Buckeye Dance Festival

Excited for all of our dancers competing at the Arizona Dance Classic this weekend! 🤠

What if learning to dance could improve the way you communicate with people?

That’s the idea behind our beginner social dance classes.

Most people think they’re signing up to learn a few dance steps. What they often discover is something much bigger: confidence, connection, and a new way to communicate without saying a word.

That’s what makes this program so special.

Kimberley Mitchell—a national ballroom champion who regularly travels the country coaching top-level dancers—and I come from two very different backgrounds that arrive at the same destination.

Kimberley teaches movement, partnership, and connection through dance.

I coach mindset, communication, and human connection in business and everyday life.

Together, we’re helping people experience how trust, awareness, and communication are built one step at a time.

No partner is necessary. No experience is required. Just bring an open mind and a willingness to have fun.

For $15 per evening, you’ll enjoy:
✨ Two beginner-friendly lessons
🎶 A two-hour dance party where you can practice what you’ve learned
🤠 Country Two-Step
💃 Waltz
⭐ Country Swing
🎵 West Coast Swing
🕺 Plus fun line dances throughout the evening!

📍 Mondays in August — Otie’s Tavern, Hilliard
📍 Mondays in September & October — PBR at Easton

Whether you’re looking for a fun date night, hoping to meet new people, or simply wanting to become more comfortable on any dance floor, this is the perfect place to start.

We believe dancing is more than a hobby—it’s one of the most enjoyable ways to build relationships, grow confidence, and strengthen communication.

Come learn a few steps… and you may leave with skills that positively impact every relationship in your life.

We’d love to meet you on the dance floor. ❤️

✨ Four Ballrooms. Four Days. Endless Opportunities to Connect. ✨

What makes the Buckeye Dance Festival different?

It’s not just about learning to dance. It’s about discovering community.

For four incredible days, our venue comes alive with four ballrooms full of movement, music, and connection. Every evening you’ll find four themed socials happening at the same time, so there’s always something to dance and someone new to meet.

No matter when you step onto the floor, you’ll find dedicated spaces for our three core communities:

🤠 Country

💃 Ballroom

🎵 West Coast Swing

Alongside those, we’ll feature specialty dances and movement experiences including Kizomba, Acro Yoga, Tai Chi, and many more as we continue announcing instructors and workshops.

But the experience doesn’t stop on the dance floor.

Our Movement and Wellness Expo will introduce you to businesses, organizations, and professionals who are passionate about helping people move better, feel better, and live healthier lives. Whether you’re interested in fitness, recovery, nutrition, mobility, wellness, or personal growth, you’ll discover new ways to invest in yourself.

At its heart, the Buckeye Dance Festival is about connection.

Connection between partners.

Connection between friends.

Connection between communities.

We believe some of the greatest experiences happen when you step outside your comfort zone. You never know what style you’ll fall in love with until you give it a try. Maybe you come for Country and discover West Coast Swing. Maybe Ballroom captures your heart. Maybe Tai Chi, Kizomba, or another specialty workshop opens a door you never expected.

Whatever brings you through our doors, our goal is simple: create a welcoming environment where trying something new feels exciting instead of intimidating.

The dance communities we’re bringing together are filled with people who genuinely love what they do, and they love sharing that passion with others. That’s the kind of culture we’re building. A place where beginners are encouraged, experienced dancers are inspired, and everyone leaves with new friendships and unforgettable memories.

Come experience what happens when dance communities come together.

Move together.

Learn together.

Grow together.

We can’t wait to welcome you to the Buckeye Dance Festival.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to dance but didn’t know where to start?

This August, join us at Otie’s Tavern in Old Hilliard for four evenings of fun, connection, and dancing that are designed with beginners in mind.

No partner is necessary, and no experience is required. Just bring a willingness to have fun and meet some great people.

Each Monday from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, you’ll enjoy two easy-to-follow dance lessons followed by a two-hour dance party where you can immediately practice what you’ve learned in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

We’ll be teaching a variety of dances, including:
🤠 Country Two-Step
✨ Waltz
⭐ Country Swing
🎶 West Coast Swing

Throughout the evening, we’ll also mix in line dances and fun party dances, making it easy for everyone to get out on the floor and enjoy themselves.

