From The Street…Into The Classroom…Onto The Stage…
WE WILL BRING DANCE TO YOUR LIFE!
Dance Classes
All Levels Of Experience
Classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Acro Arts and Musical Theater.
Dance Est Joie, Inc.
Competition Dance Team
Preschool Stars
18 months – 5 years old
Dancers will study the fundamentals of ballet, tap, dance terminology, creative movement and basic motor skills.
THE BEST CLASSES AND INSTRUCTORS AT YOUR SERVICE
To Help You Achieve Your Dance Goals
When I met Grayce, she gave me the training I needed and led me in the right direction to become a professional dancer. Thank You, Grayce, for giving me the push I needed. Grayce DeWitt Dance Studio will always be my home!
“Dreams do come true at Grayce DeWitt’s…….mine did”
After attending the University of Kentucky, I joined my Aunt spending six years as a teacher and choreographer. In 1992, I returned to Lexington and opened Gotta Dance Studio, Inc. As an accredited member of Dance Educators of America and Dance Masters of America, I have developed a unique preschool program and competition team. I know teaching at GDDS contributed to my success and am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with the studio.
My dance education at GDDS has enabled me to do many things, from teaching to choreographing to performing. As a classically trained ballet dancer, my move to the Grayce DeWitt Studio allowed me to learn something that I had not learned thus far… how to entertain. You can make a living as a dancer, and Grayce helped me see that was possible!
Say Hello to Your
INSTRUCTORS
Franco Baleto
Franco Baleto has been a street dancer his entire life. Born in Dallas, Texas, Franco grew up break-dancing and competing in talent shows and battles. Following in the footsteps of Barry YoungBlood, Franco began dancing with GDDS seven years ago. He strives to encourage his students to open up and feel the music. The F in Franco stands for fun. He enters a room and never leaves a stranger.
Rebecca Bean
Rebecca began her dance training at the age of three with Dorothy Taylor at Ballet Westside in Rogers, AR. She began teaching dance at GDDS in 2007. Her training includes classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theater with such accomplished teachers as Joe Tremaine, Doug Caudwell, Darryl Retter, Barry YoungBlood, Mishay Petronelli, Noel Bajandas, Anthony Morigerato, Denise Wall, Stacey Tookey, Doug Shankman, Patricia Dickinson and more.
Madysn Casteel
Madysn became a student with GDDS at the age of 15, studying ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. She was a member of DANCE est Joie, Inc. for three years, competing in Tulsa, Branson, Bentonville and Joplin. She has studied with Darryl Retter, Janice Barringer, Becca Retter, Keri LaGrand and Barry Youngblood. She has performed with the Moscow Ballet Great Russian Nutcracker, Fort Smith Little Theatre, Mayor’s Honors for the Performing Arts, and the Miss UAFS Scholarship Pageant.
Jayci Hobson
Miss Jayci began her dance training at the age of three in her home town of Fort Smith, Arkansas at Grayce Dewitt Dance Studio. She joined the DANCE est Joie company at age 12 and shortly after began training at the pre-professional level at conventions and competing independently around the country. Her training in both Cecchetti and Vaganova ballet methods has given her a strong technical base to bring to her students.
Maggie King
Maggie has been a performer all her life. Raised in Broken Arrow, OK, she spent almost all of her time singing, dancing, and acting— for audiences, and for her mirror. She attended the University of Oklahoma and was part of the prestigious Helmerich School of Drama and graduated with a BFA in Theatre with an acting emphasis. For two years after graduating, she served as the Leadership Development and Day Camp manager for New Life Ranch where she mentored and created life-changing programming for students of all ages.
Robbi Martin
Robbi began “dancing with Grayce” at the age of three, and was a DANCE est Joie company performer for seven years. She was a featured dancer in the Barry YoungBlood hip hop video series. Robbi served as a staff member and choreographer for the National Cheerleader Association and National Dance Association. She was Oklahoma’s Junior Miss 1998, and was a National Fitness Winner at America’s Junior Miss.
Maeli McMahen
Maeli has trained at GDDS for 15 years, beginning at the age of two. She has studied various styles including ballet and pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical and contemporary, hip hop, and musical theater. She became a member of Dance est Joie in 2012 at the age of 7 and has competed with the company for the past 10 years. She has competed and taken classes from many accredited choreographers at competitions such as Dancemakers, Inc., Hollywood Dance Jamz, Nuvo Dance Convention, and more.
Kayli Sossamon
Kayli has her BA in Dance at Lindenwood University, where she trained under Professors Janet Strzelec and Tricia Zweier for 3 1/2 years. She has attended multiple festivals while attending Lindenwood University. Kayli has had the opportunity to perform and take class with the American College Dance Association. In one of those visits, she performed a piece that was chosen to be in the Gala.
Emily Wright
Miss Emily is an alumni of Alma High School. She is currently attending the University of Arkansas pursuing a degree in Interior Design. She started dancing at GDDS at the age of 7. During her undergraduate dance experience, she competed with DANCE est Joie for 7 years and learned from multiple dance instructors at Dancemakers, Inc., Co. Dance, Tremaine, and more. Emily was a three-year member of the Alma Dance Team and served as captain for two years.
Mary Young
Mary’s dance career began at the age of two with Nancy Nicholson and Linda Kent at the Newport School of Dance. She continued training under the direction of Ann Boyce, who specialized in Ballet and Pointe, and The Irby Studio, where she was a member of their dance company. Mary was a Universal Dance Association and National Dance Association All-American and Staff Nominee.
Get Started Today and
REGISTER FOR CLASSES
WHO WE ARE
Grayce DeWitt Dance Studio is a professional dance studio for instruction and performance. All instructors are professionally trained and belong to various dance organizations. All instructors have a love of teaching and want to share the joy of dance with children and adults.
OUR MISSION
To train dancers in the artistry of dance and through community service educate the public in the dance arts.