Our Story

Part 1: The Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts opened on South White Street in Downtown Wake Forest in 1991 under the ownership of Susan Durham Lozaw. Mary Taylor Land soon became the sole owner and director until 2013. She laid the foundation for the place we call home today! 

Part 2: Alicia began as a ballet and acrobatics instructor at the Academy in 2002. Aimee joined the staff in 2008 and became co-owner alongside Mary Taylor in 2013. We became friends and quickly realized that we share a common vision for training dancers!

Part 3: After Mary Taylor’s retirement in 2019, Alicia joined Aimee as co-owner and the rest is history! We are proud that we now share our love of dance, music, and musical theater with over 400 students each week! 

Meet The Owners

Aimee: Dance has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started dancing at just three years old, and from then on it became my whole world. If you asked anyone who knew me growing up, they'd tell you dance was all I ever talked about! I always knew that one day I wanted to own a dance studio where kids could experience the same confidence, friendships, discipline, and joy that dance gave me. That dream led me to earn my BFA in Choreography and Performance from UNC Greensboro, perform professionally, start the dance program at Franklin Academy Charter School, and travel the country as a dance competition assistant director and judge. In 2013, I got to make my childhood dream a reality when I became Co-Owner of Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts. Today, I still get excited walking through our doors because I truly believe dance has the power to change a child's life.

When I'm not at the studio, you'll usually find me with my husband, Blaze, and our two kids, Jane and Oliver. Being a mom and running a business is definitely a juggling act, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also love tackling DIY home projects, hunting for treasures while antiquing, staying active at the gym (I'm a little obsessed with health and wellness!), and escaping to the beach whenever I can. And if you ever ask me where I'd travel tomorrow, the answer will always be New York City. I'm so thankful I get to spend every day doing what that little three-year-old dreamed about—helping kids grow into confident, kind, hardworking humans who just happen to love dance, too.

Alicia: I began my dance training in Indianapolis at the age of nine. I graduated in 2001 with a BA in dance from SUNY Buffalo and also earned a K-12 teaching certification from East Carolina University. I hold certifications in ballet, jazz, tap, and acro from Dance Masters of America and Acrobatic Arts. I have twenty five years of teaching experience in both private studios and in the Wake County Public Schools. 

I’ve been married to my husband, Eric, for 22 years. We live in Raleigh with our 5 cats, Venus, Morpheus, Thor, Perseus, and Artemis. When I’m not at the studio, I love to travel, read, and all things Disney! 

Our Mission:
The Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts is dedicated to offering a technical curriculum in the performing arts while maintaining a fun and exciting atmosphere. Each student’s growth and development at every age and level is important to us. We strive to offer opportunities to dancers of all ages and skill levels. 

 The Academy places great importance on hiring staff that is highly qualified through college, professional, or personal experience in his or her area of expertise. 

Our Facility
The Academy is a 5,000 sqft top of the line studio! There are 5 dance studios within our facility. Each studio has floor to ceiling mirrors and sprung floors covered in Harlequin vinyl marley. Sprung flooring helps to protect our dancers while dancing. The sprung floors act as shock absorbers when dancers jump and dance across the floor. The advanced flooring helps to prevent injuries and enhances the dancers performance!  Our studios are equipped with JVL audio systems for great music in every class. Each studio is also fitted with a camera that live-streams the class onto a television in our lobby.