Cynthia Gayle-Hutchison – Founder and Owner – Cindy is originally from Evansville, Indiana. After graduating from Purdue University with a Mathematics and Accounting Degree, she moved to South Florida and opened “Cynthia Gayle’s School of Dance”. The Dance school became one of the most successful studios in the area with over 400 students, including 100 dancers on the Dance Performance Competition Team. Each year, the Dance Company Team participated in 3 regional and one national competitions. The team also alternated performances of The Nutcracker and performing at Disney World or a Cruise Ship Extravaganza. When Cindy and her family decided to relocate to Western North Carolina, she turned her studio over to a former student and the studio is still thriving today under the name ‘Xpress Yourself Dance Studio’.
Cindy’s Mission
“Providing excellent instruction for students while encouraging the students’ self-esteem and having fun!”
This was her mission in South Florida and she has brought it with her to Burnsville. Cindy and her family (Chuck and their daughter Taylor Hutchison moved to the the Burnsville in 2007 and they look forward to many more years of teaching and performing in the Yancey County area.
Chuck Hutchison – Karate Instructor- Chuck was born in Miami, Florida, where he started his training in Martial Arts at the age of 13. He has been a certified Black belt by the KO AM MU DO Federation since 2002, and currently holds a Third degree black belt ( chokyonim ) He very passionate in the true philosophy of the Ancient Art. When Cindy opened ‘Dance Express’ in Burnsville, Chuck offered a class in Karate/Tae Kwon Do. The class was so successful that the studio changed it’s name to ‘Dance and Karate Express’ Chuck’s passion and energetic teaching style has been inspirational to his students and many of them have progressed from white belt all the way to Deputy Black Belt. Chuck is very proud of his students’ success and continues to encourage them to grow and learn the positive effects of martial art training.
Collin Eten — Dance Instuctor
Collin began dancing at 10 years old at Dance and Karate Express. He attended our Summer Theatre Camp and fell in love with dance.
His next adventure started when he saw a clogging group perform and he started dancing with the Cole Mountain Cloggers for 5 years. During this time he danced at Dimensions Studio in Mars Hill for 3 years.
He has won 3 State Titles in clogging at the NC State Fair in Raleigh, including a 1st Place Trophy last year for a performance that Collin choreographed.
Along with dance, Collin is involved with theatre at Parkway Playhouse. In 2016, after attending a National Theatre Conference in Atlanta, Collin was chosen from among thousands of actors and dancers to participate in a choreography DVD in New York City. “Music Theatre International” produced a Disney DVD for teachers and students from all over the United States to use as a tool in teaching theatre and dance for famous Disney Musicals.
