Troy Teen Receives Boost from Local Dance Studio

Although many girls her age preferred jazz, tap or hip hop dancing in childhood, Riley Scott, 16, signed up for ballroom dance classes at Fred Astaire Dance Studio last winter and danced her way through high school graduation. 

The Troy native says it was the best activity to get involved with prior to leaving for college, as it’s boosted her confidence in ways that she’ll take with her this fall.

“I now feel more comfortable in my own skin, more comfortable being myself,” said Scott, who is going to Houghton College in upstate New York and plans to continue ballroom dancing there. 

“Most people don’t realize all the benefits you get from dance, because people don’t dance,” said Evan Mountain, owner of the Bloomfield Hills studio. “Once you start dancing, there’s so many benefits of stress relief: physical activity and socializing. For kids, it teaches them how to be respectful and how to feel comfortable with the opposite sex.”

Scott said that beginning ballroom dance during senior year of high school helped mitigate the stress of academics and saying goodbye to long-time friends. Dancing provided an energetic distraction and relaxation outlet that relieved some of the natural stressors of the time.

Schools have noticed, over the past five years, according to Mountain. He said that several area high schools offer students the opportunity to learn ballroom at the studio as a study in physical education.

Mountain added, that could be due in part to the quality of ballroom unique from tap, jazz, or ballet, in that it’s an inherently social medium. “I took ballet when I was playing sports, but it’s not something you can really use that much. I took it because it helped my football skills, but I can’t use it for much else,” Mountain said.

Later in life, he decided to learn ballroom and was taught by his future wife, Lada. The two opened the studio, which is part of a nationwide franchise with one location in Michigan, in 2006.

“The Fred Astaire franchise tells us, you’re doing good, and you’re in Detroit, so that says a lot, given economic conditions here,” he said. “This seems to be really catching on in the area.”

Learn more at fredastaireofbloomfieldhills.com or call (248) 454-1715. The studio is located at 2172 Franklin Road, in Bloomfield Hills.