COVINGTON, Va. – From rival school divisions consolidating to local organizations combining, there are plenty of changes coming to Alleghany County in the next few years.
Long-time dance studios, Garlynda’s Fancy Feet and Patsy’s Dance Studio, are coming together in the 2022-2023 year, the owners and assistants announced in a Facebook video on July 19.
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“Coming together is the beginning,” Garlynda Haynes, owner of Garlynda’s Fancy Feet said.
Together, Garlynda and Patsy have over 70 years of experience, they said in the video.
“With 35 years and 38 years of running successful dance studios, the time is right,” Patsy, the owner of Patsy’s Dance Studio said. “As our community begins a new adventure with the consolidation of Alleghany County and Covington City Schools, Garlynda and I feel it’s the right time to join in dance.”
The ladies said they would continue operating at both locations, holding recreational and competition practices at Garlyna’s Fancy Feet in Clifton Forge and Patsy’s Dance Studio in Covington as usual, but the dancers from both studios will come together for competitions and recitals.
They also announced a new competition dance team called GPS-819.
“Our new dance team is called GPS-819 Company Dance,” Garlynda said. “The team will be composed of dancers from both dance studios.”
Garlynda went on to announce their assistant directors and choreographers.
“One is Giaynna Haynes Smith, which is my daughter, and Trevor McLaughlin, who is Patsy’s grandson,” Garlynda said.
And Giaynna explained the story behind the name for the new dance team.
“GPS stands for Garlynda and Patsy’s Studio together,” Giaynna said. “Then 819 is our two addresses put together since we’re going to be in both locations.”
For the GPS-819 dance team, they said that dancers will have the opportunity to practice in both studios.
“Our practices are going to be held one week at Patsy’s Dance Studio, followed by the next week being at Garlynda’s Fancy Feet, and they will flip throughout the month,” Trevor said.
“We are going to be working together, united,” Giaynna said. “We are excited for the future, to be together, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
The partnership between the studios will offer a variety of programs, including tap, ballet, jazz, clogging, tumbling/gymnastics, exercise programs, adult classes, and more for ages two and over, a flier in the video said, and auditions for the new dance team will be on August 10 and August 11.