Opening our doors in September of 2008 was no easy feat. After our beloved dance instructor retired, we just knew that our community needed an environment for the art of dance to grow and flourish.
How that was to happen was unclear but an endeavor worth taking. Our children and accomplished area dancers deserved the best, so that was our direction and we moved forward "full steam ahead."
In the following years, we have learned much about the art form and hiring quality teachers to develop and grow our students. We realize that not every dancer wishes to become a primaballerina and many get joy just from the dance. Just as the audience loves to watch the performance, the dancer loves to perform. We offer many types of dance so that students find their "place" on the floor and stay there for years to come.
Why choose All About Dance?
The Floor
Dance is a physical & strenuous activity that requires jumping, landing and stomping. These activities put stress on bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide enough cushion, so the shock of dance movement can place a lot of pressure on the knees and back of a dancer. The best way to prevent against potential injury is by choosing a studio with a professional “floating floor.” The top layer of the dance floor is also an important factor. A vinyl floor is accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for dance from recreational to professional. Facilities such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Royal Academy of Dance in London,England and Riverdance - The Touring Show, all use Marley floors as their dance surface. Comparable to Marley, our floor allows dancers to slide, with a degree of “controlled slip," but is not slippery so there is less risk of falls. Very few studios use professional floors because of the expense involved, and usually opt for a regular floor tile as their floor. Come take a jump on our floor and see if you can feel the difference for yourself!
The Instructors
Many dance studios use instructors who have grown with the studio to teach entry level classes. Often times, those chosen to teach are teenagers. While they may be wonderful dancers and great with kids they are too inexperienced to be in charge of children. Even our entry level classes are taught by teachers with experience. While we encourage our experienced students to assist our instructors as a learning opportunity, you can be sure that your child will be taught by qualified, adult teachers.
We recognize that there is more to the art of dance than just the "performance." Many students find their strengths are in choreography, lyrical directing or even technique demonstration. We encourage our students to explore their gifts to the best of their ability in all areas of dance. Click Here for Instructor Bios.
The Curriculum
All About Dance invests in dance curriculum that has a progressive method to teaching proper dance techniques. While we recognize that "tricks" are good for an entertaining performance, we value the importance of proper technique in art of dance. We want our students to enjoy their time spent in class and be able to show family members that they are learning while they are practicing at home. We encourage our students to practice every day. Like any other sport, regular practice improves endurance and skills. Dance lessons are fun and educational at All About Dance!
The Music/The Moves
We evaluate the lyrics of all music used and can ensure that explicit material is not permitted in our classes. Chosen music and moves are always age appropriate and non-provocative!
The Students
Last, but certainly most important - we value people! We are glad you chose our studio and it shows. No favorites here! All students are expected to follow our house rules and be kind to each other and respect their teachers. Leave the "attitude" at the door (outside please). We are here to dance, after all, and we need to make the most of our short time together. We offer a non-competitive environment but expect everyone to give 100% while they are on the floor, no excuses!
TRINITY Dance Company
We found along this journey that offering a dance company would give those wishing to perform more that once a year the ability to do just that. Trinity was founded in 2010 and is a non-competitive company that performs for various venues throughout our community and beyond. If you or your event is looking for some entertainment, consider Trinity. Call us at 732-6230 or send us an email at allaboutdancellc@yahoo.com
Fees are optional - donations are welcome!
Ashley Couch
Ashley
has danced for 15 years at Viki Lynn’s School of Dance and is well
versed in Tap, Jazz, Acro, Ballet, Hip Hop and Tahitian. She has also
had 7 years of training at B & B Gymnastics in Enon. Ashley started
cheerleading in kindergarten and continued throughout high school,
making Varsity as a sophomore for both basketball & football until
she graduated in 2007.
After attending UCA Cheerleading Camp in 2006, she was chosen as one of
35 girls (out of 254) to perform in London, England at their New Year’s
Day Parade. Her senior project was on choreography and dance
instruction. She choreographed the high school talent show 4 years in a
row. She was also a student teacher at Viki Lynn’s for 2 years.
Ashley was one of our directors for our Summer Cheer/Dance Camp and did a
remarkable job with her students. So much that her students used her
choreography on the field in their cheer routines. She is excited to
start another season at All About Dance. She is also attending Sinclair
in pursuit of her degree in business.
Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).Morgan Duckro
Morgan is a joyous dancer who truly enjoys performing as much as
teaching the art of dance. Morgan started dancing at the Dayton Academy
in 1996 and progressed to Gloria Esposito’s School of Dance in 1998.
When the studio became Rene's School of Dance, Morgan’s talent became
apparent and she was asked to be student teacher. Morgan was teaching
her own classes by 2005 and discovered how much she loved being with the
children and sharing her love of dance. Morgan has taken dance
instruction at numerous dance conventions, Fred J. Miller, and Sinclair
Community College. She also belonged to the Wayne Warriorette Dance
Team for two seasons and was an officer her Senior year.
