ABOUT US

Owner/Director

My name is Riki Tull I am 45 years old. I have one daughter that is in college, she is the light of my life.

I started my dance experince with Annette Duval dance school in Austin, Texas. I received training from Ms. Duval who was a former Prima Ballerina. I took ballet and tap, during my early years with Ms. Duval I was asked by the Highland Bagpipers to lead their group during a performance. I was only 4 years old this was an honor. This group had never met me but had seen me a performance with Ms. Duval. They stated to my mother and Ms. Duval that I would be a perfect mascot to be in the front of their group performance. To this day I think of that moment, it is one of my favorite memories.

When I was 7 I had to drop out of Ms.Duvals due to my family moving from Austin to Smithville. I continued my training with a studio in Smithville for 2 additional years. My family then moved to Del Valle, Texas. My mother found another studio for me, where I started with this studio at age 8. I continued training in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Pointe and Baton Twirling till the age of 18.

During these years I traveled and perfomed in many different cities. I was one the dancers that performed in the Sun Bowl and performed in the parade there.

I taught at the River City Twirl and Dance for 2 years including ballet, tap, jazz, clogging and baton twirling. I took my baton twirling team to competitions where we placed 1st. I also gave private lessons in which my girls placed 1st in solo's, pageant and interview at the competitions. I also judged at many competitions

I stop teaching when my daughter became a dancer on the high school dance team at Lockhart. I became very involved in her high school dance team where I served at President of the Booster Club for 3 years.

I have always had the dream of owning my own dance studio and now my dream is a reality. My heart has and always will be in dance,.

I take a great deal of pride to make sure that all my students are respected and heard. I treat all students like they are my own children

I look forward in growing my dream!!

Riki Tull

Instructor

Ms. Deanna Donahue has been dancing since she was 13 years of age. She started dancing at The Lockhart high school dance department. She went on to dance on her high school drill team; The Lionettes, where she danced on their competition team, as well as served as Lieutenant Officer. She graduated from Lockhart 2011.

After high school she attended Kilgore College for two years where she graduated in the top 10% of her class with honors and her degree in Dance Education. While attending Kilgore College, Ms. Donahue had the priviledge of dancing along side the Kilgore College Rangerettes within the dance deparment. At Kilgore she study under Kathy Beckman who studied at the New York School of American Ballet Theater, Beckman has taught all over New York and Europe. Ms. Donahue as well studied under Shelley Wayne Assistant Director of the Kilgore College Rangerettes

She now attends Texas State University studing to receive her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance Education with a minor in Communications degree. She now studies under several esteem professors who range from doctorates from Yale to professional dancers who have dance with one of the founder of Modern dance; Mr. Erik Hawkins.

Ms. Donahue is expected to graduate Fall 2014 where she is hoping to be a drill team director as well. Her heart is set in dance. She loves to teach her students about what dance is and what it can do for a person. Ms. Donahue finds creative ways to reach her students to grow them more into technically trained dancers as well as an artist.

I look forward to teaching and using my dance knowledge at the studio!

Deanna Donahue