“IN A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING...ALWAYS BE YOURSELF.”
Susan’s Studio of Dance is recognized as a community leader and educator in the timeless art form–dance. Since establishment of the studio in 1993, owner, director, and choreographer, Susan Flanders Parker, has continued to instill students with the high standards of excellence, beauty, and joy of dance. Dancing made fun builds confidence that leads to a lifetime of Success. For over 17 years, Susan’s Studio of Dance has done just that. This year, Susan’s husband, Greg, built her the “Dream Studio.” She now has 3 larger dance rooms with sprung wood dance floors and all rooms are equipped with cameras, for the parents to view on monitors while waiting in the lobby. The dancers also have a dressing room equipped with lockers and while taking breaks between classes, they visit the “Funky Monkey Café” for snacks and drinks. Last but not least…for the enjoyment of the dancers, a Movie Theater is provided for teaching aides and for the luxury of viewing movies. The successes of Susan’s programs are a direct reflection of Susan’s pioneering spirit and genuine love for children. When the studio opened, Susan’s concept was incredible. She created a program that would not only help children develop physically, but also intellectually, emotionally and socially. Susan consistently focuses on creating fun, positive experiences that will give children the confidence they need for a lifetime of success. You can see it in their eyes the first time they run into your arms after class, the newfound look of glorious, sparkling confidence, confidence that will build a foundation in our dance program. Susan’s offers ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics and creative movement. Susan’s classes are developed for ages 2-adults, beginning with her one hour preschool class (ages 3-4) offering ballet, tap, tumbling, creative movement and singing. Young beginners (ages 5-7) are offered one-hour combination classes of ballet/tap and/or acrobatics/jazz. As dancers enter grade school, Susan’s offers hourly classes of individual dance subjects based on age and individual ability. We encourage children to develop at their own pace, building self-esteem they need for fulfilling and successful lives. Today’s curriculum continues to be refined through the collective wisdom of the entire Susan’s Studio of Dance family. By integrating feedback from a dynamic group with diverse backgrounds, Susan’s Studio of Dance has set the standards for progressing dancing development. Susan’s long, successful history and proactive commitment to improve, allows parents to feel assured that they are giving their children the very best foundation of life. More importantly, professionalism and dance discipline are paired with a caring heart to ensure memorable experiences for all those involved. Susan is a certified member of Dance Masters of America (DMA) #33, since 1987. DMA qualifies its members by stringent examinations of knowledge and skill of the dance arts by testing pedagogic methods – encouraging no less than three years’ experience – and by demonstration of personal integrity. The experienced staff stays current by constant study of dance and the studio and staff continually strives to improve teaching techniques in accordance with the latest state-of-the-art knowledge of the dance theater. And, we never forget the heart. The performance repertoire of students from Susan’s Studio of Dance is large and impressive: Huntsville Follies, Panoply of the Arts, ArTrain, Cornucopia, Huntsville Stars, Senior Celebration for the Senior Center, Kid’s Fest for Kid’s Space, Paramount Production’s “The Flintstones Go Holly Rock”, the Harlem Globetrotter’s, Merrimack Hall’s “Evening of Dance” for the “Dance Your Dreams!” special needs children’s class, and Gurley’s Small Town Celebration of historical cities in Alabama. ...And by special invitation, students have performed on one of the world’s largest luxury cruise ships, Carnival’s Fantasy, and Royal Caribbean’s “Monarch of the Seas”, and with Raven-Symone, the Moffatts, Kid’s Jam/USA, and Sam Wright (voice of Sebastian, the crab in Disney’s “Little Mermaid”, and who is appeared on Broadway as Mufasa in the “Lion King”). We were extended a personal invitation to do a student exchange with his Hudson Valley Conservatory of Dance. Students have performed in a half-time show for the Nokia Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. They have wowed international visitors with their performances at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and have heralded in the Christmas season by dancing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The studio’s dancers have had the honor of representing the United States as Goodwill Ambassadors with the New Olympians International Show Team’s “Dancer’s Festival” in Cozumel, Mexico. They have received invitations to perform in many halftime shows for bowl games.
