Top Performers – San Joaquin Magazine

UVDC Helps Tiny Feet Make Big Moves

Do you have a child who aspires to dance? A born performer with a knack for movement? At Unique Visions Dance Company in Stockton, Owner, Director, and Dance Instructor Chelsea Hill puts an emphasis on getting those tiny feet in front of large crowds.

This summer, a team of dancers (ages 8-15) performed at Stockton’s Relay for Life event, where they also raised money by participating in the walk. Next, they’ll dance their little hearts out at the Heart and Stroke Walk in Stockton in September. But the biggest performance in their future will be at Disneyland in December where dancers will pirouette and plié down Mainstreet, U.S.A in a parade with dancers from all over the world.

So who’s behind these big performers? Chelsea Hill and her co-director Lethia Hill. Chelsea teaches every class (available to students ages 3-18) while Lethia runs the office. Their unique small studio approach creates a family-like atmosphere for dancers as Chelsea and Lethia work closely with students and their parents to turn out dancers with technique, power, passion, and a love of performing.

This season, UVDC will offer classes in ballet, pre-pointe and pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary dance, and acrobatic dance. Students can take classes in one discipline or across many.

The small studio has grown tremendously. In 2009, UVDC moved to its own space on Porter Avenue where the business still operates today. In their first year, they saw just nine students in their annual showcase, and last year they welcomed 70.

“I have a passion for dance and I want students to see the benefits and joy of dance and use it how they like in life,” Chelsea says. “Even if it’s as simple as ‘dance taught me to stand up straight and be proud.”

Students can begin taking introductory classes at three years old (as long as they are potty trained), and continue through the various disciplines. The atmosphere at UVDC is beyond your average preschool romp; it’s structured and focused on helping children thrive in the world of dance. Students reap the benefits of a close-knit studio as well as the skills taught by Chelsea, who is certified by the Dance Educators of America Teacher Training Program in Classical Ballet, Jazz Dance, Tap Dance, Modern Dance, and Theatrical Acrobatics/Tumbling. She also holds her B.A. in Liberal Arts with a focus on elementary education.

“Every student at UVDC learns theatre and class etiquette, terminology, dance history, and the proper execution of steps in an atmosphere that builds respect, poise, and self-confidence,” Chelsea says.