Anchorage Music & Dance Center

Anchorage Music & Dance Center has spent three decades building a combined music and dance school in one location. They've been teaching dance for 15 years and private group music instruction for 30 years, making it genuinely convenient for families: multiple children can take lessons on the same day without shuttling between studios.

On the dance side, they work with floating "marley" dance floors designed to reduce injury risk and let students dance longer without fatigue. Classes max out at 10 students, keeping the focus on personal attention. Their dance offerings span ages 3 and up, from My First Dance Class (preschool pre-ballet) through teens, covering Ballet (all levels), Pre-Pointe, Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Acro, and Combo Classes. The studio runs an annual Spring Dance Recital at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at UAA. They also operate Evolution Dance Company, a non-competitive performance team with Mini, Junior, and Senior divisions that auditions in summer and performs at recitals and additional shows throughout the year.

Their Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy classes for ages 3–5 follow a curriculum developed by Beverly Spell, a master teacher and author of the LeapnLearn program, using the beloved Angelina Ballerina character and books to teach themes and choreography. They also run a K-Pop dance class for ages 6 and up.

On the music side, they offer private lessons in guitar, piano, drums, voice, violin, cello, viola, and bass. Group classes include beginner Keyboard and Guitar, and Rock Band classes have been running for over 20 years—Beginner (no prior experience needed) and Next Level (1–2 years experience). Their Music FunTime program introduces music to ages 18 months through 5 years using colorful teaching tools, rhythm worksheets, and reading instruction ($96/month, includes materials and instruments). They also run Little Keynotes (ages 4–5) and multi-level group piano and drums. All music students get free LessonMate accounts—an app that delivers video demonstrations and missed-lesson content so students never fall behind. Teachers are professional musicians with performance and teaching experience; many hold or are completing music performance or education degrees.

Students perform in three formal recitals yearly (December, May, July). The Music Club provides casual performance opportunities. Summer camps include Intro to Music Camp ($275), Beginner Rock Band Camp ($295), Rock Band Next Level ($295), and Rock Band Songwriting & Recording Camp ($295).

The studio works directly with homeschool and charter schools across Alaska as an approved vendor—no out-of-pocket costs for families, as they invoice schools directly. Partner schools include Family Partnership, Frontier Charter, PAIDEIA, IDEA, Mat-Su Central, Twindly Bridge, Denali Peak, PACE, CyberLynx, and Raven.

Classes are small (maximum 10 students) with emphasis on personal attention in a positive, exciting environment. Dance studios have floating marley floors. The school offers free trial classes—ask about their no-obligation Music FunTime trial.

Annie Margeson (Dance Director) has danced since age four, studied acrobatics, tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, modern, character, and Irish dance, and was the third Alaskan to qualify for the World Irish Dance Championships; she teaches Ballet, Jazz, and Tap. Saeralyn Baskett, trained for over two decades in the Alaskan dance community, teaches all levels of Ballet (including Pre-Pointe), Acro, Jazz, Lyrical, and Combo to ages 3–14. Tara Leek-Wilson, who moved to Anchorage in August 2025 and is in UAA's Pre-Nursing program, is UAA Dance Club president and teaches Hip Hop, Jazz, and Contemporary. Carly Flake, at the studio since 2018 (lead teacher since 2021), studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and musical theatre; she teaches My First Ballet Class, Beginning Ballet, and K-Pop Dance. Music teachers are professional musicians with performance and teaching experience; most hold or are completing music performance or education degrees.

They offer free trial classes; no prior experience needed for Beginner Rock Band or Music FunTime; ages 3+ can start with My First Dance Class or pre-ballet.