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Julie Lang – Director
Julie Lang’s energy and dedication to her students has helped grow her dance studio since she took over the Turner School of Dance from Betty Jane Turner in 2006. Julie began dancing under Betty Jane Turner’s tutelage at age 5 and later became a staff teacher and then associate director for the school.
With 30 years of dance training and 16 years of teaching experience, Julie directs her studio’s tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop and preschool programs while also teaching Zumba classes as a certified Zumba fitness instructor. Born and raised in Manchester, Julie is proud to extend to students the opportunities to learn from her experiences as a full-time teacher, choreographer and dancer. She believes in a positive approach to help students learn, and she delivers with a vivacious personality.
Julie enhances her education and training by studying dance at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City and participating regularly in teacher workshops in New York City, Boston and Las Vegas to maximize her professional growth and inspire creativity. She participates in Manchester community outreach events such as Relay for Life performances, Christmas shows at the White Oaks Retirement Community, Thanksgiving food drives, Christmas toy drives, local Zumba benefits for churches, women’s health and empowerment organizations, and the Manchester High School senior class fundraiser.
Julie continues to provide personalized, friendly instruction as Julie Lang Studio of Dance grows to serve one of the largest groups of students in Manchester.
Instructor for: Preschool, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Zumba Fitness
Ray Owens – Associate Director
Ray Owens has been B-Boying, Poppin’ and Lockin’—the original styles of today’s hip hop dance—for more than 30 years as an accomplished break dancer. He’s in his 16th year of teaching overall (5th with the Julie Lang Studio of Dance) and enjoys teaching dance to students of all ages.
Ray taught hip hop, breakin’ and Latin ballroom (Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Mambo, et al.) throughout Connecticut for the Vernon Adult Education, Manchester Community Center, UConn Breakin’ Club, Trinity College Latin American Student Organization, UHART Summer Academic Camps, as well as in dance studios in Norwich, Wethersfield, Hartford and Vernon. As a DJ and dance instructor, he spreads the culture of hip-hop and dance through seminars, workshops and performances.
He also is a certified Zumba fitness instructor at Julie Lang Studio of Dance and teaches bootcamp training classes.
Ray started his own family dance crew at age six and joined his first street breakin’ crew (The Wizards) when he was seven years old, continuing to break as the dance went from mainstream to underground. Later when he was hired as a U.S. history teacher at Vernon Center Middle School, he created the Channel 99 Breakers, a 40-dancer crew that serves as a school involvement and community outreach program.
Instructor for: Hip Hop, Breakin’, Salsa, Zumba Fitness, Bootcamp
James Marino
Professional hip hop dancer/instructor
Instructor for: Hip Hop
Emily Campanelli
Instructor for: Ballet/technique