Patch Picks: Dance Studios

Every Thursday, Patch Picks highlights editor and reader picks for great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off and more.  

You’ll find useful lists to help you, your family, friends and significant others find the best places for everything from Sunday brunch to New Year’s Eve celebrations, pumpkin patches, date night destinations, florists, girlfriend nights out, kids’ party places, parks and more. 

Today’s list is a list of local dance studios for any age ballerina.

1. Times III Performing Arts Academy: Times III Performing Arts Academy (formerly Shirley’s Dance Studio) has been teaching generations of dancers for decades. Owner and Director Jodi-Ann Kasky is the daughter of the original owner, Shirley Smith, and Kasky’s triplets are students at the studio, opening in its new location in Joliet this fall. Classes are offered for dancers ages 2 through adult, including pre-ballet, ballet, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip-hop, partnering, dance conditioning and tumbling as well as a “Get in the GAME” Guys and Movement Exercise class for the gentlemen. Adult classes include ballet and jazz, ballroom, tap, functional fitness and yoga. The studio is also home to an award-winning internationally acclaimed dance company called, “Dance Extension X-3.”
2. Bolingbrook Park District: The Bolingbrook Park District offers an array of dance classes for dancers of all ages. The park district has a studio atmosphere, and its progressive dance programs have been recognized nationally. In addition to its largest dance classes, private and semi-private dance lessons are available, and the district is home to the nationally-acclaimed, award-winning “Danceforce” performing dance company.
3. Beth’s Dance Academy: Beth’s Dance Academy, or BDA, has been teaching local dancers for years. Located in Crest Hill and run by owner and dance educator Beth Lottino, the school offers ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip-hop and leaps and turns tumbling for preschool to advanced students. BDA also offers adult classes and is the home studio of the BDA Dance Company, for which dancers audition annually for the chance to compete across the nation throughout the year.
4.  Dance Dimensions in Bolingbrook offers creative movement, tap, ballet, tumbling, jazz, hip-hop and pointe classes for students ages two through adult. Classes focus on helping students to achieve their full potential in strength, flexibility and muscular and cardiovascular endurance. The studio also features the Kinetic Dance Company. Dancers try out for the company annually and compete at conventions across the nation.
5. Tracie Marciniak is the executive director and owner of Encore Dance Productions in Shorewood. As a former professional dancer and choreographer for the Chicago Bulls Luvabulls, Marciniak established her studio not only to teach dance, but to teach life lessons or respect, discipline and responsibility. The studio offers ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, preschool, acting, technique and turns and progressions classes as well as classes for adults and students with special needs. Dancers in the studio’s award-winning company compete nationally.