Three Years of Dance AS

Three Years of Dance AS 

A Founder's Story

Three years ago, I took a deep breath and stepped into the unknown. 

On March 25, 2023, Dance AS was born. 

At the time, I wasn’t just opening a dance studio. 

I was answering a calling. 

I believed there needed to be a place where dance wasn’t exclusive… where movement belonged to everyone… and where young dancers could grow not only in technique, but in confidence, creativity, and voice. 

Because environment shapes identity. 

The spaces we create for children shape who they become. 

And I wanted to build a place where dancers would feel encouraged to take risks, express themselves, and grow into confident artists and humans. 

The First Steps 

Starting Dance AS was exhilarating—and honestly, a little terrifying. 

There was no roadmap. 

Just a vision. 

A vision that dance could be more than steps and recitals. 

A vision that dance could be a language—one that helps young people discover their creativity, their confidence, and their voice. 

In those early days, I was learning everything in real time. 

Teaching classes.
Building programs.
Figuring out marketing, systems, budgets, and logistics. 

But then the dancers started walking through the doors. 

And everything shifted. 

Because the moment a young dancer discovers confidence through movement… the moment they realize their body can tell a story… you understand the power of what you’re building. 

The Stories We Tell 

One of the things that defines Dance AS is our belief that performance is about storytelling. 

Yes, our dancers train in strong technique. 

But they also learn how to communicate ideas, emotions, and imagination through movement. 

Our first production was Swan Lake—an ambitious choice for a brand-new program. 

But our dancers rose to the challenge. 

That performance set the stage—literally—for everything that followed. 

Since then, Dance AS dancers have brought incredible stories to life through productions like: 

Paquita 
The Nutcracker 
Don Quixote 
La Bayadère 

In 2024 we pushed creative boundaries with Cirque, blending contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop into a vibrant circus-inspired performance. 

And this season, in our third year, we will premiere Where the Wild Things Are—continuing our commitment to imaginative storytelling through dance. 

Because dance is more than movement. 

It is expression.
It is creativity.
It is voice. 

Growing a Dance Community 

Over the past three years, Dance AS has grown in ways I never imagined. 

Our classes have expanded, welcoming more dancers each season—including our youngest movers through Demi Dance I, designed for dancers ages 2–3. 

Watching those tiny dancers discover rhythm, confidence, and joy is something truly special. 

But the growth I’m most proud of isn’t just in enrollment. 

It’s in transformation. 

Our students are developing not only stronger technique, but deeper artistry, courage, and creative expression. 

They are learning to take risks. 

To perform. 

To create. 

To believe in themselves. 

And that kind of growth lasts far beyond the stage. 

Dance Beyond the Studio 

Dance AS has also grown into the community in meaningful ways. 

Over the past year we’ve partnered with the Town of Dumfries, performing at festivals and community celebrations that bring the arts directly to the public. 

Because dance shouldn’t live only inside studios. 

It belongs in parks, on community stages, in festivals—anywhere people gather. 

We’ve also opened our studio to support other arts organizations, offering rehearsal space when they needed a home to create. 

The arts thrive when artists support each other. 

And Dance AS is proud to be part of a growing cultural community. 

Building Something Bigger 

Behind the scenes, Dance AS is growing in another important way. 

While building the studio, I’ve been continuing my own work in arts leadership. 

I am currently completing my PhD thesis in Arts Administration and Cultural Development, studying how the arts strengthen communities and expand opportunity. 

At the same time, I’ve been investing in mentorships and leadership training to continue developing the business side of Dance AS. 

Because building a sustainable arts organization requires more than passion. 

It requires vision, strategy, and long-term leadership. 

One of the goals ahead is expanding Dance AS Extension into Prince William County Schools, bringing dance education to students who might not otherwise have access to the arts. 

Dance AS is growing not only as a studio, but as part of a larger vision for how dance can serve the community. 

The Truth About the Journey 

The past three years haven’t been easy. 

There have been long nights. 

Moments of uncertainty. Moments when the weight of building something new felt overwhelming. 

But every challenge has made Dance AS stronger. 

Every obstacle forced creativity. 

And every moment of doubt has been answered by the joy, confidence, and growth I see in our dancers every day. 

Because this work matters. 

When young people learn to move, create, and express themselves through dance, they don’t just become stronger dancers. 

They become stronger humans. 

Three Years Later 

Three years ago, Dance AS was an idea. 

Today, it is a growing community of dancers, families, and artists who believe in the power of movement. 

A place where young dancers feel seen, supported, and encouraged to become their fullest selves. 

But this story is still just beginning. 

The Vision Ahead 

Dance AS began as a dream. 

But it has grown into something far greater than a studio. 

It is a creative home for dancers. 

A place where artistry and confidence grow together. 

A space where young people learn that their movement can carry meaning. 

And as Dance AS continues to grow, so does the vision. 

A vision where dance education reaches more communities. 

Where young artists discover their creative voice. 

Where the arts are recognized not as extracurricular, but as essential to human expression and cultural life. 

Three years ago, Dance AS took its first step. 

Now we are building something that will last far beyond a single stage, a single season, or a single generation of dancers. 

This is the work. 

This is the vision. 

And we are only getting started.