During the month of November at Dance Expressions, we take the time to reflect on the countless reasons we are grateful for dance. We encourage our teachers and students alike to look inward and investigate why we gravitate towards this art form.

Curiosity is one of the best traits a dancer can have—an openness to new ideas and a willingness to learn by jumping headfirst into movement. A few weeks ago, many of our DE Company families made their annual pilgrimage to Williamsburg, Virginia, for a three-day workshop and audition event hosted by the Dance Masters of America. This tradition marks the heart of our fall season and a high point in our training calendar, a time when learning, growth, and inspiration flourish.

On a perfect fall Saturday in Annapolis, our Dance Expressions company dancers took the stage at the 5th Annual Hope Concert, hosted by Greater Annapolis Ballet. This inspiring event brings people together every year to shine a light on mental health and suicide prevention—all through uplifting performances and community connection. Additionally, 100% of the proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 

From September 15th to October 15th, people across the country commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and recognize the unique cultures and history of our Hispanic and Latino communities. Dance is an essential component of many Latino cultures, and it is as diverse as the individuals who participate in it. Each culture has a unique set of techniques and influences that contribute to a stunning mosaic of dance. At Dance Expressions, we love to celebrate diversity in both our classroom and community. 

As summer comes to a close and the school year begins, many families look forward to resuming their after-school routines and extracurricular activities. At Dance Expressions, we are thrilled to welcome many new and returning families to dance with us this year for our 2025-2026 season. As our dancers return to our marley floors, it is a great time to recognize the incredible cognitive benefits that dancing offers.

At the end of June, four of our Dance Expressions dancers traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and continued to pursue their dance dreams! We are beyond proud of Grace Elizabeth Douglas, Bailey Rea Burtis, Lilly Ann Bailey, and Mary Grace Bailey. They each displayed outstanding courage, enthusiasm, and excellence throughout the week.

This past Sunday, June 8, 2025, Dance Expressions' company dancers and families came together at Renditions Golf Course to celebrate the end of our 2024-2025 season.

On Saturday, April 26th, 2025, our Dance Expressions company participated in the Energy Dance Competition at Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park, Maryland. This was our last regional competition of the season, and we were so impressed with all of the performances.

From March 15th to 16th, 2025, Dance Expressions’ company dancers competed at the MADM Chapter 17 Regional Dance Competition in Manassas, Virginia. For many of our dancers, this was their first competition of the season, and for some, their first ever! Our outstanding company choreographers, Ms. Pam, Ms. India, Ms. Angelika, Ms. Jen, and Ms. Gabi, have been diligently working to prepare our dancers to compete since September.

This year Dance Expressions’ company dancers celebrated Black History Month with various creative and informative projects centering on the intersection of dance and Black history and experiences. These projects were organized by Alyssa Alston, one of our teen company members, who provided many artistic avenues for exploring these subjects. We received an excellent response from the dancers, resulting in several innovative and impressive projects. At DE, we are proud to support a well-rounded and diverse dance education that encourages our students to appreciate and reflect on the impact of Black and African-American culture in dance.

From Friday, January 31st, to Sunday, February 2nd, 2025, select groups and solos from our DE company participated in the New York City Dance Alliance competition and convention in Baltimore, Maryland. We also had students come to NYCDA to take convention classes, and some came to support their peers. We are so proud of the “DE Spirit” that each one of our dancers showed - their kindness and support for one another do not go unnoticed. The weekend was jam-packed with workshops and performances, and our students stepped up and danced amazingly. A special shout-out goes to Mrs. Pam Schrier and Ms. India Blake, who presented choreography for this competition.

On Friday, January 17th, 2025 a handful of Dance Expressions Company Dancers traveled to the hills of Fredrick, Maryland to compete in the Mid Atlantic Dance Masters Chapter 17 Title Competition. We are thrilled for all the winners and beyond proud of how well all of our dancers represented Dance Expressions.

Dance Expressions company members participated in the MADM Chapter 17 workshop in Williamsburg, Virginia, from November 22nd to November 24th, 2024. This annual November workshop is a fantastic opportunity for dancers and educators. It is a time to embrace new challenges and put oneself out there in order to grow as a dancer. The organizers of the workshop, MADM Chapter 17 of Dance Masters of America, work to bring in exciting guest artists for the dancers and to offer continuing education classes for the teachers. 

Dance Expressions teachers, Ms. India Blake, Ms. Angeleka Albertorio and Ms. Jahnaye Samuel debuted the moving work choreographed by Shaness D. Kemp, Spirit of Our Bones, on October 25th and 26th, 2024 at UMBC.

Ballet is an extensive dance genre involving artistry, technical proficiency, physical prowess, and self-expression. At our studio, we believe in offering a holistic ballet education. Our curriculum is based on the foundations of the Cecchetti method while utilizing other ballet methods in our non-syllabus classes.

Our DE Company Dancers are thrilled to be back together to kick off the 2024-2025 dance season! We are so proud of our DE company members for their diligence in their training and how well they carry out our mission in the community to share and inspire the love of dance. We hope to see you soon at this next event!

Class is back in session! As the new dance year gets underway, members of the Dance Expressions community return to the studio, catch up with former classmates and instructors and make new friends. To kick off our year, we have five tips and tricks that will help lead to success in class.

Famous American artist Georgia O’Keeffe commented, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way; things I had no words for.” At Dance Expressions we believe dance gives our students the same ability to express themselves in ways they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. That’s why we are so happy to be showcasing all of our dancers in our Color My World 2024 Recital this coming weekend!

Dance Expressions’ company dancers recently completed a spectacular season of regional dance competitions. It kicked off in March with the Mid-Atlantic Dance Master’s Chapter 17 Competition in Winchester, Virginia, followed by Energy Competition in Glen Burnie, and finished with Beyond the Stars in Laurel. Dance competitions not only provide a platform for our company dancers to perform but also a chance to bond with one another, receive feedback from industry professionals, and dance alongside peers outside of the Dance Expressions community.