Business Details
22 Years
experience
Award-Winning Dance Education in Lexington, SC
Founded in 2004 by Danyele Gardner, South Carolina Dance Company (SCDC) was established to provide comprehensive dance education for children, teenagers, and young adults. Our mission focuses on fostering personal growth through dance, emphasizing commitment, responsibility, discipline, and integrity. With two state-of-the-art facilities totaling 13 studios, we offer a safe, family-friendly environment featuring sprung flooring systems, HD video monitoring for parents, and dedicated spaces for learning and community engagement. Our team of award-winning instructors brings national competition experience and industry-leading expertise, having trained dancers who consistently achieve recognition at regional and national levels.We prioritize holistic development, integrating leadership opportunities, teamwork, and community service into our curriculum while maintaining rigorous technical training across 10+ dance disciplines. Recognized as Best Dance Studio in Lexington by multiple publications, we serve families from Lexington, Columbia, Irmo, and surrounding South Carolina communities.
Services
Ballet
Jazz
Hip Hop
Lyrical
Contemporary
Tap
Pointe
Acro
Musical Theater
All Boys Hip Hop
Details
- Year established: 2004
Highlights and features
- 21 years of excellence with nationally recognized instructors
- 13 specialized studios featuring industry-leading sprung flooring systems
- Comprehensive curriculum developing technical skill and character
- Award-winning competitive teams with annual national recognition
- Family-friendly environment with real-time parent monitoring
What people say
Dedicated teachers
Incredible progress
Positive atmosphere
Second home
Professional staff
Services
Ballet
Our ballet program develops technical precision through structured training in turnout, alignment, and graceful movement patterns. Students progress through graded levels mastering barre work, center combinations, and performance pieces. Classes emphasize musicality, spatial awareness, and performance quality while maintaining traditional Vaganova-based methodology.
Hip Hop
Contemporary hip hop classes combine street dance elements with theatrical presentation, focusing on rhythm, isolation techniques, and freestyle expression. Instructors integrate commercial dance trends while preserving authentic hip hop culture through cyphering and battle-style exercises for ages 5+.
Acro
Acro dance merges technical dance proficiency with gymnastic elements including walkovers, aerials, and advanced tumbling passes. Certified instructors prioritize safety through progressive skill development on sprung floors, ensuring proper conditioning for tricks like back handsprings and chin stands.
Summer Camps
Seasonal dance intensives provide immersive training across multiple genres for ages 2-14. Camps feature themed instruction weeks, guest choreographers, and performance opportunities while maintaining age-appropriate technical development and creative expression in morning and afternoon sessions.
Competitive Teams
Award-winning competition teams offer advanced training in jazz, lyrical, and contemporary styles for dedicated dancers. Members participate in regional/national competitions, receiving personalized coaching in choreography, stage presence, and technical execution while building teamwork and performance confidence.
People
Danyele Gardner
Owner & Artistic Director
Founder of South Carolina Dance Company with 21 years' experience developing award-winning dance programs. Holds Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Columbia College, combining pedagogical expertise with dance instruction.
Questions
What dance styles do you offer?
We teach ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, tap, pointe, acro, musical theater, and all-boys hip hop for ages 2+.
Do you have competitive dance teams?
Yes, we offer award-winning competition teams for ages 3-18 with multiple skill levels and weekend rehearsal schedules.
What are your class sizes?
Class sizes vary by age and discipline but maintain appropriate student-teacher ratios for safe, effective instruction in all programs.
Are there performance opportunities?
Yes, we host annual recitals and provide competition opportunities for enrolled students throughout the dance season.
Do you offer summer programs?
Our summer camps run for eight weeks with themed instruction for ages 2-14, including beginner to advanced dance intensives.
What safety measures do you have?
Our studios feature sprung flooring systems, safety mats, and monitored environments with parent viewing capabilities in all dance rooms.
