Northville Original 'Piazza Dance Company' Expands into New Space

The Piazza Dance Company is fondly known as the "Northville Original" because it is the first dance company to make its start here.

"We started with a one room studio in Highland Lakes Plaza," said owner Gina Piazza.


The company is now at 16807 Ridge Road, still in Northville, and has four dance rooms. The grand opening celebration for the new dance studio is Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. Piazza, who started the company 32 years ago with her sisters, said there will also be a ribbon cutting with Northville Township officials. 

"Every 45 minutes we’ll have dance demonstrations. We have other fun things like face painters," she said.

There will also be balloon artists, refreshments and special guests Petite Miss Dance of Michigan Camryn Humpert and Ms. Senior Michigan Rosaline Contrera Guastella in their crowns and sashes. 

Piazza Dance Company offers classes for all ages

The dance studio doesn't officially open until Tuesday, Piazza said. The company managed to hold classes without interruption at the previous location at Northville Plaza. She said they are now between their summer and fall seasons, so classes were ending already.

"This couple of weeks here are the perfect time for us to be switching," she said. 

Starting Tuesday, the company will be back in full swing with classes for 3-year-olds to adults like tap, jazz, and ballet. 

"We have 14 teachers. Our teachers are the strength of our studio. They are second to none in the area and all of metropolitan Detroit," she said. 

The company also offers fitness classes, an enrichment class for children with special needs and morning classes with babysitting. Several hundred people take classes at Piazza Dance Company and about five out of six are recreational students, she said. 

"They just come to the studio once or twice a week for a fun wholesome activity," she said.

Those 50 or so intensive students compete in four regional competitions and one national competition each year and perform at local events and venues. Those familiar with the company can look forward to seeing its students perform for years to come as the family-owned, family-run business continues to serve Northville and the surrounding areas.