Intensity Dancers’ Studio is celebrating two decades of teaching grace and movement to young Miami Lakers this fall.
The studio, at 15507 Bull Run Road, has called Miami Lakes home for 17 of its 20 years in business. There is a second studio in Miramar.
Co-directors Jennifer Wolske, 44, and Maria Pacetti, 55, said they have seen some of their students enjoy thriving dance careers, performing professionally with singers and sports teams, including the Miami Heat.
Wolske recalls starting the business at a young age.
“I have taught dance since I was 17, right out of high school,” Wolske said. “I was asked to teach jazz and tap at an old studio. This has been my only job ever, teaching dance.”
When it first opened, the studio was located in Hialeah.
When the opportunity to move to Miami Lakes became available, Wolske jumped at the chance to be near Main Street.
Wolske has lived in Miami Lakes since she was three years old.
Pacetti joined the business in 2004. She refers to the studio as a family.
“It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been crazy,” Pacetti said. “There’s been a lot of growth.”
Pacetti said she has watched her students become more disciplined and dedicated to the art form as they study.
“The fact that we have a lot of recreational kids that join our competition team, to see how kids have evolved from coming in once or twice a week and now they do twelve hours a week, it’s great,” said Pacetti.
Wolske said she added competitive dance classes at the studio, which wasn’t offered at many studios 20 years ago.
Jade Mesa, 25, of Hialeah danced at Intensity Dancers’ Studio for a decade and was on the competition team for nearly all of those years.
“It was basically a second home to me and where I learned to dance,” Mesa said.
“Being on that team taught me so much about myself, dance and life in general,” she said. “I have recently come back and actually teach a few classes. It’s so nice to come back to a place I used to call home.”
Mesa said she has danced professionally for performing artists such as Pedro Capo, Shakira, R.K.M & Ken-Y, Daddy Yankee, Emilia Mernes, Alex Rose and Luis Fonsi.
Intensity Dancers’ Studio offers ballet, hip-hop, jazz and ballroom classes as well as classes for the competition team, for ages 2 -to-18. Boys dance for free at the studio.
For more information about classes schedules or to join the competitive team, call 786-313-7600, go to https://IntensityDancersStudio.com or email info@intensitydancersstudio.com.