Everett Jazz Dance Academy: Building Movers, Artists, and Community Since 2008

Marley floors. Live piano. The sharp sting of sweat mixed with laughter. Walk into the Everett Jazz Dance Academy on a Tuesday evening, and the lobby hums with parents swapping coffee, teenagers stretching in leggings, and a boom of five-six-seven-eight from Studio C that shakes the water cooler.

This is not a franchise. It is a 5,000-square-foot school on Maple Street in downtown Everett City, Pennsylvania, founded by former Alvin Ailey dancer and Uniontown native, Denise Hartley. For sixteen years, the academy has operated on a simple philosophy: train the body, but never at the expense of the artist inside it.

From One Studio and a Dream

Hartley opened the academy in 2008 with a single rented room, twelve students, and a sprung floor she installed herself over a single weekend. Today, the school occupies three studios in the renovated Everett City textile mill, complete with professional Marley flooring, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and a dedicated acrobatics and conditioning space.

"I came back to Pennsylvania because I wanted to build what I didn't have growing up in Fayette County," Hartley said. "A place where serious training and serious joy could coexist."

The faculty reflects that standard. Hartley leads the advanced pre-professional program. Jazz instructor Marcus Chen toured nationally with Chicago and A Chorus Line for eight years. Ballet and conditioning director Dr. Elena Voss holds a PhD in dance kinesiology from Temple University and previously trained dancers at the Rock School in Philadelphia.

Programs Built for Real Bodies and Real Goals

The academy runs on a semester system with fall, spring, and six-week summer intensives. Classes are divided by both age and proficiency, with level placements held each August and January.

Children and Teens

Mini Movers (ages 3–5): Creative movement and rhythm games, Wednesdays and Saturdays
Youth Jazz Levels I–III (ages 6–12): Foundational technique, improvisation, and performance skills
Teen Pre-Professional Track (ages 13–18, by audition): 12 hours weekly across jazz, ballet, contemporary, tap, and acrobatics; competition team and college audition prep included

Adults

Absolute Beginner Jazz (ages 18+): No experience required; Monday and Thursday evenings
Intermediate/Advanced Adult (ages 18+): Fast-paced choreography class with rotating guest teachers; Tuesday evenings

Tuition ranges from $89 per month for a single weekly class to $340 per month for the full pre-professional track. New students can book a $20 trial class at any level.

What "Training" Actually Looks Like Here

The academy distinguishes itself through three programmatic pillars:

Live musical accompaniment. All advanced jazz and tap classes feature a rotating roster of Pittsburgh-area jazz pianists and percussionists. Students learn to listen, adapt, and phrase their movement to human timing—not a metronome.

Choreography as craft. Starting at Level III, every student completes an annual choreography project, presenting original work at the academy's December and June showcases.

Community performance requirements. Pre-professional students perform 15–20 times per year, including Everett City's First Friday art walks, the Fayette County Fair opening ceremonies, and an annual spring benefit for the Everett City Food Pantry.

"The first time I performed at the food pantry benefit, I was thirteen and terrified," said seventeen-year-old student Kayla Brennan, now entering her fifth year at the academy. "Now I audition for everything. Miss Denise taught me that the stage is anywhere you choose to show up fully."

Rooted in Everett City

The academy sits three blocks from the Everett City Arts Council gallery and maintains an active partnership with the council, co-producing the annual Jazz on Maple outdoor concert each September. The event draws approximately 800 attendees and features academy students alongside regional professional companies.

In 2019, the Pennsylvania Dance Education Association recognized Hartley with its Excellence in Community Engagement award. The academy itself was named a Dance Teacher magazine "Studio to Watch" in 2022 for its pre-professional track outcomes: over the past five years, 74% of graduating seniors have been accepted to BFA dance programs or signed with commercial representation in New York and Los Angeles.