A dance academy will open its doors later this month in southeast Ocala, taking over a former convenience store owned by best friends that operated for just over a year before it closed in January.
Kingdom Dance Academy will celebrate its grand opening at 1903 SE 58th Avenue on July 21. Owned by Leah Lytle, the business replaces Baseline Market, which opened for business in November 2023 and closed this past January.
I’ve danced and played in leading roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Disney’s Princess Belle. I’ve been a dance instructor for about 18 years now and am so excited to continue sharing my passion and knowledge of dance with others.
A dance instructor for 18 years, Lytle previously held such roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Disney’s Princess Belle. She was a dancer at Hollywood’s Universal Studios and a principal dancer for the Florida Dance Theatre, and has trained at the Central Florida Ballet Academy, Miami City Ballet, and Dance Alive National Ballet, among other prestigious institutions.
“All my life as a dancer, I’ve been told I should open up my own dance studio. And my answer was always never. Now I’m opening one and people are asking me, ‘was this something you’ve always wanted to do?’ And my answer is, no. All my life as a dancer, all I ever wanted to do was perform on stage. All my life as a choreographer, all I wanted was to create art and bring stories to life. And as a dance teacher, all I wanted was to share my passion for not only dance but my passion for life. It’s funny, now opening up a studio makes total sense to me. I guess what I’m trying to say is, never say never. And stay open minded to your dreams. Because you never know what God has planned for you,” reads a partial statement from Lytle.
Kingdom Dance Academy offers dance and aerial classes for all ages and skill levels. For more information on the dance studio, visit Kingdom Dance Academy online, or follow the business on Instagram or Facebook.