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About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Lynchburg Elite Dance's Mission is to create the ultimate performing arts environment, aimed at making the dance experience educational, positive, and meaningful. LED strives to encourage good sportsmanship and positive participation while sharing a love of dance and the performing arts with the community.
Learn more about our incredible team below.
One of Lynchburg Elite Dance founders, Ms. Terri is a graduate of Radford University, BA currently employed by Centra Hospice as business development manager. Ms. Terri loves teaching the youngest of our dancers through adults. Ms. Terri leads with encouragement regardless of the age of the dancer. Her classes are always creative and often uses props or “think of it like this” examples. In Ms. Terri’s classes, expect to accomplish something you thought you couldn’t, all the while smiling along the way.
One of Lynchburg Elite Dance founders, Ms. Sam is a graduate of Sweet Briar College, BA and Sam Houston University, MA. She is currently fulltime wife to Matt and momma to Xander and Emma Pearl. Ms. Samantha has a gentle spirit that radiates in her classes. Proficient in many genres, you will likely find Ms. Sam teaching contemporary, jazz, hip hop, ballet or tap. Ms. Samantha’s vision for arts accessibility is not limited to her classes but a part of the overall energy of the studio.
Mikayla is a graduate from Liberty University with a BS Education is currently employed by iLEAD Schools. She serves as the Lynchburg Elite Dance Performance Company liaison and enjoys teaching a variety of classes at the studio from tap, clogging, boy’s class for musical theatre, and hip hop. Mikayla lives ‘all in’ and her classes are no different, be ready to be big, get loud and have fun in her classes. If you ask her how long she’s been dancing don’t be surprised if she says, “all my life! Ms. Terri’s my mom, and she taught and performed the entire time!”
OUR STORY
Our history and mission are deeply intertwined.
Each staff member at Lynchburg Elite Dance has their own story, yet what unites them is the love of the art of dance and how appreciative they are that dance was accessible to them.
Ms. Samantha was one of Ms. Terri's first students in Amherst, Virginia, at TERRIfic Time Dance Studio (Ms. Terri's first dance studio, 1992-2006. Currently, Joy and Jason Buendorf own Amherst Dance Academy). Ms. Samantha had completed her master's studies at Sam Houston and was returning to the Lynchburg area when she and Ms. Terri met for a reconnecting lunch. It was during that reconnection that a robust discussion of how the lessons learned in dance were life-changing.
Their passion to continue the legacy gave birth to Lynchburg Elite Dance in August 2014. Since August 2014, Lynchburg Elite Dance has been proud to offer; professional instruction, encouragement to grow artistically, and a place for young artists to learn more than dance steps, rather how to dance through life for ages two and up.
Dance educator Joe Tremaine says it best; "Dance training is life training! Lynchburg Elite Dance is deep in the family. From the office to the instructors, to students, and to extended families, our transparent studio cherishes the power of family. Though our last names are different, our love of how dance has made a difference makes us the Lynchburg Elite Dance family."