For more than four decades, Burns Dance Studio has been woven into the rhythm of Aiken. What began in 1987 with Corey Burns’ mother, Rhoda Burns, a gifted instructor who saw a need for dance instruction in her new hometown, has grown into one of the area’s most recognized names in performing arts. After teaching for 7 years at a large dance studio in Sumter, SC, she moved to Aiken with her family and found few opportunities. So, she created her own.
The first Burns Dance Studio opened in downtown Aiken before moving to the south side in 1985. Years later, Corey Burns stepped into a larger leadership role after a career in education, as a teacher, then as an elementary school principal. What started as a plan to help his mother for a year became a calling. By 2016, he knew the studio needed room to grow and a fresh vision. He built the studio off Hamilton Drive and began shaping Burns Dance Studio into the program families know today.
That history matters, but Burns is quick to point out that legacy alone is not enough. In a world where families have endless options for their children’s time, Burns Dance Studio has stayed strong by offering more than classes. It offers quality, consistency and a culture where students grow as dancers and people.
“We consistently offered the most and the best for a long time,” Burns says. For him, that means making sure students are learning technique, whether they are in a recreational class, a competition program, or a more advanced track. The studio offers recreational dance, leveled competition teams, an elite competition group, musical theater, adult classes and ballroom instruction. The leveled competition model is especially important because it allows students to experience competition without requiring every dancer to commit to the most demanding schedule.
He understands that not every child who walks through the door dreams of Broadway. That is not the mission. His goal is to help students build lifelong skills: discipline, commitment, confidence, resilience, time management and the ability to receive feedback. He compares dance to sports, where growth sometimes comes through challenge. Students learn to show up prepared, take direction, work alongside peers and push through moments that feel difficult.
That approach is connected to Corey’s background in education. After years of leading classrooms and a school, he brings the same hands-on mindset to the studio. He teaches classes, observes teachers, watches technique and listens closely to what is happening in each room. He knows expectations should differ between a recreational class and a company team preparing for competition, and he works to ensure every student is in the right place to succeed.
What makes Burns Dance Studio different is not pressure for the sake of pressure. It is the belief that children are capable of more than they often realize when they are supported, challenged and encouraged. He wants students to leave the studio with stronger self-esteem and the courage to face whatever comes next. He often talks about filling their lives with positive energy, turning away from negativity and giving them something joyful to belong to.
Still, the joy matters most. When Burns describes what makes him proud, he does not start with trophies. He talks about walking through the studio and seeing a room full of six-year-olds in jazz class smiling, giggling and loving what they are doing while their parents watch from the window. “I like the culture of smiles and energy and fun in the building, no matter what level they’re at,” he says.
That balance of excellence and enjoyment is the staying power of Burns Dance Studio. It is a place where beginners feel welcome, serious dancers are challenged and families trust that their children are being taught by people who care. As Aiken grows and welcomes new families, he hopes more people will discover the story behind the name.
Burns Dance Studio is not just a local institution because it has been here a long time. It has lasted because, class after class and generation after generation, it keeps helping students stand taller, smile bigger and believe more in themselves.
Burns Dance Studio is located at 1560 Hamilton Drive in Aiken, SC and their phone number is 803-599-9253.