Leigh Simmons
Leigh Simmons opened Tarrytown Dance in 2002, and moved and expanded the studio in August 2010. Leigh also opened a sister studio West Austin Dance Academy in 2004, which she sold in 2009. She started dancing at the age of seven, and received most of her dance training from Frances and Bruce Lea in Fort Worth, Texas. She was a member of the nationally-recognized Bruce Lea Dancers who performed all over Texas, and started teaching at 15. She is a graduate of Texas Christian University and has taught all forms of dance for 30 years. In 1982, Leigh won the Joe Tremaine Dance Scholarship in Los Angeles, and became the head of the jazz department for the Frances Lea Dance Center. Leigh has studied with renowned instructors and choreographers such as Doug Caldwell and Voight Kempson (jazz); Barry Lather, Fusion, Ludacris and Tabitha and Napoleon (hip hop) Marcea Lane and Liz Imperio (jazz/lyrical) Frances Lea, Larry Howard, Ted Levy, and Mike Minery (Tap). She has been in numerous live performances, industry videos, and commercials. Leigh was recognized in Austin Women's Magazine as one of the reader-nominated entrepreneurs of 2014.