S.P.A.D. is known as the best-run studio in the area and was voted the #1 Dance Studio in St. Charles County by the Suburban Journal newspapers. The office is well organized and "always" staffed by individuals who are sensitive to parental issues. Every effort is made to keep the parents informed and prepared.

An important aspect of teaching dance is hiring quality teachers. Therefore, S.P.A.D. employs more teachers with a BA in dance or an Associate?s degree in dance than any other studio. S.P.A.D. provides recreational dance programs, as well as a strong competitive program. Instructors encourage each student to be the best person and dancer possible.

Artistic Director & Founder - martinez_dance@msn.com

Kathy Martinez has studied all forms of dance for over 25 years. She has worked with many well-known choreographers and has traveled throughout the U.S. as a National Talent Competition Judge. Her performance company (competition) students and groups consistently place in the top 10 at National Talent Competitions. Many of her students have been chosen to perform in the Muny Opera, the State Ballet of Missouri, Commercials and National Television Shows. Many have won local and National Beauty Contest winning scholarships from Colleges and National Dance Camps. Ms. Martinez is one of the areas Top Choreographers and the dance studio is considered one of the best-run studios in the region. She is known throughout the community for her commitment and dedication to the children and for her successful business strategies.

St. Peters Academy of Dance Facility
St. Peters Academy of Dance is over 7,000 square feet and is the only studio in St. Charles County to buy and build a state of the art facility for dance, the only "free standing studio of its kind". In 1996 land was purchased and a 5,000 sq. ft. facility was built. The studio featured three dance studios with "floating wood" dance floors, wall-to-wall mirrors, and a dancer?s lounge for doing homework. In 2003 the additional 2,100 sq. ft. was added to include an additional studio, break-room, larger lobby, and an area dedicated to the toddlers that frequent our facility. Every classroom is equipped with two way mirrors so that parents may always view their child's class.

From Highway 70
East on Mid Rivers Mall Drive, through intersections at Mexico and Willott Roads. Left at next intersection (St. Peters Howell Road-DQ and Vista Grande Restaurants on the corner). First left is Vantage Drive.

From Highway 94
West on Mid Rivers Mall Drive. Past the Junior college and Rt. on St. Peters Howell Road. First left is Vantage Drive.

Hours of Operation

The Academy Staff

Andrea Buckley	Tammy Ballinger	Blair Cruz	Julia Ems
Andrea received her BFA in Dance from Columbia College of SC where she had the opportunity to work with such choreographers as David Dorfman, Laura Dean and Jill Bahr. She has more than 15 years of performance experience working with various cruise ships companies as a performer and choreographer as well as 7 years as a dancer at The Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, SC. She has been teaching and choreographing for more than 15 years and has extensive experience in all forms of dance.	Tammy received her BFA in Dance from Oklahoma City University and has been dancing for 15 years. She is also a judge for national talent competitions.	Blair has been studing dance at SPAD for over 12 years. She was a member of the SPAD Performance Company and now works with many of our competitive groups. She is a student at Lindenwood University majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in Dance. .	Julia has trained and performed with the Seattle Ballet Co., Albuquerque Ballet Co., the Joffrey Ballet Co. and a principle dancer with the Dallas Civic Ballet.
John Rokita	Jill Shadden	Doris Voerster	Kim Robertson
Has been dancing and choreographing for over 10 years. He has performed in Videos, Commercials and toured with the Broadway show a Few Good Men.	Jill Shadden graduated from Truman State University in 2002 with an MA in Elementary Education. Jill has taught ballet, tap, and jazz for over 15 years. She has competed regionally and nationally through the collegiate level. Jill also danced for the River City Rascals Diamond Girls and for the Truman State Showgirls. She is proud to be an instructor at St. Peters Academy of Dance, where she was one of Ms Kathy’s first students, 21 years ago. Ms Jill enjoys working with our recreational dancers and is proud to ensure that they receive as good of a dance education as the competitive dancers.	Ms. Doris has been performing and teaching dance for over 40 years. She has taught for Florrissant Valley College, University of Missouri and has owned and operated her own studio for 20 years. She is delighted to have the opportunity to pursue her passion for dance and share it with the dancers at St. Peters Academy of Dance.	Kim Robertson: With over 20 years of dance experience, Kim joined the studio as an instructor in 2008. Prior to moving to St. Charles in 2007, Kim owned and operated her own dance studio in Evansville, Indiana from 2001 to 2007 which still carries her name today. Kim has a broad experience base in dance and studio management with expertise in jazz, tap, and choreography.
Elizabeth Telge

The Office Staff
The office staff is a vital element in creating our "studio family atmosphere." By staffing the office with friendly knowledgeable personnel, it allows the teachers to focus on teaching the students, and assist each family to quickly and easily integrated in the studio family and its activities. The staff is eager to help, as they all have children who dance and therefore, understand the multitude of questions of the dance parent. Their job is help answer questions, process monthly tuition, assist with outside performances, help organize the competition team, assist with fitting and ordering costumes, maintaining inventory, and a wide variety of other office administrative duties. 

Lori Stoltz	Lynda Collins	Rose Schmiemeier	Wendy Eggleston

SPAD Performance Company
Competitive Performance Company is for those students wishing to participate in regional talent competition through out the St. Louis area. This is for dancers' with 2 or more years of dance, starting at 5 years of age.

We limit the number of competitions each year. Usually 3-4 during the months of January -May. They are all in the St. Louis area. We do not travel out of the state for nationals.

We keep the cost of costumes between $100-$125. The age of our competition team ranges from 4-18 yrs. New dancers to competition are assigned to only one routine. This gives the student and the parent a chance to learn about competition.

All Performance Company dancers must dance during the summer session. Arrangements can be made to accommodate vacations, but the real importance is that they continue to improve their technique.

Competition fees range from $40 - $50 per competition. At no time will we allow the dancers to perform a routine or wear a costume that we feel is not age appropriate or suggestive in any nature.

Andrea Buckley	Betti Tierney	Blair Cruz	Carrie Grosso
			Carrie began her dance education at SPAD in 1989. She taught ballet, tap and jazz in the Detroit metro area for 9 years before returning home to St. Louis. In Michigan, she was the assistant director and preschool director of the Metropolitan DanCentre. She continues to study the Vaganova ballet method and attends workshops and classes. She is most proud of the joy and positive self-esteem children receive learning the art of dance.
Jill Shadden	Julia Ems	Karen Johnson	Ms Lynda & Ms Wendy
Nicole Whitesell

The Teachers Assistant Program
The Teachers Assistant Program was organized to provide the students of St. Peters Academy of Dance with: professional, well-organized classes, educated and knowledgeable staff, and confident and competent students. The Teacher Assistants are "selected" for this program based on their abilities and knowledge of dance, maturity, desire to teach, leadership skills, ability to communicate with younger children, and their desire to be a role model for the younger children.

Miss Allyson	Miss April	Miss Alicia	Miss Dariann
Miss Emilee	Miss Lindsey	Miss Sydney	Miss Nicole

Observation Weeks
Observation Weeks are scheduled 3 times a year. All parents and grand parents are welcome to come and view class. The dates are listed in the newsletter, so that you can make arrangements for your toddlers, video cameras are welcome!