ABOUT US

About Just Dance

Just Dance began as a group of dancers who focused on entertainment performances. Just Dance has now evolved into a studio with a yearly production and an annual Christmas show. Just Dance's previous productions include;"Peter Pan," "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians," "Red Riding Hood," "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?," "Cinderella," "Let's Go to the Circus," "Bedtime Stories, Dreams and Nightmares," "Let's go to the Movies!," "Belle and the Beast," "Dancing through the Jungle," "Hazel & Gretel and Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs,""Time Warp," "Viva Las Vegas" "Purely Michigan," "The Magical World of Just Dance," "Let's Go On Vacation!" "Heroes and Villains" and "Dancing through the Pages."

Just Dance has performed at many different locations including; The historic Buck Lake Ranch in Angola, Indiana, the nations oldest Women’s Congress show in Hillsdale, Mi, Domino’s Pizza Farm Christmas Light Display, Ann Arbor, Mi, Crossroads Village in Flint, Mi, the Michigan State Fair in Detroit, Mi, the Camden Pageant in Camden, Mi, the Hillsdale Kiwanis Annual Chili Cook-off, Hillsdale, Mi, the Imlay City Blueberry Festival in Imlay City, Mi, Capac Days in Capac, Mi,Fox 66 Fall Festival "Bringing it Home" Flint, Mi, Imlay City Merchant Expo in Imlay City, Mi, Attica Days in Attica, Mi and Pix Theatre in Lapeer, Mi.

All dancers are taught classical Russian(Vaganova) Ballet technique because all dance stems from Ballet. In addition, the students will learn "Rockette style" Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Tumbling, fun dance such as 50’s, Clogging, Hawaiian, German and Polish dancing.

The philosophy of the studio/company is that each and every student can be a proficient dancer if they are willing to work. Every dancer will get their chance to shine if they have good attendance, a good attitude and work hard. Just Dance is about fun, close friendships, leadership skills, music appreciation and learning to move the body gracefully. While Just Dance aims very high in performance ability, Just Dance is very conscientious of what looks best on different body shapes and what is safe, healthy dancing. Just Dance is also very conscientious of what is appropriate dance music, costumes and dance moves for family entertainment and youth performing. Dance Imlay City Ballet Imlay City

About Miss Merry

Merry is the owner/director/instructor of the program. She is a graduate of Mott Community College with a degree in Business Office Management.

Merry has been dancing since she was very small. She currently keeps up to date with her dance training by attending dance conventions and takes classes when she can. Merry's Ballet training is primarily with Denise Paavola of the Paavola School of Dance in Flint who ran the Young People‘s Ballet Theatre, Denise was a professional dancer for the Pittsburgh ballet theater and often had students become professional dancers. She studied under Denise for more than 12 years. In the past she has taken private lessons with Joan VanArnsdalen, a woman, who was, taught classical tap by Detroit’s best professionals of the tap era, and danced with Timera Keefer, a Ballerina who was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet (A prestigious professional companies in Russia). She has danced with the Academy of Dance and Related Arts in Coldwater and danced 8 years with the Oehrlein Dancers of Marlette.

Merry also has attended many different dance conventions and camps including; DanceMakers, Inc, Shock the Intensive, Showstoppers Dance Convention, Wild About Dance Convention, Tremaine Dance Convention, Joel Ruminer Summer Dance Camp, Music Works Unlimited, DTNCon, Dupree Dance Convention, Dance Educators of America and Turn It UP.

Merry performed in Christmas at Whitings in Flint while taking lessons with the Dance Station, Christmas at the Heritage in Saginaw with the Oehrlein Dancers, was an understudy in The Young People’s Ballet Theatre’s version of Beauty and the Beast, played several parts in Young Michigan Dances version of The Nutcracker, was an amateur opening act for Roy Clark and a few years later for Neil Sedaka at Chesaning Showboat. She has traveled across the country and performed in Las Vegas at Circus Circus and The Welk Champagne Theatre in Branson, MO. She has performed many times at the Detroit State Fair, at many different Ethnic festivals around the state and has performed in many recitals and competitions.

Miss Merry is classically trained in Russian (Vaganova) ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, showgirl style tap, ethnic dancing, and tumbling. Dance Im

About Miss Sophia

Sophia is entering year six as our tumbling instructor. She is a graduate of Imlay City High School and has a cosmetology license. Sophia has 18 years of dance training and has been an assistant teacher and sub for 10 years. Sophia continues to pursue her dance education with Miss Merry and also has attended the following dance conventions Dancemakers, Inc, Dupree Dance Convention and Dance Educators of America.

About Miss Liliana

This is Liliana's first year as an instructor. She is a 2023 graduate of Imlay City High School and is going to Macomb Community College. She is currently pursuing a degree in Animal Science. Liliana has 17 years of dance training and has been an assistant teacher and sub for 7 years. Liliana continues to pursue her dance education with Miss Merry and also has attended the following dance conventions Dancemakers, Inc, Dupree Dance Convention and Dance Educators of America. While a student at Imlay City High School she participated in the theatre classes and was Aunt Em in the Wizard of Oz.