Dance Imagination

Makes Dreams Come True for Young Dancers

By Gregory Flail

For little ones with big dreams of becoming a prima donna in the ballet or a princess at the royal ball, opportunities may seem a bit slim at first. But those who delve a little deeper into north Georgia will find a haven for such dreams at the Dance Imagination school.

Dance Imagination has offered dance classes for children for nearly a decade in downtown Woodstock, and a second location was recently opened in the Hickory Flat community. The school schedules 55 classes a year, offers two summer camp sessions (June and July), and hosts birthday parties for princesses, divas, and their entourages throughout the year.

Amanda Donovan and Lori Younts are the creative entrepreneurs behind Dance Imagination. They partnered in 2018 to expand the school when they saw a growing demand for dance classes that are appropriate for younger children. The schools innovative curriculum is designed for students from prekindergarten through the fifth grade.

Were not a competitive, formal ballet school, and the majority of our dancers are under the age of six, Donovan explained. We want our students to develop a love for dance, and as they get older, we encourage them to pursue competitive dance at a more
traditional dance studio.

Few dance schools offer instruction to children under three, but Dance Imaginations Fairy Tale Ballet classes are designed especially for students ages 18 months to 3 years old. In these classes, youngsters explore the basics of ballet, tap, and tumble through the themes of their favorite fairy tales. They can take the class independently or mommy & me style, so that mother and child can explore the basics of creative movement and spend precious quality time together.

Dance Imagination classes are typically smaller than most, so that younger students can focus on learning without feeling overwhelmed by a large group.

We want to make sure every student is getting the attention she needs, so we keep our class sizes quite small, between six and eight students, Younts said. At the end of our classes, every dancer gets a chance to step forward, see herself in the mirror, and express herself through movements shes learned. When the girls curtsey and hear that applause, you can really see how good they feel about themselves. It builds confidence, and everyone, especially parents, can see that happening.

Small class sizes and personal attention to dancers have earned the school the praise of parents and former students who feel that the benefits of attending Dance Imagination extend far beyond the studio.

The coordination exercises we do and the experience of performing on a stage prepares students for the future, even if its not in dance, Donovan said. Parents whose kids attended our classes years ago still stop by to let us know that our dance lessons helped their children go on to pursue sports, music, and theater.

Over the past five years, enrollment at Dance Imagination has grown by 50%. The schools steady success is due in part to community building. Donovan and Younts attribute the popularity of their school almost entirely to word-of-mouth. The classes have proven to be an opportunity for new mothers to make friends, socialize, and support one another. Word gets around fast in the dance mom community.

As mothers themselves, Donovan and Younts understand the need for a place where parents can unwind and commiserate.

Its definitely a family atmosphere here, Donovan said. A lot of our instructors are former students or their mothers. We get to know each other very well. My story is a lot like theirs. I was teaching dance to earn tuition while I was getting my masters degree, and I sort of danced my way into the opportunity to run a business doing what I love.

For both of us, it has been a great way to be involved in our work, our community, and still have a close family life, Younts added with a smile. All I ever wanted to be was a dance teacher. I had been working in the corporate world when I had my fourth child, and I finally decided to become a dance mom instead. My dream literally came true.

Enrollment for classes is open year-round, and the gift of dance is a holiday present that will be cherished forever. Dance Imagination invites young dancers and their parents to visit the dance studios at either of their two locations. For more information about classes, enrollment, birthday parties, and summer camp, please call 678-445-2731 or visit DanceImagination.com.

9105 Hickory Flat Highway | Woodstock, GA 30188
(convenient to east Cherokee and north Fulton)

119 Mill Street | Woodstock, GA 30188
(in the heart of downtown Woodstock)