Garrettsville – The 8th Count Dance Studio is celebrating their fifth year in business in Garrettsville. The studio is located in Garfield Plaza across the parking lot from the movie theatre.
Throughout the years, the studio has done well at competitions. Their first year they had seven dancers that competed at Twirling Unlimited, Encore Talent Production, and I Love Dance! They brought home many first places and high gold at all the competitions along with their teen lyrical trio taking the overall achievement award. This upcoming season they will have 15 dancers on competitive circuit.
They are home for the famous Walnut Hill Cloggers, who perform all over Northeast Ohio including, but not limited to Garrettsville SummerFest and St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, Troy Homecoming, Windham Bicentennial, Geauga County Fair, Twins Days, and Summit County Fair just to name a few. They have also done community service projects by visiting and dancing at Woodlands at Robinson Nursing Home. While they were at Woodlands the dancers passed out stuffed animals to the residents.
They also participated in numerous dance conventions, including Showstoppers this past year.
They have students from all ages performing and have a large group of adult dancers as well. This past spring they added a Zumba class, which is a hit. Over the summer break, they partnered with the James A. Garfield (JAG) Cheerleaders and helped them master tumbling. They also had numerous camps this summer in a variety of dance that kept folks in the groove. Besides adding new classes, the studio also hosts family dances, participates in parades and even participated in the National Dance Week by holding a dance mob this past spring at various locations around the village of Garrettsville.
Each year, the studio does a recital in June, where they showcase all the students’ accomplishments, and the past two years they have also added a winter ballet performance. They have done Cinderella and Snow White. This year’s winter ballet has yet to be announced, but you will not want to miss the opportunity to perform in it.
This fall, students can expect new classes in tumbling, tiny hip-hop & jazz, as well as a new tumbling instructor Miss Stephanie Dulka. They will also see the familiar faces of Miss Shanelle, Miss Kristen, Miss Stevie, Mr. D and Miss Emily for a fun year of dance.
The studio is now undergoing a make-over and will have new paint, carpeting and flooring installed for the upcoming year. They are also negotiating with the building owner on a possible expansion project.
Registration for all classes is going on now. One can register for classes by calling the studio at (330) 527-0358. Emailing the studio is also an option. One can reach the studio by email at the following address: the8thcount@yahoo.com.
The studio is owned by Shanelle Waggoner. Shanelle is a teacher not only in dance but a school teacher as well. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in teaching and has been dancing for 25 years and teaching dance for 10 years. She considers herself a teacher in all aspects of life and that is how she approaches dance.
Shanelle has choreographed for Curtain’s Up Theater, and has partnered with the James A. Garfield (JAG) cheer squad to do tumbling. She is also working on adding a Girl Scout badge program.
When she is not at the dance studio, she can be found preparing for her fourth grade class at Mentor School District or hanging out with her hubby, Rick, and son Ricky. The Waggoners make their home in Hiram.
Watch for announcement on the “Back to School Bash.” Also mark your calendars for a fun night of bowling at Sky Lanes on November 9th, 2013. The studio will hold a scotch doubles fundraiser to help cover some of the competition team’s expenses.
