Dee taught dance and fitness classes at Hood College and Frederick Community College before opening her studio in 1992.  She served on the board of the East Coast Committee of the Cecchetti Council of America for six years, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Dance Masters of America.  Dee is currently the First Vice-President of Mid-Atlantic DMA.  She has been a master tap teacher, as well as a judge at both regional and national competitions.  In 1999, Dee performed at the Met in New York City as a dancer in MTV’s “9-9-99 Music Video Awards”.

Additionally, Dee (a Middletown grad herself) works year-round at Middletown High School in a variety of capacities.  She directs the dance line of the Marching Knights, she is the coach of the MHS Dance Team, and she choreographs the MHS musical each year.  Her choreography credits include “The Wiz”, “Lil’ Abner”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Oklahoma”, “Into the Woods”, “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Chicago”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Footloose”, and “George M!”.  Dee is also a coach for the Middletown Valley Athletic Association’s dance team, which provides performance opportunities for the community’s middle school dancers.

Dee Buchanan has owned and operated the Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance for 16 years, and has directed her own dance company since its inception ten years ago.  She is a graduate of Hood College, and is a member of Dance Masters of America, the Cecchetti Council of America, and the Maryland Council for Dance.  Dee holds her Intermediate Professional Certificate through the CCA, and is a teacher and a coach in the Cecchetti Method.  She is certified both regionally and nationally through the Dance Masters of America Teachers Training School to teach tap, ballet and jazz.  In 2006, Dee was the Dance Masters of America recipient of the Janet Bachna teaching award, a national recognition awarded through the Teachers Training School program.

In addition to teaching at her studio, Dee directs two worship dance troupes—the liturgical dancers at her home church, Zion Lutheran in Middletown, and the Inter-faith Liturgical dancers, which is comprised of dancers of all ages and faiths at her studio.  Dee also directs the dance program in the Zion Lutheran and Christ Reformed combined “Music, Dance and Drama Camp” for the community’s youth each summer.

Dee has had numerous regional titlists through Mid-Atlantic Dance Masters of America, and her students have won a variety of scholarships, including Maryland Distinguished Scholar in the Arts Finalist and scholarships from Gus Giordano, the Joffrey Ballet, the International Cecchetti Conference, Dance Masters of America’s Student Honors Intensive Program, the Frederick Arts Council, and Maryland Council for Dance.  Many of Dee’s dancers can be found performing in regional theatre, and in 2005 six of her dancers were selected to tap on-stage at the Kennedy Center’s Annual Gala.

Better known as “Miss Dee’s Mom;” and also known as “Grammy,” Jennie has been the bookkeeper/financial director for the studio since the studio space was leased in April of 1992 — first part-time and since full-time since 2002.  Although Miss Jennie worked previously as a full-time bookkeeper and legal secretary, she’s also been a dance student at the studio, taking adult tap and jazz since the studio opened.

“One of the best things about working for the studio is that I get to spend a lot of time with my grandchildren, Abby and Sam. 

“My co-workers are great, and I enjoy being around out students.  I also get to write the script for the show each year, which is one of my favorite projects.  I really love my job!  Unfortunately, I’m the “Bad Guy” on the staff — I write delinquent letters, prepare costume bills , terrorize the staff when I need Time Sheets, and try to enforce the budget.”  When I’m not doing any of the abovementioned things, you can usually find me in my garden, or acting as zookeeper for our 3 miniature schnauzers, 3 cats, multiple birds, squirrels, and fish.”

Miss Donna is in her 8th year at teaching at The Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance, and like Miss Denise (below) she currently teaches Toddler Time and Preschool 1 & 2 .  A graduate of Middletown High School and Bridgewater College in VA (B.A. in Early Childhood Education), Miss Donna is enjoying her 13th year of dancing at the studio.

At home with her husband Mark and three daughters, Jackie, Samantha and Ashley, Donna also enjoys playing tennis and volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association. 

Miss Denise has been a teacher at The Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance for five years.  She currently teaches Toddler Time and Preschool 1 & 2. She graduated from Frostburg University and has attended year one of Dance Masters of America Teacher Training in Buffalo, NY.  In addition to teaching at the studio, she has been a part of the adult jazz class for 8 years as well as a member of the desk duty squad.

Her favorite activities include exercising, sewing & shopping.  She is a member of the Frederick Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Fredericktown Players and Lambda Phi Delta Sorority Alumni Association.  Active in theatre while attending Walkersville High School, she was glad to return to the stage in a production of “Gypsy” in the role of Tessie Tura.  She has been married to Jim Hoover for 25 years and has two lovely daughters, Jessica and Jaimie.  Denise is the VERY proud mother of DMA Miss Dance 2007, Jaimie Hoover.

Miss Jaimie has been dancing for 17 years, 12 of which were at The Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance.  She has studied the Cecchetti Method passing grades I-IV, intermediate professional grades V and VI, as well as, Teacher Exam Grade I.  She has performed with Dee many times.  In 2005, Jaimie was fortunate enough to perform at the Kennedy Center Gala! Outside of dance, Jaimie loves theatre.  In 2006, Jaimie held the role of “Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee” in Fredericktowne Players production of “Gypsy”.

Jaimie started teaching for Dee in 2001 and continued through 2005 and is thrilled to be back after a couple of years at school.  Jaimie is a junior at Towson University, majoring in Physical Education.  She has attended the Cecchetti International summer school, held in Michigan, on scholarship, and has attended three Dance Masters of America National Conventions, held in various locations across the nation.  She has been involved in DMA since 2000 and has received numerous awards.  Jaimie, currently, is honored to represent Chapter 17 of the Mid-Atlantic as their Miss Dance 2007.

Miss Tauri is in her 7th year of teaching at The Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance.  She has taught junior, combo, jazz, tap, modern, ballet and lyrical classes.  While invited into the Frederick Arts Council, Miss Tauri won various awards:  Junior Jazz—1998, Senior Jazz —2000, Senior Modern —2001 and Senior Tap 2002.  She won the Tom Ralabate Scholarship in 2003, Dance Masters of America—Chapter 17—Miss Dance of 2004 and a DMA Choreography Award in 2005 for her self-choreographed rendition of “Haunted”.

Miss Tauri also won the Maryland Distinguished Scholar—Honorable Mention in 2002.  She was a member of the Towson University Dance Company from 2002—2004, mastered Teachers Training Level 3 Syllabus and performed at the Kennedy Center in 2005.  She finished in the Miss Maryland pageant with the Newcomer Talent title in 2006.  While attending college at Towson University, Miss Tauri also held the title of Miss Frederick 2006.  She currently is a senior in Communications Studies at Towson while teaching full-time at the studio.

Miss Annie has been with the Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance since its opening season (1992-1993).  She started first as a dancer, but has been teaching for the past 13 years.  Miss Annie is the “Director of Programs for Young Dancers”, but teaches classes for dancers ranging from ages 4 to adult.

Miss Annie is a graduate of Middletown High School and Hood College (B.A. in Early Childhood Education).  She is also a member of Dance Masters of America and the Cecchetti Council of America.  She is certified regionally through Dance Masters of America to teach ballet, tap, and jazz.  Miss Annie has also passed 11 Cecchetti Exams – through Intermediate Professional as a student and Elementary Professional as a teacher!!  She has attended many conferences (Dance Masters Teachers Training School, Cecchetti International Summer School, and Maryland Council for Dance, just to name a few) and has had the privilege of studying in New York City at Steps On Broadway several times.

When not at the studio, Miss Annie loves to spend time at home with her husband, Tim, and first-born “child”, a Shih Tzu named Gizmo.