Linda Holland
Founder/Owner/Artistic Director
Linda Holland began studying Ballet at age 4 with Francis Schofield in Harlingen Texas. At 17 she attended Southwest Ballet Center directed by William Martin-Viscount. During her years at Southwest Ballet Center, she was a soloist in performances of Swan Lake, Giselle, and Napoli and studied with some of the great teachers of the time. At 18 she began Harlingen Ballet Center and later Harlingen Concert Ballet Inc., a civic ballet company whose purpose was to expose ballet students in South Texas to full length classical ballets. Holland also performed and toured with Texas Ballet under Soili Arvola and Leo Ahonen. Upon moving to Austin, Holland worked with Ballet Austin Academy where she was instrumental in setting up the professional track for students, initiated the Snap-To program for 3rd graders in the Austin School District and was responsible for instruction and rehearsal all of the Nutcracker children. During her time at Ballet Austin, she also performed with the Ballet Austin Company as needed.
In 2002 Holland began studying International Standard and Latin Ballroom where she often ranked it the top 6 in the Open Gold Standard. Her passion for ballroom dance, ballet and fitness are the inspiration for Dance Institute. Dance Institute was designed by Nic Holland Architects to create the perfect space and environment for the creative process of training dancers and artists from age 3 to adult. Currently Dance Institute and Holland are Nationally recognized for their professional training program, placing dancers with companies internationally and in the nation’s top Universities. In 15 short years, Dance Institute Alumni are currently dancing with Nederlands Dans Theater, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen and Zurich Ballet and attending The Juilliard School, USC Glorya Kaufman, Arts Umbrella and Pace University.
Dance Institute has been recognized nationally for training exceptional technique and artistry with dancers nationally ranked and awarded “Outstanding Dancer” as well as taking YAGP Grand Prix awards and National Young Arts awards. Dance Institute is the recipient of 5 Outstanding Studio Awards presented by Youth America Gran Prix and National and Regional NYCDA Outstanding Studio.
Holland’s 50 years of experience, clear vision of excellence and the needs of her students have led to the success of Dance Institute and her students both Nationally and Internationally. Her sole desire is to ensure each of her dancers is well prepared and able to achieve their life goals, whatever they may be.