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Our faculty is dedicated to inspiring excellence through exceptional instruction, mentorship, and a genuine passion for dance. Each member of our team brings unique experience, expertise, and a commitment to helping every dancer grow in confidence, technique, and artistry. Together, we strive to create a positive, encouraging environment where every student can thrive.

 

Meet Our Faculty 

Darleen Bolton
Owner and Director 

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Darleen Bolton was born on December 18, 1986 in Atlanta, Ga. She was introduced to dance at the age of 7 when she began
training in ballet, tap, and jazz at Norma's Academy of Dance in
East Point, Ga. It was there that she was able to develop the
necessary basic skills and technique in order to succeed as a dancer. Two years later those skills are what propelled her to
become an elite member of the sought after Company Dance
Ensemble at Price Performing Arts Center (PPAC) in College
Park, Ga. Ms. Bolton would go on to continue her training at PPAC
for the next 10 years. During her time at PPAC she was afforded
incredible opportunities including performing in the opening
ceremony for the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Ga. at the
young age of 9. She also excelled as a competitive and formal
dancer winning numerous titles, awards, and special recognitions
including the exclusive honor of being chosen to participate in the
Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive in New York City which was at the time under the direction of the illustrious Judith Jamison. Ms. Bolton's hard work and talent soon became apparent and she was given the honor of becoming a student dance instructor at the young age of 17. She soon realized that teaching
was not only her passion, but her calling. Over the next 4 years Ms. Bolton would go on to successfully train over 200 girls in dance studios as well as conduct freelance and private instruction in many areas of
dance. She received much notoriety due to the grace, precision, discipline, and impeccable talent of her students.

 

Those exact components are what inspired her to establish her own dance studio in 2008. For the next 6 years Ms. Bolton would simultaneously direct the studio and continue her freelance instruction for numerous schools, daycares, dance teams, individuals, etc. of various demographics. The combination of her own experience with the lack of diversity in the dance community as well as her observations while working with the students of these different groups made it apparent to Ms. Bolton that some communities weren't being as exposed to the arts due to inaccessibility. She discovered that there was a missing link and she wanted to fill it. Soon after the epiphany of creating an environment where diversity in dance is celebrated and promoted came about and Ms. Bolton put her vision to work. She founded Pirouette With Purpose, Inc. in 2015 with the intent of making dance education, opportunities, and experiences accessible to children who desire such an environment. Due to the success of PWP as well as DDL, Ms. Bolton has been featured in publications such as Shoutout Atlanta Magazine and Voyage ATL where her work, legacy, and future endeavors are highlighted. One of those future endeavors includes the establishment of Darleen’s Dance Lab-a dance company for young dancers that wish to perform and work professionally under the instruction and direction of Ms. Bolton and her staff of highly
skilled dance and tumbling instructors. Both entities continue to push and thrive all while accomplishing the daily missions of Pirouette With Purpose, Inc. and Darleen’s Dance Lab LLC with their most recent accomplishments being the 2024 Atlanta Top Choreography Award from League of Champions Dance Competition and Celebrity Dance Competitions’ 2024 Las Vegas National Champions.

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Qadera Malveaux-Smith
Tumbling Acro & Conditioning Coach

Coach Qadera Malveaux-Smith, originally from Richmond,
Virginia, began gymnastics at age 7 after moving from
Houston, Texas. Summers spent with her grandmother in
Mobile, Alabama helped fuel her love for the sport. From ages 8 to 18, she competed in USA Gymnastics (USAG), achieving notable success at Level 9.

At 14, she discovered her passion for coaching while mentoring younger athletes. In high school, she served as captain of the Herndon High School Gymnastics Team, earned the title of District Vault Champion, and helped lead her team to back-to-back district and regional championships. In college, she was a four-year cheerleader at North Carolina A&T State University, where she served as captain and was named MVP. She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

Her coaching philosophy, “Flip That Fear,” inspires athletes to transform fear into confidence and approach challenges with courage. She currently serves as a recreational coach at Buckhead
Gymnastics.

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