Dance World Staff
The Staff at Dance World truly appreciate the opportunity to do what they love; Share and express their love of dance through teaching.
Thanks to all of our Dance World families for choosing us as one of the important role models that make a difference in their child’s life.
Owner/Director Executive Office ManagerStaff
Jeanette Davis Rhonda Fallaw Maureen Plyler
Rhonda Fallaw Maureen PlylerDebbie Sims Carl Peeples Quentin Bolden
Carl Peeples Quentin BoldenLindsey White Kathy Raymer
Kathy RaymerDoer’s Profile
Lisa Wilson Page
President/Owner/Director
Dance World
Lisa Page runs Dance World with the emotional finesse of a
really good shrink. In fact, the owner and instructor’s motto
at the Columbia studio is “Professional Instruction with a
Personal Touch.” And she makes herself available to every
single one of her students from three-year-olds to adults,
who take jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, baton and hip-hop classes.
She seeks to know the whole person – and then manages
the whole person in a dignified manner.
“Lisa really does spend time with each and every student,”
says Cindy Blakeney, whose daughter, Shelley, is a former
member of the J.T.ettes, the studio’s competing and per-
forming dance company. “She works all the time because she spends so much time not only on their dancing, but on their personal well-being. She takes each one of the girls into her heart and into her arms. They really have a terrific role model in Lisa.”
In August of 1998, Lisa took over Dance World from her mother, Jeanette Davis. Since its inception in 1977, the studio has always been family-owned. Under Lisa’s direction, enrollment increased to its highest ever and the studio was voted Best Dance Studio four years in a row by readers of The State newspaper.
Boasting a first-class repertoire, Page was also named South Carolina’s dance teacher for the 200-2001 term and the 2002 National Dance Educator of the Year by New York-based Talent America.
A major reason she received the national honor, Page says, is the participation of her student’s families. Dancers and their parents submitted letters describing her as a dance teacher to Talent America. Talent America says that they received more letters on her behalf than they have ever received for a contestant.
“It fills my heart with love,” says Lisa. “I was so overwhelmed and shocked by the letters of recommendation and especially the support of my (dance) parents. When I made the announcement that I had won to my mom and dad, they gave me a standing ovation. I never thought I would be honored in this way.”
Before traveling to New York to receive the award, Lisa said, “I have no clue what I’m going to say. I can dance in front of anybody, but don’t ask me to speak!”
Page began dancing when she was only two and a half years old. Her mother and father opened Dance World when she was five years old. “At an early age, my life and love became dancing,” she explains. “But I never got any partiality. I was never allowed to call my mom ‘mom’ around the dance studio. I always had to call her Mrs. Wilson. She was much harder on me than she was on the rest, but she inspired me. She did everything to encourage my talent, taking me to study in many places with some of the greatest dancers of all times – Al Gilbert, Marcus Alford, Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, Joel Ruminer and Danny and Betty Hoctor. Everything I know and do today is because of her, because of her teaching.”
Understanding the job of managing creative talent through her mother’s example, Lisa began teaching at age 18. She continued teaching for her mother during her college years at the University of South Carolina while pursuing an accounting degree. “I know it’s different, but I chose accounting so that if I ever got injured while dancing professionally, I’d have something to fall back on. And if I were to become a dance teacher and eventually take over the family business, I would be trained to run both the business end as well as the teaching end of the business.”
Lisa graduated from USC magna cum laude in 1993. Fresh out of college, she worked for Intine Systems International for three years until the company merged and moved to Florida. She then ran the accounting for IR Sportswear and Shirts, Inc. for about six months, while still teaching at Dance World. ”Doing both things was a bit too much. I eventually quit and taught full-time, opening my own dance wear shop in the studio,” says Lisa. “As I continued to grow and started working with the kids here at the studio, I knew this was where my heart was. I love to perform, but the applause you get at the end of a show is nothing compared to the reward you get from the kids.”
Stirring the soul of her dancers, Page creates a place where people feel comfortable and where self-assurance, self-acceptance and self-expression is nurtured, says Jeanie Rhyne, mother of Allie, who is also a former J.T.ette.
Lisa strives to help her students improve both professionally and personally,” Rhyne says. “She’s so loving and patient. She feels like all of her students are her children. Allie had a fractured leg and was not able to dance for a couple of months and Lisa was genuinely worried about her. If Lisa’s students don’t feel good or something is bothering them, she picks up on that. Lisa is their shepherd. She’s definitely family.”
Over the years, Page has continued her dance education by attending conventions and seminars and by taking classes specifically geared for dance instructors. She has also become a certified member of the Dance Educators of America.
An avid community supporter, Page takes her dancers to perform at local retirement and nursing homes and puts on other performances to help raise money for the less fortunate.
“I find that’s extremely important,” says Lisa. “After September 11th with the students’ help, I donated a portion of my October monthly fees to the Red Cross.”
As a choreographer, Page has earned rave reviews and won several national awards for her aesthetic vision. She also worked with Lexington School District Five to develop its performing arts programs.
Managing the complexity of Dance World to a tune utterly unlike any other, Page is absolutely exhilarated about the future.
“As a dance instructor, I not only get to teach children how to dance, but how to work as a team, care for one another and how to have respect for others,” says Lisa. “This is the most rewarding profession. The teaching and the hugs and smiles on my students’ faces everyday make this an unbelievable life journey.”
Updated January 2010 from the original article, Doer’s Profile, Greater Columbia Business Monthly, May 2002.
