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.

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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.”​