Welcome to
Arts Inspired Dance Academy
Where Creativity, Confidence, and Community matter.
Fuquay-Varina location 118 E Jones St. (behind Town Hall)
Lillington Community Center, 607 S 13th St
(919) 630-8801 info@artsinspireddance.com
Meet Our Team
Michelle Hankins,
Owner/Director
Meet Our Director – Michelle Hankins
With over 30 years of award-winning experience in the cultural arts, Michelle Hankins brings a powerful combination of artistic excellence, educational insight, and community leadership to Arts Inspired Dance Academy.
Michelle holds a BFA in Dance Performance and a BS in Child and Adolescent Development from UNC-Greensboro. Her lifelong mission is to build strong dancers, strong citizens, and strong communities—a vision she brings to life through inclusive, high-quality programming that reaches students of all backgrounds and abilities.
She has developed and led arts programs for underserved populations, including foster youth, seniors, and families with limited access to arts education. Her commitment to outreach has been recognized with multiple honors, including:
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🏆 Arts & Humanities Award – NC Recreation & Parks Association (2016)
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🎭 Arts for Municipalities Grant – United Arts Council of Wake County (2017)
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🏆 Best Summer Camp and Best Summer Kids Program-Maggy Award (2025)
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Michelle’s artistic achievements include the creation and production of two original ballets: The Littlest Angel (2002), recipient of the United Arts Council Emerging Artist Award, and The Toy Shoppe (2016), both of which showcase performers of all ages and abilities.
With extensive experience in both recreational and competitive dance, gymnastics, music, and creative arts, Michelle continues to champion arts access and education for every child. She holds a RhythmWorks Integrative Dance certification (completed in 2019) and maintains ongoing training in early childhood education. She is also First Aid/CPR certified and certified in Children’s Yoga.
Beyond her work in the studio and community, Michelle is a proud mom to two amazing boys—Camden (20) and Dylan (17)—who inspire her every day to keep growing, creating, and giving back.
“The true reward is seeing the joy on our students’ faces and knowing we’re helping shape not just dancers—but confident, compassionate people.”
Ms. Lauryn began dancing at just 3 years old in her home state of Massachusetts. In high school she began working as a dance instructor and assistant. After nearly 10 years of working at her local studio, Lauryn opened a dance studio of her own. She ran a program with over 100 students teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, & hip hop. Lauryn received her Bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University where she took a variety of dance courses. She is grade I certified through Dance Masters of America and has completed Rhee Gold’s Tap Intensive. Lauryn enjoys all styles of dance, but finds her passion in tap. In 2017, Lauryn sold her business and relocated with her family to North Carolina. When she is not dancing, Lauryn enjoys spending time with her twin boys, crocheting, and traveling.
Lauryn Nadeau,
Instructor
Mia has been dancing since the age of 3 and joined the Arts Inspired team in the summer of 2022. A lifelong local to Raleigh, she currently attends Meredith College where she studies psychology and social work and also works as a part-time ABA therapist. When Mia is not working at AIDA or doing schoolwork, she can often be found walking dogs or caring for vacationing families' pets. Dance has always been a significant part of Mia's life; she stays engaged with dance communities at school and feels grateful for the opportunity to continue to engage young dancers at AIDA as well. Her favorite styles include tap and modern but will never turn down a fun jazz class.
Mia Edwards,
Instructor/Studio Support
Often working in the background by producing videos, editing music, carrying heavy things, and creating original musical compositions, Anthony DiMarzio has been with Arts Inspired since its beginning. He has a BA in History from Bridgewater State College; Master’s Degree in Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management from NC State; and a graduate certificate in Public Management and Leadership at ECU. He is a fulltime parks and recreation professional and serves on the Harnett County Library Board of Trustees. He enjoys travelling, reading, writing, making music, running, and basketball.