By Ashley McLeod, staff writer
Jan 1, 2016, 16:43
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — A new dance studio recently held its grand opening in Colonial Heights, and the owner is eager for newcomers to come by and learn a new move or two.
Dancemasters Ballroom, located on Pickwick Avenue, recently changed ownership and has been revived into a new studio. Amy Hontos, the former manager at the studio, is now the proud owner. Hontos came to the area when the previous owner needed help running the old studio, and when the opportunity arose for her to take over, she jumped on it, officially taking over on Nov. 1.
Hontos lives in Newport News, where she had previously owned her own studio there for the past 20 years. She recently closed the studio in Newport News due to high rent prices. Currently, Hontos drives to Colonial Heights from Newport News the four days the studio is open. But to her, the more than an hour trek is worth it.
“I love this place, and I’m committed to this place. It’s my passion, and I know it changes people’s lives,” said Hontos.
Her love of ballroom dancing came as sort of a fluke. After graduating high school, and with no intention of going to college, Hontos began to look for a job. She lived less than a mile from a dance studio that had just put an advertisement in the newspaper looking for people.
“I was so desperate for a job, so I answered the ad and the rest is history,” said Hontos.
The job began with a training class, which Hontos says she still remembers every detail to this day.
“I walked in and I fell in love with it,” said Hontos.
After working at that first studio for about two years, Hontos went to work at another one. She went from one independent studio to the next, fueling her newfound passion for dance. After working in several different studios, Hontos was ready to take the next step and open her own.
“I got tired of people trying to tell me how to teach people how to dance,” said Hontos.
At the time, she was pregnant with her daughter. Right around the corner from their house was an available building that was just what she was looking for, so she opened her own dance studio, which she ran for 20 years.
Now in Colonial Heights, Hontos offers private and group lessons at the studio for both beginners and more advanced dancers.
“But beginners are my specialty,” said Hontos. “I’m a technician in terms of getting people to work together while dancing.”
Hontos said she teaches with a “mind-body connection” technique, focusing on learning step patterns by connecting with the music. According to Hontos, studies have shown that ballroom dancing increases brain activity, which helps to ward off illnesses such as dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
Hontos also said that group classes are extremely important to learning to dance, because you can have several different partners while you learn.
“It’s important to change partners because when you change partners you’re 30 percent more likely to learn the steps,” said Hontos.
Hontos said since having the grand opening, business has been great, all due to the community that has come out and supported her and her business, from helping to clean the studio, helping monetarily, or helping to design a new logo for the studio.
“These women helped me so much. The community response has been amazing,” said Hontos.
The dance studio is open Tuesday through Friday to dancers of all levels. Hontos offers private lessons as well as group lessons. On Tuesdays, she holds a ladies formation class and a newcomer swing class, and other days include salsa, merengue, rumba, and other types of dance classes. On Friday, the studio hosts a dance social, which is open to anyone interested in learning new dances.
