Courtney Allyson Mills (she/her/hers) has over 25 years of dance education, freelance choreography and consulting experience within several facets of the performing arts. A graduate of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida, Ms. Mills holds a Master of Arts in Performance Psychology from National University and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. She also earned a Specialized Certification in Teaching Social-Emotional Learning from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Courtney was the inaugural Modern/Contemporary Dance teacher at the Center for Visual & Performing Arts in Arlington, Texas. She created a modern/contemporary dance program servicing all six high schools in the district. Mills was named “Teacher of the Year” in 2023. Previously, Ms. Mills taught dance, yoga, and AVID at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora, Colorado, creating the Smoky Hill Dance Collective. She additionally served as the Director of Dance at Bowie High School in Austin, Texas where she was named “Teacher of Promise” in 2015.
Currently, Courtney is contracted through Superior Performances as an instructional coach and professional development facilitator for dance educators in Texas.
A Carolina Crown alumni, Courtney is proud to have been on staff at Crown, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Crossmen, The Academy, and Troopers. Ms. Mills has served as a choreographer for both color guard and horn line, production specialist, technician, visual co-captionhead, and design team member.
Mills has worked with many notable drum corps, marching bands and winter guard/percussion/winds programs Her focus is always creating a safe space for students to understand choreography, movement, and performance. She continues to work with marching bands, color guards, drill teams, and dance programs as a choreographer, clinician, performance consultant, production specialist, and instructional coach.
Courtney frequently provides lectures, webinars, and professional development to a variety of organizations. Most recent, she worked with a team at USA Gymnastics to create curriculum specific to new coaches. ‘Professionalism for Novice Coaches’ is a pilot training program that launched in the Spring of 2023. Other speaking engagements/lectures
include; Vivace Education, USBands, Nightbeat, CrownLIVE, CWEA, NTCA, TCGC, Superior Performances, and Texas Dance Educators Association.
She is the Director of Education for Michael Rosales’ The Breakdown, working with band directors, visual technicians, and collegiate music education majors in understanding how to teach, clean, and create marching band choreography.
Ms. Mills has the distinct honor as a lead broadcaster for the Box5 Media live stream of Bands of America marching band regionals throughout the country.
A seasoned explorer, Courtney loves the mountains, hiking, and nature, as well as anything sports-related. Her favorite things include her cat Ugly Betty, too many plants, macaroni and cheese, her brilliant close circle of friends, and her supportive family. When she is not traveling for work, Courtney loves gardening, potato-ing, or watching the latest true crime series.
“Don’t wait for it…create a world, your world. Alone. Stand alone. Create. And then the love will come to you, then it comes to you.”
Anais Nin
Performance Consult
Performance Consulting is the process of assisting students/athletes’ approach to their craft with confidence and consistency. Creating a safe space for students to truly understand how to practice with an understanding of the stressors that will be present during performances. Within the realm of scholastic fine arts, students are being asked to *perform* with expressive qualities that highlight the emotional context established within each project. Performance Consulting empowers your students to become more comfortable and excited to bring consistent and confident performance to their craft, elevating your whole program.
Education Coach
Often times coaches and educators are not provided proper training of HOW to teach the content they are teaching/ coaching. Positive and cohesive methods of teaching/ coaching are imperative to the physical and mental well-being of the performers/ athletes. Education coaching involves observation and one-on-one work with the teacher/ coach to create a safe and productive environment for all students and coaches.
Choreography
Choreography is the creation of movement through musicality and thematic overtones. My choreographic services range from marching bands, percussion and winds groups, drill teams, dance companies, and color guards. My approach to creating choreography is personalized to each group I work with. My focus has been and always will be creating movement opportunities that work through differing effort qualities, weight shift, and nuance. Depending on need, choreography can be provided through in-person visits and/or video. Choreography should acompany expressive and musical facets, as well as, an understanding of basic dance elements though technique and alignment.
Visual Production
Visual Production is a process of creating effective moments using musicality, creativity, and expression to produce stunning visual moments through movement, staging, and performance. This in-person service give each program cohesiveness from a thematic perspective for the most effective outcome. Visual production is not just making a moment, its teaching students the nuance of each moment so they can fully perform with the outcome of the effect in mind
Movement and Performance Masterclass
Movement and Performance Masterclasses are particularly beneficial to new movers. Through the process of creative movement, improvisation, choreography, and exercises to assist performers in maximizing their understanding of what it means to perform in their own moving body. Movement and Performance Masterclasses are an in-person experience. These classes are a maximum of 3.5 hours and can be combined with choreography sessions.
