Founded in 2004 by Danyele Gardner, South Carolina Dance Company was designed to give a complete dance education to children, teenagers, and young adults.
South Carolina Dance Company was founded by Danyele Gardner of Lexington, SC. It was Danyele’s childhood dream to become a dance teacher and studio owner. In the summer of 2004, after earning a Bachelor of arts Degree in Early Childhood Education from Columbia College, Danyele, along with her husband, Jonathan, opened South Carolina Dance Company, LLC.
It was Danyele’s mission to create a dance studio where children and their family’s have a safe, fun, family-friendly place to spend their after-school and summer hours loving to learn how to dance. It was Danyele’s vision that every SCDC dance class teach children the importance of commitment, responsibility, discipline, self-worth, and integrity through the SCDC dance curriculum.
In addition, it was Danyele’s goal that SCDC provide children and young adults a facility where the finest level of dance instruction could be found near the Lexington, Riverbluff, White Knoll, Irmo, Gilbert, Batesburg, Columbia, and West Columbia, SC areas. SCDC is now celebrating our 21st year of offering these communities with our award-winning dance classes!
Our Mission for Our SCDC Students
Simply put, we want to help children become the best they can be by empowering them to be goal-oriented and disciplined learners through SCDC’s dance and performing-arts curriculum. It is our vision and company mission to give our students not only quality dance instruction, including various exposures to world famous guest artists, but to teach life skills that prepare them for real world experiences.
South Carolina Dance Company’s dance programs enhance our student’s lives by providing: leadership and team-work opportunities; a positive-attitude approach to life challenges; productive work-ethic skills; and community service learning experiences. These developmental attributes are consistently incorporated into our dance classes. We believe this gives our students strength, self-esteem, and increased self-confidence. As a result, our students learn through dance that hard work, practice, and discipline give them the tools that are necessary to experience success in all aspects of their lives.
SCDC Prides Itself for Having a Largest and Best Dance Facility in Lexington, SC.
SCDC is located in a state of the art, 10,000 square-foot facility, conveniently located in Lexington, SC. Our dance rooms are built with safety in mind for all of our dancers. SCDC occupies six dance rooms where each dance floor utilizes a custom built, sprung flooring system which is top-dressed with a slip resistant, marley dance surface. Our studio also opened a second location off Sunset Blvd. in 2022, with three additional studio spaces.
These floors are specifically engineered to protect our dancers by absorbing energy to the body as a result of high impact dancing. each dance room is equipped with stretch bars, safety mats, and sprung floors. As a result, SCDC offers its families and students a dancing facility that is above industry standards. Beyond the dance rooms, our studio is equipped with private dressing rooms for both girls and boys, each containing storage lockers and shower areas.
In addition, we have a large kitchen, homework area, a parent lobby area, and a sibling play room. For our parents’ convenience, all of our dance rooms are installed with a HD video camera system so parents can watch their child’s classes on a closed circuit television in our parent lobby.
Our Award-Winning SCDC Dance Instructors
SCDC employs a team of highly qualified professional faculty who take pride in offering a complete quality dance curriculum. Our staff is trained to manage all ages and levels of dance experience in the performing arts. Most of our staff have been part of our SCDC team for several years. Our dance instructors are recognized as professional choreographers as well as travel throughout the country judging for several national dance competition circuits. This judging experience exposes our teachers to latest trends in dance, and they bring what they learn back to our studio and students. As result, we believe that our instructors are some of the most experienced dance teachers in the area, and our students receive the most complete, thorough dance training in the Midlands area of SC. Click here to learn more about our SCDC dance instructors and staff.
Responsibility, Discipline, Modesty, and Integrity are Taught as Important Elements of Every Child's Life at SCDC.
- Safe-Family and Nurturing Environment
- Professional Instructors and Staff
- Award-Winning Choreographers
- Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Level Classes {Levels I - V}
- Combination Classes {tap, ballet, jazz and tumbling!}
- Adult Fitness Programs
- Award-Winning Elite Competitive Teams and Beautiful Praise and Worship Teams
- Fall/Summer Classes & Workshops
- Birthday Parties
- Private/Group Lessons
Dance Classes and Programs Offered By SCDC
Competition Teams
Jazz
Contemporary
Lyrical
Tap
Ballet
Pointe
Acro
Musical Theater
Acro
Hip Hop
Terrific Twos
Preschool Combo Classes
Private Lessons
Private lessons are available for those students who would prefer one-on-one instruction with a teacher. Privates may be scheduled through the individual instructor.
Dance Recital Awards and Trophies
Certificates and pins are given to every student upon completion of each dance year. Trophies are given to students who complete 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 years of training. Years accumulated from other schools are transferable.
Birthday Parties and Studio Rental
The South Carolina Dance Company's studio is available for birthday parties. The cost is $50 per hour. You provide your own decorations and refreshments. The Studio may also be available for rental to individuals and/or groups for dance rehearsals (as space permits) at the rate of $50 per hour.
SCDC also has party equipment and costumes for a rental fee. See party equipment under studio rentals
SCDC's owner and artistic director, Danyele Gardner, has created an award winning dance studio in Lexington, SC that is helping children become the best they can be by empowering them to be goal-oriented and disciplined learners through SCDC's dance and performing-arts curriculum. At SCDC, it is our vision and company mission to give our students not only quality dance instruction, including various exposures to world famous guest dance artists, but to teach life skills that prepare them for real world experiences.
South Carolina Dance Company's dance programs enhance our students' lives by providing leadership and teamwork opportunities, a positive-attitude approach to dancing and life challenges, productive work-ethic skills, and community service learning experiences. These developmental attributes are consistently incorporated into our dance classes. We believe this gives our students strengthened self-esteem and self-confidence values, and as a result, our students learn through dance that hard work, practice, and discipline give them the tools that are necessary to experience success in all aspects of their lives.
South Carolina Dance Company was voted the 'BEST DANCE STUDIO IN THE MIDLANDS' by The State Newspaper and has been voted 'BEST DANCE STUDIO IN LEXINGTON' by the Readers of Lexington Life Magazine for several years!
SCDC is celebrating its 21st year of providing the Midlands with the best instruction and atmosphere for dance education. If you are interested in learning more about why SCDC has been voted the best dance studio in the Midlands and Lexington, SC, please contact us today to see why we are the fastest growing and most talked about dance studio in the midlands.
South Carolina Dance Company is a Place of Learning
We take pride in our students’ progress and strive to promote self-confidence, teamwork, and a positive self-image in a happy and fun environment. Our mission is to create responsible, motivated, and positive individuals. South Carolina Dance Company is based on the philosophy that students should experience dance by developing balance, control, posture, flexibility, focus and fine-tuned listening skills.
Dance inherently involves problem solving, pattern, and sequencing. As such, it enhances a higher level of thinking abilities. Excellent training in dance technique, teamwork, and performance quality promotes self-confidence, creativity and a sense of exuberance in accomplishment.
South Carolina Dance Company Values Every Student and Family
We are committed to treating students and families with the highest level of professionalism, respect, and courtesy.
We encourage you to let us know at anytime if we are not meeting your expectations or providing you with the level of services you desire.
Our goal is to provide each dancer the opportunity to grow and learn in all disciplines of the performing arts while providing a safe, happy, and nurturing environment.