Art of Dance Salado offers high-quality instruction for all ages
By Rachel Strickland | Photos courtesy of Art of Dance Salado
It should come as no surprise that a town as artistically inclined as Salado has its own dance studio. Located on North Stagecoach Road, Art of Dance Salado is, according to their website, “a boutique dance studio that is dedicated to teaching artistic expression and wellness through movement.”
Heather Manuka, owner and director of Art of Dance, has been teaching and choreographing classical dance for over 25 years. She’s loved dancing ever since she can remember, but her formal training began when she was 11. She began with a heavy focus on tap before branching out to other dance genres. At age 14, she began teaching and choreographing. When she was 18, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the
Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, where she had the opportunity to learn from award-winning dance artists. Manuka has also been a member of the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing since 2015, and she joined the core staff judging staff for Crowd Pleasers Dance Competition in 2018.
For the past 25 years, Manuka has worked with dance studios and schools across the country, but she decided to take a break in 2018 to spend time with her family. In June 2022, she opened Art of Dance. Manuka said she was surprised that a community as artistic as Salado didn’t have a dance studio already.
Art of Dance offers all types of classical dance classes, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary musical theater. It also has some dance fitness and wellness classes, including Barre and high-intensity dance, as well as a Gentle Movers class for more mature adults.
“We kind of consider ourselves a boutique dance studio,” Manuka said. “It’s not about just one more recreational activity or competitive team for kids. We’re focused on high-quality instruction and really nurturing the creative aspect of dance.”
They intentionally keep the classes small so that everyone gets a personalized dance experience. “We really focus on the quality of instruction, even with our Creative Movement and Little Beginner classes,” Manuka said. “Every student is going to get highest level of attention and dance education.”
A problem that Manuka sees in many other dance studios is that they often focus too heavily on the students involved in competitions, which is why Art of Dance is not a competitive studio. “We’re a dance studio,” she said. “So, our focus is the art of dance and helping kids and adults just find that creative side while getting really great technique.”
Dance is more than just another activity that’s good for the body — it’s terrific for the mind, too. Manuka said studies have shown that dance is one of the only physical activities that connects all parts of the brain, which is why the teachers at Art of Dance focus on the brain-body connection. There are incredible benefits from dance — not only does the music and movement make you feel good because of the endorphin and dopamine rush, but there are long-lasting benefits, such as a reduction in anxiety and depression.
“[Dancers are] getting physical, mental, and emotional benefits from dance,” Manuka said. “And then creatively, they’re getting to explore this whole fun world of moving their bodies to music.”
She said dance is important for kids who are still honing their fine motor skills, as well as aging adults who are struggling with memory or balance issues, because it helps restore neuron connections. “Dance is the only proven body and brain activity that helps prevent dementia because it activates cross-brain activities.”
One of Manuka’s goals is to bring dance back to the forefront of people’s lives. She said it’s been neglected in our culture and is no longer part of the U.S. education system. She laments that in every other culture in the world, there’s some type of social dancing, which is important for human development.
“As soon as babies hear music — they start moving,” she said. “And it’s kind of intrinsic at all of us, so really, the benefits are so great for any age.”
At Art of Dance, their goal is to ensure that “every dancer, whether they’re 2 years old or 95, is getting a personalized experience and that they’re coming to dance because it’s benefiting them. They’re not just another number at the studio.”
IF YOU GO
Art of Dance: 677 N. Stagecoach Road, Suite B, Salado
254-233-7197
artofdancesalado.com
