about
philosophy.
I believe that competitive dance is an exciting and rewarding ‘sport’. In my opinion competition is the most effective way to push dancers and teachers to strive for excellence. We aim to win because in doing so, we learn dedication, work ethic and perseverance. I believe this whole-heartedly and share this with my students often.
It feels good to be recognized for your hard work and know you’re on the right track but there is just as much value in not winning. This teaches our children how to handle disappointment and place value on the journey, the experience, and what it has taught them versus the temporary external validation from judges and choreographers.
When competitive dancers (and their parents) can learn to redefine, recognize and appreciate the successes and disappointments they’ve had in the competition/convention circuit, it becomes easier to shift focus from overly-negative (or overly-positive) to neutral and level-headed after each performance or result.
“We aim to win because in doing so, we learn dedication, work ethic and perseverance … but there is also value in not winning.”
L e a m c k i n l e Y,
A.R.A.D. R.T.S.
Lea holds Advanced Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance, is an award winning teacher/choreographer, and is dedicated to educating, guiding and inspiring the next generation of dancers. She uses her knowledge of advanced fundamentals of dance technique to help her students navigate and succeed in competitive dance while fostering a love and appreciation for dance to last well beyond the competitive years.
G R A C E m c k i n l e Y
Grace is a powerful and talented dancer having earned many regional and national accolades in her competitive career including Radix Protege Winner, Nuvo Breakout Artist Winner, 24seven Non-Stop Dancer Winner, Jump VIP Winner, and Top 10 Mini Best Dancer at The Dance Awards. Most recently, Grace was chosen as an Expo Dancer at the number one college dance team recruiting event in the nation, Tribe 99. She is a proud member of Casteel High School’s Project 15 Dance Company which recently placed 4th in the nation at UDA High School Nationals in Florida. Grace has trained with industry leading professionals such as Ricky Maalouf, Brian Friedman, Naomi Pastrick, Faymie Link, Sam Nelson, Taylor Tsvyetkov, and more. Grace will use her knowledge and experience to help your dancer reach her goals.