Kevin and Dianne Griggs, Skyler Evans and Angie Torres purchased Xtreme Dance Studio, 119 E. Main St., when its owner, Michael Quick, retired this year. In June, they got to work repainting and remodeling the studio and expanding the dance classes offered. This week, they debut the fall dance season as Remix Dance Academy.

“Our kids love to dance here, and they didn’t want to dance anywhere else, so we stepped in to keep it going for another year, and that brought us around to open it as our own studio,” Dianne said. “We have a 14-year-old daughter who dances and our daughter Skyler teaches. Our family and Angie’s family are in this together.”

Xtreme Dance Studio customers can expect the same “family-centered message” and dance lessons/competitions, with some new twists.

Acro classes, for children and adults, have been added. It is tumbling mixed with dance, and instructed by Evans. Also debuting is Remix Super Stars, a class for those age 18 and over with intellectual disabilities. It provides a general overview of several dance techniques.

T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ With the dance season now in full swing, students are practicing in the studio. Left to right: Caitlynn Schmidt, Lexi Evans and Gali Torres.

“It’s such a different studio than most studios. We have a lot bigger demographic than most studios. We have a lot of focus on technique, but it’s more about the experience of dancing,” Dianne said. “We take in a lot of kids that wouldn’t be able to afford to dance. We have helped try to keep the dance studio together in this last year. It’s for the kids. A lot of them wouldn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Dance instructors Kelsey Sawtelle, Bri Tucker, Caitlin Traylor, Lora Kubli, Nellie Strait-Ramirez and Evans offer a variety of classes for young and old, which include tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, clogging and contemporary. Some classes are purely instructional, while others are for dance competitions.

All four dance studio owners have outside jobs, running classes in the evenings and on Saturdays.

Dance dad Kevin Griggs said his focus is on props, lights and sound, and maintenance work of the studio. His wife Dianne and Torres handle the administrative side of the business.

“We’re just dance moms — even Kevin,” Torres said with a laugh.

The name “remix” has two important meanings for the families.

“Our daughters that dance, their first year of competition, they did a dance called ‘Remix.’ And it was out of both of their characters and brought them out of their shell,” Dianne said. “And with the changes made we thought ‘Remix’ would be appropriate.”

Discounts are offered to families. Dianne said one family has nine children enrolled at their studio.

As the studio is a “second home” to many dancers, the owners added a break room that can be used for completing homework. Torres said many dancers faced hardships from the July 2018 tornado.

Male and female dancers are welcome. To register for the current dance season, contact 641-752-224 orremixdanceacademyskad@gmail.com.

The dancers will participate in the Oktemberfest parade and the Holiday Stroll. Fundraisers and donors from the community help make the studio possible.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at

641-753-6611 or

sjordan@timesrepublican.com