On the fourth week, we’ll wrap up the series with two more lessons before hosting a fun Jack and Jill competition, where you’ll be randomly paired with another dancer for a chance to win prizes from local businesses. It’s a great way to celebrate your progress while cheering on everyone around you.

The entire evening is just $15 per person, including both lessons and the two-hour dance party.

Whether you’re looking for a new hobby, a unique date night, a way to meet new friends, or simply want the confidence to dance at weddings, parties, and events, this is the perfect place to begin.

Best of all, you’ll be learning from Kimberley Mitchell, a British and American Ballroom Champion who has dedicated her career to helping people discover just how fun and rewarding dancing can be.

Come join us at Otie’s Tavern this August and see why so many people fall in love with dancing. We can’t wait to welcome you onto the dance floor!

Workshops. Socials. Competitions.

What kind of dance event inspires you the most?

For me, the magic happens when education, social dancing, and friendly competition all come together.

That vision is exactly what we’re building at the Buckeye Dance Festival.

Our mission is simple: Where Dance Communities Come Together.

Whether you come to dance all night, learn from world-class instructors, challenge yourself in competition, or simply meet incredible people who share your passion, there’s a place for you here.

Education is at the heart of the festival. Group workshops taught by high-level professionals make quality instruction accessible and affordable while giving dancers the opportunity to explore new styles and strengthen the skills they already have. So many of the concepts we learn, such as connection, timing, musicality, balance, communication, and movement, transfer beautifully from one dance style to another.

Our foundation is built around Ballroom, Country, and West Coast Swing, but the experience goes far beyond those three communities.

You’ll also find specialty workshops featuring styles and movement disciplines like Country Swing, Kizomba, Tai Chi taught by a World Champion Kung Fu master, Acro Yoga, and more. Every class is another opportunity to discover something new that might completely change the way you approach your favorite dance.

And when the workshops end, the music begins.

Spend the evening social dancing with people from different backgrounds, building friendships across dance communities, and experiencing the joy that only partner dancing can create. If competition excites you, we’ll have Jack & Jill competitions across multiple styles alongside our UCWDC-sanctioned Country Dance competitions, giving dancers opportunities to grow at every level.

Beyond the dance floor, we’re creating a Movement & Wellness Expo, bringing together local businesses, health professionals, instructors, and organizations that support active, healthy lifestyles. Because movement is about more than learning steps. It’s about building a life filled with confidence, connection, wellness, and community.

One of my greatest passions has been learning from every dance community I’ve had the privilege to experience. Every style has something valuable to teach, and every community has something worth celebrating. The Buckeye Dance Festival is our way of creating a space where those communities can learn from one another while continuing to grow stronger together.

Whether you’re a social dancer, a lifelong student, a competitor, or someone taking your very first lesson, our goal is to create a low-barrier, high-opportunity experience where everyone feels welcome.

Because you never know which class, which conversation, or which dance might change your life.

I can’t wait to welcome you to the Buckeye Dance Festival. Let’s keep building a dance community where everyone belongs.

See you all there ♥️🤠♥️

Best wishes to all y’all at the Big Apple Country Dance Festival this weekend! 🤠

Thinking about joining us at the Buckeye Dance Festival but wondering what the experience will be like?

If you’re heading to the Smoky Mountain Invitational in Gatlinburg, this is a great opportunity to get a preview!

Kimberley and I will be working throughout the weekend, connecting with dancers, coaches, and competitors, and we’re honored to be performing in the Saturday evening show. If you’ve never seen us in action, come introduce yourself, watch the performance, and experience the kind of energy, passion, and sense of community we’re excited to bring to the Buckeye Dance Festival.

Our vision has always been bigger than a competition. We want to create an event where dancers of every style and every level feel welcomed, inspired, and excited to grow together.

If you’re at Smoky Mountain Invitational, we’d love to meet you. Stop by, say hello, and let’s talk about dancing, community, and everything we’re building together.

We can’t wait to see many of you in Gatlinburg—and then again at the Buckeye Dance Festival!

We're so excited to unveil our outstanding roster of judges, officials, and staff! 🐻🌲🪵 Show them some love in the comments!

Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July. Happy Birthday America ❤️🤍💙