About Studio Dance Centre

Professional-grade Facility

Studio Dance Centre is located in the Teel Village shopping center, at the corner of Main and Teel. Our brand new facility includes a spacious and comfortable waiting area in addition to the two studio classrooms with one-way observation windows, shock-absorbent Harlequin dance floors, and wall-to-wall mirrors.

More Than Just Dance

Studio Dance Centre’s values are based on the belief that a good dance education is never wasted. Dance classes help develop skills beyond dance steps; they also build self-discipline, creativity, musicality, arts appreciation, self-esteem, and much more. Studio Dance Centre strives to be your neighborhood dance studio—providing high-quality, fun dance classes for dancers whose goals may be recreational or professional. We believe that by emphasizing technique, class work, and community performance, we are providing your family with the best possible dance education.

Owner/Director Bio

Julie Holt Lucia (Ms. Julie) is the owner and director of Studio Dance Centre. She has studied ballet, modern, tap, jazz, and character dance, as well as anatomy, music, body conditioning, and choreography. As a young dancer, Ms. Julie began her pre-professional training in Plano at Gotta Dance, and attended summer dance intensives at North Carolina School of the Arts and The Eglevsky Ballet in New York. Ms. Julie continued her academic and dance studies by attending several arts-intensive high schools, including Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, CA, Mid-Pacific School of the Arts in Honolulu, HI, and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, FL, where she was the recipient of the Outstanding Tap Dancer award upon graduation.

During college, Ms. Julie studied for her BFA in Dance at Florida State University. It was there that she expanded her in-depth dance studies under the instruction of Richard Sias, Sheila Humphreys, Suzanne Farrell, Anthony Morgan, Patty Phillips, Tom Welsh, and Douglas Corbin. She later shifted focus academically and geographically, and graduated from the University of North Texas with a BA in Philosophy. After graduation Ms. Julie held two careers: one as a coordinator in higher education and one as a dance teacher. It was during that time that she realized how important it would be to focus solely on her passion for dance. (After working 9-5 in an office setting, a dancer quickly learns to embrace Nietzsche’s “What does not destroy you, makes you stronger” theory.)  In 2005, Ms. Julie decided it was time to use the business and coordinating experience she attained in higher education, combine that with her extensive dance training, and plan for her own dance studio. Her vision to create a new place for dancers  to learn and succeed was realized shortly thereafter: Studio Dance Centre opened in Spring 2006. To continue her professional education in both dance and business, Ms. Julie has attended Rhee Gold’s Project Motivate "Mini-Motivate" seminars and the DanceLife Teacher Conference in 2006 and 2008.   She also occasionally contributes to Dance Studio Life magazine.

Ms. Julie is a professional member of two American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance associations: the National Dance Association and the American Association for Health Education. Additionally, Studio Dance Centre is a member of the Dance Council (serving North Texas), the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, the Little Elm Chamber of Commerce, and the Frisco Association for the Arts.  Ms. Julie lives in Little Elm with her husband, Chris, and their Cairn terrier, Sylvester (neither of which show any aptitude for choreography. Well, maybe Sylvester.)

Faculty/Staff Bios

Jamie Williams (Ms. Jamie) is in her third year as a Dance Instructor for Studio Dance Centre and works as an Office Manager as well. Ms. Jamie started her dance career in eighth grade drill team, which led her to four years of drill team experience in high school with the Ford High School Blue Belles in Quinlin, TX. It was there that Ms. Jamie built experience in choreography, event participation, and leadership, as she was named Captain her senior year.  During her time with the drill team, Ms. Jamie performed in Terrell and San Antonio, TX, as well as at Disney World and with the Carnival Cruise Company.  

Ms. Jamie is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in Psychology and Performing Arts. As a dancer at UTD, Ms. Jamie was able to participate in numerous classes including modern, jazz, ballet, and hip hop.  She has performed in fall showcases at UTD, as well as "Sprung." Not only has she worked with Micki Saba, head of the dance department at UTD, Ms. Jamie also had the good fortune to study with Michelle Hanlon of Elledanceworks, Kim Jackson of Collin County Community College, and Jennifer Mabus of Robert Battle's company in New York, Battleworks. While at UTD, Ms. Jamie participated in the American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) and worked with many choreographers from Texas and around the nation.  Ms. Jamie's own choreography has been presented at UTD showcases, as well as with the YMCA and other teen groups with which she has devoted her time. Ms. Jamie enjoys performing and choreographing on her own time whenever possible, and in continuing her education as a dance professional, she attended Rhee Gold’s DanceLife Teacher Conference in 2008. Ms. Jamie lives in McKinney with her husband, Blair, and their menagerie of animals, including an African Albino frog and a flying squirrel (neither of which show an aptitude for choreography).

Michele Monaghan (Ms. Michele) is in her third year with Studio Dance Centre, serving as an Office Manager and Dance Instructor. She has studied ballet, tap, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and choreography, as well as anatomy, Pilates, stage lighting, and theatrical makeup. She began dance training at the age of three in her hometown of Wichita Falls, Texas at S.S.B. Dance Center. There she remained a student and active participant of the studio's performing company until she graduated high school. During her sophomore year of high school, Ms. Michele was nominated the captain of her school's dance team, which allowed her to choreograph and lead weekly rehearsals. She also participated in community performances, such as the Wizard of Oz, a musical production presented by the Performing Arts Alliance of Wichita Falls.

 As a dance major at TWU, she studied numerous dance classes such as technique, composition, body conditioning, pedagogy, performance, and production. Throughout her college career, Ms. Michele was greatly inspired by the varied styles of her professors and colleagues. After four long years and many tiring rehearsal hours, Ms. Michele graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Her experience as a dancer at TWU allowed her to broaden her horizons and push her relationship with dance to a new, professional level. She has performed several works with Muscle Memory Dance Theatre of Dallas/Ft. Worth and The Kinetic Artists Collective of Denton. In continuing her education as a dance professional, Ms. Michele attended Rhee Gold’s DanceLife Teacher Conference in 2008. She continues to teach, choreograph, and perform on her own time, as she is blessed (cursed?) with boundless creativity. She currently resides in Denton with her husband, Austin and her dog, Paulix (neither of which show any aptitude for choreography).


Jennie Russell (Ms. Jen) is in her first year as a dance instructor at Studio Dance Centre.  She began dancing at Arabesque Dance Studio in Richardson, TX, which eventually led to a young modeling career.  In school, Ms. Jen was a cheerleader, a Lieutenant Captain on her drill team, and eventually a choreographer for her drill team as well.  She was a sociologist major and dance minor at Collin County Community College, and was fortunate to be a member of the college’s resident dance company for three years. Ms. Jen’s professional background includes former positions in education, gymnastics, and fitness, as well as dance.  She was the dance and music director at a private day school, and has also taught preschool and pre-kindergarten.  With her experience in fitness, Ms. Jen has worked as a personal trainer and an instructor of yoga, Pilates, and body strengthening classes.  She has created a unique adult dance class (offered here at SDC) using a series of ballet and conditioning exercises for the whole body.

Ms. Jen lives in McKinney with her beautiful 10-year-old daughter, Alyssa, and their three dogs and nineteen fish.  Ms. Jen looks forward to an exciting dance year, keeping her little ones on their toes!