Our goal at East Side Dance is to offer each student a solid foundation in dance while inspiring self-confidence, self-discipline, and a positive self-image. Dance improves physical coordination, balance, and grace. It also challenges the mind, helping dancers become better prepared for academics and other mental activities. Plus, it’s fun!
Not all students pursue a career in dance; however, the discipline, self-awareness, and appreciation instilled in them are qualities they will carry throughout their lives. So, whether they're preparing for a professional career or studying solely for the physical and aesthetic benefits, each student will receive a solid foundation and a joyous experience.
Miss Wendy loves sharing her passion with others. You’ll often hear her say, “Stress falls off my shoulders the moment I walk into the dance studio.”
Classes at our home-based ballet studio, conveniently located just off County Barn Road in Naples, Florida, are designed to provide personalized attention with limited class sizes. At East Side Dance, we strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment, where students of all ages and abilities can forge lifelong friendships and experience a true sense of belonging.
Being a home-based studio allows us to keep tuition and fees reasonable and affordable.
Parents enjoy a lovely and tranquil waiting area, where they are invited to relax by the fireplace with a cup of tea and homemade cookie while their children take class.
Miss Wendy received her pre-professional dance education from Anna Adrianova and Lorand Andahazy of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and was a company member of Andahazy Ballet Borealis. During these formative years, she spent summers and weekends traveling across the country and abroad to study intensively with the greats of the dance world, such as Dame Margot Fonteyn, Ruth Page, Twyla Tharp, Joseph Savino, and many others.
While in Portugal at the International Academy of Dance, Wendy performed in several ballets at Lisbon’s National Theatre of Sao Carlos. Later, during an interim in Mexico, Wendy was privileged to understudy with Ballet Folklorico de Guadalajara, where she greatly expanded her knowledge of dance styles.
Wendy choreographed musicals and staged theater productions for several colleges, including Macalester College, where she was a featured dancer in addition to singing and acting with Macalester’s famed Drama Choros, performing in England as the named entertainment for the British Isles Theater Festival. During that time, she also held dancing and acting roles with the Minnesota Theater Company, Children’s Theater Company, and Minnesota Opera. Wendy returned home, only to join the cast of Disney on Parade and dance on tour (where Tinkerbelle became her best friend) and later, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey (where she learned to ride an elephant).
In 1980, Wendy returned to Florida and started Performing Arts Centers in four locations throughout Central Florida that offered all forms of dance, acrobatics, drama, and musical theater. She discovered that teaching dance was her true passion. Even today, you’ll hear her say, "Stress falls off my shoulders the moment I walk into the dance studio."
Today, Miss Wendy offers small, semi-private classes to children, teens, and adults of all levels in her home-based studio, utilizing the finer points of each method she has studied: Vaganova, Cecchetti, and Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). She holds certifications in Cecchetti and is a member of RAD. Her studio has become a hub for ballet enthusiasts in Naples, Florida, and she is affiliated with the Eastside Dance Company, providing a nurturing environment for dancers.
Miss Wendy’s goal is to offer each student a solid foundation in dance while inspiring self-confidence, self-discipline, and a positive self-image. Dance improves physical coordination, balance, and grace. Dance challenges the mind, so dancers become better prepared for academics and other mental activities. Plus, it’s fun!
East Side Dance Studio was recently featured in a magazine alongside one of our NeuroDiverse Dance students! You can read all about it here! https://digitalpubs.n2pub.com/publications/uniquely-you-southwest-florida-fl/latest
Students and parents alike love our studio. Here's just one of our reviews:
"We feel incredibly grateful to have found such a thoughtful and dedicated ballet teacher for our daughter at East Side Dance. Ms. Wendy offers an environment filled with passion, elegance, creativity, and genuine care. She sees each child as an individual, meeting them where they are while gently guiding them to grow in both skill and confidence.
Her patience is unmatched, and her ability to balance structure with warmth makes every class feel like a safe and joyful space. It’s not just about dance—it’s about building character, resilience, grace, and a love for movement. Personally, I felt grateful to find a ballet studio in Naples, Florida that is a cut above the norm, where grace and modesty are also valued.
Beyond her technical expertise, she is also very generous and encouraging towards the whole family. She goes above and beyond to ensure her students feel seen, supported, and valued. My daughter absolutely adores Ms. Wendy and looks forward to class each week.
We cannot thank Ms. Wendy enough for the positive impact she’s had on our family. She is a true gem in the world of dance education, and we wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking a nurturing and inspiring teacher in Naples dance studios."
Pre-Ballet, for ages 4 to 6, is designed to stimulate a child’s imagination while developing coordination. In this engaging environment, children learn basic ballet, creative movement, song, and pantomime. Beginning Ballet starts at age 7, where students are taught ballet positions, steps and combinations with an emphasis on body alignment and technique. Creativity gains structure through simple dance movements.
Dance helps a child gain self-awareness, self-expression, self-confidence, and self-discipline. It improves physical coordination, balance, and grace. Dance also challenges the mind, allowing a child to become better prepared for academics and other mental activities. It fosters life-long friendships and memories. Plus, it’s lots of fun!
As ability increases, class becomes more challenging. Proper technique is emphasized, and pointe is offered by invitation only to students 10 years or older who exhibit adequate strength and technique.
Adults of all levels are welcome to join our Adult Ballet Classes, whether simply for the exercise or to fully experience the joys of ballet.
East Side Dance offers private ballet classes at a special rate to the Neurodiverse community. We understand that each neurodiverse child is unique, and their needs and preferences vary. Therefore, we work closely with each child to understand what works best for them, ensuring they have every opportunity to succeed and thrive.
Enrollment at East Side Dance is ongoing throughout most of the year. We simply ask you to make an appointment prior to your first class, to fill out the required registration forms and familiarize yourself with the studio. This way, the dancer feels confident and secure on their first day of class .