Image Source: emissourian.com
The Dance Zone & More, Union, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and with trophies and awards lining every wall, owner Susan Buscher said she has a lot to be proud of.
Buscher has been a dancer since she was a toddler, primarily studying classical ballet. She studied under Carmen Thomas first, then Stanley Herbert and LaVerne Fink at the St. Louis Civic Ballet Company, now Dance St. Louis.
Buscher performed The Nutcracker at the Fox Theater with Herbert’s junior company and had the opportunity to dance with Leonard Slatkin, director. She later studied jazz and tap dancing.
After she married her husband, Charles, she stopped dancing until her daughter, Nicole, came along.
Nicole started dancing at age 7. Not long after, Buscher decided to start her own studio to focus on the technical side of dancing, including learning proper terminology and proper body placement and technique.
“Technique is the foundation of all styles of dance,” she said.
Construction of the 9,600-square-foot building at 7487 Highway 47, began in 2004 and the first lessons were held in 2005.
Buscher said when she started construction, there were two things she knew she wouldn’t compromise — the size of the studios or the flooring.
The flooring is a “sprung floor” with two layers of closed foam that will expand and contract as needed so dancers are less likely to be injured and it’s not hard on dancers’ knees. The top layer is a hard Canadian maple wood.
Today, the studio offers tap, jazz, ballet, point, lyrical, hip hop, floor gymnastics and bushido karate (martial arts) for boys and girls. Boys can receive a scholarship for dance at the studio, said Buscher, who would eventually like to expand her program offerings.
Growing, Honors
Buscher said the business and dancers have grown exponentially since the Dance Zone’s inception.
“Over the years, we have grown not only in student enrollment, but I’ve grown as a teacher and director,” she said.
Several students who have trained at the studio have gone on to earn dance scholarships, and one is a golden girl at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
“They have the tools and knowledge necessary to go into any studio with confidence and know they have a good foundation,” she said.
Buscher’s daughter is the assistant director at the studio. She also is the choreography director for the Missouri USA Ambassador Pageant.
Dance Zone students have earned scholarships from Elite Dance Company, Talent on Parade, Jump Dance Convention, Rising Star, Tremaine Dance and others.
DZ Dazzlers
Buscher said she would love to see the dance team, the DZ Dazzlers, grow. The team competes in four to five regional competitions per year and has done six national competitions overall and has always placed in the top 10.
The team also is a two-time national novice champion. In the past, the team has been the highest scoring small group at the Celebration competition, in the competitive level.
Students also complete community service projects and have raised more than $7,000 for local charities.
They have collected funds for Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, created care packages for soldiers in Iraq, collected items for the Pregnancy Assistance Center, funds for the Children’s Miracle Network, and to the Franklin County Humane Society.
Dancing the Bebop 