Dance has played an instrumental role in shaping the person I am today. As someone who has trained and taught dance a large majority of their life, I know very personally the power having a creative outlet can have in sustaining mental health, self-worth, and overall happiness. In addition to performing, running Elite DanceWerks, and teaching in the studio setting, I've worked in the public school system for 7 years as a dance educator pouring into the lives of young high school dancers. I've witnessed the way this art form caters to them in a way their traditional courses don't.  

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Aside from the technical and choreographic elements, through dance students interact creatively with people who come from different backgrounds. They are taught leadership, critical thinking skills, time management, responsibility, and how to come out of their comfort zones. They are taught how to market themselves in an ever-changing and dynamic industry, how to make social and political commentary into art, how to make mistakes and grow through them, the importance of being a lifetime learner, and how to more willingly trust and believe in themselves. My business allows me to teach those skills by reaching and affecting dancers across the nation.

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I believe what EDW achieves is beyond teaching dance skills, it’s about empowering dancers to STRUT into success, WERK towards their goals, and SLAY the court, field, stage and beyond. It's about teaching skills that are transferable to any path. It's about creating a safe space where students talent, combined with our creativity and professionalism, produces amazing results. It’s about motivating students and clients alike beyond what they believe they can be.

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-- Cassandra Pappy Springs, CEO