Welcome to the Studio
Establishing a community of friendship and support where participants can begin a journey of self-discovery through commitment to excellence and the inspiration of joy.
Announcements
- Fall 2026 Registration is officially OPEN! To Register, go to the Account Portal.
- Classes start Thursday, September 10th, 2026.
- Dana’s Dance merchandise now available: CLICK HERE TO SHOP
About the Studio
Dana’s Dance is located in the heart of Woodland Park, Colorado. Our beautiful facility was established in 2008 and has grown alongside the community.
Woodland Park is a great place to raise a family, to feed the heart, to find joy in the simple things, and that is how Dana runs her studio. Beginning with a home studio, Dana soon discovered that there was enough interest in the community for her to open a location downtown. With the support of her family and friends she acquired the Midland Avenue studio.
Employing an incredible staff of teachers, Dana’s Dance offers Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Hip Hop, & Jazz classes and provides performing opportunities throughout the year.
Since 2008, Dana’s Dance has invested in and become an important member in the Woodland Park community. Our dancers can be seen at the annual Kids Fest, Fourth of July Celebration, elementary schools, and various other events throughout the year. Each school year culminates in an end of the year recital held at the Woodland Park High School Auditorium.
Dana’s Dance focuses on empowering the individual through the art of dance and sharing their joy with a larger community. We are proud to be an artistic presence in Teller County and serve the families in the Pikes Peak area.
FACULTY
Dana Richardson
Founder & Artistic Director
Dana is a Colorado native and was born and raised in Woodland Park. She grew up dancing with Kathryn Utke and Cathy Myrick who instilled a love of dance in her from a very young age. Dana has danced professionally for PPCC, Our Community Dance Company, Sansara Dance Company. Dana is currently dancing with what used to be Open Sky Colorado and is now Jubilee Arts Collective. Her passion is to share who she is through her love of dance and it has been a vehicle for her to find her true heart and self. Dana loves being a part of Woodland Park, Teller County and the surrounding areas. For her, it’s important to invest in her community, which she does through nurturing and inspiring the hearts and lives of the students who walk through her doors. Dana has been teaching for over 17 years and began teaching in her home after a friend asked her to consider teaching her daughter. After five years of having 100+ students traipsing through her house, with the help of her friends and family, Dana acquired her studio in the heart of Woodland Park, Colorado. Dana is passionate about being a dance teacher and studio owner and loves the opportunity to share the skills and the joy of dance with her community. She encourages her dancers to find out who they are in a safe, loving, environment and discover the beauty and value they possess.
Houston has been working with kids for over 8 years through teaching piano lessons, dance, and various church programs. He has a huge heart to inspire those around him to be themselves, and to passionately pursue the things they love. He has gone through the AMTC program, which cross-trained him in dancing, singing, modeling, and acting. Afterwards he went to Ocean’s Edge School, which taught him skills from songwriting, leadership skills, stage presence, and music business. He has been teaching many years at Dana’s Dance and he loves the opportunity to share his love of dance with the community.
Houston Gordon
Co-Owner & Instructor
April Estep
Jazz & Tap Instructor
April is a tap dancer and choreographer who leaped into her passion for dance more than 40 years ago. She grew up dancing; competing as a soloist and in groups for regional, state, and national championships. She was named Senior Miss Dance of Oklahoma in 1991. April has studied many styles of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, lyrical, Irish step, Swing, and Latin. April’s feet never stop moving and she is thrilled to instill the love of dance that she so enjoys!
Veronica has been twirling for 50 years and teaching for 40 years. She has won numerous National and State twirling titles and had the incredible honor of twirling for Purdue University while earning a degree in Chemical Engineering. Veronica loves to share her passion for baton through teaching and judging. She is a certified National Baton Twirling Association (NBTA) judge and was recently honored to judge at the world level after receiving her International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF) judging certification. Several of Veronica’s students have won awards at the World, National, and State levels. Teaching students within their unique learning style is an asset that Veronica utilizes in an encouraging environment. Having this opportunity to grow baton twirling in our community through Dana’s Dance is a privilege for Veronica.
Veronica Johnson
Baton Instructor
Brent Richardson
Facilities Manager
Brent graduated from University of Colorado Colorado Springs in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Service Management and a minor in Human Resources Management. He is learning the business side of Dana’s Dance and having a wonderful time doing it. He is also honored to do the building maintenance for the studio and the many challenges that accompany that endeavor in an old building. Brent has two boys that bring endless joy and gratitude to his heart, he often watches them when mommy is away at the studio teaching. He loves to teach them to play with balls and train them to love and care for others.
Caitlin moved to Colorado nearly ten years ago with her husband, son, and two dogs, and quickly found family through Dana’s Dance. Since then, she has also had a daughter, and her whole family enjoys partaking in many of the classes the Studio offers. She is the Studio Administrative Director of Dana’s Dance and enjoys serving our dance families in many capacities on the backend. She most enjoys getting to know each of the families in the Studio and fostering the relationships we develop each year. If she is not in the Studio, you can find her outside or on the phone or computer answering any questions that come in. She finds joy and fulfillment each day, and has a heart of gratitude for what each season brings.
Caitlin Gonzales
Studio Administrative Director
210 W. Midland Avenue
Woodland Park, Colorado
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