The Company Dancers at Susan’s Studio of Dance are acclaimed winners throughout the Southeast. They have qualified for national finals as High Point and Overall Winners at competitions in the last seventeen years. 2010 was an exceptional year for Susan’s Company. She is proud to announce her Company Dances, “IT’S MY PARTY” and “JUST LIKE HEAVEN were awarded the Overall ALABAMA State Dance Champions in the Teen and Senior Divisions. (www.statedancechampionship.com) Also, representing Susan’s Studio of Dance Company Dancer, Miss Haleigh Briggs, became the “Junior Dancer of the Year” at Hollywood Vibe’s regional dance competition in Nashville, Tennessee. (www.hollywoodvibe.com). This spring Susan and her Company Dancers had a surprise visit at the studio by Paul Canaan, actor/dancer, from “Legally Blonde, on Broadway,” as he taught a small Musical Theater workshop. This past winter, several of her Company Dancers received scholarships by audition to attend dance workshops throughout the United States. These young and inspiring Company Dancers have won several Overall and First Place awards this past 2009-2010 season. Susan is honored to have these very young dancers represent her studio. Susan’s Company Dancers were so excited to receive the Teen/Senior Good Sportsmanship award from New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA). Susan’s Company Dancers have also received, three years in a row, the honor of the CLASS ACT AWARD from New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) for being recognized as the studio that consistently presents dancers in a “classy”, professional, and age-appropriate manner, along with exceptional dance performance and technical skills demonstrated at the convention. (www.nycda.com) Susan’s Dancer’s, Cade Musgrove, Lauren Parker, and Erika Davis, were selected through audition to perform in “An Evening of Dance” performance for the “Dance Your Dreams!” program for children with special needs, at Merrimack Hall. This was an incredible opportunity for these girls to perform with several dancers from the Huntsville area. This year, Tyce Diorio, from “So You Think You Can Dance”, was the Emcee for the performance. Several of her dancers took classes from Tyce Diorio, Gregg Russell, Barry Youngblood, Nick Drago, Derrick Schrader, Rustin Matthew, Nick Gonzalez and Mollee Gray (SYTYCD) at Merrimack Hall, this past year. Susan is very proud of her dancers and consistently supports ALL of her dancers in all of their endeavors. We are extremely proud of all of these young dancers and sincerely hope they are touched by the power and joy of dance. We look forward to performances ahead, and we invite you to join us in this dance of life... a sort of pas de deux of dancer and us.
Susan Flanders Parker, owner and director of Susan’s Studio of Dance, is certified to teach dance through written and oral examination by Dance Masters of America Chapter #33 AL/GA/TN (DMA). She is an active member of DMA #33, since 1987 and has served as past chairman of the Entertainment Committee. Susan attends many conventions and workshops throughout the country to learn and stay current in dance. In addition to attending the workshops, she has brought Master Teachers to the studio, such as Mr. Barry Youngblood, who is a choreographer and dancer for Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, and Brian McKnight, and Mr. Anthony Locascio, who is an original member of Tap Dogs. Other Guest teachers include Ms. Andrea Hammonds, a former New York City Rockette, Mrs. Bethany Hooks-Locascio from San Jose, California, and Mrs. JV Goeck, from Las Vegas, Nevada. Susan believes in the importance of continuous personal development and is quite active in professional and civic groups. Locally, she is a member of the Junior League of Huntsville. She has served as Art Department Chair of Heritage Junior Women’s Club. She has been an active volunteer for Panoply of the Arts, Kid’s Space, Harris Home for Children, MADD, Arts Council, Hampton Cove Elementary and Middle School and many others. Susan served as the Director of the Huntsville Eastern League (Cove Park) Cheerleaders in Hampton Cove for the past eight years and her husband, Greg has coached the for the Eastern League’s Cougars Football for the past 5 years and Eastern League Baseball organization for the past 6 years. This past fall, the U10 Cougars went undefeated and were the Huntsville City Champs. Susan and Greg, are the proud parents of Lauren~2009 Huntsville High School (HHS) JV Cheerleader, and next season’s 2010 HHS Varsity-Red/Football-Competition Cheerleader, and Susan’s Company Dancer, Sarah Katherine~2009 Hampton Cove Middle School (HCMS) Dance Team, 2010 HCMS Cheerleader, and Susan’s Company Dancer, Graham~ Cove Park’s Eastern League Football and Baseball. The Parker family attends Cove United Methodist Church, where her husband, Greg, is also a second/third grade Sunday school teacher.