Town & Country Kettering Directory

Kay’s School of Dance was founded in Town and Country Shopping Center in 1952 by Kay Jacobus.  This Elite dancing school has been serving the Dayton area in this same location and will be celebrating 60 years in 2012.

Kay started as a Ziegfield Follies “Blackbird Dancer” and danced professionally for many years.  Kay taught hundreds of children until 1971, at which time, due to illness, Kay retired.

Cheryl Jacobus, Kay’s daughter had been teaching with Kay since she was 15 years old and was one of the first to teach jazz dance in Dayton.  Cheryl completely took over the school in 1971.  Cheryl has continued the pursuit of excellence in her teaching of dance, theatre, baton and gymnastics.

Miss Cheryl is a 42 year certified member of Chicago Association of Dance Masters and has served 15 years on the Association’s Executive Council as a Board Member, Sergeant-At-Arms, Principal and Fifth Vice President.  Miss Cheryl has served as a faculty teacher of Ballet, Tap, and Jazz for the Dance Masters of Wisconsin, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, instructing many master dance classes to instructors and students.

As a Choreographer, Miss Cheryl choreographed and staged her own night club act “The Follies ’76 Dancers”, which performed in Ohio and Northern Kentucky.  She has been the choreographer for the West Carrollton High School Drill Team, and spent 10 years as the choreographer of “Celebration”, the University of Dayton’s Show Choir, which has performed all over the country and Canada.  Miss Cheryl has choreographered many high school and college musicals.  She has choreographed over 30 community and pre-professional theatre groups.  To include Oliver, Annie, West Side Story, The King and I, Joseph and the Amazing Color Dreamcoat, Grease, Pippin, Scrooge, Hello Dolly, Bye Bye Birdie, My Fair Lady, Gypsy, The Unsinkable Molly Brown and many more!

Miss Cheryl has had many students achieve wonderful dance accomplishments from her dance training.  A 15 year student, Lisa Li has been seen on All My Children and has worked in New York City in the theatre.  A 15 year student Kim Huston was Miss Cumberland College Queen and went on to the Miss Kentucky Pageant.  Current student, Aimee Boas (29 years) has won over 50 dance and modeling trophies and was chosen 1996 Fairmont H.S. Guard Team Captain.  Alexis Troha, a 15 year student, was a UNLV cheerleader and went on to become a Bengal cheerleader.  Many students have been cheer captains, etc.

Kay’s School of Dance works to give children confidence, poise, proper body management, and physical discipline, contributing positively to overall development.  Kay’s provides a fun outlet while enabling students to appreciate all types of music and the art form of dance.  This will remain with them all through life.