Huntington Academy of Dance

Specialties

Huntington Academy of Dance specializes in teaching Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theater and more! Classes are offered for all ages, infant-​adult, and all levels, beginning-​advanced and professional levels.

Our studio is family friendly! Dancers as young as 18 months start in our Tiny Tutu Tots program and our Adult Beginning Tap Class is a hit with the parents. Costuming is kept modest and music is always age appropriate. We love kids and their parents!

Our highly accredited staff includes former professional dancers, university educators, and distinguished members of Cecchetti USA. But more importantly, our teachers share a love of dance and a love of teaching dance. We have been comitted to providing quality dance instruction in Orange County for nearly forty years.

We are proud to be the home of Ballet Etudes, youth ballet company, who produces an annual full length Nutcracker as well as two spring ballets performed at the HB Library for the children’s library patrons.

History

Established in 1975.

Huntington Academy celebrates 40 years of training outstanding dancers in Orange County! Our dancers have graduated and pursued careers at notable dance companies including: American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few, as well as many other international and regional companies. Many of our dancers have also gone on to pursue dance education at the university level and/​or are working in the field of performing arts. Sheila Hampton began the dance studio and Marnell Himes, FISTD, took over as the second owner and director in 1988. Under Marnell’s leadership the academy grew in size as well as reputation. HAD’s current director, Kimberly McEachern is a long time student of HAD, as well as a qualified member of Cecchetti USA.

Meet the Business Owner

Kimberly M.

Business Owner

Kimberly McEachern is the Owner and Artistic Director of Huntington Academy of Dance, Ballet Etudes, and the Director of «DANCE HB!» for Huntington Beach Parks & Recreation. Ms. McEachern received her training from Brenda Joyce, Marnell Himes, Gary Joyce, and Rebecca Wright of ABT. Ms. McEachern received a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 2000 and holds her Licentiate certification with Cecchetti USA. Ms. McEachern is a member of Cecchetti USA’s western committee and serves as part of the leadership for the organization. As a teacher and choreographer, Ms. McEachern and her students have won numerous top awards at both local and national competitions. She recently accepted an award from the Allied Arts Board for Excellence in Arts Administration. Ms. McEachern enjoys teaching and coaching students and is committed to promoting classical ballet in Orange County. As a mother of three young boys, Ms. McEachern enjoys working and mentoring all the young ladies at the dance studio!

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