School District Five dance teacher named new president of South Carolina Dance Association

South Carolina Dance Association (SCDA), an association of the South Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SCAHPERD) has named Sara Monts of Nursery Road Elementary School- Arts Magnet as their president.

“As president of SCDA, I am looking forward to a year of continued advocacy and advancement of the dance profession in South Carolina,” Monts said.

Monts found her passion for dance and movement early in life when her parents enrolled her in ballet and tap classes at the age of two. She was a competitive dancer starting at age six until she graduated high school, and then decided to continue her education as a dance major in college. She attended Columbia College for a bachelor’s degree in Dance Education. Throughout her dance career, she has performed across South Carolina, up and down the East Coast, and in Europe. After graduating, Sara began teaching at Nursery Road Elementary School – Arts Magnet where she has spent the last three years implementing and expanding her craft as an educator.

Monts takes the reigns from Past Present Maddy Thiemann who is also a dance teacher in School District Five at Dutch Fork High School.  Thiemann said, “I’m so thankful to have served for a year as your SCDA President. My goals were to increase membership, fortify our committees, and update our constitution and bylaws to be able to move forward as an association. I look forward to continue serving the dance community of South Carolina, and am excited to chair the conference planning committee for SCAHPERD 2024. Can’t wait to see you there!”

School District Five Coordinator of Athletics, Physical Education, & Arts Steven Puckett added, “I am very excited to see Sara elected to this position to represent her students, school, our district, and her peers across the state.  This is a prestigious position and it speaks to the quality of leadership and dance programming across School District Five.  I have no doubt she will do an amazing job.”