Our Stories
Below are our stories, including what The Dancer’s Workout means to us.
Jules
TDW Founder
Jules : MY STORY
At age 12 I begged my parents to let me attend the North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) for classical ballet, and they finally relented. I lived on campus there for all of my high school years (grades 9 through 12, all academic years and summers) and absolutely loved it! As a ballet major and modern dance minor, I loved taking two dance classes a day between high school academic classes. ...Read More
Abbie
TDW-Certified Instructor
Abbie : MY STORY
The TDW community has been such an amazing experience. From day one I was welcomed with open arms and friendly smiles. Often times it can be intimidating to walk in to a new class with a new group of faces, but every single person made an effort to ask my name and get to know me. ...Read More
Cailin
TDW-Certified Instructor
Cailin : MY STORY
I am a classical ballet major at the UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA). I started UNCSA as a junior in High School and continued my ballet training into their college program, with an anticipated UNCSA college graduation date of May, 2018! I learned about The Dancer’s Workout® through one of my dance instructors at […]
Deena
TDW-Certified Instructor
Deena : MY STORY
I began dancing at age 8, taking ballet, tap, and jazz. My original training is from a local ballet studio in Houston, Milwaukee Ballet, and Charlotte City Ballet. Growing up, dance was always such an important part of my life! My family owned a dance supply store, and we were known for fitting pointe shoes with excellence! Over time I became a Registered Nurse (RN, BSN) and ...Read More
Edward
TDW-Certified Substitute
Edward : MY STORY
I started dancing at the age of 14 and have dance training in ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, and tap. My training started at Ballet Magnificat for 8 1/2 years. I danced professionally with Ballet Magnificat for half a season and Uptown Dance Company in Houston, Texas. ...Read More
Madison
TDW-Certified Instructor
Madison : MY STORY
I began dancing at 7 years old after four years of competitive gymnastics. Ballet became my first love and teaching was my passion. After 10+ years of training in Cary, I continued my education in college at Belhaven University. After two years as a BFA candidate in Dance, I have ...Read More
Rebecca
TDW-Certified Instructor
Rebecca : MY STORY
My training is in contemporary dance and ballet following four years at the UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA). I recently graduated college from UNCSA and am planning to move to New York City in August, 2017 to pursue my dance career. In May I became certified to teach The Dancer’s Workout® after attending Jules’ […]
Roza
TDW-Certified Instructor
Roza : MY STORY
I learned about The Dancer’s Workout® from one of my teachers at the UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) and am so glad I did! I attended UNCSA for four years as a contemporary dance major and graduated from college there in May, 2017. The very next week I attended The Dancer’s Workout® Instructor Certification […]
Sara
TDW-Certified Substitute
Sara : MY STORY
I started dancing and doing gymnastics when I was in elementary school and by the time I reached middle school, dance was my extracurricular activity of choice. I continued to dance through high school, mainly focusing on jazz and flamenco. When I graduated ...Read More
Agnieszka
TDW Pearl
Agnieszka : MY STORY
My dancing began in high school, by accident, and because the art class I really wanted was already full. Being very shy, I dreaded the idea of performing in front of others, but soon realized the movement came easy and it became a fun experience. ...Read More
Alissa
TDW Pearl
Alissa : MY STORY
The Dancer's Workout has changed my life. After being out of the studio for 12 years, I thought I'd never dance again. Year after year, the aches and pains of getting older began to hinder my daily life. I had no idea that it was my body's way of telling me, "you need to dance! I need you to dance!" ...Read More
Amanda
TDW Pearl
Amanda : MY STORY
I began my dance journey when I was two years old. I started at a small dance studio in Connecticut. When I was 10 years old I found my passion for ballet with a ballet company. I performed in many classical ballet performances like The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, and Romeo and Juliet. Performing on a stage was my way of expressing myself; it brought me pure joy! Unfortunately, I broke my foot during ...Read More
Anne
TDW Pearl
Anne : MY STORY
I danced ballet from age 7 until 15, when I reached the point where one has to go all in with daily pre-professional training, or choose another path. I knew I didn’t have the talent become a professional dancer, and there weren’t classes available just for fun and fitness, so I quit ballet altogether. I continued my enjoyment of dance via social dancing (Latin and Swing), but that wasn’t frequent enough to serve as a regular fitness program. ...Read More
Ashley
TDW Pearl
Ashley : MY STORY
I have always been very athletic. I danced and played soccer as a young girl. Then I started playing school sports and stuck with volleyball from middle school through college. In college I returned to dance by taking jazz classes. After college graduation I took a desk job, didn't play sports or dance anymore, and I started gaining weight. Going to the gym was not the answer for me as I found myself getting bored. ...Read More
Carol
TDW Pearl
Carol : MY STORY
The arts are my passion! Though my career focused on music as a piano teacher and high school choral director, dance was always my second love! I began with tap, ballet, and jazz in elementary school and studied all the way through college. ...Read More
Clare
TDW Pearl
Clare : MY STORY
I come from a family of artists, so I was very fortunate to grow up in a vivacious theatrical world. When I was a toddler, that meant dancing in the balcony during performances of “The Nutcracker” or sword fighting to “Pirates of Penzance.” ...Read More
Kate
TDW Pearl
Kate : MY STORY
I grew up in Raleigh and danced for two area studios beginning with ballet at age three progressing to jazz and in high school, adding contemporary and musical theatre. Dance was a huge part of my upbringing teaching me dedication, discipline and confidence. ...Read More
Lisa
TDW Pearl
Lisa : MY STORY
Ballet, ballet, ballet! That's been my dance history for 50 years. I was drawn to the structure and precision - and the joy of movement! It is a part of my soul! ...Read More
Mary Kathryn
TDW Pearl
Mary Kathryn : MY STORY
At age 5 I started taking ballet, jazz, and tap classes like many other little girls, but by age 7 my parents thought I wasn’t getting enough out of the classes so I stopped. It soon became clear that my talents were in music so my middle and high school years were filled with piano and voice lessons and many chorus and solo performances. ...Read More
Melissa
TDW Pearl
Melissa : MY STORY
As a young girl I was a very shy around everyone but my close family members. My mom decided to enroll me into a dance class to help me come out of my shell. She enrolled me in a ballet class at the young age of 4. ...Read More
Rachel
TDW Pearl
Rachel : MY STORY
I have been dancing since I was only 3 years old and quickly fell in love with it. I took a variety of classes including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern and hip hop. During college, I received a dance minor and was a member of the Orchesis Dance Company where I gained some experience with choreographing. I briefly taught ...Read More
Sara
TDW Pearl
Sara : MY STORY
I started dancing and doing gymnastics when I was in elementary school and by the time I reached middle school, dance was my extracurricular activity of choice. I continued to dance through high school, mainly focusing on jazz and flamenco. When I graduated high school, I started working full time and going to school, so I was not able to fit dancing into my busy schedule. ...Read More
Sofia
TDW Pearl
Sofia : MY STORY
I started dancing when I was five but never had continuous training until college when I discovered my love for moving to the beat. Hoping it wasn’t too late to pursue it, I signed up for a dance diploma and accomplished it while studying Industrial Engineering. After graduation I continued taking dance lessons and teaching in a Community Center. ...Read More
Sonoe
TDW Pearl
Sonoe : MY STORY
When I was five, I was turned away from a hula halau (school) and became too embarrassed to admit my disappointment. I refused later offers at dance lessons, even when my mother’s friend offered to sponsor me at her daughter’s ballet school. Instead I turned to gymnastics from ages 7-15 and relished those dance elements incorporated into the sport. ...Read More
Virginia
TDW Pearl