Our Story

Founded in 1984 by Hilarie Neely, Footlight Dance Centre has been a cornerstone of dance education in the Wood River Valley for over four decades. In August 2025, Mackenzie King became the new director, continuing Footlight’s tradition of excellence while bringing a fresh, contemporary vision for the future.

We provide a professional conservatory environment where students—ages 4 through high school—can grow as dancers, artists, and individuals. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality dance education, blending technical training, historical context, and analytical thinking skills. We believe in nurturing every student’s potential, offering age-appropriate performance opportunities, including our annual full-length May production. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we thrive on (and welcome!) community support to help dancers reach their dreams.

Our Approach

We teach every class with the belief that each student has the potential to dance at their personal best. While not all will pursue dance professionally, every dancer gains respect for the art form, an appreciation for hard work, and the joy of movement. Our training emphasizes fun, poise, grace, strength, and skill through a graduated curriculum that connects each dance form to its historical roots.

At Footlight, we value artistry, creativity, and aesthetics alongside educational growth. Our goal is to open the door to the transformative world of dance—and keep it open for a lifetime.

Our Classes

  • Through music, games, and imaginative movement, young dancers build coordination, rhythm, and creativity—laying the foundation for ballet technique, school readiness, and a lifelong love of dance.

  • Our ballet program builds strong, versatile dancers through a progression of technique, artistry, and strength—leading to pointe work for advanced students. Training draws from multiple classical methods, with elements of the Cecchetti Method included under the guidance of founder Hilarie Neely, a Licenciate Member of the Cecchetti Council of America.

  • Blending ballet alignment with grounded movement, modern and contemporary dance explore fall and recovery, dynamic flow, and creative expression through improvisation and choreography.

  • High-energy and expressive, jazz dance blends classic technique with contemporary styles, set to upbeat and inspiring music. Dancers build strength, flexibility, and performance skills while exploring a variety of styles from Broadway to commercial dance.

  • Rhythm comes to life in tap class as dancers create music with their feet. With an emphasis on timing, clarity, and coordination, tap training develops strong musicality and a deep connection between movement and sound.

  • Set to current and classic beats, hip hop builds coordination, confidence, and personal style through grooves, footwork, and dynamic choreography. Classes explore a range of hip hop styles—from old school to commercial—encouraging self-expression and high-energy performance.