Premier Dance Academy, Cherry Valley

As instructors, choreographers, and award-winning competitors, Premier Dance Academy directors Ashley Velosky and Rachel Newton have approached performance from every side of the spotlight. Today, they share their expertise on the floating floors of two studios, crafting new rhythms with students who range from 2 year olds to seniors. Though they haven't lost their flair for competition—their company team participates in contests at the regional and national level—they host a broad curriculum of classes for curious and casual guests.

These lessons span centuries' worth of dance styles, encompassing the graceful leaps of ballet, the gravity-flouting tricks of break dancing, and the bold keyboard strokes of blog-hop. They also embrace creative fusions of technique: acro sessions weave acrobatics into classical steps, and lyrical classes blend ballet, modern, and jazz movements that respond to expressive soundtracks.