Our Journey

Our Studio

Dance for all…Ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, tap, musical theatre, creative movement and more.   We are a full service dance studio with a state of the art facility, including air-conditioning, mirrored walls, wall-mounted and portable barres, a sprung marley dance floor for the comfort and safety of our dancers, dressing room with a shower, and classes for all levels, beginner, recreational, pre-professional and professional, ages 2-adult.  We have internship and scholarship opportunities as well as a student performance company and Impetus Dance Company, a professional performance company in residence.

Our Start

In 2000, Amy Hornberger was teaching at several Baltimore satellite locations for a studio based in the D.C. area.  One day a group of parents came to her and begged her to start her own studio.  "We love you, our kids love you but we don't love (xyz studio).  Please start your own.  We promise we will come."  And so it began.  On September 11, 2001, despite the atrocious events of the day, little girls and their mothers gathered at Ms. Amy's house.  The moms wanted to get their kids away from the tv and have some sort of "normal" even if it was only for an hour, knowing that everyone's lives were forever changed.  So while moms cried in the living room in front of the tv, the girls went upstairs to the small mirrored studio and danced.  For an hour, everything was good, and innocent and better.  Dance always makes it better, even if it's only for a little while.  The studio grew and moved to a church in Roland Park and eventually to our Falls Road facility.

Our Mission

It is the mission of Baltimore School of Dance to nurture and train the finest, strongest intelligent dance artists who are so full of the joy and love of dance and life that they cannot contain it.  We strive to create a family of disciplined, positive, supportive dancers, teachers, parents and friends who are not only committed but driven to do whatever it takes to learn, grow and exceed their wildest dance dreams, whatever they may be, while having an absolute blast along the way.  Whether you are an adult absolute beginner or are interested in a dance career, we encourage you to come with us on an exciting journey.  We will support you, cheer for you, encourage you and cherish you without judgement to help you become your most confident, best self no matter your level of skill or desired goals.

Our Values

LOVE.   

Love is our number one value because it encompasses so much. It is our love and passion for dance, children, teaching, family, community. It is being kind and helpful, serving our community. Using positive critiques and encouragement to help our students achieve their goals.

 LAUGHTER.

We want to instill a lifelong passion for the art of dance.  We believe the best way to do that is to have FUN and laugh while working hard.  We believe love and laughter can cure all ills.  Our nation is in an epidemic of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.  Studies show that exercise and laughter help combat these and we are dedicated to supporting our students and their families by lifting them up not tearing them down.

LEARNING. 

Knowledge is power. We are committed to providing our young dancers with the tools to study all aspects of dance both inside the studio and at home. Even as working professionals, you never stop learning. At BSD, we work to instill this by example, bringing outside resources into class that develop young minds and bodies.

INTEGRITY.  

To develop the trust on all sides that is needed for the investment in the delicate, difficult and transformative process of developing a dancer, there must be uncompromising integrity.  Honesty, loyalty and mutual respect from teachers, students and family.  

DEDICATION. 

Training to become a dancer requires commitment, hard work and sacrifice.  Not just on the part of the dancer or even the family, but also the dance studio staff.  We regularly make sacrifices to dedicate our time, energy, creativity and passion to share our expertise and help dancers achieve their dreams.  When everyone involved is dedicated to the same goal, the possibilities are limitless and the results are worth all the blood, sweat and tears.

PERSEVERANCE. 

Our favorite saying is, "You only fail if you give up."  We do not believe in giving up.  The answer to a challenge is not always immediately apparent, but if you give it time, it usually presents itself.  We are committed to our dancers and their families that are committed to us.  We will always do whatever we can to work out any issues.  Whether it is taking the time to answer questions, developing an individualized training plan to achieve a goal, or working with a family when financial struggles occur, we will always try our best to "figure it out!"  

INDIVIDUALITY.

Give us your quirky, your unique, your full of personality!  Gone are the days of the cookie cutter dancers that are all the same shape, size, and appearance!  Todays top performers have some sort of unique quality on top of fantastic training.  They are versatile, hard working, and willing to try something new.  We endeavor to pull out, validate and nurture each dancer's strengths and individuality.  Only then will a dancer develop the confidence and strength to persevere and succeed in this industry and in life.

 FAITH.  

We believe that when we work with the above values in mind, it creates trust and faith in the training process.  That faith is of the utmost importance.  We have been through the process of training as a dancer.  We know what works and what doesn't.  We know how hard it is but we also know how invaluable the benefits are to all aspects of life.  That faith will come in handy to develop the resilience that is needed not just in the dance world, but in life.

RESILIENCE. 

The dance world is tough.  You need to be resilient to deal with the constant critiques, the repeated "no's" at auditions, etc.  But life is tough too. Whether our dancers follow a path to the professional dance world or not, the skills they learn here will help them throughout their adult lives.  Their self-confidence will sky-rocket and the skills they learn while training as a dancer will make them successful at whatever career they choose.  Nobody can manage their time, be as creative, work as hard and hold themselves to such a high standard as dancers.

EXCELLENCE.

Add up all of our values and it equals EXCELLENCE.  Excellence is always our end game.  We are constantly trying to improve.  We are not perfect but we keep working, keep trying.

FAQ’S