Pittsburgh Dance Center, Ben Avon

When discussing her approach to dance instruction with reporters from Bloomfield Now, Pittsburgh Aerial Silk founder Holly Dayton-Kirby quipped, "If you can dream, you can dance." It was only through tireless practice and dedication that Holly was able to win scholarships to dance academies before eventually earning herself a place in prestigious companies such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Dance Alloy, and Riverdance.

Holly founded Pittsburgh Aerial Silk in order to offer dance instruction for aspiring students of all backgrounds, regardless of previous experience, age, or ability to pay. Within the newly renovated historical Plaza Theater, Holly and her staff of instructors conduct classes in a wide variety of dance styles that range from ballet to hip-hop to Argentine tango, as well as dance-infused fitness sessions. The historical 5,000-square-foot facility boasts ornamental ceilings with brass trappings, making it an acoustically ideal venue for instructors to blare vibrant dance music or hire monks to sing Liberace in case the sound system goes down.