Dancenter North

Dancenter North is a dance studio in Gurnee, IL, located at 5410 Grand Ave. Founded by Cheri Lindell in 1974, the school spent 45 historic years in Libertyville before relocating to its current home in Gurnee in 2019. Under the direction and ownership of Stacy Joy Keller and Geno Kett, Dancenter North serves students in the northern suburbs of Chicago, offering classical training, strong technique, and performance artistry. The studio maintains rich traditions, including the annual production of “The Magic of the Nutcracker,” and provides a nurturing, body-positive environment for recreational study and professional career preparation. It holds a rating of 4.80 based on 5,410 reviews.

The professional faculty includes instructors specializing in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, lyrical, hip-hop, character, and musical theater. Stacy Keller serves as Owner and Director, while Charles “Buzzy” Brown directs the DCN Hip-Hop Crew. Julie Cartier co-directs the NY Broadway Company and the Upstairs Sr. Jazz Company, and also directs the Soul-2-Soles Jr. and Sr. Tap Companies. Other instructors include Edmar De La Cruz, Phyllis Warrender, Tara Schobert, Jillian Glassman, Olga Chudaikina, Tiffany Soler, Melissa Reh, and Emily Sokoloski. Christina Bushala directs the Pro-Track Jazz company and co-directs the Upstairs Sr. Jazz Company and The Magic of the Nutcracker. Rosario Guillen directs the Verge Sr. Modern Company and the Upstairs Jr. Jazz Company. Administrative staff includes Operations Manager Samantha Robison and Technical Director Tony Braskich.

Dancenter North offers classes for all ages and experience levels. Early Childhood Dance Classes for children ages 2 to 5 focus on confidence and positive learning. Entry-level and adult classes provide opportunities for beginners, with registration, punch card, and drop-in options designed for busy schedules. Students ages 7 to 18 with previous experience can attend complimentary placement classes. The studio also hosts Summer Dance Camps for ages 6 to 10, featuring six styles of dance, crafts, games, and outdoor play, with performances every Friday during sessions from June 8 to July 17.

The studio’s standing is defined by its strong local reputation and established track record, reflected in its consistently high customer ratings and large base of reviews. This recognition underscores the trust placed in its professional staff and methods of study.

Dancenter North combines decades of performing arts tradition with comprehensive training options, making it a cornerstone of dance education in Gurnee.

Dancenter North sits on Grand Avenue in Gurnee, Illinois, just a short walk from Cedar Park and about half a mile from Great America Lake.

BizScoreAI awards the studio a Technical score of 86 out of 100, ensuring the website is secure and easily readable by search engines. It also achieves a Discoverability score of 75 out of 100, which allows AI crawlers to find every page and enables AI assistants to recommend the business.