Elite Academy of Dance (EAD) in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, can be described as a well-rounded and ever-evolving dance studio. Lauren Mangano Callahan, the Owner and Director, says their entire staff is fully invested in the well being and progress of every student enrolled in their programs from their recreational program to their competitive and performance company. Elite places equal emphasis on all genres of dance. Their goal is for dancers to understand the history, technique, discipline and etiquette of dance. This is something they can teach that their students to carry with them throughout their lives.
Elite Academy of Dance has what they consider to be not only an extremely talented faculty, but also a faculty that provides education to students in a caring manner that suits each of their learning styles in a multitude of dance classes and private offerings. Their customer service and outlook on the entire process of dance education is special and unique and truly sets them apart. From classical ballet to modern hip-hop, EAD offers a wide variety of classes that will surely enhance your technique, skills and general understanding of dance. Included in their curriculum is creative movement, ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, acro, tap, and musical theatre. They are also excited to offer Boot Camp and Total Barre for adults.
Elite is proud to have recently became the first studio in New England to be Acro Arts Certified for Acrobatic Arts! Both Lauren Mangano, Elite’s Owner and Director, and Jenna Patterson, an Elite instructor, are certified instructors. Dancers who train through Acrobatic Arts have balanced development, are more flexible, fearless, and stronger. Dancers at studios that employ this program have fewer accidents, more skills, and are less likely to 
develop chronic injuries. It is EAD’s mission to set the standard of excellence among dance instructors so as to promote technique and progression in Acrobatic Dance. The increased recognition of conventional media, including Cirque du Soleil and Dance Television has created an enormous need for acro dance teachers. Consequently, in an effort to fill the void, some studios to have hired gymnastics coaches or unqualified instructors who don’t know how to perform acro skills on a hard stage or even understand the art of acro. Certified Acro instructors are able to provide step by step instructions for every level that enable their students to have the building blocks needed to progress quickly and safely from one level to the next.
Lauren is lucky enough to not be able to pinpoint just one single or most proud moment of teaching. The journey of opening and growing Elite constantly provides her with moments where she feels enormously blessed to be sharing what she loves on a daily basis. That journey has afforded her many of what she calls “proud mama moments”. According to Lauren, it is impossible to choose between the weekly steps and successes she sees in class when a student achieves a worked for and sought after skill, from a new step in the studio to having Elite alumni open for a new touring show or production, or seeing a current or former student performing on TV. She considers herself very lucky to have such a rewarding career with both current and former students.
The biggest mistake Lauren sees students make is losing sight of the big picture. She encourages every dancer to set goals, learn how to be a successful student, and how to be a part of a team. She sees dancers look for validation through trophies, praise, social media, or how many “tricks” are in their arsenal. Lauren adds that loyalty and commitment to your studio is something that seems to be lost today among many young dancers. The educational process only works if the teacher and student are both equally invested in the process, not only in the spotlight. Invest in the process, invest in the big picture. You will absolutely get what you put in.
In addition to their studio classes, EAD has created a program specifically tailored for home schooled students. This program is a wonderful way to make new friends, to learn dance, stay active, incorporate a healthy lifestyle and physical activity into a physical education plan for the home school plan. They believe that in order to understand the depth and range of human imagination, people need to have knowledge of the arts. Using theatre, music, dance and visual arts, people are able to express things they cannot express in language alone. With that in mind, their home school dance program includes different styles and genre’s of dance including ballet, hip hop, jazz, jazz funk.
Lauren’s goal for this year is the same goal she has every single year. She wants her staff, students, and their families to feel valued. When everyone is on the same page and surrounded by positivity and an encouraging environment where each person has value in the process, there is absolutely no telling the amazing things that can happen.
In 2006, Lauren’s mother passed away. At that point in her life, she was teaching at several studios but did not feel creatively fulfilled. Her goal has always been to have her own studio and her mother’s passing quickly taught her that life is short. So in 2008, she opened Elite Academy of Dance in her mother’s memory.
Elite is currently building a state of the art, 8,000 square foot, custom studio. Its design and space is cutting edge to facilitate the best educational environment possible in Central Massachusetts. Elite’s alumni and current student credits include ELF National Tour, LA Cage Follies, SYTYCD, Saturday Night Live, America’s Got Talent, Kidz Bop, Miss Massachusetts Pageant, Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and more!
If you would like more information about Elite Academy of Dance, visit their website at elitedance-ma.com, call them at (508) 842-5500 or email them at info@elitedance-ma.com. You can also “Like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Lauren Mangano Callahan of Elite Academy of Dance.
