Gina Baker has been dancing for as long as she can remember.

Once a year that includes an intensive week spent at Dance Masters of America at the State University of New York in Buffalo.

12 hours a day, for five days straight, she hones her craft. Ballet, jazz, lyrical. The list goes on.

As Director of Tap and Jazz, the full-time teacher and choreographer at the Janie Christy School of Dance has to be on her toes everyday – literally.

"In the last five years alone, the changes in the dance world have been amazing," says Baker.

"Its increase in popularity has led to an increase in competition and the caliber of dancers."

With an impressive resume that includes membership on the championship Ohio State Drill Team and certifications in the Dulaine Method and the Lebed Method, there's little doubt her decades of hard work have paid off.

"I started teaching dance classes in 1992 and began teaching at Janie's studio in 1994."

Janie's studio, the aforementioned Janie Christy School of Dance, has been a Lake Highlands tradition for 19 years.

And Gina Baker's been there for 18 of them.

Together with her husband and two dogs, Bandit and Kozmo, they've lived in Lake Highlands even longer, since 1990.

Baker says she enjoys shopping, gardening and traveling – when she's not dancing, that is.

"My passion is dance education," she says, "but dance is a bi-product of what we really do as teachers and educators."

It's not quite what one would expect to hear from a dance teacher, but Baker goes on to explain.

"We teach much more than dance steps here. Dance is about self esteem, confidence and building character."

"Putting it together through the art and experience of dance is what it's all about."

With over 250 dancers coming and going from the studio each week, that's no small task. In fact, it's monumental.

"This is a safe place, first and foremost," says Baker.

"While not everyone's born to be a prima ballerina, it's about finding your niche in dance – and your niche in life."

So in between the counts, the beats, the steps and the symmetry, it's really about learning to be confident in your own skin.

It's a lesson Baker incorporates with her youngest dancers (little ones can start tap before they start Kindergarten) all the way up to her seniors, who have been dancing with her for years.

"It's wonderful to see them blossom into beautiful dancers, but also to see them become beautiful people."

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Janie Christy School of Dance is located at 9090 Skillman, upstairs in Suite 299A.

Open House & Registration for fall classes will be held next week, Monday, August 29th - Friday, September 2nd from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Classes begin Tuesday, September 6th.

For more details, or questions about registrations and offerings, visit JCSD online or call 214.343.7274.