Like many teenagers, the students of Christy Wolverton-Ryzman are often preoccupied with school work, their social lives and college aspirations. Where they differ from other young people their age is the 20 hard hours of practice they put in per week at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center in Plano.

With 18 seasons of production under her belt, Wolverton-Ryzman has curated some of the top talent in Plano—sending students off on full-ride scholarships to The Juilliard School and others to Broadway.

Wolverton-Ryzman credits some of her studio’s success to alumni who have returned from their own professional careers to share their experiences with the next generation of performers.

“Who better to help train my next generation than the generation that has already gone through?” Wolverton-Ryzman said.

Wolverton-Ryzman continues to curate her coaching staff—having just recruited two performers from New York to relocate to Dallas.

“I have really stacked myself with some incredible, incredible teachers of all genres,” Wolverton-Ryzman said.

Over the years, Dance Industry has grown to offer a variety of dance specializations, including hip-hop, contemporary, jazz and ballet.

And the 18 seasons have helped her tap into a new passion for giving back to the dancing community through the creation of a nonprofit, she said.

The Thriving Artist Project enables Wolverton-Ryzman to sponsor students through a preprofessional program. The nonprofit also helped Wolverton-Ryzman create a program for students with special needs, which is called Jack’s Crew.

“They have actually had two performances so far, and they’ve been awesome,” she said.

In the tumultuous age of adolescence, the business owner said her students find solace in her studio.

“I’ve heard from kids before as well [who are] like, ‘Dance saved me in ways I can’t even explain,’” Wolverton-Ryzman said. “Why? Because they have been able to come into a safe environment and just kind of be able to be themselves.”

Dance Industry Performing Arts Center
6614 Communications Parkway, Plano
972-403-3208
www.danceindustry.net