Dance Expressions By Lori

Dance Expressions is a Dayton, Ohio studio directed and choreographed by Lori Downey, and is home to the Tiny, Mini, Junior and Senior Expressions competition dance teams. Its class list runs from Pre-Ballet, Pre-Tap and Pre-Acrobats for ages 3-5 through levelled classical ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, pom/funk, tumbling and leaps and turns, plus a boys-only hip hop class for ages 8-13, Hawaiian dance for ages 6 and up, and an adult jazz/tap class. Levels are set by teachers according to age, ability, technique and experience, and classes need at least six dancers to run. Private lessons are available year round in 30 or 60 minute slots and can be shared with one other dancer. Competition teams are banded by school grade, from Tiny for grades 1-3 up to Senior Expressions for grades 8-12, with Junior Expressions split into Elite and Classic tracks. In 2026 the studio was named PAC Best In Show in Fort Wayne and Top Elite Studio at Platinum Dance Competition in Van Wert, and its Junior Elite and Senior teams travelled to UDA Nationals. The studio also stages an annual recital and runs a charity program.