“I always knew I wanted to teach dance,” Sara Misiti Clemmons said, “and my dream was to own my own studio. I never knew it could be as beautiful as this!”
Sara motions to the big, airy, bright space Coastal Dance Academy recently moved into. Located in Brunswick Forest, Coastal Dance Academy now has two large dance studios with windows, barres, professional flooring, mirrors, as well as a changing room and waiting area.
The move means that Sara, who has owned Coastal Dance Academy for seven years, can now offer the community events she always wanted to. First up: a Sweetheart Dance.
On February 23, Coastal Dance Academy will host a dance for kids and their adult “sweetheart.” This special occasion is similar to Daddy/Daughter dances, which
“Kids four and up (boys and girls) can bring their date of choice,” Sara explained. “It can be a dad, mom, uncle, aunt, grandparent…whoever their sweetheart is!”
The event will be an evening of refreshments, dancing and a safe environment to have fun. (Families do not have to be currently enrolled at Coastal Dance Academy to attend.)
For Sara, the Sweetheart Dance is a way to get more involved in her community. Coastal Dance Academy has always been a place for kids to come and enjoy dance. A non-competitive school, structured to teach dance for recreation with a focus on structure and technique, Sara believes that dance can change children’s lives, and she wants the opportunity to reach children and encourage them to move.
“Dance is so good for your soul,” Sara said. “Dance builds self-esteem in kids as well as confidence.”
When Sara looks at the approximately 150 students enrolled in her classes, she loves them where they are and for who they are. Which is why, for Sara, the idea of a Sweetheart Dance for kids who want to experience
“I lost my dad at 13,” Sara explained. “I can relate to these kinds of situations.”
The Sweetheart Dance is the first in a line of community-involved events Sara has planned at Coastal Dance Academy, including parents night out and summer camps. Currently, there is a dance shoe exchange in Coastal Dance Academy, where gently used but outgrown dance shoes can be traded for different sizes. (Sara donated many of these after the Hurricane, but the inventory continues to grow.)
For dancers with a more serious inclination, Sara has a company that performs at different venues in the area. Members of the company are also encouraged to develop their own choreography.
Coastal Dance Academy isn’t just for kids, either! The adult program is growing and classes for adults currently include East Coast Swing, waltz, barre fusion, tap, yoga, and salsa.
Sara has a daughter herself, who recently started classes at the studio, making the studio truly a family affair. And Sara said she is grateful every day for the growth of Coastal Dance Academy and the studio she runs.
“We have a truly amazing dance studio family,” Sara said. “I love getting up and coming to work every day.”
Coastal Dance Academy’s Sweetheart Dance will be held Saturday, February 23, 2019.
Reservations are required by 2/8 and can be made by visiting
Learn more about Coastal Dance Academy
www.coastaldance.net
1010 Evangeline Dr.
Suite 101
Leland, NC 28451
(910) 833-8308
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