Shanna Kirkpatrick has dedicated her life to dance.

From 9 years old and throughout high school, she took dance classes, focusing on ballet. In college, she studied dance and sports management while founding companies—all with the intention to open her own studio.

Her vision was realized in September 2007, when she opened Chara Christian Dance Academy in Friendswood.

Why it matters

Chara Christian Dance Academy now has 1,300 students at two studios—the newest being a 10,000-square-foot facility in Pearland, which opened in July 2024.


Kirkpatrick said it has been incredibly rewarding to watch students progress year-to-year. She’s also loved being able to provide a sustainable work environment for dancers, she said.
Kirkpatrick said it has been most rewarding raising good leaders and providing a sustainable work environment for artists. (Courtesy Chara Christian Dance Academy)
Kirkpatrick said it has been most rewarding raising good leaders and providing a sustainable work environment for artists. (Courtesy Chara Christian Dance Academy)
“I don't know if I've had anyone become a professional dancer out of Chara, even though we raise really amazing dancers,” Kirkpatrick said. “But we know we're raising journalists, nurses, doctors, moms, teachers. It's really fun to see how their path through Chara helped equip them to go out and be successful adults and contributing members of society.”

The background

The faith-based dance academy filled a need for Friendswood families who aligned with those values when it opened, Kirkpatrick said. Chara, which means "joy" in Greek, emphasizes positive environments, uplifting music and prayer before classes.

“It’s for them to be able to walk into a place that is edifying of them, that lifts them up, that helps them use their gifts to glorify the Lord, and just to be around really positive role models,” Kirkpatrick said.
Shanna Kirkpatrick opened Chara Christian Dance Acadamy in Friendswood back in fall 2007. (Courtesy Shanna Kirkpatrick)
Shanna Kirkpatrick opened Chara Christian Dance Acadamy in Friendswood back in fall 2007. (Courtesy Shanna Kirkpatrick)
What they offer


Chara students can start as young as 9 months old and range up to 18 years old. The most popular demographic is ages 3-8 years old, she said.

The studio teaches ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop and contemporary, and has three training tracks, Kirkpatrick said. In 2025, she plans to invest more resources into these programs, so students can better utilize them, she said. These include:
  • studio, or recreational
  • classical, which is focused on ballet
  • competitive, for those aiming for high school or college teams
“Something that's very important to me is that I value all dancers," Kirkpatrick said. "Not just the competitive 12-hour-a-week dancer, but the one or two-hour-a-week recreational dancer."