By ERIN EDGEMON, Business Editor

The Tall Grass Dance Studio is now open and offering classes for adults in the former Leslie’s Shoppe location at 25 Public Square South.

Studio owner Danielle Cherdak decided to open The Tall Grass Dance Studio after not finding the classes she wanted to take locally. Her husband, Michael, is the studio manager.

Cherdak isn’t a dance instructor. She actually is a neurologist practicing at the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and admits she is a novice dancer who has enjoyed taking classes over the years while living in Washington, D.C. and then Boston.

“I was hoping to continue that when I moved to Tennessee, but the types of classes that I was used to were few and far between or not accessible to me for various reasons,” she said.

After dreaming for a place to dance for a few years, Cherdak realized that she was going to have to create the atmosphere she was looking for herself.

“My husband and I chose to move to Murfreesboro because we loved the feel and the history of the downtown area, especially the Square,” she said. “So we knew right away that we wanted to be involved in downtown, but finding the right place to open up has taken a bit of patience.”

Cherdak hopes to reintroduce jazz, modern, ballet and hip-hop classes to adults at The Tall Grass Dance Studio. She also wants to create classes for specialized groups such as those with Parkinson’s disease.

Cherdak said the downtown space is ideal for the studio.

“It is just large enough to have a nice-sized class and not too large so as to be intimidating,” she said.

A grand-opening event is being planned for March.

Several instructors have signed up to offer classes.

Ann Holland-Cole, a former MTSU dance instructor and studio owner, is teaching ballroom and Latin social dance Thursdays at 7 p.m. A dance/Pilates-based exercise class called “Bumps and Dents” is offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Cole also offers wedding preparation packages where she teaches the bride and groom and other members of the wedding party an individually choreographed dance to their choice of music.

Connie and Joe Katimi are holding swing dance classes every Friday at 7 p.m., followed by an open dance at 8 p.m.

Phyllis Petty is teaching line dancing every Wednesday from 7-8:30 p.m. An open line dance is slated for the second Saturday of every month.

Local Brazilian Jujitsu instructor Sam Gaskin also will teach classes.

For more information on classes, call The Tall Grass Dance Studio at 785-1339.


Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.