We are so glad to have Morgan on board with us at All About Dance. She
will inspire your child to truly love dance. Morgan is pursuing her
degree in Culinary Arts at Sinclair.
Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).J D Duncan
JD "Dance Fever" is a native Daytonian. He is a co-founder of the
popular dance group, DYT's Finest. During his first year at the
University of Dayton he became head choreographer and dance teacher for a
growing hip hop class offered there. He helps mentor and train students
and former dance crew members.
In his junior year, he established 2 more classes and he teamed up with
SMAG Dance Collective, which is a part of Dayton Contemporary Dance
Corporation (DCDC), as their hip hop specialist. JD is presently
training under Flex from Zulu Kings & Stanky D to take his skills to
the next level. Currently a member of a Dayton group, TWS Crew where he
serves as president and head choreographer and performs throughout
Ohio. JD's classes will be taught in choreographed routines which focus
on poppin', breakin', lockin' and krump. Classes will be taught each
move and then put in a routine in which students will be able to express
themselves with dance and gain knowledge about the hip hop culture.
Looking forward to to a great year with JD - sure to be a great addition to our team!
Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).Darla Kice, BA Dance Major
Darla started her dance career at the age of 6 and continued throughout
her college career, specializing and becoming a soloist in the ballet
theatre. She performed in the movie "Footloose" with Kevin Bacon and
oversaw an 80 piece dance team in Washington. She has taught dance at
various venues and choreographed several high school musicals.
Darla is a welcome addition to our studio and we look forward to a great year of learning with her!
Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).Leanna Rich, BFA Dance Major
Leanna began dancing at a young age. Starting with Dance Unlimited,
then progressing to Miss Annette's School of Dance, South Dayton Ballet
Academy, Reboulet School of Dance, Pontecorvo Ballet Studio and
eventually Gary Geis School of Dance, where she studied ballet, jazz,
tap, gymnastics, lyrical, and modern. Leanna studied privately with
Margarita Martinez and Rachel Carmazi to fine tune her ballet technique.
At the age of 15, she became a member of Ballet de Jeunesse, under the
direction of Barbara Pontecorvo. She appeared in performances such as
Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Firebird and Sleeping Beauty. At 17, she became a
member of Gary Geis Dance Company, where she danced in numerous
performances including the Clark State and University of Dayton Dance
Concerts. While working on her dance degree at Wright State University,
she studied with Jon Rodriguez, Suzanne Walker, Terri McWilli Gina
Walther, Laura Hinders, Patricia White, Tong Wang and Shelly Goodman.
During the summers of 2001 and 2002 she was employed by Paramount's
King's Island in the show "Nicktoons Summer Jam" and "Slim Time, The
Live Show." In 2003 she received a scholarship to Giordano Dance Center.
Later in 2003 she became a member of the Chicago Honey Bear Dancers and
then the Assistant Line Captain. She toured the United States and Far
East performing at military bases, fairs, festivals and corporate
events. After returning to Dayton to finish her dance degree she began
teaching at Oakwood Community Center, in the art of jazz, tap, cheer,
and tumble classes.
In 2006 she toured internationally as a dancer with Sesame Street Live
in "Elmo's Coloring Book." She eventually returned to Wright State and
graduated magna cum lade with a BFA in Dance. She has since married and
now has a little dancer of her own, Brenna. Leanna is very excited to
bring her love of dance to the next generation and hopes to pass on the
joy it brings to dancers of all ages.
Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).Kim Ticknor, BA Dev. Psychology
Kim, a Vandalia native, graduated from Otterbein College with a BA in
Developmental Psychology with a heavy concentration in dance.
Employed by the Dublin Dance Center in Columbus in all phases of the
organization – With over 1200 students, DDCC provides multiple
performance opportunities throughout the year, and proudly sends many
dancers on to study at the college level as well as professionally. She
had the pleasure of working with such noted professionals as Billy
Bruce, Bruce Terry, Kristina Isabel (of HiJinx dance) and Christina
Taylor.
Since returning to Vandalia, Kim has implemented and managed all aspects
of a successful preschool dance program at the Vandalia Recreation
Center. She also created and taught Jumping Beans, a developmentally
appropriate group time for children, which incorporates many
fundamentals of educational kinesiology into a toddler-centered play
group.
Additionally, Kim has served on the staff at Overfield Early Childhood
Program in Troy as their Creative Movement Instructor, embodying the
Reggio Emilia philosophy of Early Childhood Education into the realm of
dance.
Kim’s Special Focus – to blend Creative Dance with sound early
educational philosophies, along with the principles of educational
kinesiology in order to bring the best possible preschool dance
experience to Vandalia and the North End. Teaching the whole child, the
whole dancer…….for a better tomorrow….. 