Photo courtesy of Young Artist Space
Dancers from the Young Artist Space perform at a 24 Seven competition at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama, in December 2025.
Alli Neeley started dancing at the age of 2, has been teaching dance since she was 13 and has been choreographing since she was 17.
But in April 2024, she decided to open her own dance studio so she could create her own vision of what a studio should look like. She opened Young Artist Space at 5510 U.S. 280 East in the Greystone Center next to The Village at Lee Branch.
"We keep a really positive environment,” Neeley said. “All of our staff is very invested in our dancers. We pour into their training as much as we can. Building relationships with these children and helping them succeed doing what they love is what it is truly all about. I wanted to give them a space [where] they could do that and keep the joy while doing it.”
Neeley also strives to use the studio as a way to share the love of God with girls.
“First and foremost, I try to instill that your identity is always first found in Christ and not just being a dancer,” she said. “Secondly, I really want to instill confidence in these young girls. Being confident as a dancer is huge and will help these girls succeed at their craft. The last thing I really focus on instilling in our girls is their artistry. I want them to find who they are as dancers, push their creativity and make this art form their own.”
The studio is open to girls ages 2-19 and offers ballet, pointe, tap, hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, jazz funk, lyrical, tricks and convention readiness. Enrollment is growing, and Neeley hopes to expand her space in the near future.
For more information, go to yasdance.com.
