Halestone Dance Studio

Halestone Dance Studio offers dance classes, including recurring dance classes and one-time workshops. The program also produces concerts that feature choreography and performances by staff, instructors, and students.

• Ages: 3–18 years old

Halestone Dance Studio was founded in 1978. It was directed by Carol Winder from 1978 to 1996 and by Nancy Saylor from 1996 to 2016. The Halestone Foundation was founded as a non-profit in 2016 and took over operations of Halestone Dance Studio, and in 2018 the Halestone Foundation received its official 501(c)3 non-profit designation.

Halestone offers over 20 classes per week at its studio location. Through community partners such as the YMCA, Halestone provides recurring dance classes to 6 schools and one-time workshops to 3 additional schools. The student pre-professional company and the adult ensemble appear at more than 6 community events throughout the year. Halestone produces two concerts each year featuring staff, instructor, and student choreography and performances.

The mission of Halestone Dance Studio is to enrich the Rockbridge area by providing access to dance experiences and education in a nurturing environment. Its stated mission is to foster the creative process, artistic excellence, and joy in all those who participate in its programs, and it affirms a belief in empowering individuals and communities to make, perform, and experience original dance as a theoretical, technical, and expressive art form.

Halestone Dance Studio is ADA accessible, with a cement entrance ramp and a wheelchair-accessible bathroom. The Halestone Foundation Board includes President Stephanie Johnson, Vice President Stephanie Hodde, Secretary Sarah Smallwood, Treasurer Clark Simcoe, and members Higgins Stewart, Anne Gale, Polly Schultz, Analise LaRiviere, Joanna Clark, and Tessa Shelton.

Last updated July 18, 2026.