Brittany Burton pretty much grew up in The Dance Studio — founded by her mother, Wendy Setter, in 1979 — but she didn’t know it would ultimately be her life’s passion.
“I grew up dancing in as many classes as I could and eventually joined a traveling dance troupe through The Dance Studio,” says Burton, now 41.
Burton started training to be a teacher at 13, explored the world, and took on multiple career paths, but says that The Dance Studio “always tugged at my heart and pulled me back to Bellingham.”
She purchased The Dance Studio in 2011.
Wendy Setter is proud of what her daughter has accomplished since taking over the business. “She’s taken The Dance Studio to a very professional level and kept the family feeling for all her students. She creates a fun space for all involved in the performances at Mount Baker Theater.”
A Big Move
The Dance Studio is now taking big steps and will move soon from its space at 1820 Cornwall Avenue to the former Deals Only building at 2331 James Street.
Not only will the new space have more dressing rooms and more dance space, but it will also have more parking.
After teaching and training hundreds of dancers, young and old, in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, musical theater, hip hop, and adagio, one thing seems to be consistent about The Dance Studio is the encouragement and positive environment the teachers provide.
Wonderful Teachers
Amber Manning, 28, started dancing at the studio when she was 5 years old and stayed there until graduating high school.
“There’s a big focus on positivity and growing as both a dancer and a person,” she says. “I felt like every one of my teachers cared about me both as a dancer and as an individual; a lot of them helped shape me to be the person I am today.”
Abby Carr, 26, is thankful that “after seeing my poor teeball performance at age 3, my parents immediately enrolled me in ballet class at the studio, taught by Wendy Setter.”
Now working as a counselor, Carr looks says she’s “convinced that this daily space in the studio, where my mind and body were integrated, was so beneficial for my mental health as a high-schooler.”
Kennedy Faris, 24, first became part of the dance studio when she was 2 years old in ballet classes with Wendy Setter, who taught her tap, tumbling, and beginning ballet.
“Each teacher I had saw something special in every student and helped me fulfill some dreams of mine and pushed me to do my best,” Faris says. “I remember looking up to the ‘older girls’ and Brittany telling me I would have one of those special solos in a performance.”
Many years later those dreams came true and Faris remembers Brittany watching her from backstage as I performed her first solo. “Not only is it a fond memory for me, but for my family, friends, and others to think back to that moment and know how much it meant to me,” says Faris. “Brittany and all the teachers believed in their students.”
Rachel Lucy Cecka says her daughters met lifelong friends and received support and encouragement from trustworthy adults who cared about their well-being.
“While they also had school and sports,” she says, “they benefited from having a place outside of those spaces where they could grow and develop. During COVID, The Dance Studio was a lifeline for our youth who were middle and early high schoolers during the year school was shut down.”
Andrea Scatena, moved to Bellingham in November 2022 to begin a new job as a project manager for Family Care Network. In her younger days, she danced professionally with a tap company and taught dance and movement to children of all ages and abilities. After the pandemic, she started searching for a place to resume dancing. She was referred to The Dance Studio by a friend and has been there ever since.
“All adult classes are included in annual performances, which is quite unusual for a studio,” Scantena says. “Why should performing stop when you become an adult? I appreciate this aspect, as there’s a lot of personal growth [in] preparing for a performance.
Burton is proud to offer adult classes — and performances. “Being able to provide multiple opportunities for dancers to perform on the incredible mainstage of Mount Baker Theatre is priceless. Whether they stick with dance or move on to other activities and interests, that experience creates confidence and empowerment to guide them through their future endeavors.”
A Home To Many
Lena Rollins, 27, became involved at the dance studio when she was three or four years old, taking a ballet tap class combo class with Wendy Setter. Not only was she in multiple stage productions, Rollins traveled with The Dance Studio in high school to Australia, Finland, and Japan and taught ballet, tap, and contemporary to a range of ages and abilities at the studio while studying dance at Western Washington University.
“The Dance Studio is a home for so many of us,” she says. “We lost our teeth there, cried there, made our best friends, did our first pirouette!”
Rollins says Britt is the heart of this home.
“She welcomes dancers in and inspires us to be our most authentic, creative selves. It’s one of the places that feels the most special and dear to me. It’s the place I go back to when I am homesick, lacking creativity, and want to reconnect.”
Burton stresses that it’s never too late to find your passion.
“We have so many opportunities for adults to dip their toe into the dance world, whether they danced years ago or not at all,” she says. The Dance Studio offers five adult tap classes, adult ballet, adult contemporary and hip hop.
“We also have a new elementary-aged boys class to get our next generation inspired and involved in dance in an easily accessible way,” she says. “Dance is such a wonderful way to create friendships, get connected, and just feel great. I am beyond grateful to lead The Dance Studio.”
For more details, please visit https://thedancestudio.net/ or call 360.734.1595
