Southern Dance Theatre in Boynton Beach, Florida, is dedicated to the education and artistic achievement of each student. According to Penni Greenly, the President and owner, it is a training ground for both the recreational dancer as well as the career inspired. A faculty of diverse men and women are selectively chosen and are highly qualified professionals that are responsible for the education of their student body of 425. The school was founded in 1983 by Penni and her mentor, Joan Miller. Penni says that the administrative offices are a fantastic core of ladies specializing in the support of their teachers, students and parents with backgrounds in accounting, marketing and customer service.
For over 33 years, Southern Dance Theatre has offered dance classes for students of all levels ages three through adult and has been a recognized leader in dance education within the South Florida performing arts community. They train dancers, beginners to pre professionals, ages 3 t0 adult in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Conditioning, Hip Hop, Zumba, and Fitness.
Their experience ranges from instructing beginner to pre-professional students. Many of their student graduates have gone on to professional companies and schools of higher education such as The Julliard School in New York City and New World School of the Arts in Miami. Southern Dance Theatre is proud to offer the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough eight level program that combines high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development, to their ballet students. The ABT® National Training Curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels.
Ms. Greenly founded The Dancer’s Alchemy, a non-profit organization established to raise funds for performing arts programs and to raise awareness of the impact the arts have on people and their youth, in 1996. The Dancer’s Alchemy supports The Dancer’s Edge Company, a group of 40 to 60 dancers ages 9 to 18 that audition annually and perform in the community as well as throughout southern Florida. They average 75 to 100 community service hours per year. Company members attend dance classes at Southern Dance Theatre and rehearsals throughout the week to perfect their art and participate in a variety of community service activities each year. The Dancer’s Alchemy also supports The Special Arts Ensemble which consists of 12 to 16 dancers with special needs who perform 2 to 5 times a year. These performers are also students in Southern Dance Theatre’s Dance Movement Class. This company performs at various benefits and festivals throughout the community and always pleases crowds!
Penni’s proudest moment in her coaching career is when The Special Arts Ensemble, their performance group consisting of Special Needs dancers competed at StarQuest and got a standing ovation.
Each year The Dancer’s Alchemy hosts a performance entitled A Love Affair and contributes the proceeds to a variety of causes over the years from Alzheimer’s patient day care center 
scholarships to benefiting the Renfrew Center Foundation for the education, prevention, research, advocacy and treatment of eating disorders. This year’s performance is set for February 27th, 2016, and is a tribute to Joan Miller and the proceeds will provide for her medical needs and care as she battles Alzheimer’s Disease. The Dancer’s Edge Company and the Southern Dance Theatre will participate, along with many of Ms. Joan’s former students and their dance companies. Joan Miller was a founder of Southern Dance Theatre and an icon in the world of Dance, owning Palm Beach Center for 50 years. She has a very special place in the hearts of those at Southern Dance Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and advertising will be available within the event’s program. The Dancer’s Alchemy has launched a brand new website with all of the details.
Southern Dance Theatre is considered a school that models leadership in the dance community. Their school takes pride in the personal attention given to each student in placing them in classes at their appropriate skill and age level. They are trained with a unified curriculum in each discipline of dance which has produced great results with both the recreational and pre professional dancers. They are committed to high standards of excellence in every aspect of teaching, student performances and the branding of Southern Dance, which they promote in their community.
In Penni’s opinion, the biggest mistake a dancer can make is to continue to dance when you have forgotten “why you dance.” No teacher, trophy or latest, greatest, trick can take the place of truly embracing that question and keeping you true to your reason. Dance is first and foremost an art and creation.
This year their goal is to work on student engagement and commitment to self expression and artistry in every part of class and performing.
Penni attributes her passion for dance to Genia Howard, her first dance teacher, who introduced her to a world that would become her destiny and life. She began training at the Palm Beach Ballet under the tutelage of Joan Miller who greatly inspired her to teach and choreograph. Penni was a dancer with the Palm Beach Ballet Company and a featured jazz soloist in Praise the Dance, choreographed by Tuttle and Skinner from Dance Alive.
Her quest was always to become a teacher and choreographer of excellence. She is noted for her innovative, award-winning choreography which has been seen in The Macy’s Day Parade, Miami Dolphin Half Time Shows, WXEL Special, Commercials, and international dance competitions in Japan. It is her belief that dance could, and should, be taught to everyone.
In 1979, Ms. Greenly was Dance Director of The Conservatory of Arts for Handicapped Citizens which was founded by her mother, Yolanda Greenly, and based at Palm Beach Community College. She currently directs The Special Arts Ensemble, a division of The Dancer’s Alchemy at Southern Dance Theatre.
From 1979 – 1982, Ms. Greenly co-directed the national champion dance team, Atlantic High School Eagle-Ettes. In addition, she taught a pilot dance program for high-risk students which aimed to improve reading scores with great success. She hosted the first free after-school dance program for ESOL students in the 1980s as well as developed and taught a ballet class as cross-training for agility, coordination, and timing for the football team at Atlantic High School.
Ms. Greenly implemented and directed the first 4-year dance program in the Palm Beach County School System in 1985. Using a curriculum she wrote for ballet, tap, and jazz, the program grew to over 300 students in 3 years and created a need for two teachers.
Penni founded Southern Dance Theatre because her passion and dream was to be a teacher. Her mentor, Joan Miller, believed in Penni and helped her make this a reality and guided her each step of the way. Penni wanted to share the art of dance with others and has been blessed with 32 years of owning Southern Dance Theatre.
If you would like more information about the Southern Dance Theatre, visit their website at www.southerndancetheatre.com call them at 561-736-9097 or email them at southerndancetheatre@gmail.com. You can also “Like” them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, Pinterest and Google and connect with them on Tumblr.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Penni Greenly of Southern Dance Theatre .
Written By Cyndi Marziani
Owner
BDancewear.com
