Noreen’s School of Dance celebrates 30-year anniversary with ribbon cutting
The Highland County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Noreen’s School of Dance on Oct. 15, to celebrate 30 years of serving the community. Noreen’s School of Dance is owned and operated by Noreen Gibson and is located south of Hillsboro at 4360 Custer Rd., Hillsboro. Noreen’s School of Dance offers a variety of dance classes for all ages in a positive environment. (Submitted photo)
Noreen’s School of Dance, located south of Hillsboro, celebrated their 30th anniversary with a ribbon cutting from the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, along with family, friends and members of the community, on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Noreen’s School of Dance is owned and operated by Noreen Gibson and is located at 4360 Custer Rd., Hillsboro 45133.
Gibson gave a brief description of where the idea of the Noreen’s School of Dance stemmed from 30 years ago.
“My dream when I was a little girl was to one day own my own dance studio,” Gibson said. “I danced since I was 5 and continued with dance and theatre throughout high school. After graduation, I attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. I graduated and received my commission from Annapolis in 1989; I would find local dance studios to teach part-time wherever I was stationed.
“When I left active duty, I relocated to Hillsboro to teach high school science through the Troops to Teacher Program. I saw an ad in the local paper for a space in downtown Hillsboro that was described as: ‘Would make a good dance or karate studio.’ I rented the space and started teaching a few classes on Saturday mornings.
“The next year, I bought a house and remodeled the basement to have a space to teach dance. The current building sits next to the same house where that studio was located. Shortly after opening the studio, I enrolled in the teacher training and certification program through Dance Educators of America and studied for three years during the summers in New York City and Las Vegas. Upon successful completion of written and practical exams, I received Beginner through Advanced Teaching Certifications in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Acrobatics.”
Noreen’s School of Dance offers dance classes such as ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical and contemporary for ages 2 to adult and is open Monday through Saturday. Gibson also offers fitness classes that include strength & sculpt, aerial yoga, bungee fitness, rebounding and personal training. At the studio location, there are dance shoes and dance apparel for sale.
Noreen’s dancers perform on the weekends at Dark Harvest Productions in Hillsboro on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m. They will be performing at the Georgetown Veterans Home on Nov. 16; you can also see them on floats in some of the local holiday parades in November and December.
Gibson mentioned multiple people in her life who have contributed to her 30 years of success.
“Thank you to my parents for exemplifying such a strong work ethic and incredible resilience,” said Gibson. “Their values have always gotten me through whatever life throws my way. Thank you to my daughter, Nia, who has grown up in the studio and is a daily source of joy and support. A shoutout to the Naval Academy class of 1989 for always being an incredible group of inspirational humans.
“Thank you to all the current and former dancers and parents throughout the past 30 years. You are the reason we are here. Seeing my dancers grow and prosper is the driving force behind what I do.”
For more information including hours, availability and more, please visit the company’s social media page or call (937) 393-4414.
About the Highland County Chamber of Commerce: The Highland County Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership-driven organization that represents the business community of Highland County. The many plans and programs the Chamber offers its investors, combined with county workforce development initiatives and local, state and federal legislative/advocacy efforts, position the Chamber of Commerce as a leading organization in Highland County. Learn more at www.thehighlandchamber.com.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.