The Academy of Classical and Contemporary Dance
is located at 927
Battlefield Blvd N., Chesapeake, VA 23323. We
are locally owned and operated with a 20-year history. We were
named the “Best
of Chesapeake” in 2005 and “Best of Chesapeake Silver
Award” in 2006 and we’re extremely proud of our instruction,
students and instructors.
Our competitive dance team, Fusion Dance Company,
is recognized as one of the top teams in the mid-Atlantic region,
consistently placing well in area competitions.
We are best known, however, for our outstanding
staff of professional instructors who strive to teach our students
the art of dance, not just how to perform dance steps. This commitment
to education ensures our students learn how to be dancers, not
just how to follow someone else’s moves. We have found that
this approach consistently produces outstanding dancers who go
on to perform at the college level and beyond.
Our talented instructors include:
Lynne Economou – Lynne holds a BA degree
in Dance & Theatre from Old Dominion University and is the
founding member of the Old Dominion University Dance Theatre. She
attended intensive studies with the Joffrey Ballet School in New
York City and the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Lynne
has performed with the Virginia Musical Theatre and served as a
guest choreographer for the Miss Virginia Beach and Miss Tidewater
Pageants. She is the Co-Director of the Fusion Dance Team and was
Miss Virginia Beach 1994. Lynne offers pageant consulting in addition
to teaching dance.
Nikia Burks – Nikia holds a BA in Dance from Old Dominion
University and is a graduate of the Governor’s School for
the Arts. She has been a member of Second Wind Dance Ensemble,
a guest choreographer at the Governor’s School for the Arts
and the University Dance Theatre (ODU). Nikia performed as the
opening act for the James Brown concert at the Hampton Coliseum
and was the choreographer for the Jamz Festival held at the Hampton
Coliseum. She is Co- Director of the Fusion Dance Team and has
been recognized with the best choreography award at local & national
dance competitions.
Tamika Burks Steeley – Tamika holds a BA in Dance from Old
Dominion University and is also a graduate of the Governor’s
School for the Arts. She is a guest instructor with the Old Dominon
University Dance Department and guest choreographer for University
Dance Theatre (ODU) and the Governor’s School for the Arts.
Tamika is a member of the Second Wind Dance Ensemble and a guest
choreographer for the Virginia Stage Company. She performed as
the opening act for the James Brown concert at the Hampton Coliseum
and was the choreographer for the Jamz Festival held at the Hampton
Coliseum. She is a guest instructor for Todd Rosenliebs Dance Center
and has received numerous best choreography awards at local dance
competitions.
Julia Felts – Julia holds a BA in Dance from Old Dominion
University and is a former member and president of the Old Dominion
University Dance Theatre. She is a former member of Old Dominion
University's Competing Dance Team and a former student at the Academy
of Classical & Contemporary Dance. Julia has attended summer
intensives at Broadway Dance Theatre in New York.
Beth Mills - Beth has trained numerous actors, dancers and teachers. A former studio owner for 20 years, Beth has worked with talent all over the country. You can find her students with such acts as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, LeeAnne Rimes, and Jessica Simpson. Her dancers have danced on the MTV Video Music Awards, Commercials for Coke C2, Pepsi and Visa, the former Vegas show of "Siegfried and Roy", Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America Cruise Lines. Television's "Third Rock", "American Dreams" and made for TV Movies.
In 1995 Beth was selected as contributing writer to Dance Magazine and that same year was inducted into the "Who's Who in Dance" for outstanding leadership in the arts.
