Our Staff
Our Teaching Philosophy
Our instructors build confidence and a good self-image by teaching through positive reinforcement. We concentrate on teaching correct technique and terms. We want students to achieve their personal best and leave class feeling good about themselves. We encourage our students to reach for the stars and be the best that they can be not only in dance but their everyday lives.
MISS SUSAN
Miss Susan is the owner and director of The Dance Zone & More which opened in October 2003. This is now her 17th year teaching at the studio. Susan studied classical ballet under the direction of Stanley Herbert at the St. Louis Civic Ballet Company, now called Dance St. Louis. She has taken classes in Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Pointe. She is an award winning choreographer for her dance team the DZ Dazzlers. Susan’s routines have placed in the Top 10 at regional’s and at the national level during the last 16 years of competition. Susan’s students have gone off to study at Webster University, receive scholarships for dance teams at college and be hired on as a competitive teachers at other studios. Miss Susan is an emotional teacher and loves watching her students. She always says that there is no better joy that she fells then being able to walk into the studio doors every day no matter how rough the day had been, just to know that she can give someone the opportunity to express themselves through dance the way that she did as a young girl. Susan loves what she does and she wants to teach your child how to dance. She is the proud mother of Nicole Ivy and William Buscher. She currently resides with her husband and dogs in St. Clair.
MISS NICOLE
Miss Nicole graduated from the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She currently is a Staff Pharmacist with Walgreens. Nicole has been dancing since the age of 7. She has been a member of the dance team since the studio opened. Nicole has put many awards on the wall of the studio performing in solos, duets, trios, and groups. She also choreographed dances for the dance team while she was there winning several Top 10 placements and also several choreography awards. Miss Nicole teaches our intermediate/advanced gymnastics program along with our intermediate/advanced jazz classes. Miss Nicole is also a Certified Teacher through Acrobatic Arts acro dance program. She also choreographs for the DZ Dazzlers competitive dance team. This is her 18th year with The Dance Zone family and she looks forward to another 20!!!! Miss Nicole is also the Asst. Director. She is very happy to take this role on as she loves dance and all the students that she teaches!!!!! She is also the proud mom to her beautiful baby girl, Ariebella!!
MISS CAITLIN
Miss Caitlin is our current beginner gymnastics teacher. She works with our little ones to prepare them to go into the next levels. Miss Caitlin was a previous student at the studio and enjoys being ablet take what she learned and give it back to her students. She is the proud mamma to her beautiful little girl Ember.
MISS KAYLEE
Ms. Kaylee graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a BS in Special Education K-12. She is currently a Special Education teacher at Neuwoehner High School. Kaylee has been dancing since the age of 3. She was a competitive dancer for 15 years. While she was in high school, she danced on her school’s dance team. Miss Kaylee will be teaching our hip hop program along with tap and ballet combo classes and gymnastics. Kaylee is so excited to start teaching here!
SENSEI STOUT
Sensei Stout has been active in Martial Arts for 19 years. He has studied Kali (stick and knife fighting), Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, Kung Fu, and Boxing. He has trained with a great number of martial artists who have accomplished everything from State titles to World titles and has been fortunate enough to learn and master some of their specialties that make them great. Sensei Stout is committed to helping every man, woman and child develop their confidence, self-esteem, and respect for themselves, as well as others, through the instruction of martial arts. He is a firm believer that with discipline and hard work, all people can reach the full potential of their greatness. Sensei Stout is an accomplished 4th degree black belt with Bushido Karate. He has over 35 full contact matches under his belt and is the former Missouri State Kickboxing Champion! Sensei Stout also was the 4 time number 1 contender for the Kickboxing State title, as well as the 2 time number 1 contender for the Midwest Regional Kickboxing Title and took home 3rd place champion in the Semi-Contact State Tournament. He has also been bestowed the award for “Outstanding Participation and Good Sportsmanship in Full Contact Competition” from the K.J.C.K Organization. Sensei Stout resides in Sullivan, Missouri, with son, Alexander, and daughter, Kyrsten. This is Jason’s 14th year teaching at the studio.
MISS Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn has been dancing since the early age of 4. She is well versed in all styles of dance and is always eager to learn new things. She has endless hours of training under the staff of St. Peter’s Academy of Dance and Rokita Dance Center. Kaitlyn was a competitive dancer for 10 years combined with both studios. Towards the end of her competition years, she joined a company called the Kinfigure Kollective founded by Caleb Brauner and Carly Lawrence in 2017. Kingfigure is a mentorship/training program that teaches you about the industry and prepares you for it as well. This company has changed her passion for dance and has taught her that there is more to dance than just the “step”. In 2018, Kaitlyn has the pleasure of choreographing “Hairspray” the musical for the St. Peter’s Art Center. This was her first choreography job and has taught her how to work with different people in a production environment. In 2021, she joined a company called Kode Redd founded by Anthony “Redd” Williams is a preprofessional/professional company that focuses on hip hop and jazz technique. This company has also taught her about the industry and market yourself in the dance world. Since October of last year, she has been teaching at Rokita Dance Center. She loves to help kids discover their passion for dance and help them achieve their goals. Kaitly is so excited to be joining our family and can’t wait to meet everyone.
MISS SYDNEY
Miss Sydney is currently a junior assistant in our beginner tap/ballet and gymnastics classes. She helps with demonstrations and keeps the students progressing in their skills. She is a current member of our competitive dance team. We enjoy not only training Sydney to be a great dancer but we are training her to be a great teacher as well. We look forward to many more years with this young lady. She has truly come so far since the beginning and continues to strive to be better than the day before.
MISS LILY
Miss Lily is currently a junior assistant in our beginner gymnastics classes. She helps spot and demonstrate for the students. She is a current member of our competitive dance team. We enjoy not only training Lily to be a great dancer but we are working with her to be a great teacher as well. We look forward to many more years with this young lady.
WE CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE DANCE STUDIO.