Thrive School of Dance

Thrive School of Dance sits at 5033 Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews, Kentucky, carrying forward a legacy that began in 1953 when 16-year-old JoAnn Fryrear started teaching dance in her family's basement off Rudy Lane in Louisville. The studio moved to its current location in 1993 and operated for nearly 70 years as the JoAnn Fryrear School of Dance, becoming a cornerstone of Louisville's dance community. In 2022, as Mrs. JoAnn's health declined, the Fryrear family retired the business. Taylor Clements-Smith, a lifelong student of the Fryrear studio and faculty member, and Katie Smith, whose daughter had been dancing there for nearly a decade, took over and renamed it Thrive School of Dance — honouring its roots while opening a new chapter of growth and leadership.

Thrive teaches ballet, tap, and jazz across a carefully structured progression. The littles programme (ages 3–9) starts with fundamentals: 3 to 4-year-olds and 4 to 5-year-olds take 60 minutes once a week and learn ballet and tap alongside creative movement to build fine motor skills and self-esteem. The 5 to 6s and 6 to 7s move into ballet and tap combos (60 minutes weekly), while 7 to 9-year-olds expand into a ballet, tap, and jazz combo at 90 minutes weekly. The 7 to 9s level is described as historically pivotal, where students dive deeper into class expectations, muscular engagement, and complex combinations. All littles classes include 3 watch weeks per season and the option to participate in the Holiday Performance Tour and end-of-season recital.

Intermediate training (ages 9–14) intensifies the load: the Intermediate level (ages 9–12) takes 2 hours per week with one hour of ballet plus 30 minutes each of tap and jazz. Advanced Intermediate (ages 11–14) builds on that curriculum and is designed to prepare dancers to enter company-level classes. Both intermediate levels meet once weekly with 1 watch week per season.

Company-level classes (by placement only) begin at the Foundations level, a two-day-per-week programme bridging recreational and intensive training. Dancers attend one class focused on ballet (1 hour 15 minutes) and one class with jazz and tap (1 hour each style). Foundations dancers may be eligible for select Junior Company classes like Modern or Hip Hop based on availability and teacher recommendation. Junior Company increases difficulty, length, and frequency, requiring at least one ballet class weekly but offering tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and pre-pointe. Senior Prep dancers (typically a few years into Junior Company) take at least one ballet class and can add tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, pre-pointe, prevent and restore, and dance technique. They attend team-building events, can join the Assistant Teacher Squad (a student teacher training path), and participate in the student choreography show. Apprentice is the highest recreational level, with multiple training sessions per week and higher technical and responsibility expectations; dancers take at least one ballet class and may add tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, pointe, prevent and restore, and dance technique.

The studio runs two major performance opportunities: the December Holiday Performance Tour ($45 per dancer, includes costume rental, no extra rehearsals outside class) where dancers perform festive routines at local holiday events, non-profits, and assisted living facilities around Louisville; and the Annual Spring Recital, the heart of the dance season. All class levels have the option to participate in both.

Thrive's teaching staff includes co-owners Katie Smith and Taylor Clements-Smith (both teachers), plus Lynn Bizianes (Teacher Development Director and teacher), Lauren Roy, Anne Simpson, Ashleigh Parker, Brittney Maslowski, Caitlin Kowalski, Christina Steen, Daniel Scofield, Denise Humphrey, Emily Steen, Emma Cantrell, Heather Moran, Joel Morin-Kensicki, Jordan Noblett, Kathy Sawyer-Holtgrave, Meredith Johnson, Rachel Klotz (teacher and staff photographer), and Sarah Goud. The studio emphasises purposeful training with correct, age-appropriate technique, music, and movement paired with encouragement and community building.

When you visit, expect a structured, supportive environment rooted in technique and genuine connection. Classes are age-appropriate and progress logically through ballet, tap, and jazz. Dancers participate in watch weeks (scheduled observation days), and all levels can join the Holiday Performance Tour or the annual spring recital if they choose. The studio culture emphasises seeing, supporting, and celebrating every person who walks through the doors.

The studio's teaching team includes co-owners Katie Smith and Taylor Clements-Smith, along with experienced faculty: Lynn Bizianes (Teacher Development Director), Lauren Roy, Anne Simpson, Ashleigh Parker, Brittney Maslowski, Caitlin Kowalski, Christina Steen, Daniel Scofield, Denise Humphrey, Emily Steen, Emma Cantrell, Heather Moran, Joel Morin-Kensicki, Jordan Noblett, Kathy Sawyer-Holtgrave, Meredith Johnson, Rachel Klotz, and Sarah Goud.

Littles classes (ages 3–9) are designed to be fun and age-appropriate, introducing fundamentals with emphasis on building confidence and community alongside technique.