ABOUT US
SONdance Christian Dance School, centrally located in Manteca, offers quality dance training in an uplifting and encouraging Christian environment. All of our teachers are professionally trained and certified in order to offer the highest quality training possible. All of our students will be instructed in the Cecchetti Syllabus during their technique class time. Classes are available, beginning through adult.
In addition to weekly classes, SONdance offers its students the wonderful experience of performing in two yearly productions. Our Christmas and June productions are done with excellence. It’s a great opportunity for the students to share their talents with family, friends and the community
Founder Enrico Cecchetti believed it is more important to execute an exercise correctly once that to do it a dozen times carelessly. We believe that by pairing the structured syllabus class with quick study classes, we can offer our students both a firm technical foundation as well as development of their artistic abilities and expression. Syllabus students are required to learn French Terminology, theory, and musical application.
About Cecchetti Ballet
The History of SONdance
About SONdance
SONdance Christian Dance School grew out of Jolynda Lyon’s desire to express her heart-felt praise to God. in 1989 she started to share this idea with other women who had the same desire. Jolynda had experiences in other ballet schools, but felt there was something missing. She wanted to protect the innocence of young people and maintain modesty. As the idea grew more and more, dancers discovered Jolynda’s vision which was and is “…to make His praises glorious…”. In the beginning Jolynda was the only teacher and classes were held in a shared portable at New Hope Church. In 1988 in order to raise the standard of instruction, Jolynda enrolled in the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) Organization. This is an internationally recognized ballet method. Now with an Advanced Level of CCA certification and the inspiration of God, Jolynda is the director of SONdance Christian Dance School where there are over 35 classes of ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical and more from beginner to advanced now offered. In January 2007 we moved to 612 Commerce Ct. where we operated until June of 2022. Then in a series of miraculous events we moved to our new location at 967 Lifestyle St in the Bass Pro- Shop and J.C. Penny Shopping center opening Oct. 2022.
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INSTRUCTORS
Director
Jolynda
Jolynda Lyon is a Certified Licentiate Ballet Teacher of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA), with whom she holds six teacher’s certificates, and currently serving as the Chairman of the Board for the West Coast Committee of the Cecchetti Council of America. She is the Founder and Director of SONdance Ministries, which was founded in 1989, and was instrumental in bringing worship dance to the Central Valley. As well as teaching, she is also the Administrator and Director of SONdance Christian Dance School. Jolynda has performed and taught Worship Dance Workshops at various churches, conferences and retreats since 1990. Although her main focus is ballet, she also teaches other styles of “Worship” dance including Hebrew Folk (Davidic Worship), Lyrical, Contemporary Christian “Jazz”, Interpretive Movement, Congregational Dance and Flag Workshops. She has served on the faculty of Regional Worship Symposiums as well as the Christians In Theatre Arts West Coast Conference. She was Choreographer and Dance Leader for the local March for Jesus for seven years. She has received additional training at Ballet Magnificat!’s Teacher’s Summer Dance Intensive in Jackson, Mississippi. Jolynda believes that God has called her and placed in her a desire to educate and train God’s people to minister to Him and the Body of Christ through Worship Dance.
Born and raised in Manteca, Merissa Anadon began her dance training right here in the Central Valley at the School of Fine Arts. During that time she attended Ballet, Jazz, and Worship classes taught by Kristina Smith and Kristen Clouse. She then took several years off to start a family with her husband Anthony. Once their three children had grown beyond their toddler years she returned to school to continue her education at Modesto Junior College. There she earned her Associates Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and continued her ballet training while exploring different avenues of artistic expression under the direction of the talented Coleen Patterson.
Merissa brings her love and passion for God and dance to our studio where she teaches our Cherubs, Joy, and Primary classes as well as our Ballet 1’s, 2’s, and 3's.
Lower - Middles
Merissa
Advanced & Jazz
Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn started her dance training at Juline School of Dance. Just before highschool she was invited to join the pre professional program and was taught by David Arce who was a retired soloist of San Francisco Ballet. Later she was accepted into Juline Regional Youth ballet company and performed with them for all 4 years of highschool. They performed excerpts and full length ballets of Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, the Nutcracker, Swan lake, and Don Quixote as well as new choreographed peices by guest artists like Karen burns. She graduated highschool and went to Modesto Jr college and later Grand Canyon University and majored in physical education. She now dances with a Christian ballet company in Dublin and works at Chick FIL A to help support her passion for dance.
Samantha received her training at Severance Ballet Conservatory in Fresno, CA. In 2010 she moved to Jackson, MS to become a trainee at Ballet Magnificat; it was there where she first saw and began to learn what it is to use dance and ministry as worship. She then joined Parodosi Ballet Company based in Tacoma, WA in 2012, and became a Company Artist a year later. In 2016 she was promoted to Artistic Director and had the opportunity to set multiple works on the company. In all, she spent six years with Parodosi before retiring and moving back to California. Samantha has been teaching all ages for 10 years, including teaching master classes and workshops throughout the United States. She considers it an honor to pass on the skill and passion of an art form that has been, and still is, such a love of hers, and to be able to continue to use it for the Lord wherever she can.
Upper & Advanced
Samantha
Contemporary
Lydia
Lydia is a Worship Dancer, Performer, Choreographer and Teacher! She began her training at Westside Ministries in Turlock, California. She has been trained in several dance styles, including Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Bachata and Aerial Silks. Her past performance experience includes being a member of the Pre-professional Division of the Juline Regional Youth Ballet Company; Also she had the privilege of spending a summer with Youth With A Mission which deepened her relationship with the Lord and her heart for Ministry. She is currently a member of a Bachata dance team, as well as continuing to receive training and performance opportunities at Modesto Junior College. Four years ago she started a Christian Dance Ministry in Turlock, called “And A Time to Dance” where she serves as the Director and Teacher. She is excited to be joining our Staff at SONdance and we look forward to working with her to bring excellent and well-rounded training to our Intermediate and Advanced Ballet Students.
Emma...
Upper & Advanced
Emma
Lower - Middles
Olivia
Olivia...
CONTACT US
SONdance Christian Dance School
967 Lifestyle St.
Manteca, CA 95337
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(209)823-1740 or (209)239-6499
