Our Story
Learn. Grow. Dance.
Kim Teachout Thomas, Owner and Director, is the heart of Prince William Dance Academy (PWDA). It is because of her vision for a neighbourhood place where families and students could gather, learn and perform that the Academy became a reality.
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At PWDA, your 3 or 4 year old will love our fun, imaginative Baby Ballerina classes! Your pre-schooler (5-7 yr) can explore ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop, and we offer many classes for elementary, middle and high school age children, including beginner, intermediate or advanced levels. Our dedicated team of teachers will encourage and nurture your child during their dance journey, and whether your child chooses to participate for fun, or wants to pursue more serious dance study, we hope PWDA will become their home away from home.
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PWDA opened in the little town of Nokesville with a one room dance studio in 2002. We quickly outgrew our space, and in 2006, Prince William Dance Academy moved to its current location in a beautifully restored turn-of-the-century church (formerly St. Anne’s Episcopal Chapel) . Dancers enjoy the exquisite cathedral windows that flood the dance studios with natural light, gleaming hardwood floors, and elegant architectural details, such as the belfry, that make the building special and unique. The town of Nokesville was established in 1865 and prospered as a rural village with dozens of homes, a general store, public school, bank, The Hebron Seminary, and a train depot. In the early 1920's, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church was consumed by fire and was rebuilt on the same site as an exact replica of the first church. It changed hands and denominations several times through its history, and has now been lovingly restored as the Prince William Dance Academy.
Today, Nokesville still retains its sense of nostalgia and country charm .
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Prince William Dance Academy embraces the small town community pride of Nokesville and we offer a unique, caring environment for all of our dance students. We take pride in our warm and welcoming atmosphere where we focus on creating a fun and positive experience, while helping children develop those old fashion values that will last a lifetime.
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Ms. Kim has worn dance shoes since before she took her first steps! She trained in her mother’s Alexandria, Virginia dance studio, and her grandparents were early vaudeville and radio personalities who eventually settled down in Shenandoah, Iowa to raise a family. There they owned and operated a local movie theatre, where dancers, comedians, and musicians performed live before and during the movie reels. Ms. Kim’s mother studied dance with renowned teachers in the Midwest and California, was a faculty member of the Chicago chapter of NADAA, taught at major dance conventions, and owned and operated studios in Iowa, Colorado, and North Dakota before moving with her family to Virginia in 1963. She owned and operated studios in Virginia for 35 years. Her dance legacy lives on through her daughters, Kim and Kay, who both own private dance studios.
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Ms. Kim graduated from George Mason University with a B.S. degree in health education. For the last 48 years, she has pursued a dual career in dance and movement education. Ms. Kim works with children of all ages, as well as adults and seniors. As a teacher with skills in many disciplines, she continues to study dance and movement education by attending classes, workshops, and teacher conventions taught by master instructors and luminaries of the dance world, such as Savion Glover, Karida Griffith, Mia Michaels, Tommy Alexander, Beverly Fletcher, and the late Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchet & Luigi. Ms. Kim performed as a member of the George Mason University Dance Troupe, and at many local events including the International Children’s Festival at Wolf Trap, musical theater, recitals, and community events during her earlier career.
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Ms. Kim was a a health educator at the Alexandria Hospital for 6 years and is a former adjunct faculty member in the Health/Fitness/Dance department of Essex Community College in Baltimore County, Maryland. She was director of fitness programming in both nonprofit and private fitness clubs as well as a personal trainer and group fitness & aquatics instructor. She was one of the original staff instructors hired for GMU’s Freedom & Aquatics Fitness Center in Manassas when it opened in 1999, and she continues to teach several classes a week at FAFC. She has held ACE (Gold) Certification in Group Fitness, with specialty certifications in Older Adults, Personal Training and Aquatic Exercise, Pre/Post Natal programming, and Teacher Training Certification from Dance Masters of America. Kim recently completed course work at Towson State University in Functional Awareness: Anatomy in Action for Movement Educators and Practitioners, and is a current member of the Dance Studio Owners Association (DSOA/Inner Circle), National Dance Educators Organization (NDEO) and other dance professional/studio owner organizations, and maintains active certifications in aquatic & fitness education. She is an active member of the Dance Studio Owners Association Inner Circle.