Bonnie Gray has long had a passion for dancing. Now, she’s sharing it with students in Bradenton. Here’s her story…

It started at age 5. At 5 years old I started dance lessons. My parents loved to dance, my mother didn’t drive, and we lived a block from an Indianapolis Recreation Center that had a dance program. My three siblings and I took all kinds of classes there, but the dancing interested me the most. I wonder if it was the bells on my baby shoes that made me want to dance, or the movie musicals that I loved to watch.

At 12 years old I began dancing as a specialty act in a cabaret show with the Jimmy Bennet Trio, at 16 I started classes at Jordan College of Music / Butler University, began performing in a Polynesian show and joined the Linda Kelso Dancers. Linda was my dance teacher and idol. She inspired me to choreograph and to teach dance.

When the popularity of cabaret shows dwindled, I began singing locally wherever I had the opportunity and teaching dance classes. Eventually, I moved to St. Petersburg, where I joined the staff of the Suncoast Academy of Dance and became the lead singer for the band Pyramid. I spent many years performing in St Pete Beach hotel bands and shows. I was the opening act for many local and national artists including G. David Howard, Lenny Dee, Lee Greenwood, the Marcels, and Ray Petersen.

When the owner of Suncoast Academy retired, I bought the dance studio from her and continued that studio for another seven years, while performing in local cruise ship shows. In addition, I choreographed shows for local community theaters and for a vaudeville show. I ended up joining that show as a featured artist and supporting actress and performed in it for more than a decade.

When I moved to Bradenton, I continued teaching and began performing with my own shows and line of dancers. After many years of renting from others, I joined forces with Win Strange and Kris to develop the Dance Alliance of Bradenton.

I designed it to have everything I wanted- including the best floor available. It’s so great to have a studio again!

My love for dancing, choreography, singing, and teaching has burned brightly all my life, and I enjoy sharing my passion and skills with my students.

Dance Alliance of Bradenton is located at:
862 – 62nd Street Cir E #103 Bradenton FL 34208
DanceAllianceofBradenton.com 941-201-5608

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