The Story of Studio XIV

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Vanessa began dancing at the age of three and has trained in hip hop, jazz funk, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, tap, ballet, and heels. From a young age, she knew that dance would always be part of her life — and that one day, she would create a space of her own.

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With a long-term vision in mind, Vanessa chose to attend the University of Guelph-Humber for Business, stepping away from dance to focus on building the skills needed to successfully run a studio. It didn’t take long for her to realize just how deeply dance had supported her physical, mental, and emotional well-being once it was no longer part of her routine.

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In 2017, after months of searching for adult dance classes in her area, Vanessa discovered Army of Sass and took her first heels class. She was instantly hooked — not just by the movement, but by the inclusive, empowering community it created. It was in that moment that the vision for Studio XIV truly began to take shape.

Vanessa knew this studio had to be about more than just dance. Studio XIV was created as a space for adults to reconnect with movement, creativity, and confidence — a place to express themselves freely, just like they did before they were told to “grow up.”

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