Speaking Engagements & Professional Development
Past Presentations include:
- Body Positivity
- Creating a Safe Space
- Healthy, Positive Culture = Community
- Training the Performer. Training the Mind
- Increasing Numbers in Your Program
- Coaching Social Emotional Learning, Through Physicality
- Relationships Build Culture, Culture Builds Successful Programs
- Teaching the kids you have... not the kids you want.
- Professionalism for Novice Coaches
Creative Services
As a neurodivergent female in a primarily male-dominated activity, I pride myself on providing a vastly different perspective that can assist in creating one-of-a-kind ideas.
Often my creative thoughts present themselves as ways to fulfill an audience’s need for an emotional attachment to a moment, an effect, or an entire production. My creative services can be used in a myriad of ways. I can provide assistance with design, production, show concept, rewrites, or an extra set of eyes. I’d love to be of help to you and your program!
Custom Movement Warm Up
Custom Movement Warm-Ups are primarily for marching band, winds, and percussion. Each warm-up is designed and taught either in-person or via video. Utilizing thematic ideas for particular show concepts and movement motifs, each warm-up is crafted to improve your students ability to understand their own body-responsibility, as well as work on technical ideas of movement.
Broadcasting, Emcee & Announcing
Testimonials
Jeff Johnson
Clements High School
Band Director
John Alstrin
Prosper ISD
Fine arts director
"Having worked with Courtney Mills on large scale, creative collaborations, I can attest to the fact that her experience, wisdom, and awareness are second only to her commitment to artistry and profound human relationships. Courtney brings life wherever she goes and has a way of pulling students and fellow teachers into the creative process of design and performance. She does this with a sincerity and authenticity that comes from having been a versatile performer herself. Her pedigree, background, and vast experiences in pageantry and education have given her an undeniable foundation and vantage point that essentially guarantee massive impact, regardless of the medium or setting she finds herself in."
John Meehan
composer/arranger clinician/ educator
"Courtney possess that unique ability to adapt to the program she is working with, and make it feel like a longtime relationship, even on day one! Her energy and enthusiasm is genuine and infectious, and I always feel more confident about myself when working alongside her."
"Courtney taught me and my organization for many years, and it was something special every time she was with us. She has an incredible ability to understand the ensemble's needs and how to provide for them. Courtney's presence would turn bad days into great ones, and on more than one occasion she changed the trajectory of our season for the better."
""I had the pleasure of being under the direction of Courtney Allyson Mills at the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from 2019-2021. Courtney without a doubt was the most influential educator I had throughout my marching career. In working with her, she not only taught us fundamentals and important aspects of performing and being a performer. She also instilled a confidence that went further than just the marching arts. She taught me what it feels like to be comfortable in my skin and embraced who I am as person which carried over into many different aspects of performing. As a young performer, educators and mentors like Courtney are very rare. In my time with Courtney, I always felt empowered and uplifted to do and be my best. Any student or organization that gets the opportunity to work with Courtney are in for a treat!"
Jason Robb
jrobbdesigns
"Courtney Mills is a such a positive IMPACT educator and designer in our activity, the presence she brings to any team creatively and to empower performers is second to none. Any organization that collaborates with her will see immediate and long term benefits in their students and staff alike. I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone looking to spark that extra something in their organization."
Jeff johnson
Clements High School
Head Band Director
“Courtney Mills is much more than a choreography consultant for the Clements Band. Her willingness to guide our students through a visual program using fundamental exercises, detailed instruction, and a healthy dose of hilarity has made her an invaluable mentor and colleague for the Clements Band team. Our students love her and look forward to every clinic that she does because she connects with them. Courtney has also helped me develop as a teacher in many ways, not only relating to movement, but also in how I think about visual design. With her diverse background in all facets of our activity, Courtney Mills is an incredible resource for any director looking to develop their visual program.”
Kaleb Schumann
educator/ consultant/ Leadership expert
“Courtney Allyson Mills is an educator and mentor like I have never seen before. Her perspective, experience, and expertise are absolutely second to none. With success in the classroom, on stage, on the gym floor, in a stadium, and in the broadcast booth, nearly any group of students or educators could benefit from her experience!
