A 20-Year Legacy You Can Trust
This studio has been part of this community for over two decades, with the same commitment to every student through every season.
Twenty years in Mitchell County Elevate the story and the people behind it.
Our story
How did Elevate Dance & Fitness Studio get started?
Elevate has been Mitchell County's dance studio for more than twenty years, teaching from its studios on Harney Street in Camilla. Its newest chapter began in 2025, when Ms. Sarah, who had already spent more than fifteen years inside this studio, took ownership and kept the lights on the same stage.
For over two decades, this has been where the county learns to dance. Camilla is a town where families navigate four different school systems, which means a kid's closest friends might never share her hallway. This studio has always been the room where that stops mattering: one floor, one barre, every school, ages three to eighteen.
Sarah Eubanks, Ms. Sarah to every kid in the building, spent more than fifteen years at this studio before it became hers in 2025. She runs it the way small-town studios survive twenty years: she is the sole administrator, she answers the texts herself, and she still teaches the majority of the classes each week alongside Ms. Marie. When the Spring Showcase filled the auditorium again last May, nearly every session sold out.
What did not change with ownership is the point of the place. Dancers are placed by age first and level second, nobody auditions for the right to belong, and every single dancer who finishes the season performs on the showcase stage. The name is the promise: dance, done this way, elevates a kid.
Our promise
Why Families in Camilla Choose Elevate
We are not the only option for your child's time. Here is why families across Camilla have been coming back season after season for over 20 years, and why their kids keep asking to return.
Structure That Matches Your Child's Age
Every class is built for the specific age of the students in it. Your child is always exactly where they belong.
A Community That Goes Beyond the Studio
In a town with four school systems, Elevate is where those kids share the same floor, the same goals, and the same stage. The friendships formed here last.
Professional Instruction. Real Results.
Over 20 years of teaching experience, four years with a professional dance company, and certified curriculum training. Every class reflects that.
No Pressure. Real Progress.
No auditions. No judges. Just a safe, encouraging space where every student learns, grows, and enjoys dance the way it should feel.
Who you will meet
Who will be teaching my child?
A small faculty your child will get to know. Ms. Sarah and Ms. Marie lead the majority of the classes, Ms. Raevan teaches the little ones, Ms. Nikki and Ms. Vanessa run tumbling, and Ms. Anna teaches yoga on the fitness side. Every class is taught by a named adult your child will see every week.
Ms. Sarah Eubanks
Owner and Lead Instructor, Ms. Sarah to every kid in the building
Sarah Eubanks is the owner of Elevate Dance & Fitness Studio and a seasoned dance educator with over two decades of classroom experience. Sarah began her teaching journey at age 18 and has since mentored thousands of dancers across Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia. While her background encompasses a wide variety of styles, her primary instructional focus and passion lie in technical ballet, pointe, and jazz.
Originally from Blountville, TN, Sarah trained extensively in ballet and contemporary dance under former master dancers from the Boston and Fort Wayne Ballets. As a founding member of the contemporary company Dance Theatre Suitcase, she brings a strong performance foundation directly into her pedagogy, placing high value on proper technique, injury prevention, artistic expression, and building student confidence.
Since moving to Pelham in 2008, Sarah has been a dedicated centerpiece of the local dance community, first as a long-time instructor with FRDA, and now as the proud leader driving the studio into its next chapter as Elevate Dance & Fitness Studio.
Off the studio floor, Sarah enjoys life in Pelham with her husband, James, and their black lab, Willett.
Ms. Marie Downey
Ballet, Contemporary, Tap
Ms. Marie has been teaching dance for over two decades and loves every minute of it. After graduating from Darton College with an Associate's Degree in Dance, she transferred to Valdosta State University and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance. She then moved to Atlanta to pursue a professional career with Sideways, a Contemporary Dance Company. In 2020 she returned home and soon began teaching again. She now lives in Pelham with her two kids and three cats.
Ms. Raevan Edwards
Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet
Ms. Raevan joined Elevate Dance and Fitness in 2025. She holds a certification for beginning dance instruction and currently works with our beginner classes.
She has always enjoyed the arts and began dancing herself at the age of six. Raevan studied under Mrs. Leslie Hodges and Sarah Eubanks until age thirteen. During this time she performed in several productions including Peter Pan, Snow White, The Nutcracker, and spring recitals. She is excited to introduce others to dance and looks forward to seeing them learn and perform.
Ms. Nikki Daughtry
Tumbling
Ms. Nikki has been passionate about gymnastics for as long as she can remember. From her early childhood days in the sport to competing through her high school years, gymnastics has always played a defining role in her life. As a member of the Flying Eagles, she discovered an even deeper love for the sport.
For over 10 years, Nikki has coached competitive gymnastics and continues to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with young athletes. Nikki is married to her husband Clint and is a proud Momma to two daughters, Brooklynn and Baylee, both of whom have followed in her footsteps and developed their own love for gymnastics.
Ms. Vanessa Smith
Tumbling
Ms. Vanessa fell in love with gymnastics at a young age with the Mitchell Baker Flying Eagles and has carried that passion with her ever since. She started coaching recreational gymnastics in 2014 and moved into competitive coaching in 2016. In 2019, she returned to coaching with Flint River Dance Arts, now Elevate Dance, where she continues to share her joy for gymnastics and help young athletes grow in confidence and skill.
Ms. Anna O'Neil
Yoga
Anna began her yoga journey in 2019, by way of a dare. A friend invited her to a free Monday afternoon class, and what she expected to be gentle stretching turned out to be power yoga. She not only survived, she woke up the next day feeling better than she had in a long time.
Within a year, Anna earned her 200-hour certification through Baptiste Yoga. She still leads a community practice on Tuesday evenings, and she is excited to share the practice that reshaped her life with you at Elevate.
Come see the studio for yourself.
One free class, no card, no commitment. Ages 3 to adult, every level welcome.
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