Pho Butler
Dance Studio Owner of Chassé Center of Dance in Charlotte, NC
Education: B.A. in Dance with a concentration in K-12 Dance Education, UNC Charlotte (2016)
Hometown: Red Bank, NJ
Pho Butler began her dance career at the age of 13 at the Movement Dance Academy in Eatontown, NJ. Although she had what some might consider a “later” start, she had a strong passion for learning and quickly caught up to her peers at her studio and at a performing arts high school.
Coming to UNC Charlotte to study K-12 Dance Education, Pho became one of the founding members of the Department of Dance’s student organization, Range of Motion Dance Ensemble, which was one of the highlights of her time at UNC Charlotte. Also a member of the 49ers Gold Dusters Dance Team, she recalls how fun it was to go to NDA Nationals, to dance at the inaugural UNC Charlotte Homecoming football game with the Gold Dusters, and to win the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Pageant, Miss Black and Gold.
Upon graduating, Pho worked for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, starting the first dance program at Reedy Creek Elementary School and eventually moving to middle school and to a charter school. She also competed in the Miss North Carolina USA pageants and danced as a Charlotte Hornets Honey Bee.
“The dance education program greatly prepared me for what I do today. Aside from the dance classes, having the ability to learn more about costuming, lighting, etc. was very beneficial going into studio ownership. The educational program also prepared me for the structural set up for teaching dance in a classroom setting for public, private and charter schools.”
Currently, Pho is the dance studio owner of Chassé Center of Dance, a dance studio in the University City area that also provides rentals for groups in need of a professional space for rehearsals and performances. In addition to teaching dance, she is the lead choreographer for their competition team, and runs the administration operations for the studio.
When asked about her recent favorite projects, Pho said, “Our studio’s dance recitals are the highlight of each season. We are approaching our ninth annual recital this year. Another amazing project was choreographing for Elevation Church’s youth summer camp opening number.”
Her advice for current students: “Enjoy all the moments and learn as much as you can! When you find someone who believes in you, appreciate the experiences that they share with you as they help develop you as the next generation of artists. The years go by fast but if you do it right, the results last a lifetime!”