Meet Corrinna Lindholm Stoner of Bonnie Lindholm School of The Dance in Palatine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corrinna Lindholm Stoner.

Corrinna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My parents Bonnie and Terry Lindholm started the studio in 1978, I was only 7 years old. I can remember doing the build out for our very first studio on Dundee Rd. We set up card tables out front to take registration, as we were not quite finished.

As my brother Terry and I got older, we started teaching at the studio, while attending The Chicago Academy for the arts High School, majoring in dance. My first class of my own was a Pointe class, I was 15 years old. I continued teaching until I graduated from High School and moved to NY first and about 5 months later to LA.

Both my brother and I went on to be professional dancers in LA. Working in movies, TV, commercials and live stage shows.

My brother went on to become A dance agent. Representing hundreds of dancers in LA. He has his own company called GO2Talent in Burbank California.

I married a fellow dancer turned American Airlines pilot in 1993. After several too many earthquakes, we decided to move back to Chicago. I returned to teaching at the studio and doing stage shows out of Chicago with Disney special events. I danced in the live stage shows for all the Disney cartoons from Lion King to Mulan. This allowed me to perform at the Super Dome in New Orleans, The Hollywood Bowl, The Chicago Theatre and all the way Rome, Italy. In 1997 I became a Radio City Rockette. I still kept teaching at the studio as much as possible. This gave me the great opportunity to show my students firsthand what they could work towards as a career. During my 11 years with Radio City, I also had 2 children, Nina and Deagan. Never missing a performance season or for that matter a show.

Once I retired from Radio City in 2008, I took on the full-time position of running the studio. I took over the dance company and competitive team, as well as a lot of the everyday activities that keep the studio running.

Currently, my Mom lives in LA, working in my brother’s office. I continue to keep the studio moving forward into its 40th season. My daughter Nina has started to teach now, making it a third-generation family business.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Just like any business, it is never always a smooth road. There have been struggles along the way, but somehow, we have always overcome. We used to be the only studio in Palatine. When you are in business as long as my family has been, you will undoubtedly be training your own competition.

There are a lot of studios now in the Northwest suburbs. I do believe we all offer our own style.

Please tell us about Bonnie Lindholm School of The Dance.
We offer lessons from 3 years old to adult. We teach Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Pointe and Hip Hop.

Our Dance Company is ages 7-18 and performs locally in the community as well as Bulls games and WNBA games. We have been performing at Disney World for over 20 years, and perform live on ABC on the “Miracle Mile Festival of Lights.”

Our competition team attends 5 competitions per year and has won Choreography awards, Team spirit awards, as well as Overall high point awards.

Our recital gives all the students an extremely professional experience. I have been in the industry for 30 years, and our show can rival many of the productions I have been involved in.

I think the thing that really sets us apart, and people who come through our doors tell us this on a regular basis… In this time of dance trying to keep up with what is shown on TV, and holding children to a very mature standard, we continue to treat kids like kids.

We use nothing but children’s music for our younger classes, and screen the music that is used in our teen classes before it is played in front of the kids. We use age appropriate costumes that parents always appreciate.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I honestly don’t think I would do a thing differently. My parents started this studio with everyone being treated like family. Still to this day, I feel that every student that enters my class, should be treated as I would treat my own child.

When you come to the studio on a Tuesday or Thursday when the dance company is there you see how much these kids love to be at the studio. In some cases, they get dropped off at 4:30. They do their homework there, they eat their dinner there, they take class with their closest friend and get picked up at 9:30. Knowing there are so many kids that feel like this is home to them, I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1909 S. Plum Grove Rd., Palatine, IL 60067
• Website: bonnielindholmdance.com
• Phone: 847-359-3903
• Instagram: BonnieLindholmDance
• Facebook: Bonnie Lindholm School of The Dance

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