Dance Teacher Inspires New Generations With Passion for Her Craft

The world of dance may have been given a bit of a bad name recently, thanks to dark films like Black Swan and disturbing reality TV shows, such as "Dance Moms."

But on Main Street in Safety Harbor, a long-time devotee of dance is making sure it remains a fun, rewarding and enjoyable activity for people of all ages.

Linda Featherstone, owner of Miss Linda’s Dance Studio, doesn’t believe in competition or trophies. She just wants her students to love to dance. 

“I’ve been doing this since I was three years old, and I’ve studied, performed and taught dance all over the country,” the 65-year-old native Floridian said. 

“But I don’t do competitions, and I don’t believe in trophies. I don’t need a piece of gold or silver to tell me how good I am. I have my trophies right here,” she said, pointing to a wall of photographs of her current and former students. 

Indeed Featherstone’s studio, at 550 Main St., adjacent to Renaissance Realty, there are photos and mementos given to “Miss Linda” by students in appreciation of all she has done for them. 

And the respect for their teacher is well earned. 

Featherstone studied dance, primarily ballet, in New York and she has appeared in numerous shows and productions over the years, including the Nutcracker, Cinderella, Oklahoma! and Swan Lake. 

In 1991 she decided to share her passion and knowledge with others, opening a dance school in north Clearwater that ran for 18 years. 

Four years ago she had an opportunity to move to bustling downtown Safety Harbor, a move she doesn’t regret despite the fact her business hasn’t exploded like she hoped it would. 

“I love it here, but I’d love more people to know I’m here,” she admitted. 

“People walk by, they look in the windows and wave. But a lot of people still don’t know I’m here because my signage isn’t the greatest.” 

With a number of classes available, including jazz, hip hop, belly, zumba, yoga and tap, and age groups ranging from “three to 103”, Miss Linda’s truly has something for everyone interested in dance and exercise. 

Just don’t expect a trophy. 

“There’s nothing wrong with competition. But we don’t need a judge to tell us whether we failed or we’re perfect."

Miss Linda's Dance Studio

Address: 550 Main Street

Phone: 727-796-9653

Hours: Call for class schedules and times