Our Philosophy
At En L’Air, we strive to provide a quality dance education, designed to give each student a strong, technical foundation in an environment that fosters creativity and fun for all ages and levels. Recreational and competitive class options are available. The goal at En L'air is to teach children the love of dance and to share that love with the community.
En L’Air Academy offers technique classes in classical and contemporary genres of dance including creative movement, ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz,
hip-hop, and acrobatics. Classes are available for children ages 3 to 18. Competition team opportunities are available contingent upon instructor referral.
The training offered at En L’Air will provide students with skills necessary to have a successful dance career and prepare each dancer for college auditions as well as company and teaching positions.
Founder & Director
Arianne Thompson
Originally from Bristol, Virginia, Ms. Thompson began dancing at Watts Dance Studio and Xtreme Dance Company under the instruction of Carolee Watts Hacker and Kimberly Ann Fore. She has since received a BFA in dance from Radford University where she trained under Danah Bella of the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins, Bob Boross, Amy Vankirk, Ji-Eun Lee, and Inessa Plekhanova of The State Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. In addition to her Radford University education, Ms. Thompson has studied abroad in London, England at the Royal Ballet School, and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Her performance opportunities include being an apprentice company member with d a n a h b e l l a DanceWorks from 2014-2016, performing at the Capezio Peridance Center in NYC for the Jazz Choreography Enterprise Showcase 2016, and the American College Dance Association 2016 and 2017 at the Kennedy Center for the American College Dance Association’s National Gala. In addition to her performance background, Ms. Thompson has been a dance educator for 11 years and has choreographed numerous award-winning routines. Ms. Thompson is currently a dance adjudicator for the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School for the Visual and Performing Arts and has adjudicated for the program since 2015. Most recently, she presented her creative work while teaching during the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School for the Visual and Performing Arts during the summers of 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and was contracted for the 2019-2020 season. Ms. Thompson holds certifications in Acrobatic Arts Techniques and her studio is an Acrobatic Arts certified studio.
Guest Artist
Morgan Burchett
Born and raised in Pulaski, Virginia, Burchett has always had a passion for both dance and her hometown. She opened her studio – Dancing in the Wings – in her parents’ home in 2010. After almost nine years, the studio expanded to its Dublin location. From the three students who started DITW to the seventy-five that attend the studio today, her main goals have remained the same – to offer quality dance educations to her students while creating a safe and supportive atmosphere for them. Burchett received a BA in Dance and a BS in Elementary Education from Radford University in 2018. During her time at Radford University she studied under Danah Bella of the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins, Aleksky Plekhanova of The State Vagonova Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Inessa Plekhanova also of The State Vagonova Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Amy VanKirk, Ji-Eun Lee, and Deborah McLaughlin. During her time at Radford University, Burchett dedicated much of her time to her students on the competition team. Her students have won many awards and, in 2018, one of her students was awarded a scholarship to train and perform in Los Angeles, California. Burchett accompanied her student to California to oversee her training. Burchett plans to continue expanding her studio as well as elaborating on her training, certifications, and education as an instructor to ensure that she offers and oversees the highest quality of dance training possible.