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Profile: Courtney Laves-Mearini, Owner of Cleveland City Dance

Something for everyone: Cleveland City Dance has been a regional draw to Shaker Square since 2008

Whether you’re three or 83, Cleveland City Dance has something for you. A staple in the Greater Cleveland area since its founding in 1965, it’s the region’s premier dance school offering a variety of classes for children, teenagers, and adults.

Owner Courtney Laves-Mearini moved this esteemed dance school to Shaker Square in 2008, and she’s worked to double her student population since then.

As a longtime neighborhood resident and business owner, Courtney appreciates what the Square offers without having to get in a car: “if I need something I can walk to the grocery store, there are restaurants to eat at, there’s music on the weekends.”

“Shaker Square has the feeling of a downtown but it’s smaller,” she added. “There’s a lot of potential here, we just need to bring it all together and make sure people know about it.”

Notably, Cleveland City Dance is the resident home of the City Ballet of Cleveland, providing students with the opportunity to audition for this pre-professional ballet company. 

Program offerings include ballet, boys ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, and adult classes and conditioning. 

Learn More About Cleveland City Dance