Welcome to Emporia Dance Company!
Nestled in small town Emporia, VA, Emporia Dance provides excellent dance training with classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Gymnastics/Tumbling as well as Art of Movement and Pre-ballet.
What To Wear
All dancers are required to wear to each class:
Art of Movement – Solid pink leotard with skirt attached, pink or skin tone-colored tights and sheer, single layer ballet skirt if not already attached (optional).
Pre-Ballet – Solid Lavender leotard with skirt attached, nude, or skin tone-colored tights, and sheer, single layer ballet skirt if not already attached (optional).
Combo I/II- Black leotard, nude or skin tone-colored tights, and sheer, single layer ballet skirt
(optional). Black jazz pants or shorts can be worn for Jazz and Tap. They should not have ties, buttons, or zippers. No pajama bottoms or boxer shorts please.
Gymnastics/Tumbling- Leotard with or without shorts or regular athletic wear/ workout clothes with shirt fitted enough to not flip over the face when inverted. Barefoot.
Cheer- Athletic/soft shorts or leggings, white socks, simple white tennis shoes, white or black t-shirt or tank top
Baton- leotard, tights, and jazz shoes
Lyrical- leotard, tights, and jazz shoes
Meet Our Instructors
Miss Ana: Art of Movement & Adult Spanish-Style Dancing
Hi/Hola!
My name is “Ana” and I am 23 years old. You might also know me as the hostess/cashier at the Mexican restaurant in town- El Ranchero! I am the oldest of 6 siblings- so you can say I work well with younger humans. One of the things that I most enjoy doing on my free time is dancing! I typically dance Mexican genres such as polka, huapango, banda, zapateado.
I am so excited and looking forward to this fun opportunity!
Miss Taylor: Ballet 1, Tap 1, Jazz 1, Hip Hop 1, & Lyrical
I'm 24 years old and I was apart of Emporia Dance for about 11 years from the ages of 2-13 years old. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in human nutrition and while I have taught young kids before, I'm new to teaching dance, however, I'm so excited to help where I can continue the Emporia Dance program.
Miss Lauren: Ballet 2, Tap 2, Jazz 2, Hip Hop 2, & Mommy & Me
My name is Lauren Olson, my love for dance began at the age of two, where i first discovered the joy and freedom of movement at Traylor Dance Academy in Colonial Heights VA. For nearly two decades, i found dance to be served as a vital outlet for myself, allowing me to connect with my emotions and share my passion with others. I’m now 30 years old, married and a proud mother of two daughters living in Franklin VA, I’m currently working also at a local grocery store in my town. After years of dedication and hard work this opportunity fulfills a lifelong dream, and I am excited to contribute to Emporia Dance. I look forward to inspiring the next generation of dancers.
Miss Morgan: Gymnastics/Tumbling- Ages 4+
Hello everyone! I am Morgan Clarke and i am so excited to be teaching the tumbling/gymnastics class this year! I have done 10 years of tumbling and cheer here at this studio. I have also done/taught gymnastics at Tophand for 2 years. I am very excited to meet everyone who signed up!
Miss Emily: Pre-Ballet/Tap & Baton
Hi everyone! My name is Emily Byers, and I’m so excited to be back teaching at Emporia Dance! I grew up dancing at this studio from the age of 5 through 18, and during that time, I had the opportunity to teach and co-teach multiple classes. After graduating high school, I went on to study Elementary Education at Longwood University, where I stayed involved in dance as a member of the Longwood Company of Dancers. Through that experience, I continued to grow as both a dancer and a choreographer, learning from and working with talented dancers across Virginia. Now that I’ve graduated and returned home, I’m thrilled to be back to my roots—ready to share my knowledge, passion, and love of dance with you all!
Miss Logan: Cheer- Ages 6+
I cheered 7 years at Brunswick Academy and completed 4 years of collegiate cheerleading at Longwood University. I was an assistant coach at BA for the 2024-2025 season. When I am not cheering I am in Mecklenburg schools providing speech therapy to the kids!