There are few educators that have the unique combination of skill, knowledge, and ability to communicate to large groups of students effectively. Courtney is absolutely one of the teachers that has excelled in every setting. From working in the dance world on the most technical detail or working with a team of leaders on the philosophy of awareness, her teaching tool box is full of strategies to help nearly any group of students or educators!
For those looking to improve their organization, leadership team, or personal teaching philosophy, they need not look further than this professional. A quality human through and through with wisdom to share, I cannot over-recommend the professional experience of Courtney Allyson Mills!”
Rick valenzuela
Former Corps Director
SCV and Phantom Regiment
“I've had the pleasure of working with Courtney since 2002, when she first joined our team as a color guard technician at Santa Clara Vanguard. Since then, she has continued to grow and develop her skills and has become an invaluable educator when she was with me at Phantom Regiment and currently at USBands.
Courtney's expertise extends far beyond color guard technique. She is an incredibly talented choreographer and visual consultant with a keen eye for detail. She can work with performers of all ages and skill levels, and is adept at communicating effectively with everyone she works with, whether it's students, directors, or administrators. Her ability to connect with people and bring out the best in them is truly remarkable.
What sets Courtney apart, however, is her commitment to lifelong learning and self-improvement. She constantly seeks new techniques and approaches to help her students and colleagues achieve their full potential. Her passion for what she does is infectious, and her energetic presence in any room is truly inspiring.
In short, I cannot recommend Courtney highly enough. She is a talented and dedicated professional who brings out the best in everyone she works with. Anyone who has the opportunity to work with her is fortunate, and I feel privileged to have her on my team”
Dr. Daniel belongia
professor of music Director of bands
arkansas tech university
“Courtney Mills represents the best possible combination of brilliant creative collaborator and responsible professional educator with whom I’ve ever worked! Her students always achieve at the highest level possible while being carefully supported and nurtured as performers and humans. I look forward to every opportunity to work with her and encourage anyone to make her a part of your team immediately!!!”
Annie pelka
color guard director
“I have had the pleasure of working with Courtney in many different situations. She is a complete professional in our field, however, her deeply human nature creates a relaxed environment. All of my students just melt into working with her on all levels of performance. She has a way of speaking to them that enhances all the big points of marching arts artistry- communication, clarity, authenticity, risk-taking, and excellence. Let her transform your program- the confidence your students gain will be worth every penny”
Stephanie Chavez
Friendswood High School
Color Guard Director
“As a former student- Courtney creates such a natural and inviting environment, making you feel safe and free. As a collaborator, creator, consultant, co worker, she is a natural at providing a collaborative space during the creative process where we can all inspire and be inspired.”
Kristopher quaale
educator/ designer/ visual specialist/ adjudicator
“Courtney Allyson Mills has been an incredible colleague and mentor since we first met each other in 2004. I have worked with Courtney in a number of various roles including being on the visual staff together at Richland High School (where we made Grand Nationals Finals in 2005), utilizing her dance instruction to set a foundation for movement with my students during my time as a band director in Texas, and being a creative and inspiring consultant in the pageantry activity (both in the marching band and winterguard worlds).
Courtney cares deeply about her work and is one of the most passionate educators I have ever known. She will take the time to understand where you and your program are, will listen to your goals, and then create a thoughtful and achievable plan to set you on a course to get you where you want to go. She will treat you, your staff, and your students as if you are her only client, and you will see growth in ways you would not have imagined.
Her creativity and out-of-the box thinking will take your design team to the next level. Her approach to show concepts and how to connect students with their audience will push the limits of what you thought was possible, and you will see results that will be both inspiring and rewarding for you and your students.
Courtney's diverse background continues to provide her clients with a wide range of support in other ways that are not choreography or design-based. Her education in social and emotional learning allows her to connect with students of all ages and abilities that will not only make them better at movement but bring out their best qualities as people. You and your program will see growth well beyond the field and gym, and her impact will last a lifetime.”
Jennifer Hagen
educator/ dancer
“I had the privilege of working with Courtney Mills at Bowie High School her first year serving as Head Dance Director of the Dance Department and Silver Stars Dance Team. In this year I saw Ms. Mills jump in and embrace her new role with curiosity and passion that was unmatched. She is truly a gifted educator and endlessly creative. Her students were drawn to her approach and began to thrive in ways they had not previously. Ms. Mills has a way of empowering and engaging with students that makes them feel comfortable to explore all the benefits and joy that dance provides. She is one of the most inspiring and impressive people I have ever worked with.”
