Welcome to Dance Time! My name is Jamie Kiefer, known by everyone as "Miss Jamie". I am very proud to be entering my 11th year of owning and directing Dance Time. I have loved dance since I was 4 years old. When I was 10 I began assisting my dance teacher with the little ones and loved "teaching" so much that I decided that I would someday have my own dance school, and spent the next 10 years training and preparing to make that dream a reality.

I started Dance Time in the fall of 2002 in North Buffalo, which is now the Kenmore location. In 2004 I opened our East Amherst location, which is now the Williamsville location. Over the past 10 years we have grown tremendously and I am very proud of all we have become. It is amazing to have a career that I love so much and brings me so much joy. The art of dance is a very powerful, amazing thing and getting to share that with so many young, energetic students every year, and watching those students grow and change is the very best thing about it.

My goal has always been to have a family like atmosphere at my studios. I and my staff like to personally know every students name and get to know each of them as an individual. Our dancers become a part of our "dance family" and are never just "one in the crowd". We have many students who have been with us for many years, and its great to see them build friendships with one another, and grow to support and encourage one another. The dance family becomes like a second family for them and I have no doubt that they are developing friendships that will last a lifetime (as I did with the dancers I grew up with).

I strongly believe that having a wonderful staff who love dance and teaching dance as much as I do are of upmost importance if my studio is to meet the high goals that I have set for it. I select only very talented, professionally trained individuals who truly love the art of dance and have a true desire to share that with others by teaching. I am very proud of our staff and can honestly say that all are extremely talented, caring, and experienced professionals, who continue to amaze me with their talent, hard work, creativity, patience, and dedication to their students. I would not hesitate for a moment to have any of them teach my own child and have complete confidence in all of them. I am so proud to have a dedicated staff who help to carry out my dream every day, and I am also happy to have each of them as a friend as well.

As a mom myself (I have a 4 year old) I understand that affording extra curricular activities for your children can be a challenge, especially with more than 1 child. I have always vowed that I will do everything possible to keep our fees reasonable and affordable. Our tuition includes recital costumes, and we include all accessories and props as well. I am proud to offer the largest discounts for multiple classes & families among comparable programs in the area.

It is also very important for the dance instructor to have a strong knowledge of proper dance technique, and what to teach and when. Teaching skills a students body is not ready for can cause serious damage to a child's body. Students must first master the basics before they can move on to more advanced skills. At Dance Time, I am confident that all teachers have a strong knowledge of this and follow a clear syllabus with regards to what will be taught and when and always have the students safety in mind. All students at Dance Time will be taught proper dance technique in all classes, and our students are proof of this. We have developed many beautiful dancers and will continue every day to develop more.

Another very important standard that I have set for my school is to ensure that every dancer will have fun! Learning to dance should not be tedious or boring! Our teachers all know how to make learning to dance fun, and we have fun with our students! We realize that most students are not setting out to become a professional dancer, but just looking for a fun after school activity. At Dance Time we do everything we can to teach dancers to the fullest while having fun the whole time!

Competition? I believe competitions can be a very positive thing for dancers who truly want to be a part of it. Competition is not a main focus at our school, but it is there and a great experience for the more experienced dancers who want to be a part of it. The majority of our classes are purely recreational, but we do have some dancers who want to challenge themselves and grow through performing and competing.

Our annual recital is an amazing showcase of what our dancers have learned throughout the year. All classes participate. Dance is a performing art, and performing for others is an important part. Each class will learn their recital routine during their class time beginning partway through the year. Preparing for the performance promotes teamwork, self esteem, and builds confidence. The focus is always on having FUN while performing. Our recitals are always genuinely entertaining, and feature exciting dancing, costumes, and fancy lighting. They are held at the beautiful theater at Buffalo State College Rockwell Hall. The students are always very proud of their accomplishments and their performance and we have received endless compliments on how proud and confident all the dancers look and how amazing the show is. We work very hard to make the show fun for both the dancers and the audience!

Another promise I make is to keep all of the routines and costumes age appropriate. Having been to many shows and competitive events where young students wear inappropriate, over revealing costumes, I really dont have an understanding of why they would do that. Children grow up too fast as it is and the dances look even better with tasteful costumes. A quick glance at our photo gallery will assure parents our costume choices are always beautiful and appropriate!!

I hope that I have given you an insight into what our school is all about. If you should decide that our school is the right place for your child, we will do everything possible to make sure they have a fun and positive learning experience. I have put my heart and soul into creating a welcoming family atmosphere and will continue to put everything I can into keeping my dream a reality. I am not a director who sits at a desk and watches, I am actively in the classroom teaching classes every day of the week, working hard to bring out the very best in every dancer. Thank you for considering Dance Time, and I hope we can welcome your child this fall!

Miss Jamie