Business Details
Your Premier Dance Education Center in Parkersburg
PACE was founded by dance professionals to create a dedicated space for qualified instructors in the Mid-Ohio Valley to share their expertise in performing arts with the community. We provide technical dance training, professional-grade facilities with Harlequin Marley surfaces and sprung floors, and a curriculum developed by degreed faculty to ensure safe, progressive education. Our team includes ABT-certified instructors, national award-winning choreographers, and educators with decades of combined experience in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary styles.We maintain partnerships with regional arts organizations and offer six annual recitals at the historic Smoot Theatre, along with summer intensives and guest artist workshops. Our facility features three studios with observation technology, dressing rooms, and dedicated spaces for preschool through advanced training, serving students aged 2-18 in a positive, inclusive environment.
Services
Ballet Classes
Jazz Dance
Hip-Hop Training
Preschool Dance
Competitive Teams
Summer Intensives
Adult Classes
Costume Rentals
Recital Production
Faculty Masterclasses
Highlights and features
- ABT-certified instructors with professional performance backgrounds
- Three specialized studios with Harlequin Marley and sprung flooring
- Written curriculum updated annually by degreed faculty
- Six professionally produced recitals at the Smoot Theatre
- Community partnerships with regional arts organizations
Associations and certifications
- National Dance Education Organization
- American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum
Services
Ballet Classes
Our ballet program develops technical proficiency from beginner to advanced levels. Certified instructors use ABT National Training Curriculum methods to teach proper alignment, pointe work, and performance skills. Classes emphasize artistic expression while maintaining injury prevention through progressive training on sprung floors.
Jazz Dance
Jazz classes combine technical training with performance preparation. Students learn various jazz styles from Broadway to contemporary, focusing on rhythm, coordination, and dynamic movement. Our instructors bring professional experience from national tours and competitive coaching backgrounds.
Hip-Hop Training
This program teaches street dance styles including breaking, popping, and locking. Classes emphasize musicality, improvisation, and choreography while maintaining technical foundations. Our hip-hop company has earned recognition at regional competitions.
Preschool Dance
Designed for ages 2-6, these classes introduce basic dance concepts through playful activities. The curriculum develops motor skills, rhythm, and creativity using age-appropriate music and choreography in a specially designed 40'x15' training space.
Competitive Teams
Our competitive program offers advanced training in multiple genres. Dancers participate in regional competitions and receive specialized coaching in choreography, technique, and performance presentation. The program has earned top honors at USASF Dance Worlds and other national events.
People
Morgan Heflin Parsons
Ballet Instructor
Summa Cum Laude WVU graduate with ABT certification. Teaches ballet and pointe with 20+ years experience. Former West Virginia Dance Festival scholarship winner and professional adjudicator.
Lindsey Florence
Curriculum Director
Point Park University graduate with master's in marketing. Directs six annual recitals and choreographs for professional companies. Former competitive dancer with training from ABT and Juilliard intensives.
Alison Cressey
Ballet Faculty
ABT-certified instructor with training from Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. Teaches injury prevention and pointe readiness classes. Former performer with Mid Ohio Valley Ballet in regional productions.
Dee Ann Florence
Founder
40+ years dance education experience. Oversees curriculum development and faculty training. Professional member of National Dance Education Organization and adjudicator for regional competitions.
Kaitlyn Moyer
Hip-Hop Director
WVU Dance Team alumna with BA in Dance. Directs award-winning hip-hop company. Former all-star cheerleader and national solo competition winner with experience choreographing for competitive studios.
Questions
What dance styles do you offer?
We teach ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, tap, musical theater, and preschool creative movement classes.
Are there performance opportunities?
Yes! We produce six annual recitals at the Smoot Theatre, including competitive showcases and ballet excerpts.
What qualifications do your instructors have?
Our faculty includes ABT-certified teachers, national award-winning choreographers, and degreed professionals with decades of combined experience.
Do you offer summer programs?
Yes, we host summer intensives with guest artists and maintain training programs through August.
What safety measures are in place?
We use professional sprung floors, maintain small class sizes, and have CPR-certified staff with AED equipment onsite.