Shreveport Dance Academy (SDA) proudly traces its founding to one of Northwest Louisiana’s most influential dance pioneers, Marion Mills. In 1962, Mills opened a dance studio, Theatre School of Dance (TSD), in Shreveport and went on to found the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet in 1973. Many generations of Theatre School of Dance and Shreveport Dance Academy students have performed in the annual Nutcracker and spring ballet productions with Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet, and Shreveport Dance Academy is proud to support this outstanding local arts organization that recently celebrated 50 years of dance excellence in our community.

In the late 1990s, Mills opened a second Theatre School of Dance location in Bossier City. Following her retirement in 1999, her daughter, Celia Mills, owned and operated the Bossier City TSD studio. Emily Huber Seale, who trained under Mills and performed with SMB for many years, became the owner and director of Theatre School of Dance in 2003.

Under the ownership and direction of another former student, Kendra Feazel Meiki, Theatre School of Dance’s Shreveport location evolved into Shreveport Dance Academy and expanded its capacity with a new studio space and the addition of successful competition dance teams. SDA began its next chapter in 2021 when Keeley Pratt, a longtime SDA instructor, became the new owner and director.

The current SDA faculty includes members who trained directly under Marion Mills at Theatre School of Dance as well as several SDA alumni. Rooted in this strong foundation and proud history, SDA continues to grow and adapt to the changing needs of new generations of dancers and families.