WorldStrides Updates
D&K's Studio of Dance Takes on Nashville
This month, we are excited to spotlight D&K’s Studio of Dance in Hughesville and Lewisburg, PA! The studio is owned by Duane and Kellie Gordner, and this year they took their troupe to Nashville, Tennessee, touring and dancing their way through a new territory for the group. We asked them to share some of their stories.
Duane, Kellie, tell us about your studio!
“We are celebrating year 29 this year since opening our studio. My father, Kellie, built our studio at its current location in 1993, and we officially opened in September of 1993. Over the years we have expanded, added, and remodeled. In 2017, we opened our second location about 25 miles away. Between our two studios we have about 300 students, and we can honestly say it is more than any dream we could have ever dreamt of. We have loved our jobs since opening and still love it today.”
How often does the troupe travel, and what made you choose Nashville as your destination this year?
“We have had an active competition team for 15 years and travel with our team a couple times a year to different cities/states for conventions and competitions. However, we wanted more experiences for the dancers, so we went to Disney with Dance the World in 2019. We chose Nashville this summer, as we loved that it was a new location being offered with yet a different opportunity for our dancers and their families.”
What was your favorite part about the Dance the World Nashville event?
“We LOVED all parts of this trip & location. Certainly, the Grand Ole Opry was such a wonderful experience for our dancers and their families. It was truly a forever memory for all of us. We also must say, that the two performances in downtown Nashville, at two separate locations, were really nice! Parents loved these performances even more than the previously scheduled parade. Kudos to Dance the World! Each studio and dancer were also given the chance to be in front for part of the choreography etc. Truly, well done.”
What was your dancers’ favorite part?
“We asked the dancers what their favorite part of the trip was, and collectively, they all agreed…dancing at the Grand Ole Opry, was simply the best!”
What of the local Nashville experience was the group’s favorite?
“All the families really appreciated the Gaylord Hotel and all it had to offer. What a great hotel to spend time in! Every family really took advantage of Nashville and the surrounding areas. Many of our families, including ourselves, extended our trips to take in more of what Tennessee had to offer. We appreciated being introduced from Dance the World to sites such as the General Jackson Riverboat Cruise (we loved it), the Country music hall of fame and more. Many spent time in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, as well.”
Any travel tips to other studios out there looking to do something like this with their dancers?
“In our own case, our dancers and families really appreciate these special opportunities to take part in. Traveling to GRAND places like Disney World, Nashville, New York City, etc. are possible for many people. But to be given the chance to take part of dancing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry—not everybody can say that—or dancing in a parade down Main Street at Disney. Yes, we pay for that opportunity, but it is so worth it. We look forward to our next trip, the next city!…the next memory.”
“We find that planning a trip like this every couple of years works nicely. It gives our parents & dancers the chance to save, plan, and have something to look forward to. We can’t wait to start planning our next trip!!!”
Thanks, Duane! We were ecstatic to host you during our inaugural 2021 Dance the World event in Nashville. We came back with just as many great memories seeing your troupe perform and take in the bright lights of Music City, U.S.A. We can’t wait to host your next adventure! To learn more about joining a Dance the World event, please reach out to us.
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