Center Stage is where your child learns HOW to dance, and not just a dance routine. We would like to welcome you to our studio family, led by our instructors. For over 25 years, we have enjoyed teaching dance in Garner and Fuquay-Varina, and look forward to many more wonderful years.

We Believe in the Individual.
We Believe in Technique.
We Believe in Proven Methods of Instruction.
We believe in hard work and high expectations.
We believe that dancers should perform.
We believe in Quality teaching.

Why is Center Stage different?

• Because we have a genuine concern for each of our students.
• We want them to become the best that they can be in every aspect of their life.
• We offer after school pick up for the working parents.
• We teach by technique and not by routine, and we teach correct dance terminology.
• We have two locations to better serve you.
• We have Saturday morning classes.
• Our classes are taught by professional teachers, not just dancers.
• We have assistants in each lower level class to provide a better one-on-one learning experience.
• We have different payment options so that each child can have the gift of dance.
• Our teachers are highly qualified dance instructors. We do not hire teenagers to teach children.

• Trained with Charles Bettingfield & Charlotte Blume, who have studied with Harriet Hector, Margaret Crache, Mary C. Burns, Anthony Tuxlor, Igor Youskevich and Luigi
• Studied at American Dance Festival at Duke University with various master teachers
• Organized and developed the dance program for the Army and Navy in Japan
• Owned and operated four dance studios in Georgia
• Has owned and operated Center Stage for 26 years!
• Sponsor and director of the Little Miss Garner Pageant since 1996
• CPR Certified

• Bachelor of Arts, NCSU
• Dean's List, UNCW
• Studied with Frank Hatchett, Sheila Barker, Jackie Patterson, Devora Cooper, Roberta Mathes, Karen Millard and Jennifer Lee
• Has appeared in multiple television commercials and shows and played principal roles in many theater performances
• Performed at the John Houseman Studio Theater in NYC
• Awards:  StarSystems National Vocal Winner 1996, Success America Scholarship to Broadway Dance Center, StarSystems Song and Dance Winner 1996, StarSystems Talent Competition - Vocal Winner 1996, Headliners Song and Dance Winner 1996, Headliners Triple Threat Winner 1996, Headliners Performing Arts Vocal Winner 1996, NC National Teenager Talent Award Winner 1996, Teen Miss Greater Raleigh 1996, Teen Miss Garner 1995, I.M.T.A. Singing Award Winner 1992, VA Scholarship Winner
• Co-Director, Little Miss Garner Pageant
• CPR Certified

• Junior Ballet Company of Sacramento, CA (at 12 years of age!!!) Senior Ballet Company of Sacrament at 14 years of age. Directed by Barbara & Dean Crockett, former principals of the San Francisco Ballet
• Performed with the Los Angeles Opera Ballet
• Studied with Eugene Loring, Carol McHan, Sally Whalen
• Instructor, Moro Landis Studios, Studio City, CA
• Studied Modern/AfroHatian Dance with Shawn Anderson (Martha Graham Company), Joe Tremain, Roland Dupre, Anita King (soloist, Ballet of France), Harriet D'Rea
• Established Junior Ballet Company of Placer County, CA
• Established Ballet School, Roseville, CA
• Performed leading roles in Nutcracker under Nancy Bolin, Performed with Karena Brock (NY Ballet, Partner of Baryshnikov)
• Center Stage Instructor since 1989. Jimelle and her students have won numerous top competitive awards, special awards, and choreography awards. Many of her students have gone on to study, dance and teach at a professional level

• Student at North Carolina State University majoring in Business with a concentration in Marketing and minoring in Biological Sciences- Dean's list
• NC State Wolfpack Clogging Team President-3 years
• Clogging and tap Instructor at Megan's Academy of Dance 2006-2007 in Wilson, NC
• 18 years of dance experience in clogging, jazz, tap, ballet, and lyrical
• Studied clogging under the instruction of Tanya Evers in Wilmington, NC
• Studied with Mary Susan Runion Goff, Joolie Davis, and Karon Tunis in Wilmington, NC
• Student Body President- E.A. Laney High School 2004-2005, Wilmington, NC

• Studied tap with Gil Stroming, Mike Minery, Brenda Bufalino, Henri LeTang, Dianne Walker, and Savion Glover
• 1998 Top Tap Soloist at Showstoppers Nationals and performed on the nationally televised American Dance Championships
• Performed in several Off-Broadway shows in New York City: Break the Floor, Shake 'n Break, Slide with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and Gil Stroming's, The Producers Showcase
• Awarded scholarships to the Edge Performing Arts Center and the Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles
• Taught and choreographed for many studios and pageants
• Teaches an upbeat style of tap that introduces old tap styles with up-to-date music

• Currently attending North Carolina State University to major in social work with a minor in non-profit studies--Deans list
• NC State Wolfpack Clogging Team member for 2 years and Wolfpack Clogging Team treasurer 1 year
• Current member of the Carolina Fusion Team located in Lexington, NC. Carolina Fusion is a competition team made up of talented cloggers from NC and surrounding states
• Trained in all types of dance, focusing on clogging, ballet, and pointe
• 13 years clogging experience

• Betsy is originally from the Philadelphia area, where she began dancing at the age of 3. She continued to study throughout her adolescent and adult life, training in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina and Colorado. She has been fortunate to study with such acclaimed dancers and choreographers as Frank Hatchett, Scott Wise, Linzee Klinkenberg, and Anthony LoCascio, and was honored to be invited by the company directors to audition for Nancy Cranbourne’s 40 Women Over 40 Jazz Company in Boulder, CO.
• Betsy is the past owner of B and B Dance Company in Brighton, Colorado, a recreational and competitive performing arts studio. Her fondest memory of B and B was giving her students and teachers the opportunity to learn from So You Think You Can Dance finalists Melissa, Randi and Kupuono as part of a convention hosted at the studio. She watched her students grow and excel as dancers until moving back to North Carolina to be closer to her family.
• In addition to dance, Betsy has a great a love for literature and visual arts, and possesses a BA in English Literature and Business Management from Rowan State University. For the past 15 years, she has worked as a graphic artist and has provided consultation on small business growth through her combination of arts and business knowledge.

• Billie Sue graduated with a degree in Interior Design from Pennsylvania School of Art and Design in Lancaster PA.  She has been a resident of North Carolina since 1996.  In 1999 while seeking a reputable dance studio for her young daughter Sarah, she was referred to Center Stage. School of Performing Arts.  Since then, she has continued to support the owners and staff of Center Stage while her daughter continues to dance at Center Stage
• With all of her creativity, and professionalism in dealing with the public, as well as her 11 years experience in being part of the Center Stage “family”, Billie has been on the staff of Center Stage serving as office manager for several years.  She is responsible for print publications, clerical duties and general office management.