Our Instructors
Nan Holt Smith
Nan has owned and operated Nan's School of Dance, Inc. since 1975. She began teaching ballet, tap and jazz at our original studio in Yadkinville, NC., where she grew up. She was a talent winner and finalist in the Miss North Carolina Pagent, and has a BS degree from NC State University. Nan and her husband opened the Greensboro studio in 1980. Nan attended the 1966 Governor's School and studied at the Academy of Dance Arts in Winston-Salem. She has done further study in New York and Atlanta.
Jennifer Grinwis
Jennifer, our studio director, has been teaching on our staff since 1994. She attended the 1989 Governor's School in dance, and participated in the Guilford County Junior Miss Pageant in 1990, winning scholarship money for her dance performance. She started college at NC State University in engineering. Subsequently, she attended UNC-G where she majored in dance to further her training.
Lori Knox
A native of Salisbury, NC, Lori taught for 5 years at a studio there. She is trained and certified in the Cecchetti Method of Ballet. She worked two summer seasons at Carowinds, where she performed and and helped choreograph jazz and tap production numbers. For two years, she was a charter member of the prestigious Top Cats, the cheerleaders for the Carolina Panthers football team. She has been a member of our teaching team since 1995.
Melissa Xayavong
Melissa grew up in Greensboro, and she and her husband are raising two boys and a girl. She attended Cindy Gill's school of Dance for fourteen years. Melissa has experience in choreographing for and performing with a dance team at college football games. Melissa has also danced in Los Angeles and New York. This is Melissa's seventh year at Nan's.
Lauren Stroud
Nan taught Lauren at our Yadkinville studio for fifteen years. She is now a graduate of the dance program at UNC-G. In high school, Lauren composed choreography and performed it with her cheerleading team and show choir. This is Lauren's sixth year teaching at Nan's.
Melissa Pihos
Melissa holds a BA in Biology from UNC-G. She has studied dance for over 20 years, receiving her training at the Academy of Dance Arts in Winston Salem, Appalachian State University in Boone, and UNC-G. Melissa is currently dancing for Sidelong Dance Co. of Winston Salem. This is Melissa's fifth year at Nan's.
Christine Bowen-Stevens
Christine grew up dancing in nearby Chapel Hill. She has a degree in dance from UNC-G, and while there had many opportunities to dance with distinguished choregraphers. Christine previously worked with children of all ages in dance studio and child care enviorments. Christine is a certified Pilates instructor as well. She has been a great asset for our school now for four years.
Kelly Langston
Kelly started dancing at an early age and has never quit since then. She danced with us as a child, then earned her dance degree from ECU. Her strength is ballet and pointe. Kelly's dance classes love her teaching style. They learn and improve a great deal each year. Kelly is a major asset within our teaching team.
Adrienne Casey
Adrienne was a student of ours growing up. She graduated high school and furthered her education at Lees McRae where she earned a degree in dance. Now she's back with us teaching the next generation of dancers! She always has a smile for her students. Her dancing talent has given her opportunities in New Orleans & New York as well as locally.
