1979—It feels like a lifetime ago and just yesterday all at once. After high school, nursing school, performing professionally with AM Dance in Concert (the first Tap and Jazz company in the U.S.), working as an LPN, and teaching at four local studios, I knew it was time to chase my dream. That September, I opened Dance Spectrum in a small storefront on Main Street in Depew. My late husband, Tommy Neal, designed our very first logo—five blocks representing the five styles of dance I wanted to offer, a true spectrum of movement and artistry. Opening Dance Spectrum was the best decision of my life. My dream of teaching children not only the joy of dance but also the importance of being kind, strong, and resilient was finally a reality.

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As we grew, we moved to a new location on Walden Avenue—a single dance room with a spiral staircase leading to my office. That space became home to some unforgettable milestones: the birth of my first daughter, Aubrey, an unexpected visit from a car that crashed through our front window, the expansion to a second studio, and the birth of my second daughter, Emma. By 1990, we had outgrown that space, leading us to our current home on Transit Road.

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When we first moved in, the building looked very different. It housed Studios 1, 2, and 3, with our office located where today’s waiting room stands. A small costume and faculty room once occupied what is now the dancers’ kitchen. In 1998, we expanded again, taking over a neighboring hair salon—now home to Studio 4 and the Costume Room. At that time, Onstage Apparel, our dancewear boutique, was located where our main office is today. In 2004, we transformed that retail space into our front office and repurposed the old office into the lobby you now recognize.

Since then, there have been countless changes—fresh paint, new flooring, and renovations—but the heart of Dance Spectrum has remained the same. This studio has been my home and the home of so many dancers throughout the years. I am beyond grateful to provide a place where you can learn, grow, and be part of the Dance Spectrum family.

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With love and gratitude,
Patty Neal, Founder & CEO