Are you looking for the perfect place to advance in dance? Look no further than ACE Dance Academy in Ephrata!
If you are looking for an activity that can get your child moving while also improving their poise and self-confidence, ACE Dance Academy may have just what you are looking for! Whether you’re in need of a creative outlet or your child is interested in long-term dance goals, ACE offers a variety of classes for all ages, from pre-K to adult. At ACE Dance & Fitness Academy, anyone who joins will relish in the wonders of the world of dance.
Kathleen Minnich started ACE Dance & Fitness academy, whose passion for dance began at just three years old in her hometown in Berks County. She graduated from her local academy to train with Master Teachers in New Jersey and New York City before opening her own business in 1988. Since then, ACE has grown to include four teachers and two junior teachers, many of whom started their dance careers at ACE as children!
For little dancers aged 2-3, ACE offers a Pre-K Developmental class that encourages little ones to explore creative dance movement, tumbling, and beginner dance steps. Lessons for elementary-teenage students teach a variety of tap and ballet, with a progressive curriculum as they advance. ACE instructors recognize that each child has unique differences in growth and development. Therefore, the primary purpose of each lesson is to allow for these differences while continuing to challenge each student. ACE offers various dance classes in Contemporary, Jazz, and Hip Hop, as well as Acro and Barre classes for adults. In addition, each year, students have the opportunity to perform in ACE’s Annual showcase to highlight their talents to family and friends.
For a detailed explanation of the courses provided, please visit their website.
The staff at ACE Dance academy consider themselves a family and have over 100 years of combined experience in dance! In addition to the owner, Miss Kathleen, the staff includes:
Miss Brooke – Miss Brooke started out dancing at ACE at age 5 with Miss Kathleen, and in her 30-year dancing career, has excelled in Ballet, Pointe, tap, jazz, and lyrical dance. She also competed for eight years on the KR Stars Competition team. She teaches Pre-k, k1, k2 combination, Ballet, and Lyrical Dance.
Miss Hannah – Miss Hannah has 20 years of dance experience and 11 years involved in competitive dancing. She attended Elizabethtown College, and during that time, she gained more dance experience by taking more dance courses and choreographing for campus shows, and being the leader of the dance club. Miss Hannah teaches Classical, jazz, and lyrical dance.
Miss Laura – Miss Laura began her training in Maryland at Cecil Dance Center and received a B.F.A. in dance education from The University of the Arts. Some of her performance credits include the east coast tour of “Simply the Best,” a Tina Turner revue starring Suzette Dorsey, and the international tour of Sesame Street Live in “Elmo’s Super Heroes.” She has served as dance faculty at Camden County College and has coached the dance team at Alvernia University. In addition, Miss Laura teaches Ballet and Pointe.
Miss Amanda – Miss Amanda began her dance experience in Havertown, PA, at three. Since then, she has gained 20 years of dance experience and 12 years of competitive dancing. While in college, Amanda was a member of the Temple University Diamond Gems Dance Team for three years. She attended training in preparation for Universal Dance Association (UDA) Nationals and competed in D1A Pom, Jazz, and Hip Hop, where her team placed 8th in the nation twice for Hip Hop. After graduating from Temple in 2017, Amanda joined the Philadelphia Flyers Ice Girls team for the 2017-2018 season. Miss Amanda teaches Hip-Hop and Jazz 1.
Miss Taylor and Miss Hailey, both former students at ACE, serve as Junior Teachers. Miss Taylor teaches Lyrical dance and Ballet, while Miss Hailey teaches Acro.
The ACE Dance Academy is the perfect place for you or your child to improve dance skills and self-confidence in an encouraging and positive environment. ACE hopes to help all of its students every “step” of the way. For more details on class offerings and enrollment information, visit the ACE Dance Academy website.