01/25/2024
It is with a heavy heart that we announce, after 45+ years in business in Prince William County, that we are closing. We are excited for Johnna to retire after all that she has given the community—which is truly immeasurable. (We will close our doors on Wed, Jan 31st.)
We are having a “Dance Studio Estate Sale” on this Saturday, Jan 27th from 1-5pm. Costumes, props, barres, mirrors, dance flooring, and more. Come take a look! 14600 Washington Street, Haymarket. Everything must go, so we appreciate your support! (DDS families and friends, please share this post!)
For add’l details, please see the letter we shared with our dance families via email at the start of this week.
DDS Alum: share your pictures! We’d love to see 🩷🩷🩷.
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Dear DeGrasse Dance families,
We hope this letter finds you well. It is with mixed emotions that we write to inform you of a significant decision that I have made after much deliberation, with the support of my family and employees. We acknowledge the following regrettable information may cause disruption in your familial lives, and apologize for that. With that said, after over 45 years of dedicated service, DeGrasse Dance Studio will be closing its doors at the end of January 2024.
This decision has not been made lightly, and comes after careful consideration of various factors—but primarily my own challenging, aggressive Parkinson’s diagnosis. While I am fighting and have held up well, it has progressed more rapidly in the past 6-9 months. For my personal health, finances, and work-life balance, I am no longer capable of teaching and running the studio at the expense of my own well-being.
Additionally, this will mean the end of a chapter in the lives of your children. My teachers and I want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support throughout your time with us. It is my highest hope that your children are able to continue to experience the beauty of dance elsewhere, and that this form of exercise, artistry and discipline remains a part of your students’ lives. It has been an honor to teach your children. We have cherished the meaningful relationships we've built over the years and are immensely proud of the successes and milestones we've achieved together, and all the lives DeGrasse Dance has touched over the last five decades.
We understand you may have questions or concerns about the closure. As we navigate this transition, we want to assure you that we are committed to making this process as smooth as possible for all of our students and their families. In the coming weeks, I will be working with my teachers and family to answer questions and address concerns in person when available, via email and by phone, and our teachers are prepared to address the closure with students in class. We are dedicated to maintaining professionalism during this time and making sure your children are comfortable.
While I am very saddened to bid farewell to the business that several of us have devoted so much of our lives and time to, we are also grateful for the memories and experiences we have shared. We sincerely thank you for being an integral part of our journey. This has been an artistic experience of a lifetime—my very own—and marks the very emotional end of my career.
I speak for myself and my fellow teachers when I say I am so proud of every single one of our students and the progress each of them has made during their time at the studio. For the parents I taught as young children, who have grown into adults and brought their own young girls and boys to learn and dance with us again: this touches me in a way that is difficult to put into words. For every parent who has trusted us with the artistic development of your child: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. This—sharing the love of this beautiful art with so many—was the joy of my life.
We appreciate your grace as we grapple with this decision, and you will hear more from us in coming days regarding logistics surrounding the close of business.
With gratitude and appreciation—
Johnna DeGrasse and fellow DeGrasse team members
