Thrive School of Dance

Recital weekend is a wrap, and our hearts are SO full 🌟

To our incredible dancers: watching you step into the spotlight and pour your hearts onto that stage was everything. You worked so hard to get here, and it showed in every single moment. We are beyond proud of each and every one of you.

To our dance families: thank you for trusting us with your children, for the late-night costume fixes, the pep talks, and for filling that audience with so much love and energy. Recital weekend truly doesn't happen without you.

To our amazing teachers, volunteers, and backstage crew: your dedication behind the scenes is what makes the magic happen out front. Thank you for giving so generously of your time and hearts.

From the very deep down mushy parts of our hearts, thank you all. We are so grateful for this commnuity 💛

We're not done celebrating just yet — stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share photos, behind-the-scenes moments, and some of our favorite memories from the weekend. You won't want to miss it!

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Come Alive day one 🥹🎉🧑‍🩰 //

For our final ☀️Senior Spotlight☀️ of the 2025-2026 season, help us show some love to Claire!

How long have you been at Thrive?
Since 2017 - 9 years

What are your plans after graduation?
Going to Samford in the fall

What's one of your favorite memories from your time at Thrive?
The super slap

Which dance piece or show meant the most to you, and why?
2025 recital because of the people I got to dance with last rehearsal

What's something most people don't know about you?
In elementary, I had a black belt for being the best at playing the recorder

What's a lesson you've learned through dance that you'll take with you?
Comparison is the thief of joy

Claire, we love you we love you we love you and couldn't be more proud of you for all your growth as an artist and as a human. Go be a leader and find out 💛

Dress rehearsal day 1 - the vibes are ✅

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☀️Senior Spotlight☀️ Help us count down to recital weekend by meeting Thrive's graduating class of 2026! Next up is Katelyn -

How long have you been at Thrive?
I have been at thrive for 11 years

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to attend the university of Louisville for biochemistry

Who's a fellow dancer who pushed you to be better?
Addison Finley

What's something you're proud of that has nothing to do with dance?
I can play multiple instruments and I taught myself to crochet

What's a moment onstage (or in rehearsal) you'll never forget?
Hugging at the end of the last performance of the modern dance This is Me by the greatest showman and doing warmups on the stage

What's the hardest thing you've had to work through, and what did it teach you?
One of the hardest things I have had to work through is stage fright. It's taught me to get outside of my shell and show yourself and show who you are.

Katelyn, we are so proud of the person you are and are becoming and cannot wait to see what your next chapter holds! 🥹

☀️Senior Spotlight☀️ Help us count down to recital weekend (how is dress rehearsal starting today?!?) by meeting Thrive's graduating class of 2026! Next up is Emily -

How long have you been at Thrive?
I danced at JoAnn's briefly when I was 4 in 2012 then I came back in 2017.

What are your plans after graduation?
I will be studying business at Boyce college.

If you could relive one day at Thrive, what would it be?
The day after we came back from convention and did the jazz combo to Chaka Khan together in the studio. Or laughing so hard with Mrs. Lynn in tap class that we were all on the floor!

What's a lesson you've learned through dance that you'll take with you?
Dance has taught me how important it is to have things and people that bring you joy in life, and how important a supportive community is.

What will you miss most about your community?
I will miss all the sweet people and knowing I have class to look forward to at the end of the day no matter how the day went.

How would your dance family describe you in three words?
Joyful, encouraging, and 💪STRONG💪 (she's too humble to say it, so we had to add this one😉)

Emily, your dedication to your art and to pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is unmatched. It has been such a gift to be able to watch you grow and we are so proud of you for it. We love you so much and can't wait to see what your next chapter holds!

☀️Senior Spotlight☀️ Help us count down to recital weekend by meeting Thrive's graduating class of 2026! Next up is Julia -

How long have you been at Thrive?
I’ve been at Thrive for about 11 years

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to attend the honors college at Purdue University in the fall and study environmental science

What's your pre-show ritual?
I don’t necessarily have a pre-show ritual that initially comes to mind but I do always listen to music before I arrive at shows to help me feel confident and collected.

Which dance piece or show meant the most to you, and why?
The dance piece that meant the most to me was our modern dance inspired by the book “What the Road Said.” This piece allowed me to tune into my personal experiences with crossroads in my life and ultimately remembering to always choose kindness and belief.

How has dance changed the way you see yourself?
Dance has allowed me to see myself in a variety of ways, from confident and strong to thoughtful and soft because of the variety of different dance training we do, both physical and mental.

What does this dance community mean to you?
Thrive to me is family. They are people who I can lean on, laugh with, learn from, and support through any phase of life.

Julia, your steadfast encouragement and support of those around you have made you such an incredible leader, friend, dancer and artist and we could not be more proud of the human you are and are becoming. We love you and we'll miss you beyond what words can describe!

☀️Senior Spotlight☀️ Help us count down to recital weekend (2 days to go!) by meeting Thrive's graduating class of 2026! Next up is Jaina -

How long have you been at Thrive?
3 years!

What are your plans after graduation?
Go to NKU for a dance bachelor of fine arts degree. I want to perform and choreograph.

What's something that surprised you about your journey as a dancer?
There's a lot of things that I ended up enjoying that I would've sworn I hated if you asked me a couple years ago. Don't knock it till you try it is real!

What's a piece of advice you'd give your younger self on their first day at Thrive?
Chill out.

What's something most people don't know about you?
I don't like most fruits and certain ones give me small allergic reactions.

Who's someone at Thrive who has made a lasting impact on you?
Kallie was the first person I really talked to at Thrive and she made me feel really welcome. I'm grateful that she went out of her way to do that for me.

Jaina you have so quickly become part of the fabric of this community and having a front row seat to your growth has been a gift. We love you, we're proud of you and we can't wait to see what your next chapter holds!

Get ready for some double post days for our senior spotlights! ☀️ Help us count down to recital weekend by meeting Thrive's graduating class of 2026! Next up is Elizabeth!

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to attend the University of Alabama as a chemistry major!

What's one of your favorite memories from your time at Thrive?
My favorite memory is sharing the stage with my older sister, Addy, for our duet her senior year and getting to present our love for each other in a way that we both held such passion for!

What's a lesson you've learned through dance that you'll take with you?
One lesson that I keep close to my heart is that you can always change your mind about things! Your life is yours to decide what to do with, and you are allowed to say yes or no whenever you need to!

Who's someone at Thrive who has made a lasting impact on you?
For me, Mrs. Lynn has made a very lasting impact by teaching me how to feel music rather than just listening to it! Her tap classes allowed me to gain a sense of musicality that has developed into a very strong love of music!

What's a song that will always take you back to your Thrive years?
Pyre by Son Lux will always take me right back to being 11 years old in the audience of recital watching my older sister’s modern dance, where I understood how dance could turn a conglomeration of steps into a real story!

What's a piece of advice you'd give your younger self on their first day at Thrive?
I would tell younger me that perfection does not need to be the goal! There is no need to stress about getting every step perfect or being able to do millions of turns! Just showing up and having fun while performing can be enough!

Elizabeth, we're not quite sure what this community will look like without you, but man are we proud of you and grateful for the time we've had together. Love you real big 🥹