Balance Dance Studios

Balance Dance Studios sits on South Lamar Boulevard near the greenbelt in Austin, occupying 10 dance studio spaces including a black box theater, a 1,200-square-foot outdoor deck, and a playground for younger siblings. The studio opens Monday–Thursday 3:30–7:00 pm, Saturday 9:00–11:00 am, and offers 67 dedicated parking spaces.

Classes run for ages 2 through adults across recreational, Excel, and pre-professional pathways. Youth programmes include Dancers & Dreamers (ages 2–5) with its own director and curriculum, summer classes, and fall/spring schedules. Company tracks include Ignite Dance Company, Verge Dance Collective, Elevate Performing Arts Company, UGK Hip Hop Crew, and Austin Youth Classical Ballet Company. Styles taught include ballet (pre-ballet, pre-pointe, pointe), acro (levels 1–5), aerial silks, jazz, hip hop, contemporary/modern, tap, ballroom, body conditioning, and jumps/turns & technique. Summer tuition ranges from $187.42 for 0.75 hours per week to $1,100.30 for 20 hours per week over the 8-week session (June–August).

The studio is run by owner Kathy Smith Dupuy, who danced through various Austin studios. Leadership includes Christine Bourgeois Autin (Director of Programs & Leadership Development, 25 years teaching ballet), Darby Perkins (DNCE Adult Program Director), and specialised company directors including Haley Sikes (UGK Hip Hop Crew), Mandy Anstey (Verge), Clay Moore (Ignite), Kyrie Lloyd (Austin Youth Classical Ballet), and Chantel Mead (Elevate). Alex Roberts (Event and Show Coordinator) has taught Kizomba and Brazilian Zouk in Austin for 8 years.

The studio runs birthday parties, studio rentals, and a non-profit called Bestow that provides dancer scholarships and fundraisers. It is part of the Central Texas Dance Collaborative, which also runs the Austin Performing Arts and Training Complex and Luxora Theater. Google rating is 4.7–4.8 out of 5 across 38–86 reviews.

When you arrive, staff greet you at the front desk and guide you through check-in. Classes are age-appropriate, taught by experienced instructors, and structured with clear instruction and encouragement. Summer classes offer a relaxed, low-pressure environment; fall/spring classes follow training pathways suited to recreational, accelerated, or pre-professional goals.

The studio employs experienced professional faculty across multiple specialisms. Christine Bourgeois Autin has 25 years of ballet teaching experience and most recently taught at Revolution Dance Company in Baton Rouge, LA. Haley Sikes directs the UGK Hip Hop Crew and has trained in hip hop and contemporary from age three. Mandy Anstey (Verge director) holds a BFA in Dance from the University of South Florida (2013) and has performed and choreographed in Paris and Beijing. Clay Moore (Ignite director) trained in Los Angeles and New York with Edge Performing Arts and Mark Morris Dance. Kyrie Lloyd (AYCB director) studied ballet, modern, jazz, and tap in Philadelphia and holds a degree in dance from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Darby Perkins directs the adult programme and teaches Bungee Fitness alongside dance classes. Alex Roberts teaches Kizomba and Brazilian Zouk and has 8 years of teaching experience in Austin.

Summer classes are open to beginners and experienced dancers alike; fall/spring classes include recreational pathways designed for new dancers in a supportive, low-pressure environment.