Learning to dance takes time, interest and effort. It can be hard work, but when that work is FUN, it can feel like PLAY! Newtown Square is blessed with a devoted dance teacher and community advocate, Sheila Turner, whose studio makes sure fun is part of every class.
A lifelong Newtown Square resident and one of five kids, Sheila started dancing at age 3, at a local studio owned and operated by a former Radio City Music Hall Rockette. Sheila was one of that studio’s dancers who performed at the annual Saint Albans Circle Tree Lighting Ceremony. She especially loved the trips to New York City that the studio’s owner took her on, to take classes with legendary dancers and choreographers.
After Sheila graduated from Marple Newtown High School (MNHS), she attended Kutztown University. The self-confidence and comfort level being in front of people she gained from dancing motivated her to pursue a degree in Speech Communications with a minor in Public Relations. While in college, Sheila was involved in the school’s dance program and also taught dance. After graduating from Kutztown in 1994, she worked for 10 years in downtown Philly, in a sales and marketing position.
with her husband Jeff Hilliard, daughter Eve Turner and
mother Kathy Clement
In 2004, Sheila fulfilled her lifelong dream of having her own dance studio. While trying to think of a unique name for it, she thought about how, when practicing dance routines, dance instructors and choreographers always say “Let’s take it from the top!” The phrase “From the Top” popped into her head. Over the past 20 years, From the Top Studio of Dance (FTT) has steadily grown from one small studio space to one big space with three studios! In addition to “Miss Sheila,” FTT has a full staff of professional and trained Instructors, many of whom are also lifelong area residents.
Because the supportive and encouraging studio she grew up in and its owner had meant so much to Sheila, her studio continues that same mission and vision: To teach dancers of all ages and abilities the fundamentals, techniques and performance of dance with the utmost regard for each student’s individuality. “I had felt so safe and comfortable as a student in that dance studio, with all the other students, whether they were competitive or recreational dancers,” Sheila explained. “At a very formative time in my life, it was very helpful to have such an outlet to be able to express myself.”
At From the Top Studio of Dance, students ages 2 and up can learn many dance styles: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Broadway Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Modern, Lyrical, and Pointe. The instruction schedule runs from September through May. Students select one class per week, an hour that focuses on one dance style. Younger students take “combination classes,” and in each class, they’re introduced to several different dance styles. All students participate in the annual recital in early June.
FTT is a special needs inclusive studio. They offer daytime special needs classes for five Delaware County organizations. Sheila also teaches students in the MNHS Life Skills Program and the Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps and has been recognized for her work in the special needs community. In November 2019, Sheila received the “Rose for Toni” award sponsored by AALIVE, an organization that offers adults with autism opportunities for socialization and awareness. She was also the recipient of Marple Newtown High School’s PEPPER award for her positive influence and commitment to her students in the Marple Newtown School District.
“We welcome dancers of all abilities into all of our dance classes at the studio,” said Sheila, “but I learned there was a need and a desire from groups of special needs teens and adults who attend day programs.” Those groups include students with a wide range of physical and intellectual challenges. “I have dancers with Down Syndrome and Autism, but I also teach students with Cerebral Palsy, traumatic brain injuries and a host of other challenges,” she explained.
FTT also offers Dance Birthday Parties (many themes) and annual Summer Dance Camps for girls and boys ages 4-14. Dance Camps are fun week-long full-day or half-day programs that include dancing, games, crafts, and making friends through team-oriented activities. For each of the 6 weeks, there’s a different theme and final-day show.
Sheila and her husband Jeff live in Newtown Square. Their son Kyle graduated from Temple University, daughter Eve is a Junior at the University of Tampa and teaches at the studio during the summer, and their daughter Nicole is in fourth grade at Culbertson Elementary. Sheila also keeps tabs on her many other “kids” (her dance students). “I want to make sure they’re on the right path,” she says. “They know we’re a safe place to be, and we want them to use dance as a healthy outlet for whatever’s going on in their life.”
From the Top dance students perform at the annual NS Tree Lighting ceremony, the Circle at Sundown and recitals, and take classes that help them learn many dance styles and gain self-confidence and self-esteem through performing arts. Sheila also gets great satisfaction knowing she’s helping HER dance students create those wonderful memories and life skills for themselves.
From the Top Studio of Dance is located at 3603 Chapel Rd, Newtown Square. For more information, call 610-353-2623 or visit their website at www.FromTheTopDance.com.