Contemporary Expressions (Experienced Beginner)

Ofelia de La Valette (founder) and her children, Paulina (co-owner & Dir. of Programming) and Erik (co-owner & CMO), are an amazing example of a family who work together to create something bigger than themselves. Their story is one of grit and determination but also one of vision and passion.

The idea of dance 101, a one of a kind dance studio that welcomes and nurtures dancers of all interests (recreational to professional), all levels (brand new to highly experienced), and all ages (18 - 80), was a dream in Ofelia’s imagination about 25 years ago when she began her dance studies as an adult beginner student at 34 years of age. 

A highly unlikely dance trajectory, Ofelia’s journey from beginner to professional dancer began at a local gym in Atlanta, when she stepped off a treadmill, and followed the pounding beat of dance music into a Cardio Funk class. 

She eventually mastered the classes at the gym; found a local dance studio and started taking classes from dance professionals. “I was the worst in the class and I often wished there was a studio for someone like me: an adult newcomer who needed a nurturing, accepting environment to learn in.” 

For the next 10 years, Ofelia was in a period of intense study, working a corporate job and raising Paulina and Erik while taking 10-12 classes a week on average.