudson, Communications Director
Contact for questions regarding IDTA website, social media, business sponsorships, and media inquiries: alyssahudson@idta.org
Alyssa Hudson first became involved with IDTA as a competitor on her high school dance team and began serving as an IDTA coach in 2008. She spent two seasons as an assistant varsity dance coach for Unity High School and then accepted a position as head coach for her alma mater at Villa Grove. In addition to coaching the varsity team at Villa Grove from 2010-2015, Alyssa also established the Villa Grove Junior High dance program in 2012 and coached the Parkland College dance team from 2013-2014. She returned to co-coach Villa Grove Junior High from 2018-2020. Her teams have earned seven state championship titles through IDTA as well as an IHSA sectional championship and a top three placement at IHSA finals. Alyssa has served in IDTA leadership positions since 2012 and serves as a General Effect judge. In 2016, she was honored to be inducted into the IDTA Hall of Fame. In addition to her dance positions, Alyssa works in Communications for the Illinois Senate, owns a home design and improvement business with her husband, and is the blogger/influencer behind The Honest Mama Blog. She and her husband, Clayton, reside in rural Urbana with their daughter, Everleigh.
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Katy Arnold, Treasurer
Contact for questions regarding IDTA finances (accounts payable and receivable) as well as IDTA coach email accounts: katyarnold@idta.org
Katy Arnold first joined IDTA in 2002 as head coach for the Clinton M-Squad Dance Team. Serving as the head coach for seven years, the team made six state appearances winning five state titles. During her time as coach, she was also a regional rep. In 2008, she was appointed as the IDTA Treasurer; and in 2010 after resigning from coaching, she became a certified Execution Judge and Floor Judge. Katy was inducted into the IDTA Hall of Fame in 2012. She has been a guest judge for Just for Kix and next year plans to become a certified dance official with the Illinois High School Association. Katy is a counselor at Clinton High School and coaches the Livestock Judging team. She is very active in her school district. She also volunteers and serves in various organizations in her community. Katy, along with their family dog Finnegan, resides in rural Clinton. She has two daughters: Grace, a senior at Oklahoma State University; and Isabelle, a freshman at Oklahoma State University.
Laura Evans, Secretary
Contact for questions regarding minutes of all board meetings and voting procedures: lauraevans@idta.org
Laura Evans started her journey with IDTA as a member of the Quincy Notre Dame Pom Pon Squad where they were State Champions in Pom as well as Dance. After high school, she attended Culver-Stockton College and was instrumental in starting the Classy Cats Dance team. After graduating with a degree in Athletic Training, she coached the Classy Cats from 2005-2007. Laura then returned to her alma mater and coached QND for 3 years competing in Class A Pom and Dance. Laura stepped away from coaching in 2010 and went back to school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant. It was at that time that she crossed over into the world of judging with IDTA. Laura is a certified General Effect and Floor Judge. She was blessed and honored to be inducted into the IDTA Hall of Fame in 2014, an honor she still feels unworthy of. Laura was a regional representative from 2014-2015 and has been the IDTA Secretary since 2015. When not busy with IDTA, she is a Physical Therapist Assistant, a dance instructor and competitive dance coach, Director of Religious Education at her church, group fitness instructor at the YMCA and most importantly a wife to Matt, and mommy to Makaylin, Charles, Brylee, and Catherine, and Samuel.
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