Shannon Smith - Artistic Director, Owner, Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Tap & Jazz Instructor
Shannon Smith received her initial apprentice teaching experience from Lockhart School of Dance in South Hill, Virginia, under the direction of Joy Lockhart Hargrave, and Beverly Lockhart. She studied Classical Ballet , tap, and jazz dance for eleven years and assisted various levels of ballet and combination classes for children for four years. She was also a member of the Lockhart Performing Ensemble. Shannon served as an instructor for the Lawrenceville Dance Theatre for three years, prior to opening the studio in 1992.

Shannon, who presently has over 34 years of dance experience and twenty one years of teaching experience, is certified by test, to teach, through Dance Masters of America's Professional Teachers Program, where she attended a three year course of study in Kent, Ohio, at Kent State University.The program focused on the teaching and methodology of Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced levels of technique in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Theatre Dance and Hip Hop. All classes were taught by Master Instructors, and participants were involved in rap sessions, and examination review with each instructor. Specialty classes were taught in Children’s Work, Folk Dance, Interpretive, Stretching, Injury Prevention, Music Theory, Dance Notation, Nutrition, Alignment, Dance History, Kinesiology, Choreography, Studio Business, and Auditions.

Even though Shannon has had many opportunities to take classes with various Master teachers including Bob Rizzo, Frank Hatchet, Janice Barringer, Judy Bassing, Tom Ralabate, Darryl Retter, and Laura Haussman, to name a few. ..the most influential teacher was her mother, Phyllis Daw. Upon the dance studio's opening, she assisted her mother's classes for several years and also took one to two of the one hour and hour and a half ballet classes taught by her mom four to five days a week for 9 years, in addition to teaching her own classes. The experience of assisting, and taking classes from her mother, gave her such a wonderful understanding of the importance of Ballet Technique as the basic foundation of all forms of dance. Mrs. Daw's attention to technical detail, and the ability to break a combination down so that any student could master it and have a sense of accomplishment, influenced her teaching style the most. Mrs. Daw's "old school" training in Classical Ballet technique is what pushed Shannon to the next level both as a student as well as a teacher.

"Miss Shannon" has choreographed for community events, talent for pageants, recitals, has adjudicated dance team auditions in northern, N.C. and most recently served as a judge for the North Carolina Dance Explosion competition.

Attending various teaching seminars, classes, conventions and workshops, as well as networking with other studio owners throughout the nation and abroad, is extremely influential to the ethics, business decisions and standards of teaching that Shannon hopes to provide at her studio.

Alicia Washburn - Classical Ballet and BalletFit Instructor
Alicia received her early dance education from Joy Hargrave of Lockhart’s School of Dance of South Hill. She then became a student of Shannon’s School of Dance, under the direction of Shannon Smith and Phyllis Daw upon the school’s opening in 1992. She received training in Classical Ballet, Tap and Jazz for seven years, in addition to assisting Ballet classes with Mrs. Daw for three years. This inspired her to pursue her Love of dance and cultivated an interest in teaching.  Alicia furthered her Ballet training at Raleigh Dance Theatre, under the direction of Mary LeGere , as well as the Chesterfield School of Ballet, under the direction of Patricia and Leona Dodd.  While attending Radford University, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Minor under the direction of Frano Jelincic and Dagmar Kessler.

Ms. Washburn attended Summer Intensives at Raleigh Dance Theatre in North Carolina, South Ballet Theatre in Florida, as well as American Academy of Ballet in New York, where she also served as a counselor. During college and in her summers away, she expanded her knowledge by taking classes in Modern, Pilates, Acting, Dance History, Yoga, Brazilian, Russian Folk Dance, Floor Barre, Swing, Music Appreciation, Spanish Dance, Partnering, Pointe, Variations and Mime. Summer study also enabled her to take classes with many prestigious Ballet Masters such as David Howard, Gelsey Kirkland, Stephanie Saland, Violette Verdy, John Meehan, Susan Jaffe, and Sean Lavery, to name a few. Having the opportunities to study with a wide variety of teachers and being exposed to many different methods and styles of dance, enabled her to become a more versatile dancer and gave her the ability to incorporate diversity in her teaching methods.

Washburn has danced many lead roles in ballets, and has choreographed for community theatre, talent pieces, recitals and musicals and plans to further her dance education by becoming certified in Pilates, as well as attending various dance seminars to keep abreast with new and innovative teaching methods.
Ms. Washburn will be teaching Classical Ballet to the students ages 6.5 and up and will also introduce a new BalletFit class for teens and Adults to the school’s curriculum. The class will incorporate aspects of Pilates, Yoga, and Classical Ballet which will strengthen the core, improve posture, and stretch and lengthen the muscles.  All skill levels are welcome to join this class in gaining a strong, flexible, and toned body to promote good health and wellbeing.