James School of Dance Arts

Specialties

JSDA teaches Jazz, Jazz/​Hip-​Hop, Ballet, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary and BroadwayTap dance.

We provide classes and clothing appropriate for

each style of dance taught at our studio.

History

Established in 1958.

James Loizou, an immigrant from Greece, and his wife Jane started by teaching ballroom dancing in the evenings. After renting space in several shopping centers, a more permanent location was found. A house on the corner of Whittier and Emerson was home to many dance students including their own children. The Loizou’s began to hold dance cotillions which were a great success. Young men and women were taught ballroom dancing along with etiquette and social graces. Special instructional classes for physically challenged individuals were also offered.

Ballet, Pointe, modern, lyrical, tap, jazz, and hip-​hop were gradually added to their repertoire of classes. In 1973, a four story commercial building replaced the house, and the studio was placed on the lower level of the McLean Office Building. Over the years minor changes in the studio have been made, but the heart and soul, as well as location, remain the same.